Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-17

tospyrtsht. 1913 BY Frank G. c&pent1)
81 HAVE spent this morning with the.
federal board for vocational edu-
cHtton- This Is one Of Uncle Sans
& now organizations which will bulk
largo in winning the war. and in en-
abhng our Industries to compete with
those OF other nations after the war
il over. 1t has also to do with the
training of the wounded when they
come back from France The board
was arranged for on a peace basis by
an act of Congress last spring. with
the idea Of giving mechanical and
technical training to the millions of
our boys and girls who are going into
agriculture, industry and commerce.
1t was to be paid for by the national
government and the governments of
the states. and was to include all sorts
Of occupations of an industrial nature.
The work had hardly been started
when the war began. and the machine
was taken over to be used for the
training of certain mechanics, machin-
lists, special laborers and technicians
for the United States Army.
1t Is now establishing schools for this
purpose all over the country. and It Is
sending out directions for the forma-
ton of the training centers for mill
tary purposes in every locality. There
will be evening classes and Sunday
classes. where the drafted men can
attend between the time when they
are selected and their departure for the
cantonments, and before many months
it is expected that all the technical
and trade schools of the country will
be drafted int the service. the work
TO go on during the next summer vaca-
ton There are altogether about 122
technical and engineering schools in
the United States. and these include
sueh colleges as the Boston Tech. the
Yale Scientific School, the Armour In
stitute OF Chicago and the Carnegie
School in Pittsburgh. All will prob
ably be used for the training of sol
to nse n such pnb;a It Is also planned
chine shops and manual training
equipment, and If these are not enough
to supply the demand the government
VIII employ certain of the industrial
plants for night schools or on Sun
days
This war is not like any other in his
tory. 1t is a war of efficiency of ma
chimes and machinists- If the United
States is to win it must have machines
equal to or better than those of the
enemy. and it must have machinists
and technicians able to use them and
keep them in repair. For every man
who fights there must be at least one
skilled man behind the lines. He is
needed to keep transportation open.
communications rapid and to maintain
the complicated machinery of the
Army IL. effective condition. Much of
the <ssa involved is that of the
~-unury or factory rather than that of
the old-time battlefield.
The Germans have understood this
fnr sob
planned out by Prince Bismarck forty
or fifty years ago. and schools were
organized to teach the people all sorts
of trades and occupations, and espe-
cia1ly those that might be of value in
war. The employers of all workmen
under eighteen years. of age had to
give them time to attend these schools,
and the government watched over the
training. AS a result the German
army is made up largely Of experts.
For instance, the GetIUa.s had. a',eu
they marched into Belgium. according
to the secretary of the International
Acetylene Gas Company. 1000 ma
chinists who had been trained in the
use of oxy-acetylene gas for the weld
ing and cutting of steel in the destruc-
ton and repair Of guns and machinery.
S1ese welders are only one class of
the new mechanics needed by the Army.
The government is sending out Ques-
tionnaires to all the men on the con-
scripted lists. 1t asks them to give their
trades and professions and the work of
various kinds in which they have been
engaged, and from these papers it is
trying to build up a corps of machinists
to be sent with the soldiers to France.
1t has found a great lack in every
branch Of expert men needed and this
sncludeS all kinds of mechanical work.
The need is SO great that the adjutant
genera1 of the Army has recently sent
out letter to the commanding gem
: erals of the departments, and the chiefs