South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-14
b GEN. PHILP NE TT0M-

Public debt per capita $40.
Appropriation in 1915, navy
(abOut). S145.00O. 600.
Appropriation in 1915. army and
forts (abouD. SOS. 900.
Cost of navy per capita S1.45.
Cost Of army per capita, $1.0S.
The Civil war cost about 16 bill
ion dollars, or about as much as the
whole estimated wealth Of the ma
ton at that time
Have we any right 10 assume
that war with one or more first
class powers finding us unprepared
would cost less than one-quarter of
our national wealth. namely so bill
lion OF dollars?
Such a cost represents one-quar-
ter of the wealth of each of our
hundred million population on an
average. to say nothing of lives lost
and personal property destroyed.
To insure this country against
successful invasion. much greater
navy is genszlly demanded. In
fact, a navy superior TO that of any
nation save only England. Some
declare even that our navy should
exceed that of England on the
ground that we may have TO fight
two great nations at once.
$3.50 Per Capita.
To-day our navy costs about 8 so
per capita per anuum, average.
Even though our navy be doubled.
we would only pay $4,000 per capita
average.
"Our per capita wealth is about
$4,000. Is 50 per year a heavy tax
on $4,000 worth of property if such
a tax would provide a navy adequ-
ate to defend us against successful
invasion ="
Mr.. Miller then went INTO details
of the census. He continued:
With the facts in this census
properly collated we shall learn
where the nation is weak and where
strong Not only shall the govern
ment be instantly enabled to deter
mine where munitions can be OBJ
tanned. but how rapidly We shall
also know from this inventory:
Il. Whether America is indie
pendent OF foreign countries for
raw or manufactured war material.
and if not. wherein we are. lacking
and 20 what degree.
80. In what kind Of munitions
We have ample manufacturing ia
cilities and wherein We must pro-
vide means for making up the def
cheney.
IS. Whether il be prudent for
the government to build arsenals
and other works in the central part
Of the United States.
This inventory will probably
show that many shops we'll equip
ped TO manufacture ammunition will
not employ the skilled machinist TO
make the required tools. jigs, cages
and templates. Possibly then il Will
transpire that the most efficient
plan would be for a government
factory 10 make cages. jigs and
templates and loan or sell them 10
certain shops for use in the manu-
facture Of shells. rifles. etc.
Improve Products.
This work of industrial prepar-
edness should serve 10 inspire our
machine tool builders TO perfect and
improve their product and perhaps
10 srandardize their machine tools
10 the end that those who must
needs purchase them would find an
adequate and immediate supply
available i'm case Of emergency.
The various engineering societies
contain in their membership men
who could prepare most valuable
papers on the subject OF ammuni-
ton manufacture. For the present
there may be- many secret processes
which FOR the time being may not be
forthcoming in the way OF books
and papers. which. however. might
be prepared in advance and held un-
I'll the hour OF need when through
patriotic motives they could natur-
ally be published for the benefit Of
the nation at large The old saying
that necessity is the mother OF in
vention" is not applicable 10 the
nations at war and IL is reasona BILE
10 assume that they have discovered
superior methods processes and
tools for the rapid and economical
manufacture OF shells. etc. The best
method or overtaking such a lead