AMERICAN PREPARATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 16

AMERICAN PREPARATIONS.

An American Federation of Labour nvu-l festo unreservedly pledges Labour to s<!»d irp war work and support the Government. Mr M'Adoo, Secretary of the Treasury, has issued a statement showing that the expenditure in tho last half-year Included: Army, l,762,000,000dol; n?-y,

558,000,000dol; Shipping Board, 169,000,000 dollars. A Bill has been introduced in the iSenate fixing the minimum price of wheat at 250 cents per bushel. Agreements have been signed whereby British residents will lie subject to tho American draft.

Mr Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the American Navy, has asked Congress for 10Q,000,000d0l as an additional appropriation for contracts for anti-submarine devices.

Mr Baker, Secretary of War, has announced that the first American aeroplanes equipped with Liberty motors are now en route to the west front. He also states that engine production in the United States factories is now most satisfactory. Mr Baker stated that hitherto neither the Allies nor the Germans on the west front had more than 2500 battleplanes simultaneously available. American planes are going to the front four months earlier than was expected. The Senate reported the Finance Corporation Bill, appropriating 500,000,000d01. (The Bill also authorises the Government to control all new issues of stocks and bonds. An economic agreement between America and Spain has been signed at Madrid. By it General Pershing will obtain mu!e3, blankets, and other supplies from Spain in return for oil and other commodities from America. The Senate passed the Railroads Control Bill ; giving President Wilson . absolute power to operate the nation's railroads. President Wilson lias issued a proclamation fixing the minimum price of 1918 wheat at 220 cents a bushel, and urging farmers to servo humanity by hastening deliveries. Mr Wilson indicates that farmers will be exempt from the draft. Mr Henry Ford announces that work has been started, on a two-billion dollar plant, designed exclusively for the manufacture of a fleet of new vessels, which, lie claims, will solve the TJ boat problem. The Federal authorities here have arrested Johannes Werkhoven, and charged him with bringing German-owned bond coupons to America for the purpose of cashing them. Werkhoven is purser on a Dutch ship. The authorities allege that he has cashed 3,000.000d0l worth of coupons. Werkhoven contends that the bonds were owned by a Hollander, and not by Germans. GERMAN, PROPAGANDA. Evidence has been submitted before the Senate House Committee disclosing a nation-wide propaganda by the National German-American Alliance to defeat the nomination of either Mr Wilson or Mr Roosevelt prior to the last Presidential election. The president of the Toledo (Ohio) Chamber of Commerce produced a letter alleged to have been written by Bartholst, a former Congressman, to the alliance, declaring that "wo must tise our votes to return only those favouring Germanism." THE SHIPPING POSITION. Thero is a marked improvement in the shipping situation in the United States. Vessels at the seaboard have a carrying capacity for a much greater quantity of goods than is awaiting transportation, and the present problem is of further speeding up tho railroads for the delivery of supplies to the seaboard.