Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / April 26, 1915, edition 1 / Page 1
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! j THE WEATHER Fair Monday and Tuesday. BIG NATIONAL ADVERTISERS. n h . fK in A ins : --:: . . - ',' . 'I.I ' ilifc . "- WIXiMISTGTON. N".C MOXDAT Mnmmin dtt ' , 1 PRPKiicci I rn Anne IIUUIILI LLLLII HUUu VOL. XCVI NO. 35 They see In the present the psycho logical moment ofr planning their bin publicity campaigns. Take your cue from them! GERMANS RENEW EFFORTS TO BREAK WAY THROUGH ALLIED LINES TO ENGLISH CHANNEL Berlin Claims That Rushes of German Troops Have Driven Back Allies. ALLIES DENY REPORT Present Action Thought to be Preliminary to Another Desperate Charge. President Wilson's Private Peace Envoy More Men and Guns Sent Into the West by Germany. Loudon. April 25. The German rushes in Flanders and the Woeyre v.-he re they claim considerable Min-esses are believed to be forerunners of another big effort t break through the Allied lines in the West. - - - For many days-Belgium has been seak-il from the observation of neutrals, while German reinforce ments are being moved to the south to take -part in the new of fensive, which they hope is to car ry them to Calais. The attack in Flanders, originally levelled at the French, has-been transferred to the British lines held by the Canad ians on the immediate right of the French, and here for two days the, men from the Dominion have -been engaged in a deadly contest with liiMiernians. The Germans claim further progress toward Ypres, and that British counter attacks have been repulsed."" "'.!-'-. ; ' 1 GRAPH IC ACCOM! T OF RECENT BATTLE Capture of Hill No. 60 Told of by ye-Witness." IN DESPERATE FIGHT Germans Were Surprised at Work and Fled in Their Shirt Sleeves Be fore on Rush ins British Tons of Ammunition Used ,5? ITALY IS EXCITED OVER PEACE PLANS " m ' - -J - ' . Austro-Italian Agreement Up permost in Public Thought. PLAN NOT APPROVED TO HIS STATEMENT Lengthy and Detailed Story is Given Out at New York. French Deny Report The French on .the other haml de clare the Allies attacks continue with success und that the British ."hold their positions and repeat' the charge that the Germans are using bombs contain ing asphyxiation gases. The FrankfurteK Zietung justifies the use of these missiles on the- ground that the Allies have done likewise. The German attack in the Woevre or in the Meitse lulls, was directed against the French position's ' southwest of eombres, and according' to Berlin, the i-'iemh suffered a heavy defeat. Paris, however, says that in a c6uh'ter attack the Germans were dfiveh out of the i reach first. line Which they had push til back. mese offensive - movements by the evmans have - been made possible by Hie state of the Germans in -the East "'here operations are virtually impos sible until floods have subsided. Tak in? ixlvaiuae of these conditions the 'erm.ms uansferred a large number ot troops -to the West to make another 'Hon which shows they are not content if rely on a Jassive policy. h- is believed that. 500,000 new Ger man troops have . reached Flanders tnat more guns and material are "sed;than. were provided for the rimnA attempts to destroy the Allied !l!"'s. 111 the West attempts which u v-'th failure both in August and 111 October. ' - aim on Eastern Front - is " "1,J. "ipantime' the Eastern front eaim'JOyu'r- a I,eriocl f comparative wC'V'6"1 in the 'mid-Carpathians, .hf. t,le !:ussiaiis continue to attack &. triftns in Uzsok Pass and to the ,pa, v'!)tre the Austrians and Ger n'1.,,' lre tryiI1S to crush the Russian 1 both sides-report successes. a illations in the Dardanelles still b...p:",e,it,y confined to the bom- mentr ,of lhe Turkish- entrenche nadp""fnP ,'e preParations are being Pan n , "g the Allied forces,' terr'-rrv h is already on Turkish 'It ah tl- h"OS and other Points, that 's- !1J Greece -continue to debate n auy,.tney will take, and '- "eneyed .waits on Italy's ll iS St!) toI Vin A Edward Mandell Honw. This photograph of E. M. House close friend of President Wilson, said to' have' been sent privately by him to ' Sound European governments on the -question of peace, was taknn the. other dary-in London. Mr. House has been chary of photographers in t'm United States, but he had little hesita tion in posing in London. UUOILIUI H WRSF OT if I 11 lion lit n. r. repulsed earlpday with heavy losses to the enemy. , ' "West' of Wiel British attempts to make ah' attack were quenched at the siai t oy our artillery. "In-the Argonne we repulsed an