Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-25
ARMS MAKERS ARE
FOR PEACE POLICY
Manufacturers of Arms and Ammu-
milton Companies Have Not For
gotten the Sportsmen Who Built
Up Their Business.
By ROBERT HILDRETH

| ton companies. For instance, they must
| keep silent on the question of national pre-
paredness.
I'VE would be misunderstood IL we talked
| about preparedness" said one Of the prom
inent men in the business the other day
Two things are certain The arms ana
ammunition companies are in business 10
make money They regard their business as
entirely legitimate.
Also, the men who conduct this business
regard themselves as good American cit'-
zens.
Most Of them are ardent supporters Of Will
sons foreign policy
Wilson" they say, will keep the United
states out Of war II anybody can"
Again I'VE are not war-makers.'
am referring to the arms and ammuni-
tion companies which are widely known in
the sporting world and which in the last few
months have been struggling to keep up with
war orders
why are the arms and ammunition COM
panies behind President Wilson in his effort
TO preserve peace?
The answer is obvious That is the trouble
the answer is altogether too obvious.
More money in supplying warning Europe
than in taking care Of Uncle Sam.
Inc Embargo QueSJlou
Now what would become their attitude II
the Administration should establish an en-
barge on their production?
such an embargo would be violation OF
neutrality" is their view, and they add, 1T
is a sheer waste of money for the advocates
of an embargo to advertise in the news
papers and on the billboards, asking the
people to petition the Government to stay
e oy,H inn
The public has already picked the winner in
the European war. Americas interests are
with the Allies
Further, the opinion seems to be held In
the same quarters that II Uncle Sam should
decide on an embargo It would probably be
because he wanted to keep the goods at
home. 1t would not mean restriction of
output, at least not Immediately.
I'm case the United States became engaged
in actual war the Government would need
all the arms and ammunition that this coun-
try could turn out and more, too For pur-
poses of preparation, on the basis OF calling
into the field army Of million men, the
Government should have hand at the be-
ginning Of war at least four million rifles,
1900 machine guns, eight billion cartridges,
1000 field guns and eight million rounds of
field gun ammunition. These are not my fig
ures but think they are approximately cor
rect. The regular arms and ammunition
companies are today making only E!fes and
cartridges When the conflict in Europe
broke out the total facilities in this country
for manufacturing these goods were totally
inadequate for keeping such an army sup
piled during a campaign. The output then
possible would have to be multiplied one
hundred times in order to meet the needs of
/ ,Po
Helping the Allies
Now this brings us back to the question
Of how much we are really doing for the
Allies in furnishing arms and ammunition.
| The fact is that the maximum output of the
factories has not been greatly increased since
the beginning of the present war Floor
| space has been doubled and new factories
| have been built by many OF the companies
| but still 1t remains true that the output has
not doubled, or anywhere near IT, Highly
| perfected and very expensive machinery Is
required for the manufacture Of arms and
ammunition 1t cannot be made and in
stalled in a jiffy. Moreover, the facilities for
making military arms and ammunition are
not the facilities for making the ordinary
sporting arms and ammunition for which we
have always found the largest market 1t is
that are of any great use in modern war
fare Under all the conditions, a doubling
of floor space cannot bring a doubling of
output inside of a year and a half or two
years. At present we are doing little more
than utilize our facilities of last July to their
fullest capacity. With artillery shells and
shrapnel the situation is somewhat different,
and these goods are what Europe orders the
most OF, but even so think It is true that
America is supplying the Allies with not
more than one-twentieth OF the war ma
terials which they are using"
The arms and ammunition companies, OF
course, are looking ahead. They are figuring
out the possibilities In the business OF max
ing war supplies. They are enlarginE theil
plants. Perhaps they expect a long war
Perhaps they are merely to try to sell all the
products possible while the selling is good
But evidently also, they expect that govern
ments war or no war, viii be IN the marks
for war supplies for a good while to come
They see nothing unpatriotic in their un
precedented activities. prominent officia
OF one OF the leading companies expresses
the opinion that America win beneht by tn,
development OF the business to such proper
tlons, not only from the present commercial
profits but also from the experience gained
In meeting so great demand and from rem
dsring manufacturing facilities more nearl,
adequate TO meet the emergency that woul,
arise in case OF an American war.
'It is better for u.s." says an oficial st
boost the sporting game than to boost tn
war game. We viii meet the demand 10
war goods 10 the best OF our ability, but W
look for the future OF the arms and anlmuni
ton business to the sportsmen"
.nroNc THE NEcEssYT1ps