WEATHER.Fair tonight and tomorrow; llttla
change In temperature.Temperature for twenty-four hours
ending 2 p.m.: Highest. ,-"chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company's value is placed by the com¬mission at *6,783,932.48.
This corpora¬tion had claimed a value of *7,784.67Where Heaviest
Cuts Were Made.The biggest cuts were made in the rat-jings for the
Potomac Electric Power and
the Washington Gas Light Companies.President Clarence P. King of
the formercompany said this afternoon he could notstate what steps
would be taken by thatcompany until he had opportunity to goover
the report. That one or more com¬panies may protest the figures
throughcourt proceedings is considered probable.In announcing its
findings the commis¬sion stated that it would hand down anopinion
in each case within a few days.With respect to the Potomac
Electric
Power Company, the commission gavea rating of *10.250.000 as of
July 1.1914. when the Investigation began,and allowed net additions
to invest¬ment in company's property up to De¬cember 31, 1916, of
*981.170.43. for atotal of *11,231.170.43. This amount In¬cludes
some allowances for intangiblevalues, but does not include the
com¬pany's claim of *1,000.000 for its GreatFalls water power site
and numerousclaims for intangibles which in them¬selves totaled
approximately *M#0,-000. bringing the total value assertedby the
company up to the twenty-tbree-mlllion-dollar mane.
Gas light Companies.In .the case of the Washington Gas
Light Company the commission firstfinds a value as of December
31, 1914,amounting to *8,800,000 and allows ad¬ditions to December
31, 1916, of *297,-873.61, for a total of *9,097,873.31.
Thiscompany likewise had made extensiveclaims for intangible values
in report¬ing a total value of *18,015,094.The Georgetown Gas Light
Company
was rated at *775,000 as of December31, 1915. and given
additions amountingto' *54,886 up to December 31. 1916,for a total
of *829,886.59. This com¬pany had sought an allowance of *200,-000
for franchises. Including going con¬cern and business values.For
the Chesapeake and Potomac Tel¬
ephone Company the rating given. asof July 1. 1914. is
*6,400,000. Additionsto December 31. 1916, amounting to1383 932.48.
were allowed, the resultanttotal being *6,783.932.48. The
commis¬sion made some allowances for in¬tangibles in this case, but
they weremuch lower than the amounts soughtby the company.
READY FOR CONFEREESSenate Substitutes Its Measure for,
That Passed by House.Pointsof Difference.
The new army draft bill is now readyfor consideration by the
conferees, theSenate having substituted its bill forthe measi^e
passed by the House. Thereare but three essential points of
dif¬ference between the House and Senate;first, the age limit of
conscripts, theSenate fixing it between the ages oftwenty-one-and
twenty-seven and theHouse twenty-one and forty; second,the Senate
authorization for Col. Roose¬velt to raise four infantry divisions
ofvolunteer troops for foreign service,and the Senate s provision
as to prohi¬bition. both of which the House re¬jected.The bill
probably will not go Into
conference, however, until the emer¬gency army appropriation
bill hasbeen completed by the conferees, whichwill be toward the
end of the week.Hefore substituting its bill for the
House measure the Senate voted down,68 to 4 Senator La Follette
s proposi¬tion to submit the selective draft to areferendum of the
people. It also re¬nted. without division, an amendmentoffered by
Senator Gronna forbiddingthe manufacture of gram into Intoxi¬cant.
The Senate likewise defeated.
vote of 54 to 17. benator Ale-Cumber's amendment, exempting
thosewh^e religious belief .is opposed to war¬fare or military
service.The conferees on the part of the
Senate will be Senators Chamberlain.» °rhcock and Warren.
Fire in Milling Plant.CHICAGO. May 2.Fire did *15,000
damage to the plant of the B. A. Eck-hart Milling Company here
early todayand caused the fall of a 50.000-gallonwater tank, which
gave rise to reportsthat the building had been bombed.There was no
loss of life.
H. B. Wheatley, Author, Dies.LONDON. May 2..Henry
BenjaminIWheatley. a well known British au¬
thor. died Monday. He was born ini»38 in Chelsea.
