The Robesonian., 1918-07-08
WAR AS AN INDUSTRY.

WAR AS AN INDUSTRY.
'In the battle of Verdun, lasting
more than half a year, the French
fired 6O,OOO,OOO shells containing l.,
100000 tons of steel. To produce
these shells and transport them to the
battle front required the consumption
of nearly 100000 tons of coal-more
fuel than was produced last year ir
Utah, Oklahoma and Michigan com.
bined Previously to the
war the total business of the United
States amounted to $31, 600, 600, ,OOO
annually. For war work during the
present fiscal year Congress has ap.
propriated $4,000, O,O0O,0 ,0O0-a sum OF
money equal in value to band Of gold
one inch wide and one-quarter inch
thick circling the earth at the equa.
tor. 1t is three times all the money
in the United States, and four -fifths
of what the Government has spent
Panama canal, public buildings, and
SO on, since the nation was born. It
is more than the value of all our rail-
roads, including terminals and every
pound of equipment. Our little trou-
BILE with Spain cost us 100000, 600
We are now spending for war pur-
poses more than that sum every five
days. More soldiers were trans
ported across the Atlantic to France
IN the single month of May than the
total number of American soldiers
who fought and won for US against
Spain in 1898. Nearly 4OC
vessels are required right now to
transport troops and supply one COM
plete American army in France.
:: : A soldier consumes in supplies
and food the equivalent of his own
weight every three days. In the mat
ter of clothes his consumption is four
times that of the outdoor civilian in
ordinary employment at home. His
uniforms become saturated in mud and
are so often placed in containers fol-
cleaning that they soon disintegrate
When it comes to shoes our warriors
have the best in the world. They cost
the Government five dollars per pair
In million lots, and soldier at the
front wears out one pair per month
In the matter of food it has been de.
termined that the soldier eats twenty
five per cent more than the ordinary
laborer at home
"This is the result of strenuous ex-
ercise and an enormous amount OF
work. The man who carries a 70
pound pack on his back must consume
lots of fuel to do it.
"At times of intense bombardfnen1
1T is not now unusual for one side O,
the other to land ten big shells pei
second on single creast or point OF
attack. In only one hour such a de-
gree of artillery activity would USE
up about 1900 tons of steel or 7.2O(
tons of coal. Think what such {
bombardment amounts to when ex
tended over several miles of front!
illustrating the great difference
between war today and the conflict:
OF years ago it is interesting to nots
that Germany used only 650,O0O shells
IN the entire -Prussian war
whereas that many shells were con
sumed In 7S minutes by the German:
in commencing their big offensive OF
the Western Front March 21st. TIL,
greatest expenditure of ammunition il
undoubtedly in the small shells-thos,
OF the 3-inch variety. One of thes,
small shells contains 20 pounds O.
steel and has consumed 80 pounds O.
coal IN its manufacture; it is true
therefore, that 25 such shells repre-
sent an expenditure of one ton O.
coal"
Not only IN the consumtion of shells
are war demands so great. Guns ar,
to be supplied. can army needs 5000
Held guns; to maintain this necessar,
equipment we must keep feeding tha
same army 5000 new guns annually.
we have to bridge the ocean will
ships, for the American preparation,
for bases and depots of various kinds
behind the lines in France are some
thing stupendous. AS a sin
gle example of what has been done al
ready it may be pointed out that tn,
storehouses so far constructed by tn,
United States forces in France if plac
ed end to end would reach a distanc,
of more than 200 miles.
More than 100000 tons of Goa
are consumed In transporting the sup
Plies necessary to maintain one arnv
IA lighting army has about $50 .OOl
men in it's personnel) abroad. whil
an additional 100000 tons are needed
annually to transport an average O.
5,OOO men per month to the othe-
side.
when we build one S,OOO-ton stee
ship we consume 5000 tons Of steel
and before this steel was made W,
had to haul 6,40O tons Of iron or
from the mines to the furnaces. Th
present program calls for s8,2O5. .7O
tons OF steel ships. More than SO ne
cent of this program has been com
plleted,. To produce and transport th
steel for these vessels will reouir
i4,OOO,OOO tons of coal. Even afte
the material is landed at the shipyar'