El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-26

{ XITASHINGTON. .. c. April &C.
w Recently the government issued
an mergency call for binoculars.
Everybody possessing a pair Of field
( glasses. opera glasses or a telescope
was asked TO lend his property TO the
government for the period Of the war.
In answer TO this call, thousands Of
binoculars Of all descriptions are now
pouring into the headquarters Of the
war and navy departments every day.
They come from all parts Of the
country and from the most unexpected
sources. The number Of Americans
vino own really excellent fieldcIasses
is amazing. and this is fortunate. for
the government is in urgent need OF
such equipment, and optical glass is
scarce
II you own a pair OF magnifying
lenses. send them in. and the govern
ment will pay you 81 for them This
payment. OF course. is merely per-
fuuctory. the price Of good lenses be-
ing worth many times that. But the
law provides that the government
may not accept gifts or loans without
remuneration. and this 81 payment
complies with the letter Of this law.
At the end OF the war. your equip
ment viii be returned 10 you. or I'm
case Of accident, the loss viii be made
good.
Germany Made Most Of It.
Were it not for this timely aid Of
American citizens. the government
would be left IN an awkward situa-
ton. optical glass-nOw in tremend-
Gus demand for fieldglasses. range
finders. periscopes and searchlights-
was not manufactured in this country
prior 10 the war. Every year the
United States imported 100000
worth OF optical glass from Europe.
Most OF II came from Germany; some
from n firm in Paris. and q small
quantity from England
When the war broke out. the Ger
man supply was Immediately cut off
while the French and English sup
plies we're greatly restricted In fact.
what amounted to an embargo was
established on all optical glass that
could be used for military purposes.
The government soon discovered
that fieldglasses were not so easily
obtainable as they once had been. AS.
a result. the bureau OF standards put
its chemical engineers to work on the
analysis Of chemical glass with a view
to solving the problems Of its manu-
facture.
In a short time this work was sue
cessful. but the process proved to bel
difficult, requiring the most skilful
and exhausting labor. The normal
demand for optical glass IN this
country IS too small for the develop
ment OF a large industry; indeed. IL IS
doubtful II il is sufficient 20 pay the
expenses OF one factory. Nevertheless.
two mauufacturers-one a consumer
of large quantities OF optical glass
and the other a plate glass msnufac-
turer-agreed 10 manufacture optical
glass for the period OF the var at
least
There is no longer any danger Of an
optical glass famine. but the scarcity
is still being felt Manufacture is be-
ing confined almost entirely 10 war
products. Fieldglasses are needed by
the hundreds OF thousands; every di-
vision must be provided with tele-
scopes: periscopes are needed both
for submarines and gunsights. while
searChlights are used in ever increas- D
Ing numbers in the war zone as q I
protection against night air raids. The I
searchlight not only reveals the ap- l
proach Of an enemy airman. but IL /
blinds him as well II is also valu- !
able in coast defence and for naval Z
purposes without optical glass. in
deed. the war would be like a game OF D
blind mans buft.
Germany Was Ready, n Usual.
Germany was the first beuiEerentI
to recognize the tremendous value Of ]
the fieldglass in war. In fact the /
fieldglass was included ia the German /
program OF war preparations years /
ago, for in the first campaign every 4
German drill sergeant and officer had ]
his pair Of fieldElasses OF the best D
type. which gave him a big advantagei