at tack by two French battalions north of Four -de- Paris. -"In- the Meuse Hills, southwest of Combree the French suffered a heavy defeat. We- began an attack at this point and in the rush broke through many .French lines. The French at tempted at night to recover the cap tured, territory but again failed with heavy losses, .Twenty-four French of ficers and 1,600 men, with 17 cannon', remained in our hands after these en gagements. "Between the Meuse and the Moselle fighting at close quarters occurred only at' certain nlarps -m out- cAntv.s.n j frOnt, 'the fighting at, Ailley not hav- ns jei uume to a conclusion. A French (Continued on Page Eight.) FLEET IS READY FOR BATTLE Said to be Willing to Meet the British in the North Sea. T ..t 1 . . f "u"uu"i Apni o. rrencnes, pets and sand bags disappeared.' ay the British official "eye witne' d scribing British mine explosion-- h preceded the recent attack t ture by the British of Hill ' .soi. east of Ypres. "The whole surface of t) ground,'- f li a hqi-po tin. t ' : . . . . , - .....oniiB Luuiuiuea, .- .mea ine strange shapes. Here it wjj-torn into nuge craters; there large mounds of fallen debris were. seen. "As the reports of the explosions died away, our men,, led by the officers, rushed across the intervening space of some 40 to 60 yards lying between our trenches and the gaping craters before them, the frontier covered by the attack being only some 250 yards in length. "Where the mines actually had ex ploded nothing was left of the occup ants of the hostile line but in the neighboring trenches our assaulting in fantry witnessed an extraordinary scene. Many German soldiers, possibly owing to the fact that they were work ing, were surprised while in their shirt sleeves and without equipment. Stunned by the explosions and sublect- ed to a rain of hand erranads thpv gave way to panic. Fled Before British "Cursing and shouting they were falling over one another in their hurry to gain exits leading into the communication trenches. Some of these in the rear were driving their bayonets into the bodies of their com rades in front of them. Of all this, our infantry had only a momentary glimpse before they fell upon the en emy, with the bayonet, burst through the maze of trenches, poured into the craters and pressed on down the com munication trenches until at last they were stopped by barricades defended by .-bomb throwers. iJiVQ, firstjine-ot tr0iches..was cap? i tured in a, few minutes and IS prison ers ieu into our hands, but it was then that the real struggle began, for the Germans quickly recovered from their surprise. Soon the German gun ners opened flre and our whole posi tions became obscured in the smoke of bursting shells. Meanwhile, our batteries had begun to support the at tack and a terrific artillery flre was maintained far into the night. Under this fire, our men had to work, throw ing up parapets toward the enemy, blocking their communications and generally rendering their position de fensible. FigJitingr Grew Fierce . "Nor was the enemy's infantry idle. Advancing u p the communication trenches they threw hand grenades over the barricades and also into the mine craters in the crumbling sides of which our men were trying to obtain a rootnoia. "Throughout the night the fighting continued. Culminating early in the morning of the 18th in two mased at tacks by the enemy. These were beaten off. Despite losses which left the hill side covered with dead, the enemy con tinued his pressure during the whole of Sunday until we eradnaiiv wot-o ! driven from the southern edge of the hill. At 6 P. M. reinforcements reached our front line and swept the Germans from the foothold they had gained. "Prior to this the close proximity of the contending sides had led to slackening in the bombardment but it then broke out afresh and with almost as great intensity as on the preceeding evening. Our position, however, was more secure." "The narrative says the bombard ment was maintained Monday, April (Continued on Page Eight.) Prcusr, Politician? and Public Much la. tereted Sharp Criticism of Plana Keported Offered by Prince Von Buelow. AS TO WALSH REPORT Letters Published by Chairman of the Industrial Relations Commission and Conclusions Reached by Him Is Subject, DANIELS DETAILS THE WORK IN THE NAVY DURING LAST TWO YEARS UNDER WILSON Secretary of the Navy Writes in Reply to Request of President Garfield, of Williams College, for Material to Meet the Statements That the United States is Uuprepared for Military Emergencies at This Time. 1 111,!. Rome, April S5 (via Parisl Th I vt. Tr,. . . . 