Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-28

should ask to be relieved from the
munitions menace" but il asks:
What State wants to assume the risk
that New Jersey seeks to avoid? True,
some of the States have more open
territory, but in any case a city, of q
kind. must grow around a munitions
plant. Employees must live and they
will have to have merchandise,
amusements, government. This coun-
try's citizens, somewhere, must live
in dread of being blown to smither-
Gems. But If New Jersey is to be
freed from the menace, where are the
explosives to be located?"
The Newark Evening News takes
the position that "the military forces
of the country must be prepared to
defend u.s.; that munitions must be
manufactured" and that supplies
must be stored where they will be
easily accessible if and when needed
The fact that New Jersey is a sea-
board State" continues the news.
requiring possible protection in case
Of war. puts upon it some of the re-
sponsibility for its own defense. The
department is showing a desire to
consider our safety and peace of
mind. That is doing all we can ask"
Quoting the statement by Senator
Edge of New Jersey that sit is an
outrageous and criminal practice to
store high explosives in thickly popu-
lated centers," the Toledo Blade Of.
fers the opinion that "the arsenal is
only on the thinning edge of a thickly
populated center, and it is there be-
cause New Jersey politics was stirred
up to get 1t for the State. 1t would
be a nice thing" continues the Blade.
to get Government realty purchases
and Government establishments for
ones State or community if the haz-
ards associated with them could be
left out. 1t is hard to see how that
can be arranged in the case Of powder
magazines"
The New Orleans Tribune also en-
phasizes the fact that the citizens
themselves are not unanimous in their
opposition to rebuilding the ammuni-
ton depot there. The Dover Rotary
Club and a committee of so business
men," adds the Tribune, draft reso-
lutions asking that the depot be re-
built 1t offers employment to many
civilians and loss Of 1t would hurt the
towns business"
1.-THE pressure Of public opinion,
states the Jersey City Jersey Journal,
appears to promise the removal of
Government arsenals from populous
centers, but it will probably be a slow
moving project, like all Government
processes. The department has no au-
thority by itself to change the loca-
tons. Both that authority and the
money with which to do the work
must come from Congress"
The Passaic Daily Herald asks:
might not great towers be set up to
- Iv ell e-%<x
electrical energy from the clouds. saw
ing buildings from direct hits by light
ming? And might not a buried or
semi-concealed type Of magazine be
more effective than those that have
been used at the navy depot? Safety
cannot be made absolute, with our
present knowledge of the handling of
explosives. Yet everything that can
be done should be done to make life
more safe for those who are charged
with the duty of handling and guard
ing the great ammunition stores UP in
the north Jersey hills"
The Roanoke World.News-a adds that
"the storage houses can be placed far
enough apart so that when an ex-
plosion occurs in one 1t will not
spread to the Others" while the New
York World believes "the time has
come for our military departments to
submit to strict regulation for the gen.
eral safety"
Whatever the COST" says the AL
bany Evening News, ammunition
should be stored where public safety
is assured. 1t may even be that it
should be stored underground. Ger
tainly 1t should not be near our homes.
It is possible, too. that such places can
have more secure safeguards against
lightning The Knoxville Sentinel
insists that principally those who
utmost protection"
Every means possible must be en-
ployed," concludes the Los Angeles
Times, "either by wider segregation of
arsenal units or by more effective &C.
vices for warding or electric bo1fa.
The aid Of science should be invoked"