expect to find in the fantastic tales of a Baron Munchausen."

Admiral Sims based his estimate of an unnecessary loss of 500,000 lives on an average loss for the Allies of 3,000 men a day, Mr. Daniels said.

This charge was further based on the assumption that had there been a million American soldiers in France by March, 1918, the war would have ended four months sooner, Mr. Daniels said, and Admiral Sims completed the reasoning by assuming that the tonnage losses of 1917 prevented carrying that number of troops overseas by that date and that failure of the American Navy to co-operate heartily in the first months of the war resulted in the heavy tonnage losses. Mr. Daniels commented on this as follows:

It is not necessary to wander far into the realm of statistics or technical questions to show the absolute fallacy of Admiral Sims's claim. The net tonnage available for the Allies May 1, 1917, was 27,000,000 tons. It is a matter of common knowledge that on May 1, 1918, the tonnage was less than on May 1, 1917. Testimony given by Admiral Sims would indicate that the net loss during the year was about 2,000,000 tons. This is probably a sufficiently close estimate for practical purposes. Now, then, owing to the tonnage losses of 1917 and the early part of 1918, the net tonnage available to the Allies had been reduced from 27,000,000 on May 1, 1917, to 25,000,000 on May 1, 1918. Yet it is admitted by Admiral Sims that in the Spring of 1918 American troops were transported to France at the rate of nearly 300,000 a month, or more than ten times the rate to which he said transportation had been restricted in 1917 because of the destruction of tonnage.

As a matter of fact, the American Army materially shortened the war. It got to the front as soon as it was humanly possible, not by a chance, but as a result of careful plans involving complete co-operation between the army and navy, carefully carried out.

ADMIRAL BENSON'S TESTIMONY

Admiral W. S. Benson on May 8 testified before the Senate Naval Committee that Admiral Sims's charge that navy delays had caused the loss of 500,000 lives was an outrage and injustice to the navy. Admiral Benson said:

The safe transport of the American Army to France and back was the most wonderful feat the world had ever seen

or dreamed of, and it shortened the war very materially.

Admiral Benson declared that never in the history of the world had a navy been expanded as rapidly as was that of the United States after this country entered the war. The expansion, both in material and personnel, handicapped the department in carrying out its plans at first, he said, but the close of the war found the American Navy with more than 500,000 officers and men, more even than there were in the British Navy.

"Ours was the greatest navy power the world has ever seen," the Admiral declared.

Admiral Benson said he could not recall whether in his final instructions to Admiral Sims he said "Don't let the British pull the wool over your eyes; we would as soon fight them as the Germans," but added that if he used such language it was for the purpose of impressing upon the Admiral that the United States was still a neutral at that time. He explained that in this, as well as in another warning, he was prompted by what he described as a feeling growing in the United States that Admiral Sims was permitting his friendship for the British to influence him unduly in using American destroyers to protect British shipping.

PRESIDENT WILSON'S ADVICE

Something of a sensation was produced at the inquiry by Secretary Daniels's revelation of a speech made by President Wilson to American naval officers in August, 1917. The most striking part of the address was as follows: We have got to throw tradition to the wind.

Now, as I have said, gentlemen, I take it for granted that nothing that I say here will be repeated, and therefore I am going to say this: Every time we have suggested anything to the British Admiralty the reply has come back that virtually amounted to this, that it had never been done that way, and I felt like saying: 'Well, nothing was ever done so systematically as nothing is being done now." Therefore, I should like to see something unusual happen, something that was never done before; and inasmuch as the things that are being done to you were never done before, don't you think it is worth while to try something

that was never done before against those who are doing them to you?

There is no other way to win, and the whole principle of this war is the kind of thing that ought to hearten and stimulate America. America has always boasted that she could find men to do anything. She is the prize amateur nation of the world. Germany is the prize professional nation of the world.

