The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-14
OwGorerumeut
How 1t Operates
By William BrHcksrf
ARMY AND NAVY
DEPARTMENTS


L have enjoyed, even have been
thrilled by the sight of marching men.
It reflects an inbred love for perfec-
ton. The def execution of orders.
the snap of obedience to commands,
excites admiration everywhere.
To accomplish this perfection, how
ever. requires Imagination as well as
skill, knowledge as well as discipline.
There has to be something done be-
sides handing man the drab uniform
of the army or the blue of the navy
to make a soldier or a sailor.
All of this is headed up in divisions
In the War department for the army
and in the Navy department for the
navy and the marine corps. Some
body has to accept responsibility as
well as exercise authority. So the gen.
eral staff of the army and the general
board Of the navy operate to maintain
their Jurisdiction.
It Is obvious that administration
Of the national defense arms requires
more than the training of men to
march, to click their heels. to salute,
to fire their small arms or their ma
chine guns or their greater weapons.
They have TO have supplies, food,
munitions and material, transport for
the army, unexcelled ships for the
navy, airplanes for each. Records
have to be kept, legal questions have
to be answered, and engineering prob
lens have to be solved. And so there
Is In each department offices in gen.
eral control of each whose Job Is to
see that all operations are co-ordi-
mated within that service and that
there Is uniform development In &C
cordance with policies promulgated by
congress and within the supply of
money which congress appropriated
for the work. They have duties so
many and so varied that an enumera-
ton Of them Is impossible In these
columns, but they may be accurately
summarized La the one phrase that
they are designed to provide protec-
ton for the nation on an efficient
basis.
The army and navy look after the
welfare of their respective personnel
to far greater extent than ever has
obtained in the management Of civil
Ian organizations. The men who make
up the army, the navy and the marine
corps receive most complete medical
attention from men Of standing In the
medical professions but who have
made the service career.
They even have their morals guard
ed as far as is possible and the spir-
itual side Of administration is in the
hands Of conscientious and sincere
chaplains.
There Is probably no more COM
plete general hospitals than those pro-
vided for the service members and,
since the World war, for the use Of
veterans. The Naval hospital and Wal
ter Reed General hospital, both in
the Capital city, are examples, and
It Is the belief Of professional men
that treatment In these service hospi-
tails Is hardly eIcelled except In a
very limited number of institutions
In all the world.
And that limites number, be 1t said.
are institutions directing their efforts
along specific, as distinguished from
general, lines
While thorough consideration and
precision of action is being discussed,
1t is well to call attention to the high
degree of excellence which the serv-
ices demand In the supplies they buy.
As an instance Of this, the War de-
partment buys ats annual stock Of
pneumatic and solid automobile tires
on contract. Before that contract Is
awarded, the utmost In testing Is done.
That Is not all; after the contract Is
awarded. representatives of the army
are stationed In the plant where those
tires are made, and any variation
from the original specifications will
not be tolerated.
It Is the same with the navy and
the marine corps. When specifications
are drawn even for the smallest piece
Of machinery, the requirements are
specific and they are rigidly enforced.
Certainly, the government gets its
moneys worth In purchases by the
military services.
Turn to the corps Of engineers Of
the army: It ID conceded everywhere
that when those officers make a sur.
vey or draw plans, the results are
about as bombproof as It is possible
to make thea. The insignia Of the
corps of engineers on a bridge al
ways makes me feel that the Job was
done on basis Of perpetual life, for
fimsy construction Is not known In
their training.
The corps 81 engineers probably "a
closer to the average section or com
munity during peace time than Is
any other phase Of the army or the
navy except az the services embrace
enlisted men er officers from every
part of the country. For when the
government has river or harbor work
to do, it is the army engineers to
whom the Job IL first assigned. They
make the surveys and draw the plans,
and the board Of engineers reports
10 congress. II the program Is prac-
ticable and the expense Is thought
TO be warranted, an appropriation Is
made and the engineer officers look
after the rest
They see that the contractor does