The Washington times., 1919-03-19

We are just now going through that period OF aayC
dissection Of Government activities which always follows
the conclusion of war in which republic has paTtic
pated.
Personal jealousies party advantage, and political
pediency share with honest motives the basis for nVes
LEGATIONS and reports
It be- therefore source of extreme personal sat-
iaCon to the head of of the great bureaus well
to his chief Secretary Daniels that there has yet to be
word of criticism of the Bureau of Supplies and Ac-
counts Of the Navy Department.
Admiral MCGOWAN has, indeed, praise in the
place Of condemnation for in of the reports Of the
House Naval Committee its members found it fitting and
just to say:
'The Bureau of Supplies and Accounts has
established and well deserves a nationwide repu-
tation for efficiency"
Before the United States entered the war the record
for years purchase through this bureau twenty
seven million dollars The high water mark during hos
tilties thiry-two million dollars IN SINGLE DAY
Admiral McGowan has directed the dealings with
seventeen thousand different business firms in the pur-
chase of than sixty thousand varieties of supplies
from sailors socks to engines His department has bought
everything for the navy with the exception of three
ticles two of those being plate and high power
shells.
The Admiral usually short and simple words both
in his personal conversation and his official communications
but the prospect of led to the adoption of
term, the only he allows The expression logstic
plans is explained Having things in the right
place and READY"
The application of his logstic plan enabled the Ad
miral to have his hand the day declared
complete survey of the entire industrial and commercial
situation in the United States far it affected naval
purchases.
he knew where and in what quantities every necessary
article produced the stocks hand who held them;
whether they in the hands of the producers brokers
and what the demand price likely to be and what
it was fair to pay.
As he proceeded in his purchases he found some men
Government either in poor service lessened quality
profteering prices
There were altogether 5000 of these mistaken indi
vdual Seventeen of them weahered the Admras inves
gaion The rest cut of from business with the navy
The room in which all these contracts were made is ar
ranged like ench clock You all the works Every
contract opened there No private No cubby holes
for private conversations and arrangements Everything
out in the open
There isn't calendar nor clock in the whole place If
a doesn't know what day it is the Admiral will tell
him ONCE
The absence of clocks does not mean that men work
unduy hard The Admiral the only chief officer in the
whole Government who issued official order against over
work and forbade it.
But he insisted on all the work being done and done
promptly He never allowed paper document remain
an his desk If right it went If it wrong it.
went back. 1t never stayed with him.
Things frequently dominate men, said MCGOWAN to
one of his ieutenants Men ready to 90 all but their
baggage The thing to do is always have EVERYTHING
READY FOR ANYTHING
The President day suddenly ordered batteships
to take unexpected trip unexpected errand Within
two hours everything that needed was aboard and
trail of smoke pouring of fast disappearing tunnels
When fftyfour German ships seized in various
American harbors the Shipping Board estimated that il
would take eighteen months to get the material and replace
the ruined machinery The navy had them ready for sea in
seven months
MCGOWAN had only three orders to sign the day we went
TO They epitomzed all the necessary preparations in
his department he is getting out of war as easily and
@ methodicaly as he went into it, The wheels OF big