The sun. [volume], April 01, 1918, Page 3, Image 3

About The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920

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UK
FOG STILL SHROUDS
AIRCRAFT FAILURE
rrio(s Who Scent Victory
With Battle Planes Hint
nt Possible Treason.
'0XE SENT PERSHING YET
270 Corrections in Liberty Mo
" for Factor in Baffling De
lnv of Programme.
fptrlol Vtipatch to Tn 8rx.
TOjiiinbton. March 81. America'
ulrcraft programme, believed by many
to b the winning card In ths war
tptnf t Germany, Is surrounded by- uch
an Impenetrable fog of uncertainty, con
rurion nd contradiction to-day as to
fcjffle analysis.
This Is the consensus here of those
io have laid aatde all thought of par
titan prejudice and from motives of pa
triotism alone have sought to discover
whit mistakes In policy might exist In
the hope of their speedy correction so
that America's mighty air fleet may not
arrive too late on the battlefields of
irnce.
Bettered by many a few months ago
t) be one of the features of America's
i-ar plan In which such progress was
Mne made as the country could point
t ) with pride, 'to-day this programme, on
t.hlch the nation Is expending 11,000,
H0.000. Is the subject of charge and
m-inter chargo of every sort of delin
quency from selfishness and stupidity to
,'tual treason.
The reason for the fog Is double. Prl
imrlly the problem of aircraft produc
ion both In magnitude and details Is a
i 'utter of Imperative secrecy to far aa
t-e enemy Is concerned. Secondly,
the Industry of war aircraft production
(i Hi new t" America and has been
lunched updn such a stupendous scale
iVst the finite mind finds practically
-.umiountablc difficulty In mastering
! and finds greater dimculty in reach-l-iir
anj thing like a survey of existing
londltions-througnoui tne industry ana
Iti ramifications. ,
Delay Generally Admitted.
One fact stands out admitted by both
r'Ata of the present contention. That
! that the aircraft programme Is months
behind. Members of tho Cabinet circle
,lmit that It Is three months delayed
ome Concessional critics assert that It
Is a year In arrears. '
Viewed In the light of optimistic
rrorheey made when tho air programme
v. launched, an admitted delny of even
three months has awakened keen mls
rMng;. Also it has caused disappoint
ment to many who had fully expected
from the statements made last year that
American airplanes In large numbers
would participate In the spring and sum
ner campaigns of 1918. That they will
do this nobody now asserts.
Major-Gen. George O. Sq.r.er, In an
nHlfUiiv sanctioned Jterv1ew pub
lished In th Committee on Public In
formation's Official Bulletin on June 15,
1P17, seventy days after the declaration
nl war, said:
"Alrp'anes are the logical fighting ma
f bines for Americans because we are an
Imaginative people and when our Im
aginations strike fire nothing ran stop
u. We are impatient of plodding meth
ods, n nation of Individualists. We are
willing to send, our hundreds of thou
rands to the' front If needs beto dig
holes and burrow -In the soil for In
terminable months, but we don't enthuse
ocr the Idea. We want something that
appeals to our knack for Inventing
things, for getting over obstacles In an
original way. And the air way Is our
way."
9640,000,000 Voted Last July.
Congress took General Squler at his
word last June. It voted with practl-
ally no delay to spend SfitO.nnn.onn, the
amount requested by the Wnr Depart
ment, on airplanes. It calls for the con-tru-tion
of 22.000 airplanes with this
rtorey, training planes and combat
plan, with the combat planes again
mbdlvided Into observers and scouts,
rattle planes and huge "bombers." This
eel as approved July 24, 1917.
Congress followed this act up with
another act, approved October 1, creating
the Aircraft Production Board, which
had existed Informally In the Council
of National Defence, "to supervise and
dirn-t production." hut It still left In the
1 and of "existing agencies," namely, the
Signal Corps of the army headed by
Major-Gen. Squler, the making of all
rontracts. Here was ono mistake In the
r pinion of many. It Is argued that there
should have been an aboslute concentra
"on of authority. It has apparently led
to confusion, lack of coordination and
lay
A th outset two possible policies
irrste.l themselves to the war makers;
oie proposed the unrestricted develop-Te-t
of aircraft production by every ex
isting or potential agency In America
Mth the means at hand and along lines
ef activity such as the Inventive genius
cf the producers and their expert em
gilowes irlght mgreat : the other was the
restricted concentrated policy of abso
lute standardisation. The latter policy
ai e!f-rtel. The results such aa they
ire remain to be described.
The Liberty motor, on which It was
"Id the Industrial and Inventive and
ir.ilanllzing genius of tho entire com
nustton engine business of America had
U'n roirentrated from the outbreak of
th war n the date of the announcement
e' ts m-dvtance as a standard, made
"y Secretary of War Baker on Septem
ber 13, 1917, It a product of the stand
ardlilr.K process.
Baker's Official Annonncement.
It wis proclaimed by Secretary Baker
In the Official Bulletin of September 31.
He said .
