UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1918, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

GETTING TROOPS READY. HALF A MILLION' SOON IN FRANCE. Washington. Jan. 2fi. Mr. Baker made 11 statement that the I'nited States will have half a million troops in France early in j| w 'y t . ar . and inoro than a million and a half readv to send. ashing! on. Jan. 2'.) Mr Raker has js.-iuoil ;i statement that every man in ;i2 camps is ri-uilv tu be sent 1o France. SHIPPING THE CRUX. ANGLO-FRENCH GUNS USED. LARGE PROGRAM.MF. LA TO DOWN. 900,000 .MEM AVAILABLE. Received Jan. 29, 5.5 p.m. Washington, .lan. 28. Continuing, Mr. Baker said that shipping was the crux of tlio whole situation The United States was using AngloFrench guns because it was decided that by so doing more shipping would be available for the transport of American troops. The Allies bought the guns froiu France, where the factories were bigger than were needed for French require ments. America in January is to purchase 029 "seventy-fives" from France, and hv December America will be manufacturing H 34 seventy-fives monthly. Whereas Britain, in three years, ordered ordnance and shells from America to a. total value of 1,205,000,000 dollars, United States' shell contracts for seven months will exceed a billion dollars. ; Mr. Baker added that sixty million shells had been ordered for the army a/broad, lie predicted the earlv entrance of America into active fighting. It is estimated the 32 camps mentioned by Mr. Baker will represent 000,000 men.