Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-28
The Governments Gun Work.

While Acting Secretary Newberry de-
cision to postpone until March 81 the
dismissals from the naval gun foundry
which were posted for January is graft
fying. it does not meet the issue in
volved. There still remains the menace
OF a large reduction of the navy yard
force and the consequent lessening Of the
government plants efficiency. Mr. New
berry. in announcing his decision. says:
1T should be understood and remem-
bered that the question of the size OF
the force to he retained at the Wash
ington yard is a question of naval policy
whether enough work is TO be allotted to
the ward to keep the establishment run
ming three shifts day the year round,
private gun plants to get what IL left.
or whether Il normal one-shift force is TO
be- retained at the yard and the balance
of the work to be let under contracts to
private plants. that the government
NAV have them as certain reserve to
depend upon in time of emergency
That is the question which should be
submitted TO Congress promptly after
converting. The machinists at the foun-
dry assert that it is unnecessary TO give
gun work to the private plants in order
To keep them in condition TO respond to
the governments calls in an emergency.
The navy department authorities declare
that it is necessary thus to divide the
work Here is an issue of fact. which
should be fully considered by the two
houses this winter.
If Washington were manufa curing city,
with many mills in operation. the govern
ment would have no particular difficulty in
manning it's naval gun foundry in an emer-
sency to he full capacity from a half
force basis. II could doubtless. such
occasion. command the services OF a
sufficient force of skilled men from within
the local territory. There would always
be Il supply at hand. But here in WASH
ington there are practically no mills save
those of the government. The expert ma
chinist who is frrloughed from the naval
gun foundry. unless he can find work in
the bureau Of engraving or the printing
Office or one Of the very few small pii-
vate shops-a slender chance when
eral hundred are dropped at once-must
go elsewhere to Seek employment. As
rule the energetic man will not wait here
long for a change of government policy or
La new appropriation. He will look in
her cities for job and when he finds
1t he will send for his family unless. as
sometimes happens, he has become a
nome owner mere. mus ii the govern
ment does not place all its work at the
gun foundry it is constantly losing tine
services of good men. whom it will be I'M
able easily to replace when the condi-
tons compel a resumption of full-capacity
work in the government establishment.
In the final analysis the question arises:
Is it better to let the private plants fall
into comparative uselessness to the gov
ernment-sssuming that they require gun
work from year to year to keep them
ready for an emergency-Or to let the
governments own costly plant fall into
comparative uselessness through the loss
of the requisite skilled men incidental to
the division of work between the public
and the private plants? The chance OF
the disa element of the Washington
foundry by fire other disaster is very
slight Is it worth while disabling it
continuously in order to insure against
81 remote a contingency" Let Congress
consider and answer this question.