"Tn United State aviation engine has
PV'v! its final tests. Thoy were suc
"siful aiul gratifying. The new motor
'leelwed hy the fllgnal Service aa 'the
Liberty motor is now the main reliance
"f the Tnitwl Htates In the rapid pro
du'tlon In lartte numbers of high powered
t'lt'ie ian" for service In the war. In
t"e-. t"cd, sen-lceablllty and mlnl
""Jr.i n eight the new engine Invites com
parison with the best that the European
n" ln produced.
I rca.ird the Invention and rapid de
vlonmint of this engine as one of the
teally accomplishments of the
inttel States since its entry Into the
r The engine was brought about
n'"0JRh tho cooperation of more than a
'fore of enalneers, who pooled their
lll and trade secrets In the war
emergency, working with the encourage
JJnt of the Aircraft ProductlonBoard.
he War Department and the Bureau of
Standards."
The clamor against the Liberty motor
has been growing ever since this state
rant of the Secretary of War. fltate
jnents vsry q the number of changes
n the engine which have been author
"d since the motor was accepted as
te American standard. One authority
oc to the length of stating. that 270
najor and minor corrections have been
mad tn the design sine Its acceptance.
Hailed aa a motor' of apeed, power,
'ervlcablllty' and , minimum weight
back In September, It la to-day. accord-
Itir tn rtir-Mi rntn hefrnvfti SJnt
I Wpw accepted batUs front aUaaards
h nas been taatUMl be for Um Wan
The Nation's
CASUALTIES NEWLT REPORTED.
KDlCi la artlna I
1M4 of woaaas l
DM ofJtease 9
DM of accident o
TOTAL KILLED IN ACTION
Washi.votov, March It. Twenty-'
iht casualties among the American
expeditionary forces announced to-day.
jy the War Department were divided as
follows: One killed In action, one died
or wounds, nine died of disease, one
severely wounded and sixteen slightly
wounded. The list follows :
KILI.RO IN ACTIO.
O'CONNORS, MARTIN, private.
IIIKU OF WOUNDS.
REDMOND. LA WHENCE K.. private.
WOUNDED MBTKRELY.
SPEiat.E, ALFRED, private.
DIED or DISEASE.
LOEHlt. JAMES LEOPOLD, corporal;
meningitis.
TRUE, CALIFORNIA, corporal; absceei
of brain.
BAHON. CLEMENT, prlratt; pneumonia.
BROWN, CHARLES, private; pneumonia.
Committee on Military Affairs that the
Liberty motor Is not fast enough for a
fighting plane ; It has been said that It
is not light enough for an observation
plane. There Is a divergence In the
testimony an to whether the Liberty
motor will servlceably fill the needs of
a bombing plane.
It Is an engine of undisputed power,
but not of extraordinary power. It Is
alleged to be structurally deficient In
tho matter of its cooling devices. The
radiators. It Is now assertedfl do not
permit of It being run at maximum
speed without overheating. It Is only
within the. last month that It was dis
covered that the Liberty motor, had been
Insufficiently supplied with lubrication
appliances and that entire part of the
machinery had to be redesigned.
The problem of the Liberty motor's
disposition to overheat la attributed to
lack of serious consultation with the ex
perts on air engines of the type of Glenn
Curtlss and Glen Martin. It was said
there were too many automobile experts
In the Aircraft; Production Board and not
enough men familiar with the actual
practical problem of flying. . It must be
remembered. It was said, thnt an auto
mobile built to achtete a speed of fifty to
sixty miles an hour la seldom run at
more than twenty-five or thirty miles an
hour. But a battle plane files at engine
capacity in the matter of speed always.
Hence the troubles with the radiators.
Britain Gets Motor Here.
The authors of America's aircraft pro
gramme are coming to regret their
choice of standardization instead of In
dividualism In the development of these
wnr engines. It has undoubtedly led to
great delay. Within the last few months
since the Liberty motor has been for
mally accepted a contract was placed
by the British Government with nn
American aeroplane factory for 175
Sunbeam motors.
The entire contract has been filled nnd
the Sunbeams are In England being as
sembled Into planes for the battle front
In that period the number of Liberty en
gines made ready for service Is actually
unknown, but America had "standard
ised'' for the Liberty motor. Therefore
every change made In the Liberty motor
rmMmint on riefM'tii real or Imagined
rnas operated to tie up the whole pro
gramme so far as motor production Is
concerned.
It Is 'admitted to-day that the stand
ardisation with a view to the Insurance
of quantity production may prove a dis
appointment by Its proponents. Already
It i. alleged and not disproved that the
standardised motor will not do for the
speediest type of aircraft any more than
HerreshorT might turn out a ntantlard
lie.l cup defender, but trouble in regard
to the standardization for quantity pro
duction Is that improvements follow one
on the other at such a rate that the
adoption of a new device or design
means a delay so great that before Its
utility can be demonstrated something
even more necessary and more useful
has been Invented either by our allies
or our enemies. Here then Is another
factor which has delayed the output of
American aeroplanes and Is still operat
ins. Might .tlaWr Planes Abroad.
