The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-07-26

One remark commonly made by the
managers of the Industries which will
be largely. and some Of them exclu-
sively, occupied in manufacturing
various commodities needed by the
government thoroughly to equip and
adequately to feed and move the
armies Is this:
1t has been observed that the repre-
sentatives of the government, in ali
departments. insist that the best, the
most perfectly standardized and that
the highest illustrations of American
invention and industry be furnished
by these industries to the government.
The steel manufacturers, whose rep
resentatives have recently been in
conference with officers OF the gov
eminent at Washington. did not fail
to observe that those officers insisted
that the quality of steel, and the Yari-
Gus manufactured commodities into
which steel enters, shall be Of the
highest type. 1t Is for that reason
that the steel manufacturers were
willing to leave to the government the
determination OF what the price should
be, having confidence in the good faith
Of the government as well as the
economic expediency Of fixing such
price as would allow the manufac-
turers q reasonable profit.
The government has recently entered
into contract with one of the great
munition plants at Bridgeport for the
manufacture Of 1900, 10000 metallic
cartridges. The terms of the contract
compel the manufacturers to make
and deliver to the government the
highest type Of this particular war
munition. The Bridgeport manufac-
turers have now, by experience and
the employment Of expert skilled ar
tisans, learned how to manufacture
], 500, 10000 cartridges, and many more,
with the certainty that they will be
| found by the government inspectors
to meet every requirement
The government contemplates the
manufacture of a number OF heavy
cannon called twenty-inch guns. These
when completed, will be OF greater ca
| pacity and higher power than any
gun now in use. But in order to man.
| ufacture these guns the government
found 1t essential to contract for ma
chinery, which, of itself, represents
| the highest development in machine
construction, and entails such careful
workmanship that it may be a year
before the first of the machines Is
DuI Ihc
wanted the best, believing that the
best should. If possible, be better than
the best manufactured in any other
country. 1t therefore has not hesitat-
ed about making preparations for the
| manufacture of twenty-inch guns.
There is no doubt that the manufac-
turers who are in control of the
| Eddyston, the Winchester Arms and
the Remington Arms munition plants
are rejoiced that the United States
| government has taken over the Brit
ish contracts, aggregating $20,000, 900
which Great Britain two years ago
entered into with these manufacturers
| Of rifles. 1t has been q somewhat
sorry experience for the rifle manu-
| facturers. 1t is a common understand
| ing that they either made no money
or elsa were compelled to face losses
in fact. one manufacturing plant.
whIsh has abandoned the manufacture
of arms, charged OF 100000 to rep
resent its loss upon a rifle contract.
The manufacture OF q rifle-that is.
/ of the highest standard-entails as
much skill and delicate workmanship
as does the manufacture OF a Swiss
watch. Our manufacturers fell down
in the delivery Of rifles to Great
Britain because 1t was found on in
| spection that many of them, which
to the eye seemed perfect, neverthe-
less on close inspection were found
not to have fully met specifications.
Now that the government at Washing
ton has taken over the British con-
| tract in three large munition plants,
the manufacturers, having learned by
experience how perfectly to manufac-
ture a rifle will be able, they believe,
to make and to deliver to the gov
| eminent rifles by the million, the
great majority Of which will pass the
most scrupulous inspection. Our gov
! eminent standard is very high, but
the rifle manufacturers now know
how to meet this standard.
There is, in New York City, a place
where representatives of the govern
ment are tenants who are engaged in
purchasing various commodities for
the government. These purchases
have, since the war began, reached
high in the millions. They will be
continued until the war IL ended. The
public has little knowledge OF these
transactions and 1t Ii only casually or
indirectly that information respecting
some OF them is obtained.
For instance, 1t was learned this
morning that representatives of the
munition department had, through
these New York offices, purchased
30, 1000 pounds OF copper. This bar
gain ms 40 Rl<ilftflIv sa60oftsfnA that