Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-14
save CASH HERE
/. FOR GOVERNMENT
s,ek Island Arsenal Proves
government Efficiency in
Manufacturing.
EASTERN WRITER'S CLAIM
w.s.i-ston Correspondent Of Boston
Transcript Shows Economies
Recently Effected.

IL. Stoddard. Washington CORE.
-,dent. in the Boston Transcript OF
,sst date. tells OF some OF the econ.
\ IS which are being effected at Rock
I'd and other arsenals in the
-,-ufacture OF supplies for the army.
I, submits with the article a table.
i .-nr the percentage saved on sep
: -.s articles such as are made at
4 : IocaI government manufacturing
.s-t and ranging from a few per cent
% - per cent Stoddard writes:
ne Rock Island arsenal furnishes
1 ne Of the best illustrations of Uncle
as ability 20 manage a machine
.so From all accounts-even from
= accounts OF the employees who
,rs been fighting the imposition Of
y TAYLOR systematic Rock Island
r-senzl could give many a private fac
~ cards and spades For example.
- some years the aluminium welding
AZ used az this arsenal came from
T-ope and cost s. a pound Scientific
.--sv b. government experts resulted
The development OF a satisfactory
II which Is now being made at so
.s-,s a pound from ingredients that
AZ be obtained in commerce without
ssculty. The minimum estimated
.,-ual saving from this item alone is
20. \ labor saving device has been
stalled al the arsenal for cutting to
9Th the wooden powder grains re-
red for dummy cartridges; the out
Il. OF one man has been increased
s-sfold BY this device. 4 semi-auto-
-lrc machine for bufing canteens and
Us was designed and built at the
l-ssnzl. reducing the piece price from
< 10 ole cents Some economical
-s-ius in Uncle Sans employ found
az- q saving OF % per cent in the
os- Of cavalry currycombs could be
ssscted by substituting a single punch
-sss for several turret lathes. As
-i-or economy IL is pointed out that
s.-zp packing paper which accumu-
stsd in the storehouse and which
-sst 10 be carted to the furnaces and
t-rred. is now baled and sold. the cost
@ baling not exceeding the former
1si OF disposal.
Cutting Labor Costs.
Big reductions in labor costs have
Slowed improvements in shop admin
s-rztiou and methods. under Uncle
ANS guiding hand. Artillery brides,
1r example. cost 17.2 per cent less
ian they used 10. Infantry canteens
re- being produced at a saving of over
: Der cent. Halter headstalls have
cen reduced in cost 20 per cent
aralry cauteen straps have been re
need about 70 per cent. Thirty sep
-sre articles made in the harness
BOP have been produced at a % per
mt saving. Regarding the prices
Id 20 private manufacturers for can
ems and cups as excessive. the arse
Il developed a new method Of manu-
cture. and having developed the
ethod was able 10 let a contract al
price well below that which has
zen paid. the reduction being directly
tributable 10 government manufac-
re still further improvements
omise still further reductions in
81 These transactions" says Gen :
al Crozier. afford an example OF /
onomy OF government manufacture /
well as reduction Of contractors ]
ices resulting therefrom." I
Il the firm which is supplying Uncle j
m with these canteens and cups has I
:Teloped any trade with the Euro /
an bellicerents. il has the govern !
snt 10 thank for showing il how 10
'0duce at less cost than ever before
Powder and Bullets Cheaper.
All these items are what might be
He'd staples Of war-that is TO say.
sy are things which are absolutely
'eessary for the equipment OF armies
more popular appeal. perhaps, is
e story OF the economies effected III
e matter Of rife ammunition, which
-g3t be described as the staff Of life
an army Tine average total cost of
e ammunition for the last year was
AZ per thousand. as compared with