The latest suggestion cof.i with re
gard to motors and to plane Is that In
so far as the fighting prime arc con
cerned the transfer of a good part of the
Industry to French or British shops
should be accomplished In order that the
plans should not have tp travel 3,000
miles every time a modification of aero
plane Is found necessary.
This la only a suggestion as yet. but
It Is assumed to have merit and Is
under serious consideration.
Labor also Is a contributing factor In
ths aircraft programme. Within the
year that has elapsed since America
entered the war It Is said there have
been 4,000 striked In various industries
throughout the Union. Many of these
Industries have beenV those contributory
at least to the manufacture of aircraft.
- Chief among the troubles have been
the I. W. W. disorders In the spruce
woods of the far Northwest. Only spruce
Is available for the manufacture of aero
plane wings. It Is the one perfect non
warpabla wood, and only one type of
spruce presents the perfect plsne frame
material that is the Sitka spruce grown
In Alaska, Oregon and Washington. Rven
the best of Sitka sapless spruce requires
considerable time In seasoning.
Every time the I. W. W. leaders have
succeeded In fomenting trouble In the
spruce woods of three days duration,
they have nut back the aircraft produc
tion programme Just that time. It Is
undeniable that the labor troubles have
played their part ln,the delays Incident
to development of America's air su
premacy. "
Horgtatn'a Ileport Sheds Light.
On this point the recent report made
to President Wilson by Outson Borglum.
the noted sculptor, but not yet made
public, was highly suggestive. The de
lavs In the aviation programme did not
seem to Mr. Borglum to be altogether of
a sort-whlch accident might have oc
casioned.
' Broadly. Mr. Borglum hinted to the
President that somewhere In the make
up of the aviation programme there had
been Intruded the element of. treasonable
interference with the scheme. Teh sug
gestions were perhaps inchoate and em
bryonic, but they were highly pertinent.
Mr. Borglum suggested to the Presi
dent that the vast number of changes In
the aeroplane designs, many of which
were In the last degree trivial, Indicated
something basically wrong even If the
basis does not lie In actual treachery.
Changes have been made and un
made In designs for engines and planes,
as has been said. In scores of these in
stances the second .change has been
Imply a change back to the type of the
original design. It la reported that the
shades of paint used on the oodles and
wings of .the planes had bean ordered
changed no less than five times In as
many weeks. This Is but a suggestion
of the radical fundamental wrong at
which Mr. Borglum hinted. The re
painting carried Its measure of delay
In Its wake.
Now the great question of "when will
America participate In the war In the
air" Is what the nation Is gottlng ready
to ask of Its administrators. This an
swer will not be forthcoming Imme
diately, .
There Is more to be answered than
the simple data of the first flight of an
American aviator In an American mads
flghUapttna,oreT the German lines.
That eventuality la many months away,
Honor Roll
Severely wounded 1
Slightly wounded 18
injured In accidents 0
Died from other causes 0
BEI'OKTKll TO DATE, 401.
DOUGLAS, DteWEY II., private; mentn-
1IAH.V. HERMAN, private; odema of
brain.
MURPHV, WILLIAM E., private; msnln
gltls. HriV lltXtiriV r !... l-lal.
rTHlI.U ItOHERT, private! pneumenla.
WOUNDED SLItlllTI.Y.
HARDEN1IROOK, WALTER L Lieuten
ant. SPEFirt. TALTIOTT, Lieutenant.
TtllBETTS. OUV DANIEL, Lieutenant.
BEKORRON, ALFRED J., sergeant.
HOOPER, DEVVEV .)., sergeant.
REt'HF.N, JOE. corporal.
IVIWOX, .TOILS-, corporal.
KfNZ. JOSEPH. bJaler.
REDHNICEK. FRANK J., private.
BELL, (ir.OHOB N., prlvoto.
CAVAZZA, l'ELEURINO, prlrate.
DECELLE, WALTER, private.
FEHDn. JERRY, private.
UEHR. OEOROE V.. private.
LAWRENCE, WILBUR I... private.
RUTLEDOE. RANZY L., private.
According to tho Administration's apolo
gists and explainers It Is perhaps to
happen three months from now. Ac
cording to men who have charge of the
actual building of planes It Is some con
siderable distance further off. -
The War Department has known this
for months. It has knewn that when
Uen. Pershing made his wishes known
to the War Department he was told
that If America could not furnish him
with American made planes they would
come from other sources. Months ago
the War Department realised that the
aircraft Industry In America was too
far behind to admit of the manufacture
of aircraft In sufficient quantities to help
Pershing this year.
The expressed need of Pershing for
airplanes necessary to the war plans for
an army of 1,000,000 men was approxi
mately 12.000. He later modified this
to S.460. The War Department then set
about supplying the deficiency by pur
chasing planes -In Britain and Prance.
The supply has been furnished by the
British and French, but at hardly the
rate which Pershing sought. There has
been a vast amount of disappointment
even In the face of the best efforts of
the Allies, but they have supplied Persh
ing with fighting planes and bombers and
observers and they continue to do, so In
face of serious delays. Hence the fact
thnt we are not yet shipping battle
planes docs not mean that Gen. Pershing
has none. As a matter of fact he has
many, enough, members or the Signal
Corps Insist, to supply his Immediate
needa.
