New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-24
ILLUSTRATION from
4 J os eph PenneWs PEN
DraaOjng and Pen DrGughts-
men Mucmillan)

was obviously and VIGOROUSLY what he
referred to, Senator Chamberlain
spoke the exact truth
these things are not pleasant to re-
call, OR to have revealed for the first
time, as some of them are But thew
are, as we have said, supremely essen
tlal by way of admonition, to make
sure, if that be possible, that never
again shall we be caught in such a
plight and be compelled to pay such
penalty. From them we turn with
gladness to other scenes, dwelt upon
by the authors at far greater length.
/ The record of our achievements in
manufacturing military supplies, when
once the official sluggards and obstruc-
tlonlsts permitted the work to begin.
is, we believe, unsurpassed. The extent
OF the enterprises and the quantities
OF the products Cypress the mind and
at times surnass comprehension, like
the ilgures which represent TIE dis
lance and the size of Betelgeusc. We
become thankful for the profusion Of
pictures, from official photogranhs
which often present facts far moro
lucidly and convincingiy than words or
figures could do.
We Cross the Sea
Even then it is impossible to avoid
regret and resentment at the willful un-
preparedness and delay which deferred
thus magnificent uprising Of patriotic
energy to so late date. 1t is i'm
possible to escape the conviction that
had the National Admin tration from
1914 to 1917 acted with the prudence
which, as the authors bluntly declare.
common sense should have dictated.
and if the reports of the expert OBJ
servers whom we sent to watch the war
had been needed and acted upon in
stead of being "filed away in the ar.
chlves of the War College to gather the
dust of Official neglect" we should have
reached the unsurpassed peak of our
productive efficiency probably a year
earlier than we did, the war would have
been to that extent shortened, perhaps
a million lives would have been saved
and the A. E. r. in France would have
needed to be counted by only hundreds
Of thousands instead of by millions.
But since so many had to go it is
unspeakably gratifying to recall the
J success with which they were safely
ferried over. To that memorable
achievement, at the time conducted
under so inpenetrable veil Of
secrecy, for prudence sake, there
volumes give much well-illed space
A whole volume is profitably given to
the story of the movements OF troops
in this country, from training camps
to points of embarkation. 1t was a
gigantic task in transportation, con
Quoted so secretly that few Americans
save in the army itself, realized what
was being done There was little OF
it in the newspapers of the time
: Now and then people with wondering
eyes saw trainloads of soldiers passing
through the night, or camouflaged
transports stealing out of port, hut
that was ALL From IAN American port
to Somewhere in France" was the only
written record.
The Thrill of Crossing
Thrilling beyond description are the
accounts of the actual ferriage across
the sea- An opulent chapter is giver
to the voyage of the first group OF
transports under the convoy Of Ad.
niral Gleaves:
"Day after day the voyage con
tinued. 4 hundred submarines were
sighted in the imagination of the
volunteer watchers who lined the rails
f.cm sunrise to darkness. At night
the full mystery of the sea descended
upon the voyagers. The ships were
utterly darkened on the decks, ant
even below decks no lights were per
nlittsd, except an occasional dark blue
bulb. To strike match or to smoke
2 cigarette on deck at night was a sure
avenue to a court martial. One night
it was in the war zone-the lookoutS
Or the first group gasped as bear
OF white light shot up into the SKY
from the Seattle, flagship of the con
voy, Some sailor on the cruiser hat
termed on searchiighs. The bean
Tod the location Of the