Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-12
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

Army Of 100000 men: and these men
were not to be stationed in Army posts.
but modified into great camps under
conditions which necessarily increased
the wear and tear upon clothing and
creased the reserves needed to keep up
the supply. In addition to this these
troops were assembled for overseas
use. and 1t. therefore. became neces-
sary to accumulate in France vast
stores Of clothing and equipment. in
order to have the Army free from de-
pendence. by too narrow a margin.
upon ocean transportation with its in
evitable delays. As consequence the
supply needs Of the department were
vastly greater than the capacity OF
the industrial organization and factl-
tiles normally devoted to their produc-
ton. and the problem presented was to
divert workshops and factories from
sive production Of clothing and equip
ment for the Army. Due considera-
ton had to be given to the mainte-
nance OF the Industrial balance OF the
country.
Industries already devoted to the
manufacture Of supplies for the nations
associated with us in the war had to
be conserved to that useful purpose.
Perhaps some aid to the imagination
can be gotten from the fact that
| fftieth of the entire population of the
United States. Supply departments
were. therefore. called upon to provide
clothing. equipment and maintenance
pie. and this in articles of uniform
and of standardized kinds.
The great appropriations made by
Congress tell the story from the finan-
appropriation for the quartermaster
department was s1s6.3O5.O 900. The emer-
gency appropriation for the year 1918
| vas S3,ooo.n0o.000. a sum greater than
the normal annual appropriation for
the entire expenses of the federal gov
eminent on all accounts.
Another thing. it has been necessary
to add supplies not usual in our Army.
which, in many cases had to be devised
to meet needs growing out Of the ma
ture Of the present warfare. 1t was
necessary. therefore. to mobilize the
resources and industry. first. to produce
with steady stream of production for
replacement and reserve; second, to or
ganize adequate transportation and
storage for these great denominations
and their distribution throughout the
country, and then to establish ports OF
embarkation for men and supplies, as
semble there in orderly fashion for
prompt shiploading. the tonnage for
cilities necessary to receive and dis
tribute these efficiently.
The quartermaster generals depart
ment was called upon to set up rap
idly business greater than that car
ried on by the most thoroughly or
gained and efficiently managed indus
trial organization in the country. 1t
had to consider the supply of raw ma
terials, the diversion of industry and
speed of production, and. with its prob
lem pressing for instant solution, it
had to expand the slender peace-time
organization by the rapid addition of
personnel of great civilian agencies
which could be helpful.
In its requisitioning program the
United States Shipping Board had no
easy road to go. To sin
Emergency gle out certain vessels
shipping. ings to a reasonable level.
and at the same time to leave others
operating in free trades at rates forced
to even more fantastic heights by the
requisitioning of competing tonnage,
would have produced manifest dis
elimination. Moreover. in war in
which the mobilization Of economic
resources is second in Importance only
to the service of armies In the field.
the distinction between war service
and commercial service scarcely exists.
All commercial shipping connected with
vital American industries is engaged
in war work.
The shipping board, therefore. adopt
ed a policy of requisitioning for gov.
eminent account all power-driven steel
cargo vessels of $500 tons dead weight
or over and all passenger vessels OF
$500 tons gross register or over adapt
ed to ocean service. The operation OF
these vessels is intrusted in large part
to the companies by whom they were
formerly controlled, but all receipts
have been for government account, the
owners being credited with the requisi-
ton rate fixed by the board. The yes
sells, moreover, are under full control
of the board as to voyages. cargoes and
rates and as to safeguards for their
protection against the hazards of war
zone service. Officials believe that this
policy will be the means Of achieving
two results which in the opinion of the
board are necessary: First. complete
unity of control over the distribution
of shipping, so that war needs may be
filled in the order of their emergency;
and second, just and effective regu-
lation of rates, so that the nations at
war with Germany may not be flnan-
cially exhausted by extortionate trans
portation charges.
The officials say that further expert
enCc may ucNeiop IIdI SoHS1SISil WIN
the purposes outlined. some of the
steamers not adapted to war service
may profitably be released from requi-
sition. AS to other lines. more effective
methods of regulation and control may
prove to be necessary.
J: j.
The history of the federal farm loan
system for the past year has been one
of constant and ac-
Federal Farm celebrating develop
Lean System. six months after the
establishment of the bureau the work
Of the farm loan board was necessarily
confined to the great task of investiga-
ton and organization. This work was
done with great care. the board having
in mind the fact that financial system
which must for all time serve the
financial needs of the farmers Of the
greatest agricultural nation in the
world must be built safely, soundly and
with all possible regard for the perma-
nent. welfare of that industry. which it
is declared in the title of the federal
farm loan act it was the intention of
Congress to develop.
In as short a time as possible. the
board divided the continental United
States. excluding Alaska. into twelve
land bank districts and located the
aries. 1t is believed that this division
1IilI sta nf ha