The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-09-20

Tor C10 states nave U00H nOIlIleQ aDy
the director general to rush the organ
ization of the boards for their states
and their functioning as quickly as /
possible in order to provide relief for
shOrt-handed war industries.
Some facts about guns and munitions
told by the secretary of war:
We are constructing big gun plant |
at Neville Island. We signed con-
tract with United States Steel corpor-
alton to build and operate without |
profit this plant for guns of the larger |
calibers. This is the biggest plant Of
this kind ever conceived and will build (
guns of not less than IA inch. The |
site is just below Pittsburgh and COW
ers about 1000 acres. The housing |
will be on the hills south of the island. |
The amount of money involved is |
$150O00,0O0 which is being supplied by |
the United States government. This |
plant will handle tremendous amount |
Of material, and will be retained by |
the government after the war.
We have shipped two hundred and
fifty 155-mm. howitzers, to France.
We are producing between $4,000
and 10000 machine guns per month.
OF Browning heavy 5000 to 1000;
Browning light automatic rifle from
5000 to 1900 per month.
We are making about 1000 motor
tractors per month.
We are turning out all the smokeless
power we need now.
The production of rifles has been
about 100000 per month.
We produce more than $4,000 pistols
and revolvers per month.
Orders have been given for the sup
ply Of one million emergency ratiOns
by the subsistence division of the
quartermaster corps. The emergency
ration corresponds to the iron ration of
the British troops. 1t is carried in an
alright, gas-prOof container and is suf-
ficient to maintain man for one day,
sustaining his full strength and vigor.
1t is strapped in the pack of the sol
der going over the top and may be
used only according to the instructions
given when the emergency ration is
issued.
The emergency ration is composed
of ground meat and wheat compressed
into a cake. There is also block
of sweet chocolate. The bread and
wheat component may be eaten dry
or, if possible, stirred into cold water.
The cake, when boiled for five minutes
| in three pints of water, results in a
very palatable soup, or when boiled In
one pint of water for five minutes it
makes porridge which may be eaten
hot or cold. When cold, 1t may be
sliced and fried, If bacon or other fat
| is available. The chocolate component
| of the emergency ration may be eaten
| dry or made, into hot chocolate.
The quartermaster corps has just
| completed purchases of large quantities
| Of foodstuffs for distribution by the
| American Red Cross. The food will
be shipped to France, Switzerland and
Denmark and used for civilian relief
and at prison camps.
The order includes more than $780,
| 900 pounds of hard bread; 100000
| pounds Of oatmeal; 333,333 pounds Of
fresh beef and more than 100000 cans
| Of baked beans. Purchases also have
| been made for the Red Cross Of 205,000
cans of fish flakes. These flakes are
| combination of paddock and shad.
About $50 pounds of fresh fish are re-
| quired to make 100 pounds Of fish
flakes.
/ Purchases also are being made by the
| subsistence division of the quartermas-
ter corps of foodstuffs for use at
| American rest camps in England and
| France. Purchase for rest camps in
| clude more luxuries than are issued
in the regular ration. Owing to the
shortage Of tonnage, canned corn and
peas and other fancy staples are not
now being sent overseas for general
use, but sufficient quantities are avail
able for men in rest camps and for the
wounded in the hospitals.
More than 400 colleges have respond
ed to the war departments call for
cooperation in training the new branch
of the army, the students army train
ing corps. Plans are being made to
convert fraternity houses and dormi-
tories into barracks for the period OF
the. war.
The s. A. T. G. has two branches, the
collegiate, to which men qualified by
i high school graduation are eligible /;
and the vocational section, to which
grammar school graduates are eligi
BILE. Recruits will be procured by vol
untary induction.
General Pershing, to conserve tom
mage and at the same time to guaran.
tee against any possible shortage OF
vegetables by losses at sea or failure
of crops abroad. suggested the drying
of vegetables as a reserve for his men
in France.
| In Europe, vegetable drying has
been an industry for years. Officers
of the subsistence division of the
qu;. rtermaster corps state that many
European troops today are subsisting
| largely upon vegetables which were
dehydrated during long period OF
I years before the war started.