AMERICA'S WAR EFFORTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 113, 30 January 1918, Page 5

AMERICA'S WAR EFFORTS

, ALLEGED BREAKDOWN WAR SECRETARY ANSWERS CHARGES Washington, January 28. Mr. Newton I). Baker (Secretary for War) made a statement to the Military Committee of the Senate for the purpose of refuting charges that tho War Department has broken down. Mr. Baker did not deny that mistakes and false starts had been made. It was impossible to conduct a groat enterprise without shortcomings; but the errors had been quickly rectified. The War Department considered that it was better to send men to camp without rifles than to wait until tho rifles wore available. In spite of tho fact that the number of troops dispatched to Franco was many times greater than was expected, not a man went untrained or without a rifle. Franco desired that American troops should be sent quickly, and so had agreed to supply the biggest guns required. Every man in thirty-two camps was ready to ho sent to France. The United States would have half a million troops in France early in the year, and more than a million and a half ready to send. Shipping, said Mr. Baker, was the crux of the wholo situation. The United States was using British and French guns because it had been recognised that thus more shipping would be available for the transport of American troops. The Allies had , bought the guns in Fiance, whero tho factories wero bigger than were needed to meet French requirements. During January, America would purchase 620 seventy-fives from France, but by Decomber America would be manufacturing -IH3 seventy-fives a month. Whereas Britain, in three years, had ordered ordnance and shells from America to a total value of 1300 millions dollars, the United States' shell contracts in seven months exceeded 1000 million dollars. It was estimated that the thirty-two camps mentioned by Mr. Baker represent 000,000 men. Mr. Baker added that sixty million shells had hecn ordered for tlio Army abroad. Ho predicted the carlv entrance of Americans into active fighting.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ONE AND A HALF MILLION MEN THIS YEAR SHIPPING PROSPECTS MORE PROMISING. (Roc. January 30, 1 a.m.) Washington, January 28. Mr. Baker has announced that tho shipping prospects are more promising, and it is therefore hoped to transport a million and a half troops to France during 1918. Tho Americans have built six hundred miles of railroads in France, and also vast terminals and port facilities. Tho troops havo even planted corn.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ARAB RAIDERS jfIFFECTIVE DAMAGE TO TURKISH PROPERTY. (.Rec. January 29, 9 p.m.) London, January 28. .. The War Oflico reports:—"The Arabs during tho past ten days have made extensive raids. They destroyed the telegraph line and several miles of tho Ilejaz railway track north-west of Medina, and attacked posts southward of Maan, inflicting heavy losses and destroying buildings, waterworks, and ammunition dumps."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. CALL FOR MEN SIR AUCKLAND GEDDES AND THE ENGINEERS. London, January 28. Sir Auckland Geddes, Minister of National Service, unexpectedly accepted an invitation to speak at a meeting of the Mersey engineers. Ho spoke for an hour and a half, and then spent two hours in answering hecklers. His patienco and candour impressed tho crowd, and lie received an ovation at tho close of tha meeting, although a resolution against the man-power proposals was carried.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GOEBEN REFLOATED (Rec. January 30, 1.30 a.m.) London, January 28. A German official report states:— "The Goeben has been refloated, and has entered the Dardanelles."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ! IRISH CONVENTION PREMIER MEETS SOME OF THE MEMBERS. (Rec. January 29, 11.45 p.m.) London, January 28. In the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law stated that the Premier was receiving some members of the Irish Convention, in the hope that good may result.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FIVE SHILLING NOTES IN BRITAIN London, January 28. The issue of sixty million five shilling notes in Britain, is imminent.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . BRITISH WAR BONDS (Roc. January 29, 11.45 p.m.) London, January 28. Applications for tho War Bonds opened on October 1. They now aggregate £323,388,325—Au5.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH POLITICS (Rec. January 29, 8.15 p.m.) London, January 28. The Birmingham Liberal-Unionists and Conservatives aro arranging to combine into cno solid party.—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn. A CENSURE MOTION IN NEW SOUTH WALES ASSEMBLY (Roc. January 29, 11.45 p.m.) Sydney, January 29. Mr. John Storey, Leader of the official Opposition in the New South Wales Assembly, has tabled a censuro motion against the Government's "broken conscription pledge, the secret, recruiting memorandum, tho coal contract, and the wheat elevator and silo contracts."—Press Assn.