New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-08

Var undcr Reno Viriani. 'oas oh
tanned by The Tribune correspond
cnt jcU ddys 5c}ore thc fall o.
the Tirioni ministry.
Paris. oct. D. " Mllcrand, Minis
ter for War. who has for fourteen
months maintained an impcrturbabl'
silence through all the attacks made
ON kim. has ~ last been persuaded 10
speak The question OF munitions u
one Of the most interesting 20 every
enc. and q is, likewise, the one tina
engages the greatest share OF VI. Mil
lcraad's time
To-day" he said. "all France is
converted INTO factory, and the prob
lCm OF munitions is almost solved
cannot give YOU exact figures. but
can say without being indiscreet that
Frances production Of proJectiics OF
all calibrcs to-day is 600 for the 100
that at the beginning Of the war II
was believed would be sufficient. Mha'
wc have done in manufacturing proJec-
tiles we have naturally done also III
making explosives. But we have done
more than this, for we have also pro-
0uccd the new engines made necessary
by trench warfare, grenades and bonn
thrswcrs. while in our heavy artillery
we have now six times as many bat
tcYics Us we mad when hostlllt'es were
opened
In the last eight months | have said
Icarv times in the Chamber and tho
senate that France would be equal Ia
The task, and the confidence that
have shown has been more than lusti-
fed BY the event. We can speak TO-
Gay as of a bad dream of that time
when we lacked ammunition even foi
our 7J's. Assuredly, the needs of the
army increase constantly. and each day
something new is demanded. out oul
vigilance never sleeps, and each day
when something new IS demanded OF
us that new thing IS furnished. i
would be criminal to be satisfied with
what has already been accomplished
Always more, always better; that must
be our rule.
Helped Manufacturers.
81 had not been three weeks at the
head of the ministry before ! saw tn'
immediate and impcrious necessity oil
modifying the whole industry Of the
country for the purposes Of war, anC
/ at once called upon all the owners
and managers Of factories in Franc,
10 ioin themselves 20 the great STATE
establishments 20 manufacture frs
munitions and then material. Three
DAYS later a meeting was held OF al
those who had signifed that they were
ready 20 Put themselves at the service
Of the state.
From these men ! formed five com
nittees. at the head of each OF which
put great manufacturer and gave then
their instructions that with the leas'
possible delay they must furnish The
armies with the munitions needed. We
had two problems to solve. one wa:
the lack of raw material and the Other
was the lack Of workmcn occasloned by
the mobilization. The raw nateria
had 20 be bought. and the government
Immediately let contracts. for the mos
part in America. A to the workmen,
said\tc the manufacturers:
81 am at your disposal 10 recruit
and put in your factories all the work
men YOU need. First. YOU need master
workmon. Before the war YOU haC
them and your specialists and engi-
ueers. Give me their names. tell me
where they are. or give me the besi
address YOU can for them and | vii
search them out. wherever they may
be. and send them back at once TO your
factories"
Free OF Germany.
After wunitions + was probably the
Army Medical Corps that engaged most
Of VI. Millerand's attention. Killing
is the most important thing in war
but saving life is second.
1--WE were in the very midst OF reor
ganizing our medical service, when the
war broke out" he said. "The new
system had been put In force IN ten
army corps. which had been provided
with all the necessary material. but
the others had 10 do the best they
could with the old material under the
new system. We began with hospital
accom- mediation Tor 100000 men To-
dav we have beds for 500, 900 wounded.
Before the war we were dependent on
Germany for many Of our hospital sup
niles. especially radio graphic equip
ment and electrical apparatus. These
difficulties have been surmounted, and
now IN an medical and surgical re
Guiremeuts we are ahead Of our needs.
I'm figures. we stand to-day in the ratio
of 100 20 100 before the war.
Then there was the question o.
TRANSPORTATION FOR the wounded. We
all know. and it is not necessary 10 re
peat. the tragic conditions OF the re-
treat from Charleroi and the battle o.
the Mamc. II has been said that it
was not until November 10. 1914 that
the Ministry Of War gave the order 10
turn civilian cquippages INTO Hospital
trains. That H. not true. In the first
fortnight of the war we organize ITO
hospital trains from civilian equip
mcrt. and when ". Justin Godart took
charge % the Service de Sante we had
seven permanent hospital trains or
gained from civilian equipment and
ITO auxiliary trains Zach f these
trains was provided with all the neces-
sarv medical supplies and an opefat-
ing room.
"In the same way we have increased
our automobile ambulance service.
Everyone had forcsccn that automo-
biles would play a great part M the
war. but nobody had estimated 20 wha-
an extent. At the beginning OF the
war each army corps or group o. two
divisions had forty-fiye motor ampu-
lanccs. To-day we have between l,sOo
and 10000
EVERYWHERE along the front and
ONLY q little distance back Of the trins
line we have hospitals where those
who have been too badly wounded 20
be transported can be treated. ana
where immediate cases can have sur
g;cal treatment without delay. We
have also twelve motor ambulances
equipped as surgical operating rooms
which can be sent un and down the
front 20 any poir, where they are most
-- ......, IL r.nll1r Of