Battle Planes la July, Perhaps.
Thus far there Is r.ot an American
built brittle piano with the American i
forces In h ranee. It is rjosslhle that .
there may he a few by July 1. The de-
velopmenta of the Industry within the I
last few weeks Indicate that there will and northern France. When Informa
have been completed by July 1 approxl- , tlon was received that Germany objected
matcly 1.400 plaVes. but for the most
part they will be training planes. These
planes, however, do represent quantity
production. They will follow In active
production with battle planes at the
rate of approximately 1,000 a month
toward the clone of the present year.
Therefore It Is possible to say that
American armies will have American
battle planes In the fighting of 1919 and
perhaps In the late months of 1918. Of
this there can be no question. But such
postponement Is consonant with the
statementor Secretary Baker, made In
February last, in which he said:
The first American built battle planes
are to-day (February 21) en route for
France. This first shipment, though In
Itself not large, marks the final over
coming of many difficulties met In
hpMding up Oils new and Intricate In
dustry. These planes are equipped with
the first Liberty motor from machine
production. One of them In a recent test
surpassed all records for speed and
climbing for planes of that type."
It Is now absolutely established that
the first complete American battle plane
has yet to be sent to France. The first
American battle plane. In fact, haa yet
to receive Its trials. Measured by what
was hoped to lye accomplished by July l
the programme has failed: measured
perhaps by what It will have accom
plished this year after that date per
haps after all It will bo successful.
SHIPPERS HEAR NEW
RATE RAISE IS NEAR
Report That Railways Will
Ask Greater Increase Than
the Recent Advance.
Special Vripitclt to Ths 8c.
Washington, March 31. Shippers
here are confident that the railroads are
preparing to submit to Director-General
McAdoo suggestions for another rate In
crease more sweeping than any other
ever filed. Tills increase. It Is under
stood, will be more general than the 15
per cent, rate case In the territory It
covers, applying practically to. all rail
roads of the country.
representatives of the shippers have
been keeping close watch on develop
ments in this direction and the expecta
tion of aiiother considerable rate raise
movement Is based largely on the fact
that an extensive railroad wage Increase
is expected. The report of the railroad
wage board Is now before Director
General McAdoo. It will not be made
public until he has opportunity to act on
It. There Is little doubt In well Informed
circles, however, that It will recommend
far reaching Increases, particularly for
the most numerous classes of employees
whose wages have not kept pace with
the Increased cost, of living.
In addition to this orders for a mini
mum or 100,000 rrelgnt cars, many loco
motives and other equipment are soon
to bo placed. With railroad Incomes
guaranteed either the shippers or tax
payers must foot the bill. The burden
naturally will pass to the public in one
form or another, hut It Is likely to go
through the shippers on the theory that
they should pay for the service they
are receiving.
A big contest will ensue once a rate
raise formally Is taken up. The ship
pers are preparing to act with a slogan
against Government fixed rates for Fed
eral controlled railroads. Many have
voiced the sentiment that they are fac
ing Imposition In that they are becom
ing subject to a transportation system
which acts as Judge In Its own case. It
is possible that they will ask that Con
gress, as represeventatlves of the people,
fix the -rates as la done with postal
rates. Many of them will oppose bit
terly having to nay ntgner rate to a
transportation system the control of
which is practically guaranteeing divi
dends to private individuals ana is look
ing for a surplus which will revert as
It Is not unlikely that the situation
will develop a political contest of con
siderable proportions.
New 17, S, Church Hector In Paris.
PAitts, March 31. The Rev. Frederick
W. Beekman, formerly of Bethlehem,
Pa.', a chaplain with the rank of Captain
In the United States Army, succeeded to.
uv the Rev. Samuel M. Watson, re
signed, a rector, of ths American Church
or me oiy nnny in avtnm Airna,
WILSON ASSAILED IN
DUTCH STATEMENT
His Proclamation on Ship Sciz
uro Attacked as Being
Misrepresentation. '
VIOLENCE IS CHARGED
Netherlands to Oppose Act
"With All the Energy of
Its Conviction."
Hy tht Auodattd Prtu.
Thb IlAaug. March 10 (delayed).
The selture of the Dutch merchantmen
In American ports Is characterised by
the .Dutch Government, In a statement
In the OffMni Oaxrtte, aa "an act of vio
lence which It will oppose with all the
energy of ItsconvlcUon and Its wounded
national feeling." The Government takes
Issue with the proclamation of Prcsl
dent Wilson regarding the decision of
the United States, saying ,lt contains
assertions which are contrary to the
facts. , .
The statement says the Dutch nation
"with painful surprise" has taken notice
of President Wilson's proclsmatlon and
that the setsure of a neutral mercantile
fleet Is unjustifiable, llie statement
continues:
"According fo President Wilson's
proclamation the Netherlands, owing
entirely to German pressure, failed to
observe the preliminary arrangement
which was proposed for the purpose of
leaving no longer Idle the Dutch ton
nags In American porta and furnishing
aa opportunity for making voyages
within a period of ninety days, pending
a definite agreement on Dutch tonnage
and rationing. This is distinctly Incor.
rect. It Is equally as Incorrect as the
allegation that Germany had threatened
to sink two ships which were to sail
from Holland. In exchange for two from
America which were to sail to Holland
with America's approval, and that Ger
many had made Increasing threats to
prevent both the observance of such a
preliminary arrangement and the con
clusion of a permanent one.
