New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-21

report Of the board Of officers appointed last
year by the Secretary Of War ito lnVestiga'e
and report upon the feasibility, desiraoiiity
and practicability of the government manu-
featuring arms. ammunitions and equipment
and certain other allied questions"
Having produced sufficient evidence to show
how far we are from that degree OF prep
sration which would protect US from at least
temporary defeat and disaster at the hands
Of any enemy which might overcome our
navy" the board goes on TO point out the
wastefulness of attempting to meet the needs
Of the occasion exclusively through specially
provided government plants and proceeds as
follows:
"If no other plan offered reasonable man
might be driven to advocate it as the only
available way to insure against great ma
tional calamity But other ways are OPEN
ways by which productive capital Will not be
locked up in complete idleness, but when
will still hold the country IN readiness
against the critical day. Those who have
studied attentively the history Of this coun-
try in its past wars have been moved to say
that in our day of need benevolent Provl-
dence has stood between us and our peril.
To-day, without conscious effort to that end,
a situation has developed through which, if
we regard the immediate future as charged
with danger, we may also see the workings
of that same Providence. For two things
have happened, or are in progress OF de-
veopment, which go far 10 insure the SAFETY
of the United States, provided only adyan-
tape be taken of them. First the people have
been aroused from their dreams of unbroken
peace by the appalling European war so sud-
denly begun and waged with such uneX-
anpled energy. So that national alertness
upon this question of national defence now
exists which thirty months ago had no being.
Second the demands of the foreign combat
ants for arms and ammunition have de
veloped in this country capacity to make
them thousandfold greater than was
dreamed of in July, 1914. The coincidence
of these two developments, j. e., the vision
to see our possible danger and the capacity
10 prepare against it, is remarkable and con-
stitutes an asset of tremendous value TO the
country But it needs to be taken advan-
tage Of It is an opportunity of greatest
magnitude; but still only an opportunity. II
is potential not actual military strength,
and with the passing of these European con-
ditions which gave it birth it will begin to
disspate unless conserved by being put TO
use now o. in the near future. therefore,
it seems to this board that prompt advan-
tage should be taken of the peculiar condi-
tons that now eXist-that is to say, of the
aroused public consciousness of danger and
of the suddenly developed capacity of the
American industrial world for the produc-
ton of arms, ammunition and equipment
before that capacity be destroyed by the
scrapping or exporting of the machinery,
which. with the organized personnel, consti-
tutes the essence of it.
"These considerations make impossible eX-
elusive government manufacture, not only
because of the enormous capital locked up
and wasted through the non-use and deter-
Grafton of a large portion of the plants in
which it is invested in peace years, but
more strongly still because such plan
spells delay--and long delay-which in turn
may spell disaster.
"If we are preparing for offensive war, we
can, of course, take our time, but II our prep
aration be solely for defence, for insurance
against the aggression or attack Of other
nations, we cannot know when such insurance
may be needed. Indeed, we cannot fail to
recognize the period succeeding the present
European war as one fraught with much dim
Guilty and danger. And we cannot insure
against contingencies which may then arise,
except by taking advantage of our present
opportunity promptly and vigorously.
"The first estimate of cost from the Chief
Of Ordnance calling for an expenditure OF
$50. 900 900, calls for brief comment. It's pur-
pose would be to so enlarge our existing
arsenals as to take entire care Of our cur
l. L,,s 0rtfrh
a long term of years, reserve of arms, am
munition and equipment for 100000 OF men
and for the field artillery called for by the
approved Treat Boards programme and GER
tain additional seacoast arms and armament.
"If carried out as policy this plan would
work evil in two comprehensive ways. First,
it makes no provision for supplying the
necessarily increased demands when war
comes, but leaves the very essence Of genuine
preparedness TO be mprovised when war is
upon us. Second, it destroys the capacity OF
all private plants to give assistance to the
government; a capacity now large, organized
and efficient because of its development
through the European war at no cost to our
government
at takes from eighteen months 70 three
wears to re-create that capacity when once
destroyed-to increase the government plants
and assemble the organizations to operate
them efficiently to turn private industrial
plants into munition factories. If our pur-
pose be to prepare to protect and defend the
country in time of need, then it is essential
first and foremost to provide for an ade-
uuate reserve Of arms and ammunition as
soon as practicable and then to provide a
capacity TO produce a sufficient supply when
and as needed under any reasonable condi-
tions we may be called upon to face.
From the foregoing considerations it APP
pears to the board impossible to escape the
conclusion that it is not desirable for the
government to undertake, unaided by private
plants, to provide for its needs in arms,
munitions and equipment Nor is it feasible
or practicable TO do so in any sense except
in the restricted sense of mere physical
possibility"
The board here proceeds TO describe the
shortcomings of the arsenals inspected in the