'cw xuin, Apru L'o. John I) Kocke- ess, politicians and the public are wi.r . . ;d,ruSnB ..,.,. , vely lnter. m', ;m::ur z z est, the-Plan for Au.tro-Itall.n asree- ye.terday i answer to that bv Prank by the German ambaasador. Prince Von Buelow, in theortginal negotiations on this subject. This plan, as set forth by the Socialist jorgan Avanti, which favors neutrality, provides among other things, forrecognition of the re ciprocal interests of Italy and Austria and approving the Triple Alliance, and for territorial concessions by Austria. rmcism or any such agreement is widespread, on the ground that tho concessions Italy would receive are not set forth with sufficient clearness. The opinion is expressed that so long as Austria retains her present territory on the Adriatic, with Polar Cattaro and the 600 Dalmatian Islands which some naval experts have compared with 600 dreadnaughts to reach . a settlement. This view is expressed by one well known commentator in this manner: "Such a settlement would leave "in the hands of Austria all the points which constitute a grave menace strat egically td Italv. If An willing to cede the territories inhabited principally oy Italians she must yield not only the province of Trent but Pola, Fieume and the greater part of Dalmatia. This evidently is not Aus tria's intention. Austria obviously is having reverse to petty expedients to gain time hoping unforeseen events will make possible a solution more satisfactory than one based on conces sions of the Italian demands in their entirety." The Corriere Bella Sera says that the Austro-Italiah problem cannot be solved by resorting to trivial expe dients, but demands a solution which would effect an Mxpansio nof Italran territorv a Inner roto 1 linAa ... 1 j guarantee SKr-ttatHFhe fneans of .satis- t f t. i4 n . . ill . iat.iui iimrinine aeiense. This newspaper says tnat Italy's re lations with the Slavs ana other ques tions arising rrom the new situation in me Aieaiterraneon should be left 'to future settlement by International agreement. PARIS PRESS. INTERESTED. French Much Concerned Abt-ut What Italy Will Do Predict War. Paris, April 25. The prospect of Italian intervention is a subject "of ex tensive comment by the Paris press. The trend of dispatches from Rome mil itary and otherwise is that Italy is ready for the conflict and ha's decided on the publication of a letter by Dep uty Istrat of Rumania, confirming the treaty of alliance between Italy and Rumania as the basis for a statement that Rumania will join her as an ally, when Italy gives the word. THREATEN GENERAL. STRIKE. ACTION VERY LIKELY t r ( i . . - . i 'l to r 1 uils-t..Kome are prepar I'rm "'"'"end acceptance of Italy's fro.',.'. Hrt baiting for instructions f; 11 v-'hich has the last word. T,'hi-h !,', "' i,s considering terms a- u;pve, come from the Allies, io"- li,.-, UOItla.,,1:. f,,ll thf !inine(1'iite interventitionad of ex-Premier Vpnllna siHtii) ""liei't supporters m- lrv i.u, ., ' int'esrityof the coun-ta-k-Ps ', 'H' Kunr-inteed before Greece hhn J' '"r"s An Athens dispatch to- " .- P i 1 r i - . c oecision is expect ' Miis week. " "O.M,.,l( 'TS OBTAINED "'''''mis i j 'r"!III(l A 0! I , Battleships aud Dreadnoughts of Ger- . many Reported Searching the North Sea for the Enemy. 3Iessage to Admiral London, April 25. A Copenhagen dis patch to the Exchange Telegraph says that leading German papers declare the Gexmaji .fleet is willing now to accept battle in the North Sea. The entire fleet,' the pa"pers declare, several times has cruised over the North Sea vainly j seeking the British fleet. The Vossische Zeitung says the Nor wegian steamer Foedin met the German flfftt- last- Suniiav off Hele-nlanrt Tha German commander told the captain of the- foedin that the German fleet had one desire only to engage the British fleet; and he hoped the British fleet might--be found. ROOSEVELT TO RENEW HIS TESTIMONY TODAY Barnes Will Take the Stand Latter Part of the Week. Socialists Make Effort to Call Strike of Italy, Declares fur Intervention. Rome, April 25, via Paris A faction of the Socialists which opposes "Italy's participation in the war, is planning to bring about, in case of mobilization of the army Is ordered, a general strike. Most of the Socialists, however, are not in sympathy with the plan," and it is believed fhe effort would fail.. . Railroad employees on whom the or ganizers of the strike movement would rely chiefly, declare they would not strike. Relations Commission