The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-04-05
Nations Business Boosts for
War
By GRACE HUTCHINS.

>
" why?'
Nations Business, journal of capitalists or
qanized in the u S. Chamber of Commerce,
thus assumes the next big war. 1t then pro-
ceeds to boost a plan for mobilizing industry
in the u S. up to war strength IN the shortest
possible time. The proposal, called education
al war orders for munitions" is set forth IN
bill backed by the war department. the navy
department and the national commerce cham
Der. Hearings on the bill have already been
held by the house committee on military al
fairs.
To give the Secretary of War power to place
educational war orders for munitions without
advertising for bids or without being bound
to award them to the lowest bidders Is the
purpose of the BILL The war department, in
other words, wants to help the great industrial
concerns, to turn, overnight, the making OF
automobiles, typewrters sewing machines and
machine tools into the making of munitions.
Prospective Munition Plants.
But the war department and the Chamber
of Commerce do not want to bother about the
"smal concerns with no capacity worth consid-
Grafton in war time" Only the larger automo-
bile manufacturers and machine makers are to
be urged to turn corner to making num-
lions for few months at time. By spending
S5,0000 900 in five years for this special educa-
tional purpose, as authorized by the bill, the
Secretary of War can thus help the capitalists
to prepare for future war profits even if there
is little present profits from educational orders.
Making munitions is much more difficult
and complicated than turning out trucks or
tractors or pleasure cars OF typewriters," ex-
plains Nations Business Cannon must be
quite as accurate as watches. Shells must be
perfect"
"War is now fight of factories, battle
of machines The nation whose manufac-
turing plants most quickly be tuned up to
quantity production of cannon, shells, search
lights, fuses gun carriages, and whatnot will
win victory"
But Government plants in the United States
have the capacity to fill only from five to
ten per cent of our munition needs in war
against another major power or combination
of powers" Private munitions plants. do not
add enough for war time needs. $50 the mat
ter comes down to the large efficient, well
managed establishments that in time of peace
make automobiles, typewriters, sewing
chimes, mutigraphs, street cars, machine tools
and other articles of ordinary commercial use
fitness. In war the victory will go according to
the way such plants have been taught before
hand their wartime jobs"
Women Workers and War
Women's part in munitions making Is as
sumed by Nations Business war boosters. A
picture of women workers in munitions plant,
taken by the ordinance department. U.S.A.,
heads the leading article, with the caption
"Gauging of cartridges is only one step of many
in their manufacture In so far as production
can be carried on by women workers, mere men
can be released for slaughter in capitalist
armies
In the imperialist world war of 1914-18 wom-
en- were used in practically all the production
processes of munitions and explosives plants.
So now women are increasingly employed in
other chemical industries, in electrical plants
ant in iron and steel manufacture.
Little is said in this discussion on war mob
ilization of industry about the role of the chem
zeal industry in preparations. Yet sig
nificantly enough one of the war boosting ar
ticles is written by E. T. Trigg, chairman Of
the committee on national defense of the us.
Chamber of Commerce, and witness at the
house committee hearings. Trigg is also pres
ident Of John Lucas and Co., manufacturers
of paints. Making of paints is chemical in
dustry and chemicals are of course . vital
necessity in the new warfare.