The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-07-12
Most Glorious Independence Day
in History of the United
States Celebrated.
HUNDRED VESSELS LAUNCHED
President Wilson Declares There Can
Be No Compromise With the Foe
Secretary Bakers Heartenino
Statement - Confusing
State Of Affairs in
Russia.
BY EDWARD w. PickARp.

With more than a million Americans
IN France fighting for the freedom Of
the world; with more than another
million Americans In training for the
same great contest: with the subma-
rine menace finally overcome. the
bridge across the Atlantic" completed
and its maintenance assured by the
tremendous amount Of shipbuilding ac-
compllshed and underway; with guam
tity and quality production of airplanes
and artillery announced; with huge
crops in prospect, and finally with the
, nation solidly behind the government
In its plans for the prosecution Of the
war to a victorious finish, the people
Of the United States very properly
made the celebration Of the Fourth Of
July the greatest celebration In the
history of the country. No task 80
great and glorious ever before con-
fronted them, no more lofty idealism
ever inspired them to perform the
task, never was their confidence In
their power SO absolute.
With reason, too, was the national
holiday celebrated by the allies of
America, and especially gratifying was
the fact that the day was made ma
tional holiday by many Of the Latin
American republics for that indicates
that the unreasonable Jealousy and
fear Of the United States some Of them
have entertained is passing away.
Though last Thursday was not so
noisy as the old-time Fourths. there
was one most glorious noise that. fig-
uratively speaking, must have been
distinctly heard In Berlin and Vienna.
That was the grand splash" when
about one hundred vessels were
launched at the various shipyards Of
the country. Between sunrise and
sunset approximately half million
tons Of dead weight shipping was add
ed to the fleets that are defeating the
submarine pirates, carrying our armies
to France and transporting the food
and munitions for them and our al
lies. This greatest ship launching in
all history was the most significant
feature Of the days celebrations.
In the fiscal year just ended 1922
new ships were numbered by the bu-
reau of navigation, their gross tom
mage being 1,43O,7 1913. This was q rec
ord output and one-half Of It was COM
pleted In the last four months. In the
new fiscal year this record will be
eclipsed. for many new shipyards are
Just getting started. The loyalty and
devotion Of the shipyard workers were
Justly recognized by the government
officials from the president down, and
by the people, and the praise for their
efforts is shared by the railroad work
ers, without whose devoted co-opera-
ton the achievements Of the vessel
builders would not have been possible.
-
Beautifully dovetailing In with all
this was the announcement by Sena-
tor Swanson, chairman of the naval
affairs committee, that with the coop
GRAFTON Of the American destroyrrs the
allied naval forces have destroy ed 65
per cent Of the submarines sent out by
Germany, and that they are now de-
stroying the U-boats faster than they
can be replaced.
-
Secretary Of War Bakers detailed
statement to the house committee on
military affairs was made just In time
to give added xest to the celebration
of the Fourth. He said the American
army now consisted Of 1eN 400 officers