PEACE AND BREAD.PLEAOF WORKERS
Austrian and Hungarian Toil¬ers Glorify Russ Revolutionin May
Day Demonstrations.
BERLIN REPORTS QUIET
By the Associated Press.LONDON, May 2..Work stopped com¬
pletely throughout Austria-Hungary onMay day, according to
wireless dis¬patches from Bern. All of the Viennamunition factories
were left Idle whilethe workers gathered at sixty massmeetings,
where the food question andthe need of immediate peace were
thechief topics.Identical resolutions were passed at
all the meetings demanding peacewithout annexations or
indemnities.One resolution glorified the Russianrevolution, and
appealed to socialists ofRussia to conclude peace with theirGerman
and Austrian brothers.A procession of 100,000 men and wom¬
en marched along the Ringstrasse, andfrom there to the Prater,
Vienna's greatpleasure park, where a fete was held.The dispatches
say that there waa nodisorder throughout the day.
Work Halts in Hungary.In Hungary a holiday was observed
in all the towns. The socialists paradedin Budapest, singing
labor songs, withfrequent shouts for peace and bread.A telegram
from Budapest, Hungary,
today says:"Yesterday, being Labor day, there
was a cessation of work. All factoriesand business
establishments wereclosed. No newspapers appeared. Thesocialists
held a number of meetings,which passed appropriate
resolutions.There were no disorders."
Great Swedish Demonstration.A Stockholm dispatch says that
the
greatest spcialist demonstration everseen in Scandinavia was
held through¬out Sweden May day. The demonstra¬tion was brought to
a peaceful conclu¬sion, although ,the result had been an¬ticipated
with anxiety and nervousness.Great crowds assembled in the
streets
of Stockholm, carrying banners withinscriptions demanding more
food andbetter conditions of life. Hundreds ofchildren with peace
banners partici¬pated, and order was maintained byspecial police
appointed by the work¬ers.The parade was headed by Hjalmar
Branting, the Swedish socialist leader;Fieter Troelstra, head of
the socialistinternational bureau, and Camille Huys-mans, secretary
of the international bu¬reau. The procession passed along themain
streets, the enormous crowd* Hing¬ing "The Marseillaise" and "The
Inter¬nationale." A mass meeting was heldoutside the city, where
the leadingsocialists made speeches, stating thedemands of the
working classes.
Order Is Maintained.At sunset thousands of workmen re¬
turned to the city, but no riots oc¬curred. The good order
maintained iscredited to M. Branting, who promisedthe authorities
that no disturbanceswould occur. M. Branting, commentingon the
demonstration, said:"This May day will never be forgot¬
ten, for the overwhelming number ofdemonstrators indicated the
peacefulattitude of the Swedish working classesand is a strong
justification of theirdemands."While no trouble has so far been
re¬
ported, the dispatch, which was datedearly Tuesday evening, said
that dis¬turbances were feared in the night. Noreports have been
received from thenorthern industrial districts, where thesituation
was regarded as grave.At the Stockholm mass meeting, in
which 67,000 persons participated, aresolution was adopted
declaring thatthe internationale had been resuscitat¬ed and that a
durable peace was as¬sured. The resolution concluded withan
indorsement of an eight-hour day,revision of the constitution and
peaceon socialist terms.A Christiania dispatch says that the
usual May day demonstrations wereheld all over Norway and that
no re¬ports of disorder have been received.The Norwegian newspapers
report thatmuch dissatisfaction was expresed ev¬erywhere in
consequence of the highprices of the necessaries of life.
No Strikes, Says Berlin.BERLIN, May 2, via London..Ef¬
forts of the radical socialists to cele¬brate May day by a
holiday In the mu¬nition factories failed. No cessation ofwork is
reported. No parades wereheld and no disturbances occurred.
In announcing the failure of theplans to create holiday strikes
the Ber¬lin authorities have offered a rewardof 3,000 marks for the
prosecution of"agitators in enemy service who aretrying to start
dissension, especiallyin the labor ranks, in Germany."
