The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-17

Washington, D. c. S7 HAVE spent this morning with the
 federal board for vocational educa- ton This is one of Uncle Sam's new
 organizations which will bulk large in
 winning the war, and in enabling our Industries to compete with those of other nations after the war is over. It 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 fast spring, with the idea of giving me- chanical and technical training to the millions of our boys and girls who are going into agriculture, industry and com 1merce. 1t was to be paid for by the na- tionaI government and the governments o1 the states and was to include all sorts of occupations of an industrial na- ture. The work had hardly been started when the war begun, and the machine was taken over to be used for the train ing of certain mechanics, machinists, spe- cial laborers and technicians for the United States army.
 It is now establishing schools for this purpose all over the country, and it is sending out directions for the formation of the training centers for military pur- poses in every locality. There will be evening classes and Sunday classes, where the drafted men can attend be- tween 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 into the service, the work to go on during the next summer vacation. There are alto gether about 122 technical and engineer ing schools in the United States and Gnta fn Armour institute of Chicago and the Carnegie school in Pittsburg. All will probably be used for the training of sol diers next summer. 1t is also planned to use such public schools as have ma chine shops and manual training equip ment, and If these are not enough to supply the demand the government will employ certain of the industrial plants for night schools or on Sundays.
 This war Is not like any other in his- tory. It 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, com 1nunications rapid and to maintain the cornplicated machinery of the army in effective condition. Much of the work involved is that of the foundry or fac tory rather than that of the old-time battlefield.
 The Germans have understood this and prepared for it. The scheme wa s planned out by Prince Bismarck 40 or 50 years ago. and schools were or ganized to teach the people all sorts of trades and occupations, and espe- cially those that might be of value in war. The employers of all workmen under IS years of age had to give them time to attend these schools, and the government watched over the training. As 8 result the German army Is made up largely of experts. For instance, the Germans had, when they marched into Belgium, according to the secretary of the International Acetylene Gas com pany, 20000 machinists who had been trained in the use of oxy-acetylene gas for the welding and cutting Of steel in the destruction and repair of guns and machinery. This gas, which Is of some what the same nature as the acetylene gas which is used for lighting. makes a flame that will out through 12 inches of steel as though 1t were cheese. It will cut a big gun in two within a few min utes, and applied to the bore of the gun 1t will destroy it within few sec onds. By it. all kinds, of steel may be welded and all weapons of war be re- paired. The Germans appreciated the need of such men and made all their preparations to%get supplies for them. Calcium carbide is used to make the welding gas and their spies had given them a record of where every ounce Of this stuff was located in Belgium. The men went to those places and took the carbide along, and with 1t made all their repairs According to the same authority, we have only few mechanics who can do the work that is being done by these expert German welders, and some man has given s250.00o to start schools to teach such experts for the war. I understand that that work IS now going on and that the experts will be sent to France at the earliest possi- ble moment.
 The federal board for vocational education has prepared courses of in- struction and questions for the exam ination of applicants who want places in the signal corps, and also for some of the other branches of the army. The requirements are not easy and the