"Real Facta" Preseated.
"The real facts of the case are as
follows :
"After the American War Trade
Board had Insisted that Dutch ships In
American porta make trips pending a
definite arrangement, the Netherlands
Government proposed that some of the
ships should make voyages for the Com
miinn fnr u.ii-e n u.iHi,m ..hu
Holland has always fostered sedulously
tnr i., ., t.ii..
to America's demand that a Dutch ship
sail from Holland each time In exchange
for a relief ship sailing from America;
the Netherlands Government deemed It
a duty imposed by good faith to inform
the American authorities thereof Im
mediately, so that a snip which was
then on the way toward Argentina could
have a different destination. The direct
consequence was that those ships were
kept moving, which was exactly In con
sonance with the provisional agreement.
"Respecting sailings to Cette
(France), a Swiss Interest with which
Holland sympathised warmly, the ship
owners, agreed thereto completely as
soon as France gaveassurana that the
ships would not be detained at Cette.
Accordingly, several thlps were char
tered for this service. The charterlngs
and railings of all these ships were cot
sensibly delayed by the aforementioned
objections, neither did Germany attempt
to Influence the execution of the pro
visional agreement, which affected traf
fic between transatlantic ports. What
did seriously Interfere with its execu
tion was the fact that cablegrams ,to and
from shipowners were extremely slow In
transmission, and sometimes never were
delivered. The cause of this remains
unexplained.
"The fact Is that a majority of the
ships had been chartered under the pro
visional agreement through the War
Trade Board and rrt were already
sailing to South America, but were
stopped en route by the American au
thorities, while In the Pacific ships ply
ing between the western coast of the
fnlted States and the Dutch East In
dies made regular voyages without any
Impediment, direct or Indirect, by the
Netherlands Government. The ahlps
now In British ports In and outside Eu
rope and In the Portuguese port of St.
Vincent were prevented from sailing by
the British and Portuguese themselves.
"Wilton Incorrectly Advise."
"As shown by the foregoing, the alle
gation that the Netherlands, owing to
German pressure, waa powerless to ob
serve the provisional agreement Is con
trary to fact. That the President was
Incorrectly advised Is proved conclusively
on a point of greater Importance,
namely, where the statement mentions
the new demand that Dutch ships wculd
have to enter the war zone and the
seizure which followed Holland's reply
"After the Incorrect allegation that
Holland waa unable to observe the pro
visional agreement," the statement con
tinues, "Great Britain on March 7 made
Holland a fjnal proposal, whereupon
Holland came forward with a counter
proposal which was unacceptable, ttven
had the arrangement been concluded
Holland would have been unable to keep
It In actual practice, for which reason
the selxure was determined upon. ' Tnls
reasoning, strange though It may yeem,
lacks one Important link which Is In
dispensable to place the matter in a
ptoper light. What were the facts?
"On February 22 the Netherlands, m
view of the food shortage, threatened In
the coming summer, asked America tc
advance 100,000 tons of wheat on ac
count of 400,000 to be definitely ar
ranged for.
"It Is true that the associated Gov
ernments on March ( reviled affirma
tively regarding the 100,000 tons with
out giving a definite reply about the
100,000, but to that apparent acqules-'
cehco they attached the onerous condi
tion that they were to obtain Immedi
ately the disposal of all that port or the
Dutch merchant fleet to which, accord
ing to the projected London plan, they
would eventually become entitled.
"The Netherlands Government, under
the stress of circumstances, prepared to
accept this condition as noon as the cer
tainty could be had that the fullest re
liance could be placed not only on tho
100,000 tons, but also on the full 400,
000 as the basis of definite regulation.
The Government was In a position to
accept because at the deliberations In
London and afterwards It was under
stood strictly that Dutch ships would be
employed only outside the danger xone
and that therefore they' would In no
cases undertake services for a belliger
ent which would be an Infringement of
neutrality.
Cardlaal Point Revoked.
"Suddenly the aforeaald London en
gagement was broken on March 7, when
the cardinal point, that ships given In
exchange for the advance of 100,000
tons of grain ships with tonnage
amounting to about half a million
were not to be used in the danger sonu,
was revoked. The onerous character of
this change lay not In the fact that the
Dutch shlpa were to be sent Into the
i danger gone for this has nothing to do
i with neutrality out Decs use it was evi
dent that to enter that sons, situated as
it Is, around the associated countries In
Europe, would amount, to a large extent
to the transportation of troops and war
materials from America to the European
cobelllgerents.
"Moreover, the Dutch ships. If armed,
would run the risk of armed conflict
with German worships. Holland, an a
neutral country, could not, therefore,
consent to the usa of Its shins In the
danger xone unless the associated Gov
ernments could guarantee that the ships
would not be armed and would not
transport troops or war materials.