who made -nub lio correspondence between Mr. Rocke feller and L. M.' Bowers, chairman of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Commnv Mr. Rockefeller also reviews at length incidents In connection with the Col orado strike situation. Mr, Rockefeller characterizes as false the statement of Chairman Walsh that he (Rockefeller) presumed to dictate letters that went out to the Presi dent of the United States and the Gov ernors of states over the signatures of the Governor of Colorado. "These facts," Mr. Rockefeller's statement daclers, "as as follows: "Last May Governor Ammons sent Major E. J. Boughton, attorney gen eral of Colorado tcy New York. I never met Major Boughton, but he told Mr Lee (Ivy L. Lee) Mr. Rockefeller's rep resentative hat Governor Ammons had been disturbed over the misunderstand ing which prevailed in the Eastern States concerning many phases of the Colorado strike. Maim- rtnuotv, r.i. ed Mr. Lee if he had in mind any ef fective way of getting the facts before the public. Mr. Lee suggested that one method would be for the Governor to write a letter to the President of the United States and to his fellow Governors in other states setting forth the situation as Governor Ammons saw it. Made Draft of Letter. "To get the matter into shape for consideration Major Boughton asked Mr. Lee to make his suggestion con crete by preparing a draft of the kind of letter which he had in mind. As a basis for, the -preparation of. this draf t, i Dwugmon sam that Mr, Lee made a memorandum of his own view of the situation. The memorandum written by me and referred to in one of rav "a.ving sent oy me to Mr Lee was nothing more than a rough draff of a statement concerning the Colorado situation which I had drawn up, in answer to a statement which had appeared in the press, ' but had never used. "When I learned of Mr. Lee's sug gestion to Major Boughton it occurred to me that this memorandum contained material which Mr. Lee might find help- m in mai connection. Mr. Lee draft submarines and 7 auxiliaries as com pared with 54 vessels (5 dreadnaughts, 14 destroyers,- 23 submarines, 3 gun boats and 9 auxiliaries) which were un der construction on March 1, 1913. "All the vessels enumerated, those in active service and those in reserve, are supplied with munitions of war. TSTn navy makes publin the quantity of am munition and torpedoes, mines and oth er implements of naval warfare which it keeDS readv. Tt.mav h stair! Vxvmt- ever, that within the last two years the quantity, of all has been steadilv and greatly increased. For example, we have increased the number of mines, on hand and in process of manufacture, by 244 per cent. With reference to tor pedoes, the increase in two years has Deen so per cent. By the enlargement of the naval Dowder factorv. we shall soon be able to almost double its for mer capaety, and like . enlargement of tne torpedo works and the equipment of a plant to construct mines will still further increase, at decreased cost, the quantity of such stock, and the possess ion of these plants in times of emerg ency will enable the Department to be in a better state of preparedness as re gards the supply of ammunition, than ever before. "The personnel of the Navy is at I present composed of 4.355 line, staff and" warrant officers, and 53,171 enlist- j ed men. Increase in the number of of ficers is dependent almost entirely upon art v,io !i , - tne output oi tne iavai Acaaemy, aa- Boughton Lf X th6m t0 Ma3or mission to which is restricted by stat- nMl"t!h"er even!ute. The number of-enlisted men also "In the memorandum referred to Mr 18 JS and the Na7 iS 1 Rockefeller reviewed the labor sir cruited to the maximum strength allowr tion in Colorado and said there was -no ed There are nPw witn the colors 5'" Ludlow massacre. 1 824 more men, an increase of 12 per i natir r H o thfifa nrora f r Ann ri-Vi i VjV1IL( k 11 X M. I11V1 V VVJ.