Evening star., 1918-01-05
FOR A MUNITIONS
hs e. MINISTRY HERE
I>----~A-
Proposal for Centralized Pur-
! chasing Power Being Con-
L. =. sidered Seriously.
TO POOL ALL RESOURCES

! A ministry of munitions. not for the
: United States alone. but for all the
allies. is being considered seriously by
5 oficials in Washington.
This consideration has resulted from
. close study of the English munitions
ministers functions. and from the agi-
tation in Congress for Il minister OF
munitions. which eliminated In the in
production yesterday in each House o:
o measure to provide such an added
cabinet member.
Arguments OF those WI ho urge n min
! lister of munitions are based the
need for a Capitalization of authority y
in all matters relating to purchase of
munitions. clothing. foodstuns and all
other supplies needed by the fighting
force: and also upon the effect OF hav-
ing a man like Herbert G. Hoover at
the head of the department who Will
inspire confidence.
Opponents OF the munitions minister
plan, to be found in the administrative
branch Of the government, point out
. that the English minister Of munitions
has only TO do with ordnance, and that
food supplies. clothing, supplies for the
admiralty and for separate branches of
the Army still are purchased through
separate channels. They recall that
a
. minister and that he could not be
, found; since the job was recognized as
being too big for any one man to
handle.
The reorganization of the War De-
parfment's ordnance Office. just made
by Secretary Baker. it was learned to-
day. was taken after 4 careful consid-
GRAFTON Of the British system, by which
technical details Of military affairs are
left to military men. while the broader
executive functions and the business
side of war making have been pIa ced
IN the hands of civilians with " ide
industrial and commercial experience.
1t is this adaptation to wartime needs
that the Secretary of War aimed at in
creating the new divisions of procure
ment, production. inspection and sup
ply.
\. Work of War Industries Board.
Many of the business men of the
country now working in WASHINGTON
especially those in connection with the
Council of National Defense, believe
that the war industries board of the
council now fulfills all the require
ments for munitions minister That
body supervises and advises upon all
the purchasing done by the fifteen or
twenty major purchasing bureaus of
: the War and Navy Departments and
seeks to develop industrial resources to
!.
OF the government may be met. The
purchasing experts in each of these
agencies then is left to negotiate about
the details and specifications of the
materials wanted. and to close the con-
tracts formally
One business man associated with the
council who has given close study to
the buying systems of the allies and of
rms country today stated that he be-
Heved the present arrangement could
NOT be improved upon unless the allies
went all the way and formed a central
1nunitions ministry. That would mean
pooling of resources and supplies to a
greater degree than has been achieved.
even under the close coordination
brought about by the various purchas-
: Ing commissions of allies now in this
country, each of which also keeps
ctoseiy IN touch with the war indus
tries board. Other officials also have
considered the establishment of such a
central allied munitions ministry. to
cover not only ordnance, but all sup-
plies needed for fighting forces in
France and Italy.