"In ths light of the foregAlng, the
reasoning of the Presidential statement.
In accordance with which the selsure
waa held to be necessary because Hol
land would be unable to observe the
contrnct, cannot be sustained.
' "It Is contrary to the true farts. Tho
only true representation la this:
"The Powers In question, owing to the
loss of ships, felt constrained to replace
the tonnage by obtaining the disposal of
a very large number of ships which be
longed not to them, but to the Nether
lands. They boenmo. aware that the
Netherlands Government could not per
mit the ships to sail In the Interest of
the associated Governments except on
the conditions imposed by neutrality.
but which were In the Judgments of the
Governments not sufficiently In accord
ance with their Interests. Tlierefcre
they decided to se'xe the Dutch merchant
fleet In so far as It lay within their
power.
"The Netherlands Government deems
It Its duty, especially, in serious times
such as the present, to speak with com
plete candor. It voices the sentiments
of the entire Dutch nation, which sees
In tho seizure an act of violence which
It will oppose with all the energy of Its
conviction and Its wounded national
feeling.
"According tp tho Presidential state
ment, this procedure offers Holland am
ple opportunity to obtain bread grain.
This Is so only apparently, for would It
not be an Irrestionslble act, alter the
experiences of Dutch ships In American
and British ports, to permit other ships
to sail to these ports without adequate
guarantees that these experiences thall
not recur?
The American Government has al
ways appealed to right and Justice, has
always come forward as the champion
of email nations. That It nosr cooperates
In an act diametrically opposed to those
principles Is a proceeding which can
And no counterweight In the manifesta
tions of friendship or assurances of
lenient application of the wrong com
mitted." HOLD SEIZURE LEGAL.
J. S. OBclals Surprised at. Tone of
Holland's Reply.
Washington, March 31. In the view
of the American Government, requisi
tioning of the Dutch ships In American
torts was done In full nrconl with rec
ognized principles of International law
and most generous guarantees were
given for the protection of Hollnnd's
commerce and the rights of the ship
owners.
It would have been within the rights
of the United States to take the vessels
permanently, paying for them a Just
nrlee. but recognising tnat iionano
would be handicapped after the war by
such action. It was announced tnai
only the use of the ships would be re
quired. After the war they will be re
turned to. the Dutch flag In as good con
dition aswhen taken and If sunk will
be replaced.
Caught between the ruthless subma
rine warfare of Germany and the need
of the Allies for self-preservation
ngalnst the illegal practices of that na
tion, Holland Is conceded to have hart
n most difficult time In satisfying the
demands of Germany while obtaining
food for her own people. .The Allies
promised to allow from their' scant store
sufficient grain, nnd other commodities
In return for shipping.
Holland waa willing, but Germany re-
i. .h,tw m fm-rv.Hr, ,hin
."'r n..V-k i., ,.t..ra
leavlng Dutch harbors In return for
food ships sent from America. Under
the circumstances, and after waiting
two months, the United States and the
Allies took over the Dutch vessels,
which were Idle in their ports, In onler
to restore them to their normal nctlvity.
Protest naturally was expected from
Holland, but officials frankly were sur-
rised to-night at the tone of the official
communlcatlon and were nt .1 loss to
explain It. Until this Government has
been acquainted, however, with Hol
land's attitude theic will be no formal
comment.
It ha been rumored that HollnnA
might ask arbitration of the shipping
question, under tho treaty negotiated
with former Secretary Bryan, which
provides for Investigation for one year
of all disputes before resort to forcible
settlement.
WOOL Just Wool!
I Those three words tell a complete story.
They mean just this: Saks clothing for men
always has been all wool, and will be as long
as then? are sheep enough to make all-wool
clothes possible. We'll stand for a mixture
6i cotton and wool when'it grows that way
on a sheep's back. Until then cotton-mixed
fabrics will not be accorded a place at Saks.
Look oyer our Spring selections in suits and
topcoats America has produced none finer.
Saks Clothes are Saks Made
Merchant tailored to the letter
Human Hands Have Produced Xone Better.
alv50Iamiiaitit
Broadway at 34th Stmt J
ROSEMEIER WARNS
OF TEUTON MENACE
Noted Editor Tells Labor
What Would Happen if
Kaiser Should Win.
CITES RECENT HISTORY
Predicts Social Revolution in
Germany, but. Foresees
Much Bloodshed.
Dr. Hermann rtoscmeler, formerly editor
of the Berlin Pout and now editor of the
Frelc Mtuna In Berne. Rn lUcrland, has
n.ldressed a letter to the working people
of America picturing what will happen
to them If Germany wins. He predicts
a social revolution In Germany soon.
"What German rule means for the
laboring classes must I explain that to
your' he writes, through the American
Alliance for Labor and Democracy.
"Look at Riga, where a few days after
the entry of the German troops the lead
ing members were shot. Ixok at the
occupied districts of France, where the
German slave hunters Inauguratid raids
Lagalnst women and children and German
officers took great delight In disciplining
defenceless children with Isshes of the
whip.
