The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-11-18
supply sinews OF battle on short no


tice.
Unprepared
Eve declared war ON April 6, 1917,
and expected to end it In hurry.
We soon learned that we had mis-
calculated. Days, weeks and months
went by. We had the strength, we
had the courage, we had the desire
but we simply could not get every
thing together fast enough. It was
not until the First Division faced
the German hordes at Cantigny on
May 20, 1918, that an American di-
vision ON the Western Front took up
a full offensive. 1t had taken us
fourteen valuable months to get
these soldiers, most of them pre-war
regulars, to the front and to pro-
vide them with all their needs.
I'm full realization Of that fact,
we have now set out, at the presi-
dents direction, to reduce to six
months the period within which our
supply preparedness viii have to
be achieved. If we are provided with
enough physical reserves to take
care of our needs for our FIRST mil
lion men, we confidently believe thai
industry, II properly educated, will
be able to carry the full load OF
major war.
1.-The industrial needs of our army
today include 1900 items or processes
of production. In selecting these
items we have tried in every way to
conform as far as possible to what
private industry can readily pro-
duce. We have been fortunate in
finding facilities for practically all
of these 1900 items. We are con-
fldent that In an emergency indus
try, at short notice, we will be able
to produce the preponderant major
ity of our needed munitions Of war.
"There are. however. approxi-
mately fifty-five critical items so
difficult of production. so different
from ordinary peace-tine needs,
that industry will not be able to 60
into mass production of them with
out some education. There are two
hundred and forty-five plants out
Of our ten thousand that cannot,
without further education, perform
their allotted wartime tasks In the
production of these vital items or
processes that have no counterpart
in civilian use. Educa tional orders
for these two hundred and forty-fiye
plants to learn to produce for us
today the vital fifty-five items or
process must become an indispens-
able feature Of our rearnamcnt pro-
gram.
Educati ton Orders
During It's last session, congress
provided two million dollars for the
education Of industry in the manu-
facture of some Of these critical
items. That money now Is being
spent for teaching industry to make
seini-autonatic rifles, recoil me-
chanisms for three-inch anti-air-
craft guns and forgings and ma
chinings for rs riiillirneter shells.
During the course of the year, it Is
expected that factories will be given
similar opportunities to learn how
to make gas masks and searchlights.
"The two million dollars will
teach industry to produce but six
indispensable items or processes.
Not until we have educated the two
hundred and forty-five additional
plants in the manufacture of the
other ferty-nine critical items can
we feel that we are ON the road
toward the achievement of our OBJ
jective.
1.-THE responsibility to preserve our
ideals and our civilization Is indeed
q grave one and we cannot afford
to shirk 1t. In 1776 1t devolved upon
your own forefathers, the minute
men Of Lexington and Concord, and
they defended it by blood and sword.
In 1917, 1t fell upon our generation,
upon you and your neighhors, the
stalwart members OF the Yankee
Division, and they gave life and
treasure to preserve it.
To-day, 1t rests upon US OF this
generation and upon you, who by
example and by precept. are uphold
ing it In the hne tradition Of the
New England town meeting. The
tel1ets Of free speech, freedom Of re-
ligion and tolerance you fondly
cherish, proudly exalt and stead
tasty maintain. Tomprrew, we or
our children again may face a chal-
lenge, not only Of intolerant ideas
but Of brute force, and we must
be prepared to meet It,"