Evening star., 1916-12-11
AIMS At PREPARATION,
! AMP[EAD COMPLETE
Head II Supply Corps Believes in
Advancs Hlans for Army
and Navy.

Preparation, full and complete, is the
policy of the great naval supply corps.
as directed by Paymaster General Sam
uel MCGOWAN. whether IL Ne the army
OF navy and whether in 1890 or in 1916"
he says in his annual report, the fact
remains the same-the only plans worth
while are those made well in advance
and put to practical test in everyday use:
in other words. to live 1ogistics rather
than merely dreaming II. Every effort
. being made to do just that"
For some time after the outbreak Of
NE European war congested freight
conditions led to embargoes which re-
suited in delays in delivery Of material.
8y the cooperation Of the transporta-
don companies, however, that condition
has been remedied, and definite action
has been taken to provide for similar
Contingencies in the future.
Progress in StAndardizing.
The standardizing Of navy specifications
for stores and materials, the paymaster
general says, has gone steadily forward.
More than 1.100 standard specifications
are in force. These are revised as trade
conditions occasion a change. There is a
constant demand for them from business
frms.. contractors. railroad companies
municipal authorities, scientific institu-
tionS, civil and mechanical engineers,
libraries and colleges.
Notwithstanding the unusual rise in
the provision market. says Paymaster " ste
sistence for the year has been Kept
below what it was before the Euro
pean war began.
According to statistics complied by
the Department of Labor, there was
the cost of twenty-six Of the most
commonly used foodstuffs during the
two years of the war. IS compared with
the two preceding years Meanwhile
the cost Of the navy ration during the
fiscal years 1915 and 1916 averaged
little more than one-half a cent lower
than for 1918 and 1914; so that, taking
inte consideration the rise in the pro.
vision market. the comparative cost Of
Gubsisting the navy during the past
two years was approximately $Soo.0o0
less than for a like period before the
war. This is at the rate OF something
over a thousand dollars a day.
Assigns the Causes.
'The causes are the regulation pro-
mental foods, the requirement that all
provision COnITdCtS De d"dIOco iSc" ~
item to the lowest bidder on each. the
Improvement in the purchasing sys-
tenn whereby contracts covering de.
made by purchasing officers located at
the ports usually visited by naval yes.
sells and the hard and fast rule thas
. contractor once rightfully debarred
IL not restored to the Bidding fst-de-
barment being, Of course. in no sense
. punishmenf Of the individual. but
simpIy q protection to the government.
"Iny reduction In Cost. however. at a
sacrifice Of quantity or quality would
be SO FAR outweished by the CONSEQUENT
loss in naval efficiency that Il could
not. Of course, be considered. That the
atandard has seen BY no means lowered
is shown by ehaeial reports from all
sources
bill after II reaches the disbsrsifg
division has Been shortened: and this
feature of the work az navy yards has
beeh improved. A new form Of public
bill has been adopted. c6mbining the
old form Of inspection call and public
bill; ana the use Of this consolidated
form causes an appf&ciabIe decrease in
clerical work at yards.