The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-26
UNCLE SAM WANTS THE BEST
BY HOLLAND

by ~
New York July 25.-(Speeial) -One re-
mark commonly made by the managers
of the Industries which will be largely
and some Of them exclusively occupied
in manufacturing various commodities
| needed by the government thoroughly
TO equip and adequately TO feed and
move our armies is this.
1t has been observed that the repre-
sentatives of the government in all de-
partments insist that the best, the most
perfectly standardized, and the highest
illustrations of American invention and
industry be furnished by these indus
tries to the government. The steel man
ufacturers, whose representatives have
recently been in conference with officers
Of the government at Washington did
not fail to observe that those officers in
sisted that the quality of steel and the
various manufactured commodities into
which steel enters shall be of the high
est 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 conf
dence in the good faith of the govern
meHI DIS wen DIS the etOnOUliC cXDS-
diency of fixing such price as would al
low the manufacturers a reasonable
profit.
The government has recently entered
into contract with one of the great mu-
milton plants at Bridgeport for the manu-
facture of 1,5O0,o 100000 metallic cartridges
The terms of the contract complel the
manufacturers to make and deliver to
the government the highest type of this
particular war munition. The Bridge
port manufacturers have now by exper-
fence and the employment of expert
skilled artisans learned how to manu-
facture 1,50oOOo,000 cartridges and many
more with the certainty that they will
be found by the government inspectors
to meet every requirement.
The government contemplates the man
ufacture of a number of heavy cannon
called 20-inch guns. These, when COM
pleted will be of greater capacity and
higher power than any gun now in use.
But in order to manufacture these guns
the government found it essential to con-
tract for machinery which of itself rep
resents the highest development in ma
chine construction, and entails such
careful workmanship that it may be
year before the first of the machines Is
manufactured. But the government
wanted the best, believing that the best
should, if possible, be better than the
best manufactured in any other country.
1t therefore has not hesitated ABOUT
making preparations for the manutac-
ture of 20-inch guns.
ARMS AND THE MEN
There is no doubt that the manufac-
turers who are in control of the Eddy
ston, the Winchester Arms and the Rem
ington Arms ammunition plants are re-
joiced that the United States govern
ment has taken over the British con-
tracts, aggregating $2O,00O,0O0 Whlch
Great Britain two years ago entered into
with these manufacturers of rifles. IL
has been a somewhat sorry experience
for the rifle manufacturers. 1t is a
common understanding that they either
made no money or else were compelled
to face losses; in fact, one manufacturing
plant, which has abandoned the manu-
facture of arms charged off $5,0O0,000 to
represet its loss upon a rifle contract.
The manufacture of a ritie-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 it was
found on inspection that many of them
which to the eye seemed perfect, never