Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-13
BY Hudson Maxim.

fertilizers for the farmers.
All Of the little private factories
throughout Germany today are
working on the production Of mu-
nitions of war.
England, however. although she
mas encouraged private manufac-
ture OF munitions much more than
this country has ever done. still
has not encouraged them TO the
extent that Germany has done.
Neither had England organized and
systematized her private indus
tries for quick and efficient mob.
ilization for government manufac-
ture, 30 that industrial chaos
reigned throughout England for
many months after the outbreak OF
the war
Lloyd George recently said that
last May, nearly a year after the
outbreak of the war, while the Ger
mans were making 100000 high ex-
plosive shells day. they were able
to make in all England only $500
per day, only hundredth part as
many as the Germans were able TO
make.
IL the Government were to estab-
1ish plants large enough to produce
the necessary quantity of NUM-
lions to supply its army and navy
in time Of war 1t would not be able
in time OF peace to keep the numer-
ous personnel employed, and its
vast plants would have to remain
Ia tdfaness. ard the Gov ernuent
~opid have to draw its necessary
personnel from private industries
to operate the plants In the event
OF war.
II the Government should estab-
lish plants OF sufficient size anG
should actually operate them dur
ing times Of peace, she would pro-
duce vastly larger quantity OF
munitions than would be prectica.
bile under the constantly changing
conditions, for munitions Of war
are In a state Of constant transition
10 keep pace with modern improve
ments. Too large quantity can.
not be made and stored. Further.
more, explosive materials. like
smokeless powder. cannot be stored
indefinitely without enormous loss
by deterioration.
The Government could hardly do
as private manufacturers do-use
tta plants and personnel for the
manufacture Of high explosives for
commercial purposes. of automo.
biles and agricultural implements
in time Of peace.
When the present war broke out
the Du Pont Powder Company was
able to increase it's capacity for
the manufacture OF smokeless pow
der and tho government high ex-
plosives more than f1fty-fold, for
the reason that it was the largest
manufacturer OF high explosives
for commercial purposes in the
country. It could not have done
this had it not been for the fact
that 1t was so large a manufac-
turer Of commercial materials.
When the war broke out the
Remington Arms Company, which
had been making sporting guns on
a large scale, was able very easily
10 undertake the manufacture OF
military rifles on large scale with
but little difficulty.
There is another thing that must
be borne in mind, and it is that not
only explosives and guns and other
killing instruments are munitions
Of war; but also are ell supplies of
both army and navy Of every name
and nature.
Wheat Is as much munition of
war as gunpowder. The spade, the
pick and the plow are as much mu-
n1tions OF war as are machine guns,
field cannon and shrapnel. The
tools that the armies use in dig.
ging trenches are as much war mu.
nitfons as are the tools they EN-.
ploy in defending the trenches.
Automobiles, mules, horses are all
munitions Of war. All kinds of
iarm produce are as much mum.