South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-21
SKILLED WORKERS
WILL DECIDE WAR
Lloyd eeorge Says New Fac
tories Need 10000 Good
Mechanics.

LONDON. Dec. 21.-"I wonder IL
It's too 1ate-too late. Fatal words
OF the war; Unless we quicken our
movements, damnation viii befall
the great cause for which so much
blood has been shed. The superb
clai facts are against US. but the fun
damentai facts favor us. There Is
no reason therefore 20 avoid them"
Thus LlOyd-GeOrge concluded in
the house Of commons Monday even
INK a speech in which ne told what
had been accomplished by the NUM-
tons department Of which he is the
head.
Skilled Labor Needed.
In May when the Germans were
manufacturing 25O.G00 high explo-
sive shells daily. England was pro-
ducing only $500 of such shells and
1900 shrapnel, said the minister Of
munitions. Since then the industry
has been so enlarged and organized
by the government that il was now
equal TO ali possible demands. II was
merely a question Of obtaining suf-
ficient skilled labor
The expenditure Of shells in tine
operations Of September was onor-
NOUS" Lloyd-George then stated
The CHIEF Of staff WIS perfectly sat-
isfied with the quantity. which was
the result of four months husband
ing.
The whole expenditure was re-
placed in a month. We shall soon
be able TO replace il in a week.
Plenty OF Field Guns.
The supply Of field guns is now
satisfactory, Up 20 midsummer big
guns on a large scale had not been
ordered. The heaviest siege guns
that we had at the beginning Of the
war are now our lighJest.
The demand for machine guns
has increased enormously. The cas-
ualties caused by machine guns and
artillery are probably 80 per cent of
the total.
The output depends on labor. Ma
chimes of the most modern type are
now lying idle owing to the lack Of
skilled men. For its new factories
the ministry requires 80. 700 skilled
workmen and two or three thousand
unskilled men
1T IS a question Of whether we
shall end the war VIGOROUSLY in a
year or allow il TO linger or. Labor
alone can supply the answer"
Cuisines Men In Charge.
Reviewing the growth of the mu-
nitions department Mr.. Lloyd George
said that Is and 90 millions sterling
had been saved by the department
taking charge of the metal supplies of
the country Thirty-three national
shell factories had been established.
The feature Of the munitiOn organi-
cation was the utilization Of the SER
vices of business men of high stand
ing.
I'm May the deliveries Of high eX-
plosive shell bodies were only 16
per cent of the amounts promised. "
ne said "Our first step was 10 see
.hat existing contracts were carried
out. Our second was to seek fresh
sources OF supply.
Establish Tool Department.
zone of our first accomplishments
was the establishments Of a tool de-
partment. and a completion Of the
E. engineering resources Of the country.
The whole machine tool industry was
then taken under the control of the
government"
The next great difficulty which the
department had TO overcome was due
10 the lack OF raw material. To solve
this problem, said Lloyd-George, the
ministry OF munitions secured con-
troll Of the metal trade of the coun-
try. thus insuring an adequate sup
ply for ourselves and our allies"