-r VIA J. . . J. y Washington, April 25. Secretary Daniels tonight made public a letter he has written to President Garfield, of Williams College, detailing the work in the navy during the last two years. Mr. Daniels wrote in reply to Mr. Gar field's request for material to meet statements that the United States is unprepared for military emergencies. The letter follows : "My dear President Garfield: "I am in receipt of your recent favor, asking for 'an authoritative statement, concerning the present status of the navy equipment of the United States,' and take pleasure in complying with your request as far as is compatible. "There are now in active service, fully commissioned, 225 vessels of all characters, which is 36 more than were fully commissioned when I became Secretary. There are also 101 vessels of various types, in reserve and in or dinary and ,un-commissioned, capable of rendering service in war. We have un der oenstructron and authorized 77 ves sels (9 dreadnaughts, 23 destroyers, 38 War News at a Glance Be, J.o!o: i "V, norti; '.'stern Pit' in s '1 t If.. . - A I I - . uuiucu inure "t.prex Over RrlHuh. i I , " hsa Quarters ' today Mowing report: ;"eatre of war: lnf''f further result, nt around captured April 23, MESSAGE TO ADMIRAL. r,r , 'ciainea yesterday - u-u- me enemy. Dar 'vest i.t "I St ' oritinued our attack and the. Solart farm omi-v j ... ,m . K3VUI.il- " ""i -as txiei vai- ji.i... vH0e,! .. Him,;,'- , 1),'is'''i-,,1L . '-nKlishinen ., , ' ' i't'l) ,.fi - Punier attack pri and Kprssoio ''toriousiy , toward . Gra.ven- inse engagements were taken cr;tl machine guns Kmperer William Congratulates Him Upon- Anniversary of 50 Years .... - in the Navy. Amsterdam, via London, April 25. Dispatches from Berlin say that Em peror William yesterday sent the fol lowing telegram to Admiral Von Tir pitz, Minister of Marine and Admiral of the Fleet: . - "On today, the - 50th anniversary of your entering the naval service, I ex press to you my heartiest congratula tions, . as is my pleasure that, with n-ri'a Vvoln i t will he! fi"rantd , von to VJVV l.v.., - u " s - - celebrate this day stilr in activ service 1 . . - : T .Til 1 1T3 i and IUU vigor- i reauuy euiuiHue mis against ' (Continued on Page Six) , .. Trial of the Fifty. Thousand Dollars Damage Suit of William Barnes for Alleged Lfbel Well Ad vanced at Syracuse. Syracuse, N. Y., April 25. Theodore Roosevelt will resume the witness stand here tomorrow for further examination in William Barnes' $50,000 suit for al leged libel. The cross-examination, at torneys tonight said, was likely to con sume the whole of tomorrow's session of court. Barnes arrived here today from Al bany, where he went when court was reeessed Friday. He took" part in a lengthy conference with ljis attorneys, then announced he would return to Al bany tomorrow to be present at the re opening of the State's Constitutional Convention. Attorneys said Barnes probably would take the- stand some time next week. Colonel Roosevelt conferred with his counsel, too. This mornine he went tn church and later motored from the home Although spring has failed to' bring the long expected "big effort" of the Allies against the German lines in France and Belgium it has furnished hree of the most desperate eneaee- ments of the war. The first at Neuse Chapelle. where in three days fighting combined losses numbered 30,000 or more with victory resting on the British arms. The second was southwest of Ypres, 'when the British captured Hill No. 60.- This lnvonvea tne most xurious , kind of fighting and after the hill , was taken a bombardment by the Germans for several days. Then bringing up heavy ."reinforce ments the Germans began an attack around Ypres which is described as one or tne nercest or tne war. Tljis at tack was partly in the nature of a sur prise and the Allied lines were pushed back for a considerable dlstanae, es timated in some quarters as ..several miles. Some of this grbund has been regained, and accordin gto, Paris the Germans not only have been checked but Belgians, British and French . by determined ,counter attacks," .continue to force their adversaries back. The Germans are reported still' to be employing bombs containing gas-forming chemicals and their use is admitted and justified by the Berlin press, one Berlin newspaper asserting that bombs of a similar anture have been em ployed by the French and British. The full force of the German at tack Is being directed against the British front from several directions and here the Canadian troops, who already had distinguished , themselves by counter attacks when the Germans swept the French line back, are bear ing the brunt of the battle.' With 750,000' men on the continent, as announced "recently, by the British chancellor of the exchequer, reinforce ments ciouDuess nave oeen hurried for "The engagement." he sairi ed as a desperate fight for life, by two small sauads of militia 9inC i, entire tent colony, which attacked with more than 300 armed men. There were no women and children shot by the authorities of the state or repre sentatives of the tion with the Ludlow engagement. No one." "The memorandum sava ttot -fm. ; statement reference is made to a re port to the commanding general of the Colorado militia under date of Mav "The memorandum then declares that there was but one child shot in this engagement and that was by a stray bullet and the two women and 11 children who met their death in a pit underneath the floor of one of the tents, were smothered. "The memorandum refers , to an arti (Continued on Page Eight.) 