Dutch Ask for Peace.AMSTERDAM, via London, May 2..
An orderly socialist May day proces¬sion was held. Banners
carried by themarchers bore inscriptions calling forpeace and the
maintenance of Holland'sneutrality. There also was a socialistMay
day procession at Rotterdam, inwhich Russians. Poles, Germans
andBelgians participated and sang songsin their respective
languages. TheRussians carried red banners inscribed"Long Live the
Russian Republic!"and "Long Live the Proletariat!"At The Hague,
when the May day
Drocession passed the royal palace, themarchers intoned "The
Internationale."the hymn of the international social¬ists. The
police did not interfere.
Crisis in Governmentof Germany Reported;
Changes Are DemandedBy the Associated Pre.*.AMSTERDAM, via
London, May 2..The Weber Zeitung of Bremen reportsthat Berlin Is
filled with rumors of acrisis in high government quarters.
Thenewspaper says that demands are beingmade that a strong man be
placed atthe helm of the state.The Hamburger Fremdenblatt. at
the
end of a three-column editorial, comesto the conclusion that the
Germanpolitical system is a failure and mustbe changed. The paper
says:"There Is no use theorizing. There is
something wrong with our govern¬mental system, as is clearly
proved byGermany's political failures and. in fact,by the whole
war. Fresh blood mustbe Infused in the government."The Fremdenblatt
advocates the re¬
moval of the bureauatrlQ batteries, in
I
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PATRIOTIC SERVICE.
MARKET ECONOMY.
order to allow the parliament and gov¬ernment to work in closer
touch.
Masons Loyal to Kaiser.The Berlin Tageblatt takes up the
statement of Koelnische Volks Zeitungthat at a Freemasons'
congress In ParisIt was decided to Instigate an anti-monarchical
movement in Germany,with the chief aim of dethroning theemperor.
The Tageblatt says thatleaders of German Freemasonry haveinformed
it that they have absolutelynothing to do with such outgrowths
ofso-called international Freemasonry.They stand on a strictly
national basis,are determinedly loyal to the emperorand empire and,
the paper says, do notconcern themselves with
politicalmachinations.
Favor Democratization.LONDON. May 2..A dispatch to Ren¬
ter's Telegram Company from Amsterdamsays:" The regional
organization In greater
Berlin of the socialist party, according tothe Berliner
Tageblatt, has adopted a res¬olution. which say*:
** 'Since a liberal expansion of the Ger¬man constitution will
facilitate the speedyinauguration of peace negotiations, werequest
the socialist party committee tostrive for the supercesslon of the
policyof promises of small concessions by athorough democratization
of the Germanempire.'"Such action, according to the resolu¬
tion, would include equal suffrage andresponsible ministries for
the empire andthe federal states."
Questions von Hindenburg.A dispatch to the Exchange
Telegraph
Company from Amsterdam says:"The Berliner Tageblatt asserts
that
Dr. Cohn, socialist member of the reich-stag, proposes the
appointment of a par¬liamentary committee to consider theGerman
military leadership. The pan-German papers express profound
indigna¬tion that a Jewish lawyer like Dr. Cohnshould wish to
control Field Marshal vonHindenburg. but the extreme
socialistsinsist .4m a discussion of his proposal,since von
Hindenburg'h powers now farexceed those of a chief of staff."
PLACED AT U. S. DISPOSAL.
Industrial Plants With $500,000,-000 Capital for War Use.
PITTSBURGH. PS., May 2..Industrialplants in the Pittsburgh
district repre¬senting capital estimated at $500,000,-000, and
employing more than 100,000men are at the disposal of the
UnitedStates government for war-time needs. IAnnouncement was made
today thatmembers of the Employers Associationof Pittsburgh had
ratified the actionof the association's directors in tender¬ing to
the government the use of theirlands.A. L. Humphrey, president of
the
Union Switch and Signal Company, ispresident of( the Employers'
Associa¬tion. Many of the plants are alreadyequipped for munition
making.