"Glance at Belgium, where countless
thousands have been deported and
among the remaining population thtf
farce of a 'popular vote' Is enacted,
which Is but a new Illustration of what
the German Government, this abject
servant of the General Staff, under
stands by 'the right of self-determination.'
Repressing German People.
"And glance nt Germany herself, where
the noble I.lebknecht has been In prison
for nearly two years: where the brave
Dlttmann has Just been sentenced to five
years hard labor: where the valiant
Kurt Elshner has been arrested : where
thousands are In Jail, and where starv
ing masses, after an attempt to break
their chains, were returned to the tread
mill of the war."
Dr. Rosmeler was a leader of the
democratic movement In Berlin and since
leaving Germany has begun propaganda
In labor and radical Journals of France
and Italy to convey tne truth of Ger
man rule.
"Workers of the Entente countries'."
he writes, "It really seems as though
jnu had not yet comprehended the real
character of German Imperialism, Its
rapacity, strength ami cruelty. Truly.'
yru laborers of the Entente countries,
after three nnd a half years more hor
rible than the history of mankind has
ever known, you do not yet grasp In Its
entirety the terrible, awful danger which
Is menacing the world.
"There are still many among you who
do not see or do not want to see that
the land of Goethe and Kant and Marx
has become the land of Hlndenburg and
of the much more terrible, cruel and
abominable Ludendorff.
Independents Impetent. .
"There are still many among you who
have not yet lost all faith In Schclde
mann. There are still more among you
who far overestimate the influence,
strenrth and determination of the 'in
dependents,' who are certainly honor
able, but who are. for the present at
least, politically Impotent.
' orkers, you must see that Germany
I '' ttnd alwaj s will be the citadel of
, European reaction. The almighty Im-
periallst. Count Hertltng. is aiming to
start revolutions everywhere In order to
appear In the defenceless countries as
tho "savior of society' and to be paid
for his role of savior by the frightened
bourgeoisie In land, to be ceded to him."
Dr. Rosemeler then discussed the Rus
sian situation mid the revolt that
brought her downfall, and predicts re-
volt of workmen in Germany.
I nm convinced that tho German
revolution will come." he said. "The
.rfmkeiK nnd thrlr associates In Ger
many are also convinced that It will
come. But they cherish the hope that
the revolution will break out everywhere
else first; that this will give them time
tn win the world war; that this victory
will enable them either to nip In the hud
the revolution In Germany or to sup
press It with terrible bloodshed."
HIKE VOTED AT WAVY FLAUT
tlx Thoasand Threaten tn Qalt at
Xorfallc.
'Sptdal Df patch te Ths Svx.
NosrotK, Vs., March 1. Following
ths action taken at a labor meeting to
day when carpenters nnd Joiners em
ployed st the naval base, the big army
depot, at Pig point and Bush "Bluff,
voted to go on strike to-morrow morn
ing, ths Government took steps to pre
vent serious delay in work now under
way at these points. It was nnnounced
In official circles that should the men
carry out their threat to strike, the
Government probably would draft them
and compel them to return to work.
There are tl.OOO'men employed at the
three Government posts
The men want 62 cents sn hour. They
ere receiving B cnts. Admiral Harris
told them If they would continue work
the wago Increase would be forthcoming
as soon as matters could be adjusted at
Washington. The men demanded Im
mediate action and unlem the Increase
Is granted to-morrow they will strike.
STEEL LACK STILL
DELAYS SHIP WORK
Shortage of Plates and Other
Material Becoming a Se
rious Problem.
Sptrtal Pepatch to Tar Sex.
WABHtNoTOW, March 31. Lack of
steel plates and other material Is caus
ing serious delay In the steel shipbuild
ing programme at a time when weather,
labor and all other conditions) are oppor
tune for maximum production. This
situation has brought serious concern to
Chairman Hurley of the Shipping Board
end to Vice-President and General
Manager Pels of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation.
Although no direct or official state
ment could hi obtained as to the cause
It was learned authoritatively that this
condition Is due at leant In a measure
to the fact that the War Department
and the Navy Department each have
representatives at the big steel plants
of the country having ship plate con
tracts. The Shipping Board and the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation have left the
question of deliveries In the hands of
the War Industries Board, which was
recently reorganized with enlarged
powers said to approximate for purposes
of coordination those or a ministry of
munitions. The Shipping Board has no
representative nt t ho siteel plant.
The orders of the Ordnance Bureau
and Navy Department haw; suffered no
delay. In fact It is ItitlmiRed that they
liavc materials ahead which cannot pos
sibly be utlllzod for months.
In the meantime the building of ships
has been delayed and in some instances
halted for lack of steel The submarine
plant at Newark and the Hog Island
plant, the work on which has been se
verely criticised, are the principal suf
ferers. In the former a number of keels
have been laid and progress halted be
cause of lack of bottom and lower hull
plates.
These facts have been put up to the
War Industries Board by Chairman
Hurley. Unless the situation dears and
ship plates are speedily delivered a seri
ous Administration row threatens. Ship
ping Board officials are prepared to put
representative In each of the steel
mills with orders to get the deliveries.
This would bring competition between
the military and shipping agencies of
the Government.
