FAVORABLE SHIPPING PROSPECTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1918, Page 5

FAVORABLE SHIPPING PROSPECTS.

ONE AND A HALF MILLION TROOPS THIS YEAR. Received Jan. 30, 1.15 a.m. Washington, Jan. 2!t. Mr. Baker announced that shipping prospects were more promising. Therefore lie hoped to transport l'/ 2 million troops to France in 1918. He also stated that Americans had built 000 miles of railroads in Trance, also vast terminals and port facilities for troops, and that they had even planted corn. SHORTAGE OF RIFLES. WAR DEPARTMENT ACTIVE.

Washington, Jan. 28. Mr. Baker, secretary for war, made a statement to the Senate military committee for the purpose of refuting the charges that the War Department has broken down. Mr. Baker did not deny that mistakes and false starts had been made, adding that k w»= impossible to con~«i*t a great enterprise without shortcomings, but the errors were quickly rectified. The War Department considered it better to send the men to camp without rifles than to wait until rifles were available. Despite the fact that many times the number of troops expected had heen dispatched to France no men went untrained or without rifles. France desired American troops quickly so she had agreed to supply the biggest guns. CZERNIN'S SPEECH NOT RECEIVED. , Washington, Jan. 28. i Considerable interest is aroused by the 1 statement of the Cologne Gazette' that Count Czernin forwarded the text of his speech to President Wilson, hut t'he State Department denies that the speech was received. 1