New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
THE VITAL ESSENCE OF PREPAREDNESS
Bv SYDNEY BROOKS

, tho most ruinous form of economy that any
government can adopt. II the domestic man
ufacturers are unable 70 produce what Is re
CURED and there is no question OF immeai'
ate urgency the proper and in the END INN,
nitey the cheapest course is for the naVa'
and military authorities to cooperate with
the private firms in solving the problem.
As an Englishman | was, of course, graft
fed and not at all surprised by the success
of Had6elds in undertaking the American
firms. But as a friend Of the United States
7 am bound TO point out that the saving oil
a few thousands or tens of thousands oil
dollars that was thus effected contributed
nothing whatever to American preparedness
That contribution will be made only when
the government and the steel companies nave
between them overcome the tecnnlcai dliii'
culties in the way of turning out the righ'
quality OF shells in the desired quantit!
That it can be done. with little patience aho
good will on both sides, is beyond question:
That it ought to be done seems TO me inu'',
putablc Otherwise you may find yourseif AZ
crisis dependent upon foreign land foi
many Of the indispensables Of war.
Second. the war has shown the aosurdity
of regarding the question of Industrial pre-
paredness from the standpoint OF cost MT
Daniels in his recent statement made erea'
roint Of the profits earned by the American
muntion makers. have no means OF know.
ing whether he was right or wrong. But
will assume he was right. And will assume
also, that the English companies have IKE
wise earned large and liberal prohts on l''e''
government contracts.
If they have, what of it? Every Englisr'
man is we'll content that they should, because
,l,4 h.r mo
naming in existence and in condition TO
FIJI the War Office and Admiralty orders tney
are rendering the nation a supreme service
This war has taught us that there is no i'm
apinable profit which it would not have been
well worth our while to pay over TO the pr
vate manufacturers of war material simply
~ keen them in being, and that no saving 70
the Treasury could ever have compensated US
for having driven even one of them out oil
business.
As matter of fact, we have always iounu
the situation in England entirely manageaple
poonla talk of the government being at the
marcy Of the manufacturers; but the manu-
racturers arc equally at the mercy OF tnt
government. II is by far their largest and
in some cases it is virtually their only Gus
tanner. It is in Just as good position 10
dictate the terms as they are. 1t depends
ON tbcm. hut not bit more than they de-
nord on IL. With the merest modicum OF
Honesty and business intelligence and dlplo
n,ocv their relations can always be maze
harmonious and helpful; and II nr"'Sn
/ cabinet minister were to place orders aoroao
md 70 defend himself on the ground ina
IN M other way could he escape the eNav
,iors of The manufacturers at home he Wouio
/ sirrIv he held TO have convicted himself anc
/ his department of gross ineficiency.
Third the war has shown that no COVER"
mont nlants however huge, can meet Ipe ie
ouiremonts of modern war. victory no"
adavs goes to the country that is ADJ.
IN turn 10 immediate account the grea'ee
,urber of firms that know the armament
BUSINESS from top to bottom and that nave
boen encouraged by wise public policy te
keen themselves in state OF instant en-
cheney and responsiveness. NoVeriiheh' pei
are useful and necessary as supplements ""u
raoulators. But the main reliance must d.
u,avs be placed on the private manufacturei'
There is much that disquiets an hngis"-
r,., who in the light of the present war en-
doavors to take stock Of American readiness
90 faco such crisis as burst upon US IN Au-
a,st 1914. But there is nothing more ais,
9uiotino than the lack of unity and cohcoru
.ha+ seems TO exist between the government
Iorortmpnts at Washington and the great IN
JustriaI corporations that must always III
America as elsewhere, be the real oachooh'
Of national preparedness. ,oove
New York Jan. 30, 1911.