Now, when it comes to doing new things and doing them well, I will back the amateur against the professional every time, because the professional does it out of the book and the amateur does it with his eyes open upon a new world and with a new set of circumstances. He knows so little about it that he is fool enough to try the right thing. The men that do not know the danger are the rashest men, and I have several times ventured to make this suggestion to the men about me in both arms of the service.

Please leave out of your vocabulary altogether the word prudent." Do not stop to think about what is prudent for a moment. Do the thing that is audacious to the utmost point of risk and daring, because that is exactly the thing that the other side does not understand, and you will win by the audacity of method when you cannot win by circumspection and prudence.

I think that there are willing ears to hear this in the American Navy and the American Army, because that is the kind of folks we are. We get tired of the old ways and covet the new ones.

ATLANTIC FLEET'S RETURN The great Atlantic Fleet returned to home waters on May 1 after three months' battle practice and manoeuvres at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and met with an enthusiastic reception as it entered New York Harbor.

Admiral Wilson said that in his public statement he wished to stick closely to the facts of the Winter training and not to mix other questions. He prepared in advance the statement given in part below:

A

The Atlantic Fleet left the southern drill grounds, off the Virginia Capes, on Jan. 8 for the usual Winter exercises. schedule carefully planned had been evolved by the Commander in Chief. The fleet, which has been exercising this Winter in accordance with the schedule, consisted of battleships, destroyers, submarines, the air detachment and the train -the train being the group of supply ships, repair ships, fuel ships and tugs.

Seven battleships sailed with the fleet and were joined by the eighth, the North Dakota, at Bridgetown, Barbados, the North Dakota having been in European

waters for a cruise after taking abroad the body of the late Signor Cellere, the Italian Ambassador to the United States. The number of destroyers with the fleet increased during the Winter, as new boats were built, until there were thirty-three.

The work accomplished by the fleet consisted, briefly, in training the new reservation in the centre of the Winter drill grounds of the Atlantic Fleet. In addition to facilities provided here for the strictly professional side of naval work there is here one of the largest athletic fields, and its facilities are enjoyed to the full by the personnel of the fleet. The final boxing and wrestling contests for the championship of the fleet were held here on the night of April 23.

In addition to visiting the British West Indies, about ten days were spent in the Panama Canal Zone. Here the authorities placed a daily train at the service of the fleet, and trips were made along the route of the canal to Panama City.

RAILROADS ASK AID

Increased freight rates that will yield an additional revenue of $1,017,000,000 were asked of the Interstate Commerce Commission on May 4. Daniel Willard, President of the Baltimore & Ohio, began the presentation of the railroad argument, telling the commission that the Eastern group of roads needed $544,000,000 additional revenue to restore the relation of revenues to expenses and to adjust their income to 6 per cent.

Railroads in Eastern territory estimate the need of an increase in all revenue of 21.1 per cent. or 50.4 per cent. in freight rates. Southern railroads propose to advance freight rates by 30.9 per cent. to provide 20.7 per cent. larger revenues. The needed freight advance in the West is put at 23.9 per cent. to increase all revenues by 17 per cent. The greater needed advances east of the Mississippi, it is stated, are largely due to the standardization of railroad wages and working conditions effected during the war.

Tables submitted by the carriers showed that their net income in 1916 was $1,056,000,000 and that in 1919 it fell to $510,000,000, notwithstanding an increased investment in these three years of more than $2,000,000,000. But, the carriers point out, if the present level of costs had been in operation throughout 1919, the year's net would have been only $220,000,000, only a little

more than 1 per cent. on their property investment of $20,000,000,000.

FREIGHT CONGESTION

It was stated in Washington on May 12 that the freight situation was extremely grave. Appeals for relief pouring into Washington to the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Railroad Administration and to Congress pictured the railroad gateways as choked with thousands of loaded freight cars unable to move because of shortage of men and motive power.

Although the situation had been showing local effects for some weeks past, it was now being shown in its nationwide aspects, and the appeals for relief coming to Washington contained predictions that unless the jam were broken it would be reflected more than ever in decreased production, slowing down of industry and probably a tremendous labor upset.

