The Detroit times., 1915-10-25
The War of the Workshops
az OR SRANk CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crane)

phrase coined by Lloyd George in his efl
forts to induce the British workmen ID
get busy and supply the men at the front
with proper tools.
1t Is not personal bravery, or endurl
ance on the part of the soldier, or Napo1
leonic tactics on the part of the general
that seems to be winning in this war, but
IT is machine guns, big cannon. and ade
quate transportation.
1t Is struggle Of opposing mechanics
1t is who can dig the cleveres
trenches, devise the swifrest airplanes
the stablest Zeppelins, the most rapid
quick-firers, the most colossal siege guns
the T4imberest artillery, the nasties(
death-gases, the deadlest shrapnel th(
most horrific bombs, the swiftest sub
marines, the most enduring automobilel
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 moi
only upon the men handling them in thu
presence of the foe. but quite as much
on the grimy smiths and thoughtful me
chanical experts back home in the shops
1t is Creusot versus Krupp, even moro
than 1t is Jolfre versus Won Kluck.
The Russians fought as ferociously ad
the Germans all the way from Riga down
the line TO Galicia. They fell back. moi
because their Cossacks would not charge
and their mOujiks stand up and be shot
but because they didn't have the machin]
cry and ammunition while their enemy
was equipped.
1t is the German mechanician that
keeps the Turk from crumbling like
man of clay.
1t is clash of mechanism against
mechanism, handiwork against handiI
work, craft against craft, invention and
device and contraption against their
kind.
All the common soldier appears to bd
good for is to serve as fodder for the vast
steely NAV of modern militarsm. He ID
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 al
seem to be sprying up.
Our real preparedness is 1t in drilling
soldier boys, or is it not rather id
developing mechanical resourcefulnesd
and efficiency?
We are already. and right now, prepaf1
ing ourselves in the very best possible
way for the emergency Of war by our
enormous mapufacture Of machinery.
The group Of scientists and inventors
Secretary Daniels has gathered around
him are better than so many Won Hinden1
burgs and Kitcheners For if war comes
it will be wit against wit, ingenuity
against ingenuity.
Take the automobile industry alone
Two million cars are registered in our
40 states, says Perry Blossom. and
they're piling up thousands day. We
lead the world in motor making, and wd
haven't got well started yet.
He goes on to say that our motor car
manufacturers are turning out immensd
consignments Of war stuff for Europe
as well as staggering totals Of pleasure
cars, trucks, jtneys, 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 populacd
of the United States into amateur
mechanics, for every man who buys a
car and cannot afford a 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 several million Of US now who can
tell spark plug from a floating rear
axle.
And that is but one phase Of the
DO Indless mechanical act ity 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 pla n =, cash-registers,
bridges, cranes, locomotives. ploughs,
harvesters, steam-rollers. dredges. cars,
subways, railroads, trolleys. sewing
machines, electrical devices. and I'll he
other retails of our Gargahtuan. G. To-
pean. ROARING and rambnnctious struc.
ture of American machinery, is preparing
this country IA it could better be nre-
pared in no other way against that dav
when some crazy exponent Of mediaevaI
militarism shall undertake to crush the
vo,,p0 Uiant of democracy from the faco