The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-13


tended over a fortnight, and they had
been saving ammunition for that battle
for month. We could have battle
of Loos every week now and 1t wouldn't
touch the shell reserve stock.
The manufacture of guns, which did
not lend itself to the process of subdi-
vision like ammunition, has had to be
concentrated largely in the hands OF eX-
perienced firms, but new factories under
the direction of these firms have been
made for single purpose work.
Regarding our present capacity for gun
production as compared with the capacI-
ty in June, 1914, before the war, we
are now making in the case of the light
est guns over 10 times what we were
then; in the case of the medium weight
guns over 20 times, and in the case Of
the heavy guns more than so times.
THE production of trench warfare sup
plies has meant the creation of an indus
try of which there was practically no
experience in this country. Now grenades
are being made in back yards and in
all sorts of small shops, as well as in
the big factories, and hundreds of thou
sands are being produced weekly In the
early days of the war the trench mortar
was a weapon which had received little
attention and undergone little develop
ment, and there was mere handful Of
these weapons in existence. They are
now being produced in immensely i'm
proved types in hundreds where they were
previously in units. And the output of
their heavy ammunition has had to keep
pace. The output of bombs where it
previously was reckoned in hundreds has
now. reached total score of thousands
weekly. The production of trench war
fare munitions in most miscellaneous
collection of workshops has, of course,
necessitated the provision of many as
sembly and inspection stations.
One of the earliest steps the ministry
of munitions had to take was to acquire
control of every machine-tool maker in
the United Kingdom and also to bring in
the manufacturers of machine tools. Ev-
cry machine tool made during the last II
months has been disposed of as directed
by the ministry of munitions The tools
have been sent where they were most
needed for the making of munitions.
LABOR WAS PROBLEM
One of our most anxious problems has
been the supply and the distribution of
skilled labor. There was not enough skill
ed labor to go round. This fact was recog-
nized by the trades unions and the gov
eminent has received their hearty assist
ance throughout in the distribution OF
skilled labor and in the dilution of skilled
labor with unskilled. The introduction of
unskilled labor into the field of skilled
labor is a sacrifice of skilled labor to
which no too high tribute can be paid.
Skilled men have trained and instructed
unsl1illed workers and in thousands OF
cases have willingly been moved from
piece work to day wages with the result
that they have earned smaller wages than
the people they had trained have received
at piece work.
This position was rendered more diff
ficult by the fact that many skilled work
men crowded into the army. More than
1900 highly skilled workmen have since
been withdrawn for munitions work. They
go where they are sent. This has given
the ministry of munitions control of a
large body of skilled workmen who can
be moved as required.
Apart from the manufacture of ships,
aeroplanes, etc, which do not fall under
the charge of the ministry of munitions,
there are now employed about two million
people of whom several hundred thousand
are women. 1t follows that there has
been much labor expended in housing
munitions workers. Whole villages have
been built and we have provided accom- |
modations for 10000 people in u months |
People from all classes of society |
have Joined in the manufacture of mu-
nitions. There is, for example, on the
staff of the ministry of munitions, the
daughter of an earl who worked for |
nine months as a lathe hand in a mu-
nitions factory. Large numbers of the
best known families have devoted them
selves to work in the canteens and to
work in connection with the factories.
There is a department in the ministry
which is solely concerned with the pro-
vision of canteens for munition workers |
and these canteens provide meals for 500, !
900 people daily. This enables them to
get their food under decent conditions.
charges are made to cover the cost"
DR.. Addison pointed out that it has
been necessary to interfere arbitrarily
in private industry in order to carry on
the munitions work. Private and public
building has been syopped in many
cases in order to move the labor else
where or to economic material. What
applies to the building trades holds good
with many others. However, the inter-
ference has been cheerfully borne.
He stated that as a result of the de-
mands upon the ministry of munitions
the formulas for many chemicals and
which formerly had been
made by the Germans had been discov-
cred by English scientists and that these /
things were now being manufactured /
here In conclusion he said:
when the ministry of munitions is !
no more the equipment of the factories
and works extensions all over the coun- |
try with power and plant on up-to-date |
systems, accurate and modern machine |
tools, will add enormously to our indus |
trial strength in the markets of the |
world"
1t is stated that the heads Of the diff |
ferent departments of the ministry of |
munitions are largely directors and man. |
ayers of great industries who have vol |
unteered their services and have given
up the whole of their private work to |
labor for the country without compen- |
sation. AS one has put it, "the minis |
try of munitions is. in fact, the general
staff of the British industry, organized |
for war" To an American who has
his services is given credit |
for affecting reductions in shell con-
tract prices which saved the govern |
ment E4OO,000 a week.
German Colony in East Africa