Fire Bouts Hotel Quests.CHICAGO, May 2..More than 200
guests were driven from their beds tothe street early today by a
fire whichbroke out on the fifth floor of theVictoria Hotel, at the
corner of Clarkand Van Buren streets. The damagewas small and no
one was injured.Many guests in three other large hotelsnearby were
aroused and much excite-ment prevailed until it was known the;fire
had b'een extinguished. )
Stanley Washburn, FormerWar Correspondent, Regards
It as Vital Necessity.
WANTS U. S. STAND SPREAD
Somewhere on the eastern front 11,000Russian soldiers sat in a
grove of treesand for two hours watched moving Pic¬tures showing
the activities of Britishtroops In the far-off western theater
ofwar. That performance gave most ofthem the first concrete and
authorita¬tive news that the English were in thewar. Some of them
had heard it, andprobably many doubted it; but on thatoccasion they
had absolute visual proofand were elated accordingly.This story is
told by Stanley Wash¬
burn, formerly war correspondent forthe London Times, who has
been inthree belligerent countries since thebeginning of
hostilities, and who urgesas an absolutely vital necessity in
warwork a publicity campaign to spreadthroughout Russia the news
thatAmerica is in the war; is in it "forkeeps" and, if only Russia
will holdout, will assure victory for the allies.Mr. Washburn, who
is now living in
Washington, told a reporter for TheStar today that England has
alreadyseen and acted on the necessity for apublicity campaign in
Russia; that shemaintains in Petrograd a huge oflicebuilding and a
large staff for the pur¬pose, and has spent and will continueto
spend any amount to make thiscampaign a success.
Now Greatest Factor in War."America must do likewise," says
the correspondent. "We have voted$7,000,000,000 to kill the
Germans, butnone to inform the comparatively lowintelligence of the
Russians of the factthat the economic and military sup¬port of the
United States is lining upbehind them. The immediate effect ofa
knowledge both by the Russians andthe Germans as to what we can
andwill do will be amazing. America's in¬tention is now the
greatest factor inthe war. The spending of a sum suf¬ficient to
make that intention plainmay prevent the necessity for buryingon
foreign soil a large portion of themillion men we intend to raise.
Itwill give to Germany positive assurancethat her 'corner in men'
is broken,just as the definite knowledge of anintention to plant
additional grain willbreak a 'corner' in that grain, basedon the
visible supply.
For Nation-Wide Campaign."Ours should be a nation-wide
adver¬
tising campaign. If both Russia andGermany fail to appreciate
our realintention; if Russia should relax orshould retire with an
accompanyingfailure of discipline, or be conquered,and the Germans
on the eastern frontbe released for western work, then thewar will
revert to the status of beforethe battle of the Marne, and may
lastthree years. If the reverse happens and
RECRUITS FOR NAVY EXPECTEDAT STAR MEETING TONIGHT
With facilities at hand to enlist any applicants thatmay come
forward, many recruits for the United StatesNavy are expected to be
obtained as the result of therecruiting meeting to be held in front
of The Star build¬ing tonight. It will be the first recruiting
meeting heldunder the auspices of The Star since the Senate
andHouse voted for conscription for the army.
Addresses are to be made by Representative LemuelP. Padgett of
Tennessee, chairman of the naval affairscommittee of the House;
Lieut. S. F. Bryant of the May¬flower and Yeoman H. L. Thompson of
the Mayflower.The band of the Mayflower is to give a concert
beginningat 7:30 o'clock. .... . ,The motion picture program is to
include a specialrecruiting reel made by the Herald Film Company,
apatriotic Mutual film and the latest issue of the PatheNews.
America does her whole duty, I thinkthe war will be over within
a year.*'Mr. Washburn compares the problemin hand with the
advertising: campaignnepessary to the merchandising of
newcommodity. Publicity is necessary tosafeguard the original
investment andthe publicity should not be niggardlynor haphazard
nor indefinite. It mustreach the ultimate consumer, who, inthis
case, is represented primarily byRussia. He emphasizes the
importanceor the work to be done by the Americanrailroad
commission, an important partof whose labor should be the
speedingup of traffic on the trans-Siberian roadover which our
supplies must go. TheRussians are splendid people, he ex¬plains,
but in the face of recent politi¬cal developments are likely to
lackcohesion.
