Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-09-25
MEETING THE
EMERGENCY
By VIVIAN M. MOSES
OF 1hO V14il0s,teS

When III. G. Wells called the present
war the war Of machines he had In
mind the vast quantities Of engines OF
war used at the front-the ordnance,
both large and small, the bomb-mor-
tars and mine-throwers, gas-projectors,
airplanes and tanks employed In the
actual fighting. But there Is another
sense in which this is the war OF ma
chimes even more truly than that IN
which the great British novelist used
the term; for on the machines IN the
shops and factories Of the allied ma
tons depends an allied victory-on
the machines and the men who drive
them.
As has been the case with each Of
her allies, the United States since 1t
entered the war has had to increase
stupendously the output Of its machine
shops. This result is being accom-
plished by the erection Of new plants,
by the enlargement and increase in ia
cilities Of the shops already engaged
in the production Of war products, and
by the conversion to this purpose of
plants previously engaged in other
work. The problem Of multiplying the
shops to work in is a comparatively
simple one; more difficult Is the prob
lem of supplying the skilled workmen
to fill these shops.
Obviously we cannot quadruple our
skilled workmen by the old methods of
apprenticeship and training fast
enough to meet the nations needs. !
The old method has been found want
ing. 1t consisted In taking the raw,
unskilled laborer into the shop, start
ing him at the simplest work that
could be found, and letting him fight
his way slowly and painfully to the
status Of trained mechanic. 1t was
q method which wasted the three pre-
cious elements, time, material and
man-power.
New Way Was Found.
The training accomplished by pri'
vate and public vocational and tech
meal schools brings far better results,
but produces too small quantity OF
skilled mechanics to meet the emer'
gency.
France found a new way. Great
Britain has adopted 1t. And now
America must get in line-is already
getting in line, in fact, with gratifying
results. For the new method is swift
is sure, is comparatively cheap. II
turns the grocer boy or the school
teacher into a skilled mechanic with
equal facility. 1t is the method OF
the shop training school.
Shop training schools are now main
tanned by most Of the larger metal
working plants engaged in manufac'
ture of war products. They are spaces
set aside for this purpose alone, anc
equipped with machines of every
type used in the shops proper. An ex'
pert mechanic especially selected fol
his aptitude for this work is in charge
in each of these shops, and under hin
other skilled mechanics act as teach
ers. Here are received the raw or I'M
dertrained applicants for work. They
are assigned to the types of work tt
which they best seem fitted, and quick
" and practically instructed in thi!
work at the very machines which the!
will have to operate in the main shops
They work with the materials and OF
the actual orders upon which the sho]
Is engaged and the product of thei1
labors becomes part Of the output O
the shop. They are paid fair hour
" wage as learners, and this wage In
creases as the skill of the learner en-
ables him to increase his output.
The results obtained in these shol
;rlr Q1m0ct hQVnnd he
lief. The ideal conditions under whic
raw man is taught to handle his ma
chine enable him TO become skille
mechanic In a small fraction Of tn
time formerly consumed in the oil
method under which he picked u
knowledge bit by bit in the shop fror
such other workmen as had time t
help him.
Mechanics Are Needed.
For example, here, in New Enf
Z land shop, is a grOcers man, after
weeks training, operating his millin
machine effectively, and reading tn
blueprint related to his work. Herr
" In an Ohio shop, are three girls fo1
merly employed In department store
~ they are now operating heavy hant
- turret lathes on work requiring gres
> &. precision; and the length Of the
s.. training required variously fro
three to ten days.
'Here Is a particularly capable won
- an" says an expert from one Of tt
greatest American war factories, visi
l.. Ing another shop (speaking Of on
T. who was probably a teacher). "Ho
long have you been here?" he asks tn
product Of the shop training school.
H. came yesterday" replies the woma
who is working great turret-lathe
49, America needs skilled mechanic
and needs them greatly. The sht
training schools will supply this nee
quickly and efficiently. To the Ell
ployer they offer the surest method
supplying the trained operators wit
out which his machines cannot tur
To the individual seeking employing
or willing to take place in the swe
ing ranks of those providing Il
ss5 sinews of war for the American 60
eminent, the shop training schoc
provide the opportunity for becomin
without undergoing long period
5 training or probation, skilled mocha
les, worthy of and receiving the VIC
rs drously high rates of payment viii
trained labor is commanding.
Cork.