Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-04-18

troops, Qncluding navy, 576.662.
Civil war. 1S61-1s65, number of
troops (including navy, 2.77S,302.
! Cost of Civil War to date, including
pensions (abouD. 100000 900, 900.
| Present estimated wealth of u. S.,
5000, OOO, 100000.
Present estimated population of u
s.. 1OO,OOO,O0O
Present estimated wealth per capita,
$4,000.
Public debt Uess cash in treasury
s1.O27 100000.
Public debt per capita, SO.
Appropriation in 1915, navy (about)
s145, 100000.
Appropriation in 1915, army and
forts (aboup. S1OS,0OO,OOO.
/ Cost of navy per capita s1.45.
! Cost of army per capita s1.0S.
THE Civil War cost about sixteen
billion dollars, or about as much as
the whole estimated wealth of the ma
| ton at that time.
/ Have we any right to assume that
a war with one or more first class
powers finding us unprepared would
/ cost less than one-quarter of our ma
tional wealth. namely, fifty billions OF
dollars?
/ such cost represents one-quarteI
OF the wealth of each of our hundred
million population on an average, to
nF
property destroyed.
TO insure this country against sue.
cessful invasion, q much greater navy
| is generally demanded. In fact, a
navy superior TO that of any nation
save only England. Some declare even
our navy should exceed that of Eng
land on the ground that we may have
to fight two great nations at once.
To-day our navy costs about $3.50
per capita per annum, average. Even
though our navy be doubled, we would
only pay $500 per capita, average.
Our per capita wealth is about
$4,000. Is So per year heavy tax on
$4,000 worth of property If such tax
would provide navy adequate to de-
fend us against successful invasion %
! Mr.. Miller then went into details of
/ the census. He continued:
With the fact in this census prop
erly collated we shall learn where the
nation is weak and where strong. Not
only shall the government be instantly
enabled TO determine where munitions
can be obtained, but how rapidly. We
shall also know from this inventory:
Il. Whether America is independ-
ent OF foreign countries for raw or
manufactured war material, and If not,
wherein we are lacking and to what
degree.
y. In what kind of munitions we
have ample manufacturing facilities
and wherein we must provide means
for making up the deficiency.
%. Whether 1t be prudent for the
government to build new arsenals and
| other works in the central part of the
United States.
This inventory will probably show
! that many shops well equipped to
manufacture ammunition will not EN-.
ploy the skilled machinist 10 make the
required tools, jigs, cages and tenn
plates. Possibly then 1t will transpire
that the most efficient plan would be
| for government factory to make
standard cages, jlgs and templates and
loan or sell them to certain shops for
use in the manufacture of shells.
rifles. etc.
This work of industrial prepared.
ness should serve TO Inspire our ma
chine tool builders to perfect and i'm.
prove their product and perhaps to
standardize their machine tools to the
end that those who must needs pur.
chase them would find an adequate
and immediate supply available In
case Of emergency
THE various engineering societies
contain In their membership men who
could prepare most valuable papers on
the subject of ammunition manufac-
ture. For the present there may be
II
many secret processes which for the
time being may not be for the coming
In the way of books and papers, which,
however might be prepared in ad.
vance and held until the hour of need
when through patriotic motives they
could naturally be published for the
benefit Of the nation at large. The o
saying that necessity is the mother
of invention" is now applicable to the
nations at war and II is reasonable to
assume that they have discovered SUI.
perlor methods, processes and tools
for the rapid and economical manu-.
facture of shells. etc. The best method
OF oyertaklng such lead would be by
combination Of talent and experience
such as might be brought about by a
congress of ammunition manufactur.
ers, assembled for the purpose Of ex.
changing experiences, etc. The best
way for the manufacture of each ele.
ment should then he arrival At and