AMERICAN PREPARATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 15

AMERICAN PREPARATIONS.

Although the necessary vigilance obscures details, it is known that America is coming into tho war with a swift, quiet, and unchecked swing. Troops are being conveyed continuously across the Atlantio in varying numbers. Ships of every description • are baffling the submarines, with which they wage a ceaseless warfare. Thousands of craft are hunting the submarines, which have been ordered to accept extreme risks in attacking. It is reported that the German shipyards are building at the highest pressure more powerful submarines to attack the troopships. The Americans in training and being prepared in France are assuming groat numbers. The United States army personnel before the war was 265,000, whereas, it is ' now 1,500,000, and at the end of 1918 it will be 2,000,000. General Crowder has recommended tho registration of men reaching the ago of 21 since the first draft, thus adding 700,000 men annually to those available for drafting. Draft reports show that out of 9,500,000 men registered 3,000,000 have been examined- and 1,057,000 of these have been certified as fit for service. Already 687,000 of these latter have been > mobilised, and, 170,000 more are ready for mobilisation. There have boon 1,500,000 claims for exemption received. General Crowder anticipates that the number of single men without dependents will be sufficient to supply the draft needs. The New York Times states that the maximum amount of tonnage for transporting troops to Europe will be obtained by restricting non-essential oversea trade. Plans have been considered for increasing to 5,000,000 the number of United States troops going to Europe in 1918-19. Tho Secretary of War (Mr Baker) has announced that five branches of the Ordnanco Department have been co-ordinated under a single head, assisted by business men. This is expected to result in a tremendous rise in the munitions output. Mr W. G. M'/idoo of the Treasury) has ordered all terminal ports, rolling stock, and other transportation services and workers to bo utilised by tho Government railroads. He denied that tho 40 per cent, wage increase was permitting the Government to settle the question of Government ownership of railroads, which hinges on the outcome of the war control.

President Wilson's Address to Congress will explain the Government's reasons for taking over the railways and. the appropriation of 150,000,000 dollars for financing the scheme. It Is believed that the President will explain that this is only a war

measure, _ and is not intended as a forerunner of Government ownership of the

railways. The United States has loaned €trcat Britain 183,000,000 dollars. Franco 155.000,000, Belgium 7,500,000, and Serbia 1.000,000. The total lent to all the Allies is more than 4,000,000,000 dollars. General Crozier, Chief of the Ordnance Department, testified to the Senate that the committee investigating military affair 3 in Great Britain and France had agreed to furnish artillery to the Americans sent to France in' 1918, and longer if necessary. The United States authorities have stopped all shipments to Russia. An American steamer has returned to Tokio from, Vladivostock with a cargo of railway materia] which was not discharged. Vessels en routo to Vladivostock are being diverted to Japan.

_ Owing to war shortage white bread 13 likely to disappear in the United States early in 1918.

SHORTAGE OF SHIPPING IN JAPAN, Advices from Tokio state that the Mikado's Government has notified the Entente that Japan is temporarily prohibiting sales of charters of Japanese vessels to foreigners, because of the scarcity of ships. It is believed that America's embargo on the export of steel is retarding Japanese shipbuilding.