Evening star., 1918-06-23
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

since also they are particularly ap-
precfative of the practical phases OF
education and thereby may be in
duced to continue in school, II IS usu-
ally necessary to adjust the home
economics course to meet their condf-
phases of the work.
Il
Much has been said but much re-
mains to be said about the way the
Navy Depart
Passage of Navy ment has han han
to a War Basis. alton Of turning
from a peace to war basis. In its
work since the war began the depart
ment has not been hampered by the
organization in passing from the
peace to the war basis. There has
been natural and temporarily un-
avoEiable shortage of personnel
Strong pressure, which was resisted.
also came from many officers who wish
ed to give up important duty ashore
for any kind of duty afioat. but every
new expansion and activity was
placed readily and naturally with an
existing bureau or office of the de-
partment, and, as far as it's organi-
cation is concerned, the difficulties
that have faced the Navy Department
as regards the Navy proper have been
those of expansion and not of reor-
ganiZation.
The ability of the Navy, without
friction or hurrying, to bring to bear
it's force rapidly and to increase it
threefold in a short time was due,
undoubtedly, to the system that had
been built up in peace times and to
the securing before the war of a
large building program extending
over a term of years as well as to
the authorization of an increased
personnel.
Internally the efficient organizations,
working together for years as
trained team, made the Navy De-
though it taxed the strength and
energy of every head of a department
and the entire personnel on shore
and in the fleets. The spirit among
the officers, among the enlisted men.
among the skilled mechanics. among
the trained civilians. was so united
and their service SO willing and their
Navy Department has marched
abreast, all seeking to make the
NavyS deeds worthy Of its traditions.
The years of drilling and practice,
of close cooperation in planning and
thinking. were evidence in the readi-
Navy moved when the command rang
out. Ships were manned without an
hours delay. Those in reserve were
fully commissioned. Expert gunners
lost not a moment when ordered as
armed guards on merchant ships.
Every man was Jealous to find his
place and prove the stuff he was
place of danger.
1t is not purely to the military
side of the Navy that officials of the
department point with just pride.
This war, more than any other war.
has been an affair of business. as we'll
as of fighting. Supplies. equipment.
transportation, all have called for the
highest degree of efficiency and intel
ligence in order that the fighting arm
might be sustained. The Navy dur
proved it's business methods and it's
purchasing system as to be able to
meet the tremendous and sudden de-
mands of war time without having
found it necessary to alter it's exist
ing machinery in anything save an
Increase in personnel sufticient to
handle the vast volume Of business
which now constitutes the days
work.
The Navy, since we entered the
ganizations and facilities provided by
the War Industries Board. the Coun-
ell of National Defense. the Aircraft
Production Board and the Naval
Consulting Board: which was orig
The Naval Consulting Board has
been found very useful by the depart
ment officials. not only in assisting
In the solution Of military problems.
but in dealing. with the immense
mitted to the department from the
country at large.
If any man has failed to see the
reason why he should cut his plenti-
full apportionment of
Shortage of two spoonfuls of sugar
to the one of wartime,
ouSdI. he can find out easily
enough by inquiring from officials of
the Department of Agriculture, who
explain the worldwide shortage-espe-
cially among the all1es-in the supply
OF sweets.
Not only has the supply of sugar in
some parts Of the United States been
short, but there has been an actual
shortage of more than 100000 tons
annually in the world since the war
began, and the shortage is likely to
continue, the experts who have studied
the matter say, primarily because or
the destruction of a large number or
sugar mills and the devastation of a
considerable area of sugar producing
lands in Europe.
Prior to the war practically all of
the belligerent countries, with the eN-
ception of Great Britain and Italy. ex-
ported sugar, the total amount being
upward of 100000 tons. War, how
ever, has changed the sugar produc-
tion map, and at the same time has
shifted the channels of trade. In 1918
it is estimated by the experts of the
department that the allies must i'm
port a minimum of 100000 tons of
sugar.
Formerly the United Kingdom and
France depended to considerable ex-
tent upon Germany, Austro-Hungary,
Belgium and Russia for sugar. These
sources were shut off by the war. The
United Kingdom alone thus lost the
source of more than half her normal
supply of sugar and has turned to new
as well as other old sources for her
supply.
The changes thus brought about
have been largely a diversion of the
product of Mauritius to Great Britain
instead of to India, and an expansion
of the imports of unrefined sugar from
Cuba. the Philippines and Peru. For
refined suger she drew upon the United
States and Java. However, the allies
cannot turn to such exporting countries