Should Profit by Mistake."I have been in three countries
which
started in with the idea, later revised,that the war, to them,
was not vitallyserious," concluded Mr. Washburn."These are Russia,
England and Ru¬mania. I don't want to see Americapay for such a
mistake as they havepaid. Financial errors cost money, butmistakes
in war cost the blood of thou¬sands of Innocent people. The
greatestthing for America is to realize that thiswar is a deadly
serious one. It can bespelled victory for us only if each
manrealizes his Individual responsibility,and if the whole nation
realizes that acrisis in the war is imminent this sum¬mer and that,
if we fail, it then maystart all over again. Failure to makeplain
our intentions, however good,may prove not a mistake but a
nationaltragedy. Success in making them plainwill result in a moral
factor on whichI believe the outcome largely rests."
GERMAN CHANCELLOR'SPEACE TALK PUT OFF
Dr. von Bethmann Hollweg to Awaita "More Fitting
Occasion."
By the Associated Press.COPENHAGEN. May 2, via London,
4:01 p.m..The speech which was tohave been made in the reichstag
by Dr.von Bethmann Hollweg, the Germanimperial chancellor, on peace
and in¬ternal conditions has been postponed toa more fitting
occasion, according toword received here.
According to the Berliner Tageblatt,as quoted in a dispatch from
TheHague on Tuesday, Dr. von BethmannHollweg was to have made a
peaceoffer in the reichstag on Thursday. Thespeech had betn awaited
with thegreatest interest in view of the recentreports, of
conditions in Germany, no¬tably in connection with labor and
so¬cialism, and also because of an intima¬tion in one of the German
newspapersthat the moderation of the Germanpeace terms would
"astonish theworld."Authentic news from Germany has
been so meager of late that it is diffi¬cult to judge what
developments,either internal or external, may haveinduced the
chancellor to alter his re¬ported decision to make another
an¬nouncement regarding Germany's in¬ternational relations and
possibly herdefinite war aims.
URGES BAN ON GRAINS INALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Special Committee Makes Other Sug¬gestions .in Resolutions
Pre¬
sented Federal Board.
Action by the proper authorities toprevent the use of grains in
the manu¬facture of alcoholic beverages duringthe period of the war
is recommendedas a vital step In the conservation ofthe nation's
food supply, in resolu¬tions presented the federal trade,
com¬mission today, and through the com¬mission to the nation, by a
special com¬mittee appointed by the state repre¬sentatives who
closed a two-day ses¬sion at the commission yesterday.Three other
recommendations are
made by the committee which washeaded by Frank S. Lusk of
Montana,chairman, and John Paul Lucas ofNorth Carolina, secretary.
The com¬mittee held a meeting last night, anddrew up the resolution
presented tothe commission today.Mobilization of the country's
labor
forces for agricultural purposes onsome basis of federal
enlistment andrecognition, speeding up transportationof foodstuffs
throughout the nation,and federal limitation of the use oftin for
containers other than foodswere the other threa
recommendations.
PRESIDENT GREETSSTATE CONFEREES
Receives Delegates Here toPlan Co-Operation in De-
fense of Nation.
"DRY" QUESTION DEBATED
President Wilson today received atthe White House the
representativesfrom every state in the Union. Includ¬ing at least
ten governors, who wereInvited here to confer with the councilof
national defense, for unification ofthe country's resources and
energiesfor the war by closer co-operation be¬tween federal and
state authorities.Secretary Lane told the conference
that this government had heard that400,000 tons of shipping had
been sunkIn the last week by German sub¬marines."The United States
must build ships
as. /aP'd'y as possible," Secretary Lanetold the delegates. "If
we don't fight thewar on the other side," he said, "weshall have to
fight it on this side ofthe Atlantic." The havoc wrought bythe
Gej-man submarines he describedas threatening not only the
existence ofEngland and France, but as alarmingthe United States.
