Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-31
BIG ARMS SHORTAGE
IF us. WENT TO WAR
Supplies Sent to Europe Not One
Per Cent. of Needs Here.
GEN. WOOD INVESTIGATES.
Allies Get Infinitesimal Portion Of Their
Munitions Here.


tions used by the Allies, and contrary
TO the statements Of some persons that
the readiness of American manufac-
tuers to make munitions for Europe
proves that this country could prepare
in a very short space of time TO fight
a successful defensive war; an investi-
cation by Gen. Leonard Wood, com
manding the Department Of the East.
with headquarters at Governors Is
land. has already demonstrated the in
accuracy OF both continents.
General Woods investigation has re
vealed that the munitions, particular
~ in the way of rifles. shells, high ex-
plosives and fuses. supplied by this
country TO theAllies in one year Of the
war were only a very small fractional
part of the munitions which have been
used, and that all of the war material
sent from this country to Europe
within the year would be absurdly in
sufficient for the defnse of the coun-
try in case. as one official put it,
somebody suddenly jumped on us"
From reliable informants il is learn
ed that the Government, in the dawn
ing of new policy of better prepar-
edness, requested General Wood to
make a careful inquiry to determine
the quantity of all sorts of war sup
plies that have been shipped to Eu-
rope and to obtain figures that could
not be controverted. Several reasons
dictated the step. The Government,
receiving complaints from many pro-
German individuals and associations
regarding the inability of the Allies TO
continue war without American sup
plies. was anxious to get at the truth.
In the second place there arose a
keen desire to know just where this
country would stand if. i'm case of war,
il had the advantages of all the muni-
tions, accumulated and piled up, that
have gone to the armies of Europe.
In the third place figures were want
ed as to the amount of war material
in stock or in them aking in the Uni
ted States which could be comman-
deered by this Government in case of
trouble. According to informants
General Wood has accomplished the
task and has in preparation a report
which is likely to amaze many placid
persons who have been going along
on the assumption that in the last
year thisc ountry has shown ability to
turn out war supplies enough to win
a great war
The report. so far as can be learn
ed, has not yet been filed with the War
Department, but persons who assume
to be familiar in a general way with
the facts ascertained say that Gen
eral Woods researches have demon
strated more positively than any ar
gument yet made the absolute unpre-
paredness of the United States in the
matter of manufacturing munitions
The opinion is given that the inves-
tigation shows that the supplies sent
TO the Allies within the year were not
onc-twentieth of one per cent. of what
they have used, and that. i'm certain
necessaries of warfare, such as rifles.
shells, high explosives and fuses, all
the supplies sent abroad within the
year would not have made one per
cent of what this country would have
needed in case of a serious war
II is understood that General Wood
seeking an answer to the question as
to whether or not the United States
could have made a respectable show
ing with the same amount of supplies
that have been manufactured here for
use in Europe, sought information
from purchasing agents of all coun-
tries at war, from manufacturers as
sociations and individual manufactur-
ers and from port manifests. which
give the details of war shipments In
this way General Wood acquired an
array of figures which could not be
blinked at by any person at all famil-
lar with the immense requirements
of modern warfare.
He learned that after a year of war,
when there were troubles, interna-
tional or domestic. to curtail the op-
| erations of munitions plants; when
| European countries were literally beg
| gingAmerican manufacturers to speed
up and were offering money without
limit: when there was every reason OF
profit and much of sentiment to has
ten and increase the output, the result
was extraordinarily trivial He learn
4 ed that the supplies of shrapnel and
explosive shell,judged from the stand
point of consumption in the war. have
been practically negligible.
| Despite all talk to the contrary the
United States has done little or moth
ing in this direction. She has given
| little help of that sort to the Allies
and would have been able to give lit
tie to herself More has been accom-
| plished in the way of supplying boots
shoes. wearing apparel and the like
but so far as lethal instruments are
| concerned the investigation proved
the utter falsity OF statements that a
years manufacturing activity shows
the capacity to serve the country when
the time came.
The investigation disclosed certain
| hopeful conditions, however Fore.
most is the fact that many old manu-
featuring plants long devoted to