Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-05-11
Military Surgeon Says 1t May
Take Year to Get Neces-
sary Material.
ONLY ENOUGH FOR 100000
To Care for Force Of $4,000 Men Con.
gress Must Act QuiekIy-Mueh
Time ls Lost In Filling
Orders.

New York-Uncle Sam now has ma
terial in reserve for the sanitary equip
ment of approximately 100000 men,
says the New York Medical Journal
after explaining that the Dodge COM
mission recommended that "a years
supply for an army at least four times
the actual strength, Of all such medi-
cines. 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 in
vestgate the matter Of military sup
plies and suggest steps for preventing
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 rec
commended by the Dodge commission"
1t adds that in event of war we shall
require In addition to the regular
army at least $4,000 militia and $780,
600 volunteers.
ITO meet the medical requirements
Of these three-quarters of a million
men," 1t continues, I'VE are told by
the Military Surgeon that there is now
practically nothing on hand and that
even II the money were available 1t
would take nearly a year to obtain
the material, which would cost about
$40 man. We are relatively exactly
where we were at the outbreak of the
war with Spain and at the outbreak Of
the Civil war; namely, with barely
enough supplies for the regular army
and no provision made for the volun-
teer army.
Congress Must Act.
''The first step to be taken is for
congress to comply with the recommen-
dalton Of the Dodge commission and
authorize the purchase Of reserve sup
plies for an army four times the actual
strength Of our present army. or bet
ter still for an army Of 10000. This
should be done Immediately and will
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 difficulty.
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 &C
cept a profit Of 10 per cent above the
actual cost for work performed for the
government.
IF the war department is authorised
to make contracts on a similar basis 1t
would certainly not take a year to OBJ
tain 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 fill
ing orders for military supplies is TAX
en- in getting specifications, Issuing in
structions. advertising for bids. max
ing awards, and In what might be
termed the preliminary paper work on
the part Of the contractors. All this
could be saved by adopting the follow
ing suggestions:
LET the authorities take a census of
the manufacturers Of military medical
material. noting the special lines which
they manufacture and their capacity.
Divide the requirements for armies Of
100000, 100000. 100000 and 1000, 900
among all these manufacturers proper
tionately. Furnish each manufacturer
with a complete schedule Of the arti-
cles which he would be asked to sup
ply, with full instructions as to pack
ing, shipment and point Of delivery.
Provide each manufacturer with a Sc
cret code, and on receipt Of the appro-
pirate code word he would Immediate
ly begin the manufacture and delivery
in the shortest possible time Of the
quota Of goods allotted to him for an
army of 100000. 100000 or 1000, 900
as the case might be. Let contracts
with the manufacturer be contingent
contracts under which he would agree
to furnish the goods required In the
shortest possible time after receipt
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