The copper era and Morenci leader., 1918-02-15

pea ana IIILIe AtIention was falo to Waste at Spigot-Now Salvage
 Department Is Literally Saving
 Thousands of Pounds a Day.
 Over in the American lines there is a sort of standing order-never re- duced to printed form, but wholly in effect nevertheless-whic runs about as follows:
 "Get the goods. Never mind what they cost. Get the goods"
 It was perhaps inevitable under the circumstances. A small American force reached France almost literally without a spare undershirt to it's col lective back. There were shortages of blankets and food and overcoats and huts and gun slings and pack saddles. It had been gathered in hurry when the United States hurriedly deter mined to go to war, writes Herbert Corey, with the British armies in the field, to the Chicago News.
 Because the men had not been prop -erly equipped or clothed on our own side of the water-because they did not bring food sufficient to their needs because so many things were needed at once-the element of economy gave way to the element of haste.
 Huts at "Brown Stone" Prices.
 We paid and we are paying through the nose for our lack of foresight and provision.
 Therefore one hears stories of French workmen being hired to build huts for our men at salaries which would make the old-fashioned Pitts burgh rolling mill boss-the sort who used to drive to work each morning in his own car-envy the French carpen- ter. One hears of huts which have been run up at brown stone prices. One hears of hotel rented at four or five times its normal rental in times Of peace. Even the French people, who are getting the money, are kick ing about it. They say the Americans are spelling the market for them.
 'Tt is the war price," said in resig- nation the other day when had been stung to a blue welt.
 'Mais, .non," objected the French friend who accompanied me. "It is the price Americain."
 All this, as has been said, is inevi- table, because we did not take that astitch in time of which the proverb eSqls. It is perhaps also inevitable that the officers of our old regular army, which had been notoriously starved in times of peace and who are now luxuriating in unlimited funds, should develop Coal Oil Johnny hab- 1t of mind. But the time will come when economy must be considered. It might be well for some of our staff to make a careful, even prayerful, study of the British system for pre- venting waste.
 1t Grew Slowly But Surely.
 Mind you, the British system did not spring to life over night. No army in the field has been so lavish1y equipped as that of Great Britain. Its men are given of the best, from bacon to saddle feathers. During the construction per Iod, when all energies were bent to the creation of an effective army in the field, little heed was paid to the waste at the spigot. Some of the early camps were filtered with half-wOrn-out equip mAnt of various sorts. Guns and llm- bers and old shoes and what not, haV- ing worked through their period of greatest effectiveness, were cast aside
 I think it is but fair that emphasis should again be put upon the fact that this was an inevitable complement of a period Of hurried army building. But when that army was once built and in running order the orderly British mind rehcllcd against the wantOn eXtraVa -gance to be seen on every hand. A salvage department was not part ol the original organization, because nt one had thought of it. It is justify1ns its existence today by saving of lit <eraily thousands of pounds day
 The American people-and th' American staff-should realize tha this promises to be long and an enOr mousiy costly war for us. There is n' reason why we should not prepare II advance for the army economies whicl will ultimately be necessary.
 Old Rifles Made as Good as New.
 There are certain details of the Brit 1sh salvage system which I may no put on paper. I may not tell, for ez ample, how many hundreds of thou sands of rifles have been made over so that they are practically as good new. I am permitted to tell the ger eral working of the plan.
 From my observation of the Germa military economies in 1915-it was tn German who first realized the need fo saving behind the lines-I am conf dent that the British system of toda is quite as efficient as that of the Gel mans ever was. That is paying hig compliment, for the German need economy has always been far greate than that of the British.
 The salvage system really begins il
 .lz Ia. tsaa r,aora,S land n After ever