The Elbert County tribune., 1918-05-10

peaceIui Industry. making researches
and tests and utilizing all the refine
ments of invention and design to keep
pace with competitors in war equip
ment and secure every advantage pos
slble.
Have Capable Experts.
In peaceful industries the public is
satisfied to Judge by the quality of the
final product When the history of the
present war Is written, 1t will proba-
bly, be found that this was the proper
measure of our fighting industry, the
results secured on the battle front.
Those results will be secured by the
American military officer trained to
design the equipment Of an army, and
the weight of expert opinion both from
military men of other nations and
capable business men In this country
who are working with the war depart
ment is to the effect that we have as
good system Of development as ex-
lists.
In ordinary times our requirements
for fighting tools are so small that
they can be supplied as an incident to
peaceful Industry. The American mill
itary expert was able to center upon
the design OF rifles, guns and ammuni-
| ton. turning his blue prints and speci-
hcations over to manufacturers who
were waiting to bid upon contracts.
When the design was finished he sim
| ply advertised for bids and secured de-
liveries through the penalty clause in
government contracts, and saw that
quality was maintained by careful in
| spection of material delivered.
For several months after war was
declared the ordnance department
found its whole scheme of organization
fairly satisfactory, and for a reason
which Will be apparent to everyone
when II is stated.
Regardless of the magnitude OF our
war task and the urgency which has
not been lost sight of our new army
and our war preparations had to be
arranged on an orderly program of
| growth. Soldiers for the army had to
be drafted and trained. This was work
which would consume months of time
no matter how well the plans were
laid. And while the men were being
modified and Instructed, the ordnance
Gcb,,,g too,s Tharo Voc ar,,, ,,r,a
90 sna,,s -, .,o,a,-,, 80. ~ 80
r,,na ,yh,c,, t,na ~ r,to ,,ao,,i, 49,,
etc, would give the best results on
the fighting front. The peace-time
plan of organization was therefore
adhered To. but with fuIl nrovIs,on for
growth MS the new nrmv was trained
and sent IN Franco II yvas nossihIa 70
Mot the renuirements for on oh bureou
Increase the organization nv drawing
I'm more technical men from civil life
for each specific task and provIde
new bureous 70 dea1 with new tosls
A bureau of sunplies becnme neces-
snry. for instance. and was started last
Nav with two mon In n single rdon
i. who proceeded to man ont tbot hu-
reau's functions for 1s months. taking
into account the delivery of sunnlies
from factories. md their d,stribution
to every army cnmn In tho Tinted
States MS required by the armv's de-
yelopments in this country. and final
ly taking care of its requirements
when II reached the western front.
This bureau of supplies todnv has
about 5000 workers. and more are he
ing added daily according TO ORDERLY
growth of work. and by the end of this
year there will be fully 10000.
War EnoIneers In cbaroe
Tho ordnance denortmen+ 10 novv nv.
ranged In n wav that makes n nm Of
oc,ent se,f-copto,ped ocencv for the
nerformance ~ IT'S nart,culor work on
tho largest scale ana with tho most
careful attention to all details for the
ner,od Of the war. At the bead Of the
denartment TODAY ia tbe chief NJ ord
nance. which positIon is still held by
Mai. Gen. William CrozIer. General
Crozier however. is at present in