RESIGNATION OF MR. HINES

Walker D. Hines, Director General of Railroads, it was announced on April 24, had resigned, and his resignation had been accepted by President Wilson, to become effective May 15. Mr. Hines had served with the Railroad Administration since its creation in December, 1917, when the railroads of the country were taken over. He was appointed then as Assistant Director General, and when Secretary McAdoo retired to private life on Jan. 11, 1919, Mr. Hines was made Director General.

In accepting Mr. Hines's resignation the President wrote that he could not let the Director General retire without telling him how he had "personally valued and admired the quite unusual services you have rendered the Government and the country."

WAR ON PROFITEERING

Profiteers were denounced in the Senate April 24 by Senator Capper, Republican, of Kansas, who presented statistics which he said showed that the earnings of many American corporations represented profiteering, "open, scandalous, and shameless." He attacked the Department of Justice's cheaper meat cam

paign, and said increased prices for sugar were" the most brazen challenge we have had in this saturnalia of greed."

Senator Lenroot, Republican, of Wisconsin, agreeing with the Kansas Senator's declaration that profiteering had become a national menace, said Attorney General Palmer was setting a few mousetraps around the country when he ought to be setting beartraps" to catch the big or millionaire profiteers. The Administration was held responsible by Senator Lenroot for the increasing sugar prices.

Senator Capper said ample laws existed to check profiteering and "if those charged with enforcement of these laws will see that profit hogs are sent to jail prices will soon tumble. He added that if law enforcement officers could not enforce the statutes they should resign and let men who could take their places.

Excessive margins of profit were proof of profiteering, Senator Capper said in presenting his list of corporations whose profits were placed at from 20 to 200 per cent. The list included textile manufacturing concerns, steel companies, shoe and leather manufacturers and makers of nearly all the State commodities. Farmers were acquitted of blame by the Senator.

LOWER PRICES ALLEGED

The Department of Justice on April 23 officially declared that many commodities had fallen in price. The cost of twenty-two food articles had declined more than one-half of 1 per cent. during the last month. Other necesssaries, such as clothing, had dropped from 15 to 30 per cent. in price to the consumer, said Howard Figg, the Special . Assistant to the Attorney General in charge of the campaign, in an authorized statement. Especially satisfactory results in the movement had been obtained within the last two months, Mr. Figg declared.

No part had been taken in the overalls drive by the department, but officials said that the movement would accomplish much good by calling the public's attention to the need for careful buying. Attorney General Palmer said:

HE Socialist Party held its nomi

Tnating convention in New York

City during the week May 8-14. Eugene V. Debs, now serving a ten-year sentence in the Federal Penitentiary at Atlanta for violation of the Espionage act, was nominated for President by the Socialist Party in National Convention, to head its ticket for the fifth time.

Characterized as the "Lincoln of the Wabash" by Edward Henry of Indiana, who nominated him, Debs was hailed by other speakers as the emancipator expected to destroy the system of capitalism as Lincoln did that of slavery.

Morris Hillquit of New York, author of the platform adopted after criticism by the ultra-radicals as too conservative, declared that the nomination of Debs was a challenge to the "entire rotten capitalistic system," and showed that the Socialist Party of America was determined not to recede one inch in its program of revolutionary socialism.

The nomination of their imprisoned leader was received with great enthusiasm both by the delegates and by the spectators, who crowded Finnish Socialist Hall to its capacity. The demonstration lasted twenty-five minutes and was accompanied by clapping, cheering and the singing of the "Internationale," the "Marseillaise," the "Hymn to Free Russia" and the "Red Flag."

The convention after long debate decided to retain the declaration that the Socialist Party does not intend to interfere with internal affairs of labor unions, but added a statement that it favored the organization of the workers along the lines of industrial unionism, working as one organized working class body, or the "One Big Union" idea, the system of organization of the I. W. W.

and of only a few of the bodies affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. It struck out, admittedly because of expediency, the reference to the alleged capitalistic control of churches after a debate in which both the churches and religion generally were bitterly attacked, although defended by some speakers.