1914. "My professional training as a jour nalist has always inclined me to the conviction that any officer, within the GERMANY MAY LIFT THE BAN ON POTASH SALTS Negotiations With United States Bearing Fruit. JAPANESE PUBLIC BACKS GOVERNMEN T Widespread Approval of De mands Made Upon China. IS WORD FROM TOKIO I. t.MM s . . uuincu iur(iuc uuub ui puwuer manuiacturers as Ward to fill, the gaps In the' British ! it 'ia nhars-Ari hat t,..n , . . - - . -f . r - ' ' er , vwwa VaDO VI Potash Will Be Shipped to the Depart ment of Agriculture and Distrib uted Under Supervision of That Department. Berlin, April 25 (via London). Ne gotiations with the United States for the removal of the German prohibition on the exportation of potash salts have reached a stage where a successful so lution, seems probable. Germany some tiJJigo interrupted potash shipments to United . States until satisfactory guarantees were arranged that they would not be used in the manufacture of ammunition for the Allies. The German proposal which seems to be capable of acceptance by the United States is that potash exported in exchange for cotton cargoes be consigned to the Department of Agri culture at Washington under a guaran tee:: that it will be used solely for the purpose of fertilizers and that its dis- iriDuuun oe supervised oy inspectors who would see that none of it fell into Motive of Japan is Declared to Be for Permanent Peace in the Orient Patience .Sorely Tried by Action of China. Tokio, April 25. The government's firm attitude in pressing its demands on China is meeting with widespread approval in Japan and public opinion lis manifesting itself with increasing force in' this direction. . Although parliament is not in ses sion many members of the national legislature are lending active supuort Lto the government. One hundred mem bers placed themselves on record today as favoring Japan's demands. They laid special emphasis on the demands for railway and mining concessions and provisional s political and prescribed limits recognized in th Navy, should feel free to express his opinion in regard to matters in the ser vice; and there is not an officer who commands a ship today who could or vould say that his ship, without or within, was not as rood ns it a t, i years ago, or that the officers who com mand it and the crews who man it, are not as thoroughly disciplined, sober loyal and efficient as they were two years ago, or as they ever had been. "The Atlantic fle,et has just returned from Guantanamo, where it has for many years held its annual winter prac tices. This year more battleships and destroyers have participated in the ma neuvers, and for a longer period, than ever before. "Under the direction of Admiral Fletcher, upon plans evolved at the Naval War College and approved by the Department, the fleet has been bus- ieu in tactics to try out its efficiency and readiness. All reports tell of the enthusiasm of officers and men in this practice and the splendid record made by the ships. The fleet is now in Tan gier Sound and on the Southern Drill Grounds, where it will be busy in tar get practice until May, when it moves to New York for a week's well-earned leave. Then will come the review at New York, followed by" maneuvers in Narragansett Bay region, and finally the review in Hampton Roads prior to sailing through the Panama Canal to the Pacific, en route to the Exposition at San Francisco. "These spring practices followed close upon the heels of valuable maneu vers and tactics in October, November and December last. This was indeed strenuous practice, but it is the way the Navy is kent fit and wav' uni tv, Admiral in command of the Fleet and the Department planned such extensive evolutions because the onlv wav that I the Navy can be always prepared is by practice and practice and then more practice. This simple statement of the operations of the fleet since October is one of the best answers I can o-ivo n lyour question as to the Navy's prepared ness, the necessity of keeping ships in Mexico last year denied Admiral Badger the opportunity for as long practice as he had wisely planned, but the sudden call