Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-29
It Is Easy to Condemn
concerned

THIS newspaper is not the gratuitous de-
tender OF any department of the govern
ment of any official or agency of this ad-
ministration, but it has patience with
those people, partisan and nonpartisan, who
have made up their minds to tear to pieces
every war-making enterprise at Washington
that has failed to meet every demand which
may have been made upon it. This is par
tcularly true of the wholesale assaults now
being launched against the ordnance depart
ment and the clamor that is being raised
for searching investigation into the manner
in which it has functioned
Ihat the ordnance department has e1
hibited shortcomings is manifest. That it
failed to keep abreast Of the general war
program may be true and that it may have
spent lot of money which under normal
circumstances could have been saved goes
without saying. But there has been no break
GOWN In the production of ordnance There
mas been no collapse Of this vast machine
AND nobody has had the hardihood to charge
that of the ten billion or more of dol
lars which this organization has disbursed,
one red cent has been stolen. The faint of
scandal is not there, or if it is there it has
not been disclosed
Looking back upon the difficulties which
were encountered, the handicaps which were
met and the small foundation upon which it
haa 10 Dulld, it is 4 matter of wonder to
most people that the ordnance department
was able to make even as good showing
as 1T did. y colossal industry had to be Gre
ated from the very ground itself. Plants had
10 be erected, materials had to be assembled,
organizations had to be created before a gun
could be forged. There was nothing to start
with except unlimited money. There were
no miracle workers to be called in, there
was no magic to be invoked. All that could
DC done had to be done by hard work, by
forced marches and by a feverish patriotism.
IL the production OF arms and ammunition,
or artillery and of trench equipment failed
10 keep up with the other activities of the
army, it was because human energy was in
capable Of accomplishing the impossible In
assessing the results of the supply depart
ments work the fact should be borne in mind
that the field armies rushed far ahead of
their own schedule. Every commander in
france three months ago seemed to assume
that the decisive blow would be delivered
at Germany next year. and that the great
battle would begin early in the spring Every
calculation was based upon that ASSUMPTION
once the counteroffensive of July 6 gained
Roadway it ran away with itself 1t moved
with such swiftness that the mechanical end
OF the war could not keep pace with it, By
spring ordnance production would have been
upon maximum basis. The program laid
down for this department called for ouan-
uty output by March l. and by that time
quantity output no doubt would have been a
reality, but with the field forces running a
iull six months ahead or their schedule il is
amazing that ordnance officers were able to
Keep within 'hollerin" distance Of the victo-
riouS lcgions.
Now that the work OF the army is done it
Is easy TO pick its supporting agencies to
pieces Common justice. however, demands
mat recognition be given generously to those
men and those industries which contributed
INC best They had 10 the final result