The Washington times., 1917-04-01
US. ARMY SHORT OF
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
Military Surgeon Says 1t May
Take Over Year to Get
Material.

Uncle Sam now has T'aterial in re-
serve for the sanitary equipment of
approximately 200, 900 men, says the
New York Medical Journal, after ex-
planning that the Dodge commission
recommended that "a years supply
for an army at least four times the
actual strength, of all such medicines,
hospital furniture. and stores as are
not medicines damaged in keeping
be kept constantly on hand in the
medical supply depots." The Dodge
commission was appointed at the
close of the Spanish-American war
to investigate the matter of military
supplies and suggest steps for pre-
venting a recurrence of errors in that
war.
The Medical Journal points out that
as the army is being recruited up to
about 100000 men, exclusive of the
national guard, I'VE shall have only
one-fourth the medical supplies
recommended by the Dodge commits
SION" 1t adds that in event of war
this country shall require in addition
to the regular army at least 250,O0O
militia and 500, 900 volunteers.
ITO meet the medical requirements
OF these three-quarters of a million
men," II continues, I'VE. are told by
the Military Surgeon that there is
now practically nothing on hand, and
that even IL the money were avail
able IL would take nearly a year to
obtain the material, which would cost
about $40 a man. We are relatively
exactly where we were at the out
break OF the war with Spain and at
the outbreak of the civil war: name-
wnrtN har FAr
the regular army and no provision
made for the volunteer army.
Congress Must Act. =
THE first step to be taken is for
Congress to comply with the recon,
mendation of the Dodge Commission
and authorize the purchase of reserve
supplies for an army four times the
actual strength of our present army,
or, better still, for an army of T50, 900.
This should be done Immediately and
VIII give us at least a stock to cover
our needs for the immediate future.
THE Navy Department, which is
practically always on a war footing,
has shown a way out of this difficult
ty. We learn from the daily press
that all the shipyards and armor plate
plants in the United States have
agreed to devote at least 20 per cent
OF their force to Government work
and to accept q profit of 10 per cent
above the actual cost of work per-
formed for the Government
IF the War Department is author
lied to make contracts on a similar
basis, 1t would certainly not take
year to obtain the medical material
for three-quarters OF a million men,
providing the contracts were divided
among all the manufacturers of such
goods.
Much Time Lost.
Much of the time required in filling
orders for military supplies is taken
in getting specifications, issuing in
Etructions, advertising for bids,
making awards, and in what might
be termed the preliminary paper work
on the partt of the contractors. All
this could be saved by adopting the
following suggestions:
Let the authorities take a census
of the manufacturers OF military med ;
ical material. noting the special lines
which they manufacture and their ca !
pacity. Divide the requirements for
armies of 100000. 100000, I,OOO, 900
and 100000 among all these manu-
features propOrtionately. Furnish
each manufacturer with a complete
schedule OF the articles which he
would be asked TO supply, with full
instructions as to packing. shipment
and point of delivery. Provide each
manufacture with a secret code, and
on receipt OF the appropriate code
word he would Immediately begin the
manufacture and delivery in the
shortest possible time of the quota
OF goods allotted to him for an army
of 25O,OOO. 100000 or 1.OOO. 900 as the
case might be. Let contracts with the
manufacturer be contingent contracts
under which he would agree to furn-
fish the goods required in the shortest
possible time after receipt of a defi-
mite order at price to be made up
q specific profit"