The Declaration of Principles, as finally adopted, was not materially changed from the draft of the committee, of which Morris Hillquit is Chairman, and represented a victory for the conservative element. Other important declarations included a statement that the Socialist Party was not opposed to the institution of the family, a declaration against war and militarism, and a plea for the closer international relation of workers throughout the world.

INDORSES THIRD INTERNATIONAL

The convention on May 14 adopted the majority report of its Committee on Foreign Relations, presented by Morris Hillquit, declaring the adherence of the Socialist Party of America to the Third International, organized and dominated by Lenin, Trotzky and the Communist Party of Russia, with instructions to its international delegates to insist that no special method for the attainment of the Socialist Commonwealth, such as the

dictatorship of the proletariat," be imposed as a condition of affiliation. The delegates were also instructed to participate in movements looking to the union of all Socialist organizations in the world into one international.

Upon the plea of Mr. Hillquit that its adoption would necessitate a change in the method of the Socialist Party of America from one of political action to a program of violence and a recurrence

of the street fighting and barricades of the Paris Commune, the convention voted down the ultra-radical substitute offered by J. Louis Engdahl of Illinois and William F. Quick of Wisconsin, as a minority of the committee, merely reaffirming the adherence of the party to the Third International without any qualifications. This substitute was defeated by a vote of 90 to 40, constituting a clear-cut division between the conservatives and the ultra-radicals. Under the party rules the minority report will be submitted to a referendum of members.

DEBS'S RELEASE REQUESTED

Release of Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist Party's nominee for President, and of all other political prisoners, was asked in a petition presented to Attorney General Palmer, May 14, by a committee of which Seymour Stedman, the party's Vice Presidential nominee, was Chairman. Mr. Stedman said the delegation did not believe that Mr. Palmer had been favorably impressed by the appeal for general amnesty. He added that the Attorney General had told them he would take under advisement the matter of releasing Debs, who is serving

a ten years' sentence in the Atlanta Penitentiary for violation of the wartime espionage act. Mr. Stedman told Mr. Palmer he believed Debs had paid sufficient penalty for his alleged wrongdoing and that nothing further was to be gained by his further imprisonment.

The memorial presented to the Attorney General said that the "practice of prosecuting citizens for holding and expressing political views opposed to those of the administration in power, or for participating in working class movements and struggles not favored by it, is deeply repugnant to the genius of democracy.

The memorial said that all powers participating in the war, with the exception of the United States, had granted amnesty to their political prisoners, and continued:

To say that the United States is still at war is to reply to a demand for justice by an unworthy quibble and technicality. The United States is not waging war at this time, and has not been engaged in warfare for eighteen months. Further detention of the so-called political war offenders cannot be seriously justified on the theory of wartime necessity, but assumes the character of a vindictive persecution of political opponents.

THE

HE Knights of Columbus are about to present an equestrian statue of the Marquis de Lafayette to the Republic of France. When this act of international friendship was first announced it was argued by a few critics that the Knights of Columbus, being a Catholic organization, could not consistently do such signal honor to Lafayette, who died, but certainly did not live, a Catholic. Furthermore, the Republic of France has long been distinguished for anti-clericalism. Then it was called, however, that the celebrated Viviani, who had spoken on a certain heated occasion of snuffing out the light of Heaven, came post-haste to the United States looking for help when France was in grave danger-and reecived it; and

re

that Lafayette, in his day, had a reputation for being a statesman of the Viviani school.

But the critics missed the real object of the enterprise, which is to signalize the origin of the historic friendship between America and France and to leave an international emblem of amity in the City of Metz, whence Lafayette issued on his mission to the struggling colonies of America. They apparently overlooked, also, the appropriateness of the idea that the Knights of Columbus, who made so enviable a record in France, should thus commemorate their work in the war-the war that saw an effective union between the forces of America and France.

In this one majestic piece of sculpture