The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06

NE of the developments OF the
war in EuroDe has been to
~ demonstrate he AGILITY OF
American manufacturers to
turn out large quantities o. munitions
OF war. TfLs development h Of special
interest just now because ii suggests
u mcans 10y which the United States
might secure military supplies in case
Of need.
No figures are available as to the
capacity of the factories and machine
shops that have engaged in work OF
this kline or that could do SO. The
following statement of the general
situation was made by an ~ex-naval
officer, one of Americas foremost
ordnance experts:
What We are doing to-day 70: for
eigners w can do ior ourselves, but
the present measure of our coltribu-
ton to the supplies Of munitions for
the Allies is only a drop in the bucket
compared with their needs. The vast
bulk Of their supplies H. being pro-
v!ded by their own factories; ut least
such is the case with England and
France.
with Russia 1t Is different. After
batterlng her way through the Car
pathian passes and capturing Pre-
mys.. a failure OF ammunition has
compelled the retreat OF her armies
from the Carpathians and the capitu-
lation Of the hard won fortress. The
Car despite his millions of men has
met defeat because his gum were
starved into silence.
Here il n lesson FOR lie. | don't be-
iieve the officials OF the War and Navy
departments had more than a dim idea
Of what the manufacturing resources
OF this nation might mean In case of
war. They went on plac!dly figuring
what the Government plants could do
under stress and they also took ac-
count % private military supply con-
Germs. But they made no allowance
for the adaptability Of scores and
'es Of our great machine hops and
s.e'allurciCal industries.
The Germans have taught the
whole world a lesson in his matter.
and 1t behoCves us to profit thereby.
Do you know hat a card catalogue
system has been largely at the bottom
of Gcrmany's ability 10 supply her
SET with munitions?
TUT YEARS lHt btEIndIl IHlllldIy
authorities have kept an exhaustive
card index of all of the machine shops
CT every kind and have tabulated with
equal care the workmcn. Every con
trlbutive industry has thus been kept
on record with details showing just
what 1t could do in furnishing supplies
of one sort or another. Shops that
have been idle for long periods. cstab-
lishod purposely by the Government
for just such an emergency, have been
kept up to date and their machinery
maintained fit for instant activity.
So too skilled artisans have been held
upon a contingent call. At a moments
notice the Kaiser was able to set all
Of these facilities in motion.
Foreigners have found out what
We could do along similar lines while
our Government officers hav re-
mained well nigh utterly ignorant.
we have the means available to do the
same thing in time. but this element
Of time Is the cru Of the Whole prob
lem OF meeting a fully prepared enemy.
"As rou probably know. metal
camping has many departments in
meeting ordinary domestic require
ments, and with IA change Of dies it is
quite possible to adapt a machine
making coal scuttles into II ft 10
turn out cartridges for rapid fire guns,
Indeed. this is actually being done here