Study of Inventionsto combat the submarine menace isbeing
diligently pursued by the InteriorDepartment, he said.
Secretary Baker's Views.Secretary Baker said: "Our part on
the other side once determined is sub¬ject to revision. No
program can bemade up that will last beyond tomor¬row."The states,
said Secretary Baker, can
assist the government in three ways inputting Into operation the
draft lawfirst, by giving support to the draft:second, by aiding in
recruiting, andthird, by seeing to it that proper ex¬emptions are
enforced and that menneeded at home are not sent into thearmy.
are not going to make war,"said Secretary Baker, "with our
righthand or our left hand, but with bothhands, and every man in
the countrycan aid."
Secretary Daniels on Recruiting.Secretary Daniels announced that
the
navy had been recruited to fullstrength, but he asked the aid of
thestates in recruiting its personnel to150,000 men after the new
navy bill Ispassed. He. too, talked frankly of thesubmarine menace.
The danger of thesubmarine, he said, was not dreamed ofa year
ago.Judge Advocate General Crowder out¬
lined to the representatives the gov¬ernment's plans for putting
into oper¬ation the selective draft and asked fullco-operation of
the states.The delegates, many of whom are
chairmen or member* of state councilsor defense, also heard
addresses on thisneed of concentrated efforts made bySecretary
Wilson of the Labor Depart-
^ Raymond A. Plerson. presidentof the Iowa State Agricultural
College,who Is acting as assistant to Secretaryof Agriculture
Houston, discussed foodproblems.
Speakers for Tomorrow.Other government officials to address
this delegation tomorrow will include:W. S. Gifford. director of
the council
and advisory commission; members ofthe advisory commission; Dr.
George E.Hale, chairman, national research coun¬cil; George Creel,
chairman of the com¬mittee on public information, recentlycreated
by the President; Secretary ofCommerce Redfield and Eliot
Wads-worthy vice chairman of the AmericanRed Cross.The principal
subjects under discus¬
sion are: Prohibition during the war toconserve the food
materials ordinarilyused for liquor; encouragement of largecrop
production and better marketingmethod; labor supply, particularly
forshipbuilding and farm work: industrialconditions affecting the
output of muni¬tions and other war supplies.Gov Nat Harris of
Georgia Intro¬
duced the prohibition question and urgedthe other governors to
recommend Itas a war measure to the President andto the people of
their states A De¬partment of Agriculture report coveringan
investigation made by Dr. AlonzoTaylor of the University of
Pennsyl¬vania on the relation of the liquor ques¬tion to the grain
supplv was citedshowing that In 1916 *143,000,000 worthof grain and
other food materials wereconsumed In liquor manufacture in
theUnited States. Fermented liquors took$101,000,000, and distilled
liquors 144-000,000. The largest Items were $76-000,000 wortluof
malt, 123.000,000 worthof corn and $18,000,000 of
molasses.Administration Silent on Attitude.The administration has
made no an¬
nouncement of its attitude on the ques¬tion of wartime
prohibition, althoughsome cabinet members, it is known, arein favor
of it. Other members'arebothered about finding sources of rev¬enue
to take the place of liquor taxesIf a prohibition measure should
bepassed.Agents of the Department of Agricul¬
ture explained to the state representa¬tives plans for
organizing the UnitedBoys' Working Reserve for summerfarm work.
City boys, particularly inthe east and middle west, would be
em¬ployed in canning factories, and ar¬rangements already have been
madewith the National Canners' Associationto ascertain what extra
help will beneeded.Governors who responded to invita¬
tions to attend the conferences included-Harris of Georgia,
Harding of IowaMllliken of Maine, Boyle of Nevada"Edge of New
Jersey. Frazier of NorthDakota. Lister of Washington. Corn-well of
West Virginia, Alexander ofIdaho and Manning of South
CarolinaWilliam H. Baldwin is representing
the District of Columbia in these con¬ferences.
TURKISH MOVE F0K PEACE.
