Page:Ian Hay - America At War - The Times - 1918-03-23.jpg



The conduct of the war in America to-day has reached the critical stage. That is to say, the stage at which every one is criticizing every one else—a spectacle not altogether unfamiliar nearer home. The criticism is partly honest and sincere, partly a move in the inevitable party game; and, as usual, the defence of the Ministry is divided pretty evenly between denials of incompetence and angry assertions that the critics are giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

We may fairly ask:—In what respect has America's conduct of her share of the war fulfilled the expectations of her Allies, and in what respect has it fallen short? As usual, the unexpected has happened. It was expected, for instance, that democratic America would not take kindly to compulsory military service. It was accepted without demur, and is proceeding without friction. Again, it was expected that in American hands the "business" side of war—such matters as production and transportation—would be conducted upon model lines. Curiously enough, it is here that America has "fallen down." On January 17 it was actually found necessary to proclaim a public holiday throughout the United States (east of the Mississippi) for a clear five days, in order to conserve coal, and also give the congested and disorganized railways a chance to clear off their arrears. A similar holiday, to cover all offices, shops, and places of amusement, was ordained for each Monday for some weeks. It is only fair to add that this impasse was aggravated by heavy snow and some of the lowest temperatures on record. Still, such drastic action was undoubtedly a confession of failure; and sensitive Americans were deeply mortified.

But let us revert to what has been well done. Generally speaking, the matters in which America has equalled or surpassed expectation have been:—

First, the prompt entry into the war of the American Navy. The moment America entered this war a flotilla from the United States Navy crossed the Atlantic and joined the British Navy. Of the service which those American seamen have rendered to our common cause, and of the bond which they have forged between the British and the American people, only the British sailors, with whom they worked are qualified to speak; and they for the present can say little. But some day the whole tale will be told, and it will be a most pleasant tale to hear.

Secondly, the raising and training of America's National Army. The American Regular Army, corresponding to our own Expeditionary Force, has been in France since last spring, under General Pershing. As for the National Army. Mr. Baker, Secretary of War, stated on January 28 that by the end of March half a million American troops would be in France, and that another million were ready to be sent across whenever they could be transported.

Thirdly, the raising of money. Two gigantic Liberty Loans have been over-subscribed; and to-day a brisk trade is being done in War Savings Stamps, corresponding very nearly to our Post Office Exchequer Bonds.

Fourthly, prompt and generous response to appeals on behalf of the auxiliary services, such as the Y.M.C.A, and Red Cross. As already noted, the former body raised £7,000,000 without difficulty; while the Red Cross (which, besides sending the usual aid to the wounded, has been, entrusted with the distribution of "comforts" throughout the Army and Navy), setting out to secure 10 million additional members, at one dollar (4s. 2d.) per head a year, completed its task within seven days. The method adopted in each case was the same. The country was divided into hundreds of districts, and each district was called upon to raise a sum in proportion to its population, with the incentive of making a better show than any other district in the neighbourhood.

Fifthly, cheerful acceptance by the nation of acute discomfort caused by food and coal shortage. The winter has been appalling. Rivers and harbours have been frozen to an extent which has made navigation impossible. Coal-barges have been frozen into the ice; coal frozen into the coal-trucks. Snow has fallen persistently; Chicago has been literally buried more than once. The great steam-heated flats of New York and other cities—from the lordly "apartment houses" (corresponding to our Queen Anne's Mansions) to the humblest set of tenements on the East Side—have frequently been without fuel altogether. But every one is surprisingly cheerful about it all. It must be worse in the trenches!" observes the American, sturdily.

Criticism, on the other hand, resolves itself into the following heads:—

That there has been serious delay in the issue of all articles of uniform and equipment, especially greatcoats.

That much time has been wasted in the selection of a standard type of machine-gun, and in the establishment of plant for the production of artillery.

That the programme of aeroplane construction has fallen into serious arrears.

That the Army Medical Service has been proved inadequate and incompetent.

That not more than half of the merchant ships which the United States undertook to build in 1918 will be delivered.

That the coal shortage need never have occurred.

That the transportation system of the country has broken down altogether.

Into the complaints as to the delay in the issue of arms and equipment, and also with regard to hospital conditions, we need not enter. They are not our affair. It is sufficient to note that the American Government to-day is suffering from the same difficulty that confronted our own Government in August, 1914—namely, the difficulty of extracting a gallon from a pint pot. Delay, shortage, and friction were inevitable from the start. Besides, military science advances so rapidly now that it is almost impossible to fix upon a standard, say, for aeroplanes, or machine-guns, which will not be out of date immediately. Undue regard for this fact has perhaps led to some unnecessary scrapping both of design and material, with consequent delay in But it is sufficient to state now that organizing genius of America is to-day delivery, the whole concentrated upon the War Department; and it seems safe to predict that the American Army will be ready and equipped for action quite as as tonnage can be procured to take it over soon to France, and maintain it when it gets there.

This brings us to the real crux of the situation—the delay in transportation. This is not a private American problem; it affects the very life of the Allied cause; and we are fairly entitled to discuss it a little more fully. Ship tonnage, owing to submarine activity, is undoubtedly short; and it seems probable that the output of new tonnage undertaken by America for the year 1918 is going to fall short of expectation by about 50 per cent. But the shortage of food and other supplies which we are feeling in France and England to-day is caused less by shortage of tonnage than by temporary paralysis of the American railways. To take a single instance; in January thousands of tons of wheat, destined for the British markets, were lying at wheat depôts in the Middle West of America; the necessary ships were waiting at the coast; but the railways were so disorganized through snow, want of coal, shortage of cars, and port congestion, that the wheat could not be conveyed to the ships.

The railway problem requires a word to itself. On the whole, the railways have been more sinned against than sinning. Railway enterprise has been heavily hampered by restrictive legislation. Even before the war. American railways had fallen into a most debilitated condition. Many of them were dissipating their energies in ruinous competition—a relic of the days when railways were pawns in the great financial campaigns of those rival giants, and. Few were paying a satisfactory dividend; more than one was in liquidation. Labour furnished a whole crop of separate difficulties. Wages had risen steadily; strikes were numerous; the number of hours of work was a standing source of controversy; and the burdens imposed by the Federal authorities, coupled with the innumerable and variegated exactions emanating from those happy hunting grounds of the amateur Solon, the State Legislatures, had concentrated the entire energies of the companies less upon a policy of efficient service than upon a sheer struggle for life. Railway presidents were no longer selected for their technical knowledge of railway work; for the most part they were distinguished lawyers, called in to save the "road" from being legislated out of existence. There was no money to spare for development of territory, or for new rolling stock.. Plant was not kept in repair. There was not sufficient supervision of loading and unloading. Sometimes cars lay full or empty for weeks, and demurrage became serious. Consequently, when the war strain came, the machine, like many others, broke down. The railways have now been taken over by the Government.

Discouraging though these facts are in one direction, they afford us very substantial comfort in another; for it is obviously better for us that the present shortage of supplies should be caused by a temporary breakdown of the American railway system than by German submarine successes on the high seas.