The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-25
The War of the Workshops
~ On FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1916. by Frank. Crane)

forts to induce the British workmen to
get busy and supply the men at the front
with proper tools.
1t Is not personal bravery, or endur-
ance on the part Of the soldier, or Napo-
leonic tactics on the part OF the general.
that seems to be winning in this war, but
1t Is machine guns, big cannon, and ade-
quate transportation.
It is q struggle Of opposing mechanics.
1t Is who can dig the clsverest
trenches, devise the swiftest airplanes.
the stablest Zeppelins, the most rapid
quick the most colossal siege guns,
the limberest artillery, the nastiest
death-gases, the deadliest shrapnel, the
most horrific bombs, the swiftest sub
marines, the most enduring automobiles
and trucks, the most accurate sea-guns,
the most perfect working dreadnoughts,
cruisers, torpedo boats and destroyers,
the fiercest mines and the most offensive
barbed wire.
The efficiency of all these depends not
only upon the men handling them in the
presence Of the foe but quite as much
on the grimy smiths and thoughtful me-
chanical experts back home in the shops.
It Is Creusot versus Krupp, even more
than 1t is Joffre versus Won Kluck.
AHc NuSSldIiS 1OukuL dS IcIOClOuSly 10
the Germans all the way from Riga down
because their Cossacks would not charge
but because they didn't have the machin-
cry and ammunition, while their enemy
was equipped.
| It is the German mechanician that
keeps the Turk from crumbling like
man of clay.
It is a clash of mechanism against
mechanism, handiwork against handi-
work, craft against craft, invention and
device and contraption against their
kind.
All the common soldier appears to be
good for is to serve as fodder for the vast
steely NAV of modern militarism. He is
the counter in the game. The real play
ing is carried on by electrical, aerial,
artillery. and mathematical experts.
! Very well. Turn now to America and
the preparedness thereof, which we all
seem to be sprying up.
Our real preparedness. is 1t in drilling
soldier boys, or is it not rather in
developing mechanical resourcefulness
and efficiency?
We are already, and right now, prepar-
ing ourselves in the very best possible
way for the emergency Of war by our
enormous manufacture Of machinery.
The group of scientists and inventors
Secretary Daniels has gathered around
him are better than so many Won linden
burgs and Kitcheners. For if war comes
lit will be wit against wit, ingenuity
against ingenuity,
Take the automobile industry alone.
Two million cars are registered in our
48 states, says Perry Blossom, and
they're piling up thousands day. We
lead the world in motor making, and we
haven't got well started yet
He goes on to say that our motor car
manufacturers are turning out immense
consignments of war stuff for Europe.
as well as staggering totals OF pleasure
cars, trucks, jitneys, and so on for the
states. They are also training and
developing vast army OF skilled and
unskilled mechanics. Furthermore, they
are doing the major share to transform
considerable fraction Of the populace
of the United States into amateur
mechanics, for every man who buys a
car and cannot afford chauffeur Is
bound to take some interest in what
makes the wheels go round and how TO
get 'em going when they stop. There
| are SeVcIdI uIIlIOI VI uS INV "'V ~"h
tell a spark plug from a floating rear
axle.
| And that is but one phase Of the
boundless mechanical activity Of
America. Every man at work on peace
full machinery is in training for expert
ness in war machinery if the pinch
comes.
The activities Of peace are the surest
readiness for war. Every man engaged
in making screws. bolts, springs, piston
rods. cylinders, drop-forgings, pianos,
refrigerating plants, cash-regsters,
bridges, cranes, locomotives, ploughs,
harvesters, steam-rollers. dredges. cars,
subways, railroads, trolleys. sewing
machines, electrical devices, and al he
other retails of our Gargantnan. G. o.
Ipean. roaring and rambunctious struc-
Iture Of American machinery, is preparing
this country as IL could better be nre-
pared in no other way against that day
when some crazy exponent of medieval
militarism shall undertake to crush tho
young giant of democracy from the face
Of the earth.