Interest in Visit of Grand Vizier tothe Central Powers.
LONDON. May 2, 12:55 p.m..Accord¬ing to Amsterdam dispatches
con¬siderable importance is attached to thevisits that Talaat
Pasha, the Turkishgrand vliier. Is paying the central pow¬ers. The
correspondent say that afterseeing Emperor William and Field
Mar¬shal von Hindenburg at German head¬quarters he went to Munich
and con-fered with King Ludwig and theBavarian ministers. Later he
went toVienna, where he Is said to have dis¬cussed the prospects of
peace and con¬cessions regarding the Dardanelleswith Count Cxernin,
the Austro-Hun-garlan foreign minister.The Turkish premier's visit
to Vienna
at the moment when Count von Zeit-ling, the Bavarian prime
minister, wasthere is considered to be especially sig¬nificant.
,
k
TROOPS TD BE SENT 1U FRANCESOON ASOUR AEEIES ADVISE
United States Army to Go toFront When Food Ships Can
Be Diverted.
NATIONAL GUARD MAY BE 'FIRST FORCE TO EMBARK
French Million Believes These MenWith Border Training Are Beady,
i
Peace Efforts Scouted. J
Members of the French waifcommission today had assurancethat the
American government iswilling to send troops to Francawhen our
allies believe they canspare ships necessary for trans¬porting an
army and its equip*ment across the Atlantic.Such a course was one
of th£
urgent recommendations thdFrench commissioners brought tothis
country. The fact that thecommission is understood to hav^pointed
out that the troops re*cently returned from the Mexicatfborder are
fit to begin a five*week training "within sound ofthe cannon,"
resulted in specula*tion today about the possibilityof the National
Guard being sen#into the trenches in France. j
Discussed at Luncheon. )Minister Vlvlani and Minister Hove*
lacque of the French commission toolcluncheon at the White House
today;with President Wilson, when the sub*ject of such an
expedition again cam#up for discussion, and it is presumedthat they
again urged the project upo^the President.In spite of objections of
the general
staff to putting any American foroeoathe firing line before the
great wararmy has been raised and trained, th#administration has
determined thtttN.mall contingent earnestly desired to?Pranoe for
moral effect shall be sentas soon as possible. The general bo-lief
here is that the way soon will KKIfound.Whether the force first to
carry thd
Stars and Stripes into battle in Franosshall be made up of
regulars or na-tional guardsmen, or both, has nogbeen worked
out.State Department officials have urged
continuously the sending of an army,solely for its psychological
effect, notonly in encouraging the allied troopfebut in
discouraging the Germans. Cod*vinced that the diplomatic
advantage^far outweighed the technical and train*ing difficulties
advanced by the generalstaff, they have felt that such a stepwould
consecrate the United States ada full member of the alliance
entitledto a most honorable seat at the peaodconference.Some of
those who have vigorously
opposed an early expeditionary force adinterfering with the
training of a largo#army have modified their views as %result of
the arguments advanced bythe military experts with the
FreneHcommission that training can be muchbetter carried out in
France within,sound of the guns. Nevertheless, th#opposition of the
staff has not wavered*
Vast Tonnage Needed.The amount of tonnage that would
be required for transport is usually putat about twenty tons per
man In %fully equipped force. For the regularAmerican unit of
24,000 men, nearlyhalf a million tons, therefore, wouldbe
necessary. It remains for the allie#to figure out if they can
afford tmdivert that amount of shipping.Little doubt exists that
the FrencH
will gladly put up with any sacrificenecessary to have American
troops inFrance, as the great plea of their mis¬sion has been for
troops with th#American flag. They have pointed outthat this is
needed to convince th#Germans beyond doubt that all the re*sources
of the United States have beenlthrown into the battle.The British
also are known to bd
anxious to have American troops inFrance as a final earnest of
Americanparticipation, but there is reason t#believe that they have
taken a some.what more detached view than th#French. Overcome by
the whole-heart-edness of American co-operation in th#war, they
believe that the one essentialis to marshal the common resources
t