for the expedition lo Vera Cruz demanded and exacted un usual service to which the fleet respond ed with an alacrity and readiness. which amply justify the faith of the country that there exists today no more effici ent institution than the United" States Navy. Some critics have said the effi ciency of the fleet was reduced by rea son of going to Vera Cruz. To our re gret, certain maneuvers and target practice of value were necessarily omit ted. The emergency experience, how ever, of a year of stress and strain was of far greater value in one important respect than the well-planned routine, because it gave a demonstration of the readiness of the Navy in every Depart ment, afloat and ashore, to meet an urgent call. Its flexibility was shown in adjusting itself to entirely naw and unexpected situations, as well as its remarkable adaptability in handling ev ery problem presented to it. "It must be conceded byall that the best school and preparation for war Is war itself, and it was almost under this condition that our fleet atced in pro ceeding almost in a day to Mexican waters. The stay at Vera Cruz, how ever, did not prevent practice, for tha ships individually or in divisions, dur ing a great part of the time helo. tacti cal maneuvers, torpedo-proving prac tice and sub-caliber drills, in prepara tion for target practice. "For many years,' officers have writ ten and talked about the formation nf advance base material and the practice of exercising landing parties of seamen and marines in the use of this impor tant adjunct to naval warfare. Con- gress appropriated money for this im portant plan of campaign, but nevec until January of last year was tt under taken. Then, under instructions from the Department, Admiral Badger car ried out a comprehensive exercise in which the professional advantages gained by officers and men were ines timable. Three months atfer this ex tensive practice had been given for the first time in our Navy, the same tlept, and the same men were called upon to land at Vera Cruz, and in the taking of that city the Navy carried out under fife what had been learned at Culebra. "These details are given becaus-2 ev ery man knows that the efficiency of the Navy depends upon constant prac tice, but nobody in the Navy thinks any thing like perfection has been reache , and constant study and work are pursued- with the aim of continued ini nrnvempnt. If the fleet was efficient in any degree before Admirals Badger and Fletcher carried out tne drills tnus detailed, it is much' more efficient today, iiu mining concessions ana !ueiaiieu, i l is muci, muic cuiucui t"ua , upervision over financial, j and it will be made more' ready every military affairs of East- year. All that capable and trained of- fleers and men can do to accomplish this Asserting that Japan is actuated by j steady improvement is being done. Only a. vi-uii ivr miiil auyui IliailCll t peace in the Orient, the legislators . rubber : imports from ' Great Britain. the uninformed or the partisan deny A 1 J.- J AM.wn . - 4-Via Urt dt tf o-. -j j vm; LcllU liiipi uvciiiciii. vi. Lite jiaoi v urged the government to proceed firmly years thanks chiefly to Rear Admiral with its programme The press calls on the nation to present a united front and declares the world should be brought to realize that the outcome depends entirely on China. As one newspaper put it "China has tried our patience to the last limit and has employed' every device to involve other powers." Baron Kato, the foreign minister to day told the parliamentary association that he was confident of a successful issue of Japan's negotiations with China. Regarding the future, Baron Kate said the government would take such measures as would fully satisfy the nation. Badger and Admiral Fletcher. "But, you say, how about equipment and preparation for military emergen cies? What has been done since Wil son's inauguration to make the Navy stronger in ships, in ammunition. In mines,, in torpedoes? Those questions are of the utmost imnortance. Let me j answer them briefly. '"First, as to ships: During the last two years of the Taft administration, Congress authorized the construction of two dreadnaughts to cost about $13, 000,000 each. During the first two years of the Wilson administration (Continued on Page. Three.) .s H ;.V. is: , ' V' t 1 .,- , .-; -:v.; V - -; V:-:-'
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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April 26, 1915, edition 1
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