Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-04-02

terial rapidly and, for the most part,
efficiently.
The ordinance bureau, for instance,
has placed contracts running far past
billions dollars, while aviation has
had more than a billion and soon
wants millions more. Secretary Baker
estimates that the ordinance bureau
had averaged contracts of $4,000 900
q day Production of machine guns
| is now ahead of schedule except for
the Browning heavy type, and while
France and England are supplying the
primary needs of the U. S. in big ar,
tillery, the nation Is producing the
large type guns, too.
The ordinance bureau anticipated
that by the end of the year it will have
more than 6O,000,00O shells produced
in American factories.
Figures on the war make the brain
fairly reel. For instance. the army
itself has grown from a handful of
men and officers-say 10000 to about
| 100000. officers alone number close
to 10000 at this time
Supplying such force has been a
trying problem. Delays marked the
earlies work, and there were COM
plants of lack of warm clothing in
; many camps during the winter. The
situation was remedied, however, and
| the reorganized quartermaster branch
stated today that it has now collected
a reserve which will obviate and
shortages hereafter. The reorganized
bureau has also seen to it that suffi-
cient supplies of meat and other goods
are stored at convenient places so
that there shall be no tieups as occurr-
led when the railroad congestion was
at its worst
The clothing supply task is a ire
mendous one Not only must cur
rent supply be maintained but reserves
must be created. This means for in
stance that during the winter the or
ganiZation bought it's underwear by
the 100000 stockings to more than
3O,0OO,000 pairs and So on.
American aeroplane development,
of the most secret of all war prepara-
tons, is one of the many romances of
=, business involved in our work. Per-
lection of a Liberty motor, SURPRISING
anything known in the motor line to
date, has provided America with sub
stantial basis for its work. Difficult
ties in obtaining spruce and other ma
terials has tended to slow down con-
struction of aircraft. but the first ship
ment of aeroplanes went abroad nearly
two months afo. More than 100000
men are now training for the air SER
vice, and thousands of planes of vari-
GUS types training and combat are
under contract.
That we will be able to supply 10000
battle planes together with the needed
men this year is problematical, but
production Of all types is now pro-
crossing satisfactorily.
Construction work abroad and in
this country abs involved expenditure
of millions and has engaged a tremend-
Gus volume of labor. The first big
construction task the nation faced was
that of building 16 cantonment cities.
| These were ready in September
Other tasks Of enormous Importance
and volume have been the laying of
tracks in France-there are 600 miles
| for American transportation needs
most of which is new-construction of
a big ordinance depot in France, en-,
largement of overcrowded dockage
facilities abroad; building of ship
yards, expansion of plants making war
!, supplies.
The American work has hinged
largely on shipping.
The first two months output of ships
was unsatisfactory, amounting to less
than 100000 tons, but shipyards are