The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-08-16

Ino navy department. mas re ctlk;efl
from Office and shore duty The regu-
lars of the navy and the reseryists and
has assigned them to active duty with
the fleet. Their places as clerks will
be taken by women wherever possible.
Rear Admiral MCGOWAN, paymaster
general of the navy, issued the order in
connection with this change in policy.
"Every man released from shore duty,
whatever his rank or rating, adds just
one more to the fighting force" says
this order. Every man of every rank
and rating desires, of course, to get to
the firing line as soon as his services
ashore can be spared.
mo man in the nGvyis willing in war
time to do anything that a woman can
do as well; whereas no officer can be
expected to be content in any part Of
the shore establishment unless engaged
upon supervisory work so important in
its nature that it cannot properly be
delegated to any person of lesser rat
ing
Wherefore it is requested and d.
rected that the officer in charge of
each division of the bureau of supplies
and accounts make careful and criti-
cal survey of his personnel, both conl-
missioned and enlisted, to the end that
the paymaster general may know how
many ard which men can be spared
without seriously interfering with the
work. These reports will include not
alone reservists but regulars as well,
and it is to be distinctly understood in
this connection that applications from
individuals for sea or overseas service
will not be necessary-the one and
only object being to carry on the work
here and at the same time release the
maximum number of men for duty at
the front"
The Liberty motor. developed by the
department of military aer0nauticS, is
to have special engine oil which is to
be known as the Liberty aero Oil"
1t was developed by the fabrication
branch while the latter was still part
OF the signal corps. 1t is a mineral
oil and will be used not only OIL the
Liberty motor but On all stationary
cylinder aircraft engines OF the army
and navy.
Its development is due to the energy
and skill Of staff of men who worked
exclusively on the problem for year.
Capt. o. ]. May, who deserves greatest
credit for its production, so exhausted
himself by his labors that lie cou'd
not recuperate from an Illness and
died.
When the aircraft program was an
nounced in 1917 no one in authority
had u definite idea as to the Sroper
kind Of fabrication required. There
was no uniformity. For every engine
there was a specific oil. Some en-
gineers insisted ON castor oil, others
mineral oil, still others castor and
mineral oils mixed. 1t was estimated
that 100000 gallons of castor oil.
costing So per gallon, would be re-
CURED and that quantity was not avail
able.
Captain May and assistants set out
to develop Il suitable lubrican: for the
Liberty motor at an average cost of 10
cents gallon, and also system for
reclaiming oil already used. In %
days Captain May supervised the run
ming of 81 engine tests in IL laboratory
where five engine tests week would
be a complete program. These en-
gines were run with different kinds of
nilS nd oil
measured before and after tests. The
work required ceaseless vigil. Alti-
tude tests were made in an alright
building capable of having the air
within it partly exhausted.
From these tests the Liberty aero
oil developed. 1t will cost about one
fourth the price of castor OIL saving
the government perhaps $11 100000 a
year. A system of retaining used
oil was developed and at least so per
cent can be made fit to use again.
The national war labor board has de-
cided against establishment at this
time of a minimum wage to be applied
generally throughout industry. 1t
adopts an attitude firmly opposed both
to unjust profits on the part of capital
and unreasonable demands on the part
of labor, stating that capital should
have only such reasonable returns as
will assure it's use for the worlds and
the nations cause, and that the physi-
cal wellbeing of labor and its physical
and mental effectiveness, in Il comfort
reasonable in view of the eXigencies OF
the war, likewise should be assured.
The board declares the war to be an
fnterregnum in which the wheels of
industry should turn only in the COM
mon cause and for common ends, and
neither for unjust profits On the part
of capital or unfairly inflated wages