Chairman Hurley Is known to be op
posed to such a course. He believes
there should be but one Government
representative at the steel mills, such a
representative to allocate deliveries, so
as to keep the essential military and
shipbuilding programmes going. At
present, with ships being built on con
tract, ship plates for the commercial
fleet are In the category of private or
ders 'and the War and Navy depart
ments have ample commandeering
powers,
The situation undoubtedly will be
brought b'fore the next meeting of the
War Cabinet on Wednesday when the
President will confer with reprfsenta-
tlvea of the war and military admlnis -
tratlons.
12,000
Japanese
Crepe Shirts for Men
in an Extraordinary Sale
at $1
One dollar never had
greater shirt purchasing pow
er than it has in this sale.
Every shirt is new, well
tailored over our standard
measurements, and is made
of a quality of Japanese
Crepe most remarkable in
shirts at this price.
The colorings and pattcrna
are exactly the game as
were recently offered in a
collection of Jap. Crepe
shirts at two dollars.
Broadway at 34th Street
EASTER ACCIDENTS
TAKE FOUR LIVES
,i
Nine Injured by Automobile!
or Other Vehicles on
Balmy Sunday.
THOUSANDS OF CARS OUtf!
Machine Carrying Party
Five Turns Turtle in
Hempstead.
of
Fed up with the worst winter westhsH
New York nnd Its environs hsve known,
within memory, practically the whohv
population turned, out yesterday to en
Joy the temperate winds snd brilliant1
sunshine of the 'Eastertide. The streets,
parks and boulevards were crowded
with both pedestrians' snd Joy riders."
Accidents were Inevitable and ths total
casualty list Included three dead and,
r.lne more or less seriously Injured.
(The dead are George Hall of 1 Willow1
avenue. Jamaica: Miss Edith Stunts of
2 Park avenue, GlenRldge, N. 3. i Ed-,
ward Dolan of 401 West Forty-thtrd
street, and Mrs. Louts A. Rungay of
57 East Twenty-flrst, street. Flatbush.
Mr. iHall was one of fivo men In1
a speeding automobile which "overturned1
atj Franklin street and Fulton avenue:
Hempstead. L. I., when the driver at
tempted to take the curve. The car
skidded across the street In front of
the home of Dr. H. M. Warner. throw:,
Ing all of the occupants Into tho yard.
Hall's neck waa broken.
Harry Toung. also of 1 Willow ava
r.ue, received a fracture of the skull..
He was removed to the Nassau Hospi
tal at Mlneola. The otherB In the accl-o
dent and their Injuries were: Private
Claude Maunderback of the 654th Aero
Squadron, broken collarbone; Frank
Parsons of 78 Gilbert street. Jamaica,
concussion of the brain, and Charles'
Hough of 80 Gilbert street. Jamaica,'
the driver, body bruises and shock.
With Private John S. Ernsplker of
Company L, Seventh Infantry, Miss
Stunts was standing In the street oppo
site her home In Glen Ridge waiting for
a surface car when an automoblla
driven by Geoffrey Graham of 7S Haw
thorne place, Montclalr, crashed Into snd
knocked them both down. Miss Stunts'
was removed to the Mountainside Hos
pital, where ehe died soon afterward
from a fracture of the skull. Prlvato
Ernsplker's Injuries were of little con
sequence. ,
Edward Dolan. 7, was with his aunt,
Mls Rose Chrlstal, when ho was run
over and killed Instanly by a south
bound Third avenue car at Sixty-sixth
street. The two alighted from a north
bound car nnd passed around the rear of
It Just as a car was passing In the oppo
site direction. It was necessary for an
emergency crew to jick up the car be
fore the boy's body could be removed.
Miss Chrlstal was. knocked down but et-,
caped with slight Injury
Albert Barnum. 20, of 1067 Dean
street, Brooklyn, was struck and "hurt
probably fatally by a truck on Queens
Boulevard. The truck 4s said to have,
been on the wrong side of the driveway.
The driver. Peter Walsh of 241 West
122d street. Manhattan, was arrested 011
a charge of assault.
Bertha Berxowsky. 14, of 309 East
Seventy-flfth street was knocked down"
and run over by an nutomollc on Second
avenue at Seventy-third street. A frac
tured leg was the result.
Others Injured were little hurt.
Mrs. Bungay was Instantly killed by
being struck and run over by an auto
mobile at Seventy-second street and
Broadway last night while her daughter,
Mrs. J. Irving Walsh of 300 West End
avenue, made an effort to save her
mother and barely missed being Injured.
Mother and daughter attempted to cross
the avenue when an automobile drlven
by William Burke of 78 Terrace View
avenue came south. In tho car with
Burke was his wife and two daughters.
The car struck Mrs. Bungay and before
being stopped It passed over her body.
An ambulance surneon from Polyclinic
1 Hospital had to treat all the women for
hysteria. The police made no arrests.
Besides Mrs. Walsh, Mrs. Bungay Is
survived by a son. George Bungay, who
1 Js president of the Acme Die Casting,
I Company, Bush Terminal, Brooklyn.
I
5 .
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