El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-04

nUIL ARELPIlA. Pa, May Al have
[ come to Philadelphia 20 tell you
how we are making clothes for the
soldiers. could have done equally
well by going TO New York, Chicago,
Baltimore or Boston; and there are
thousands Of men and women upon
the same job in Cincinnati, st. Louis,
Cleveland. Louisville and Rochester
More or less army clothing is being
made in the factories Of some Of the
other cities. but the great bulk viii
be turned out in those I have men
mentioned
Here at Philadelphia 7 visited one
ezta hlfslrnenC Wicl manufactures 4uuu
overcOats every dag, as well as thou
sands OF jackets and breeches. Inc
plant has 1000 men working on uni
forms alone, and it turns out seven
overcoats a minute all the Working
day through
The most OF the work is done by
machinery and the machinery is OF a
highly specialized nature II is the
elimination OF long lines OF invention
by which metal Of various kinds has
nut on the aspects OF life and seems to
think It's way through the various
processes
Imagine knives worked by electric
ity which VIII cut out so overcoats at
z time. needles that viii sew riding
breeches so that they fit the leg as
closely as though made by hand and
machines that viii even sew on but
tons by the thousands day giving
each just so many threads. and fas-
teninE the ends so that the button
will not come of Think OF machines
that viii Put in eyelets and make but
tonholss. that viii insert sleeve lin
lnrH and cut the trimmings TO SUIT
and Of electric Instruments OF one
kind or other that viii perform al
most every operation needed to make
the uniforms fit for our soldiers in
the camp or the field
Bach Soldiers Clothing Costs sIO1.
But first let ne give you some idea
Of the size Of this big tailoring job II
Is hard 70 realize the enormous de-
rnauds made upon the government IN
connection with the forces We are
sending 20 Europe. The amount or
money estimated for quartermaste r's
supplies this year IS just about two
and one fourth billion dollars. and
the greater part Of this viii 90 for
uniforms, shoes and similar supplies
II Is estimated that Uncle sam VIII
pay s1O1 for the clothing OF every
soldier sent to France, and this in
addition to his eating utensils ana
fighting equipment. Every soldier
has TO have an Overcoat, the average
cost Of which is about &14- By the
first Of last January 100000 such
coats had already been contracted for
and more than 100000 delivered The
remainder is now being turned out at
the rate Of many thousands per day.
And then the uuifOrmsi Every man
has two suits as vel as wooden shirts
and Undertaking for sumner and
winter. he has two pairs Of shoes
which cost Uncle sam over IS a pair
and he has hats gloves and other
furnishings which altogether make
up the cost mentioned above The
task Of making these things Is enOrm-
Gus. and the Worzmen required TO
supply il are so many that II they
could be modified and sent over the
ocean. they would iii long lines OF
trenches in front Of the Germans
All Is Done BY Machinery
II is interesting 20 watch the proc
esses OF making uniforms for the
army. The orders are so large and
the necessity Of speedy production so
great. that almost everything is done
by machinery IL Is Tar different
from making OF clothes for civilians
Their ready made garments are Of
many different styles and much Of
the work on the better grade is BY
hand. The suit for the soldiers is eX-
pected 10 be worn without change,
and 10 IS issued in sizes. graded 10
the different physiques OF the army
Indeed. the industry Of making
ready made clothing was founded up
on army demands. The uniforms OF
the Revolution were cut out and
sewed I'D by hand in the homes OF
the people, and for long after that
time the most Of the clothing used
by our people was made either by the
women in the family or by custom
tailors- who, in some cases. went from
house 10 house Much OF the cloth was
woven at home, and this was so OF
both wool and cotton
A little later still ready made cloth
ing began 70 be sold. but the gar
uents we're cut out by the manufac-
turers and sent out TO the women folk
Of the towns and country about who
sewed on them at their leisure. Much
OF the work was done in winter time
It was only the better grades OF cloth
ing that were seWed IN the cities
Similar Problem During Civil War.
This condition continued until the
civil war broke out. Then the demand
Tor uniforms was much ike that We
have now. There was no cloth to
speak Of and no soldiers clothing
Some uniforms we're brought in from
Europe, and big orders were given to
the home Manufacturers.
One man received an order
amounting to s1,250,000- and other
orders we're equally large Il was i'm
possible 20 have them filled from the
homes Of the workers, and factories
we're established and machinery OF
one kind or another began to be used
The sewing machine which had been
invented some years before, had been
used n making clothes for the French
army, and - now aided in making
clothes Tor the federal soldiers. The
army demands stimulated invention.
and Singer and others took out pat
ents tor Improvements toward the end
OF the war These improvements