1915-07-31 — Page 8

THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.

EFFICIENT SUPPLY OF MUNITIONS."

"MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH.

THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.

The following ies report of Mr. France, where I had the privilege Lloyd: George's speech in the af meeting the Under-Secretary of House of Commons on June 23, State for Wur, a man to whose when he introduced a Bill which great organisation capacity a good is commonly known as, thedral of the Trench aucces409 in Munitions Bill.

Mr. Lloyd George. Minister of satiributable. I am very much the provision of munitions of war Manitings, was loudly cheered assured, not merely as to what when he rOÐ to mova for France is doing, and can do, but le Te to introduce n Bill

as to what we can do when I con- to Make Provision for Far sider what France has already aa- thering the Efficient Supply of

complished. Munitions for the Present War, What France has Dona. and for Purposes Inoidental Let us consider the position Thereto. He said: I should like France is in. Her most important to make a statement about the industrial provinces were in the Ministry I have the honour to bonds of the enemy, seventy per preside over and its work. Iam dent, of her steel production was only concerned with the causes in the hands of the enemy. She of the shortage in equipment and bad mobilised an enormodsarmy, materials of war in so far as it is and bad withdrawn a very oon necessary to understand them, and siderable proportion with a view to, making them pro- population from industry. She is of her iluotive. That the shortage is not so great an industrial country verions from the point of view of as ours. She is much morean, the standard created by this war agricultural and pastoral country. is well known. It certainly is a true we have certain dis- known to the enemy. What advantages as compared with want to impress not merely upon France. She has not the same the House, but also upon the gigantic Navy to draw upon the country, is that the duration of engineering establishments of the the war, the toll of life and limb country. She has more complete levied by it, the amount of ex- command haustion caused by the war, (cheers). That makes on enorm.

over her labour economic and Gnancial, depende ous difference, not merely in the on the supply of munitions which mobility of labour, the readiness equip their armica. That is the car-another, bat in the discipline dinal fact of the situation. In this which obtains in the workshop. war the Germans have establish- She has another advantage with ed superiority which is due to aber arsenale, which at the date of predominance of the materials of the outbreak of the war corres When they are driving the ponded with the magnitude of her

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1915.

The Limits of the War Office

**Staff.

First Result of Organising,

Governing Principles of

Organisation.

and

The first

making rifles and machine guns the best way of doing that was to tkes eight or nine months to con- utilise the skill of the existing

Present Production of High strust. The Germans had an- firms to assist them in developing principles which we have laid have already referred to the de- at our disposal, and that is that ant there is only cas way of or doubtedly and we must reang-the new resource/

Now, there are three or four

Explosives.

ganising the resources of the With regard to explosives country efficiently within the time nise that we must learn from the

down in attempting to organice partment en ably organised by each district should undertake enemy when they can give us a

this new Department. First, in Lord Moulton and his assistants to do the work for itself, that wa lesson-anticipated thecharacter The War Office staff area order to cope with the difficulties of the war as no other Power had devoted, hard-working, capable of organising in a few weeks whiasheers). I said that be and should place at their disposal done. They realized that it was set of men, but there were not en business men generally take years sufficient quantity of high explo in the way of expert advice, and his department have turned out a everything that a Government can going to be a great trench war, ough of them. And there to build up, you must have the sives, not merely to supply our of material, specification, and and they had procured an ade is another consideration aid of the best business brains selves, bat aleo to assist our samples. Bat we must rely on quate supply of machinery applic which cannot be left out of available in the country. The Allies. That statement has been the great business men of each able to these oonditions. The Locount: Men quite capable of second point is this: that failure taken to refer to high explosive locality to do the organisation is professional mind is essentially running an old and long establish often comes in these matters from shella. I referred to high explo these distriata for themselves; and very conservative, and there are ed business on long established, inability to locate to the expert sives. I adhere to that statement, they are doing it-(cheers). very competent soldiers even to lines may not always be adequate and to the organiser their proper The whole of the Munitions De day who assume that this kind to the task of organising and ad functions. The organiser need pariment except explosives bas it will not be long before we go times its size, and on novel and (hear, hear). The expart is very of Sir Percy Girouard, and I am or three of the diffinities in order of fighting ia temporary, and that ministering a business thirty not necessarily be an expert been under the very able direction

Some of the Difficulties. back to the old conditions. But original lines(bear, bear). They rarely an organiser(laughter) very fortunate in having secured to show the steps that are taken I should like to point out two the Germane were fally prepared may be quite inadequate. The at least, the best expert is rarely his services (cheers). But no to overcome them. to batter down the dearest trun-armament firms also were inads- the best organiser, and the busi staf, however able, could ade- difficulty, of course, is the difficul- ches of the enemy with heavy quete. The armament firms also nasa of the organiser is to make quately cope from the centre with ty of material. As I pointed ant, guns and high explosive, and to were inadequate to the gigantic the best use of the expert(bear, the gigantic and novel character there is material of which we have defend their own trenches with task cast upon them, not merely hear). The organiser is the of the operations which must be abundance in this country, but machine guns. That is the story of organising their own work, but captain and the expert is the pilat. put through during the next few there is other material which you of the war for ten months...

***of developing the resources of the The next principle is this: that weeks if the country is to be saved. have to husband very carefully, We assumed that victory was country outside. They could not pace you teke on a number of and our problem is to organise contracting has therefore un- you, you must give full scope to organise the country in diatriors. sum of money to develop it at a our 'das as a tribata from fite, command the staff, and sub Arst-class business men to assist

Munition Areas,

and there is material on which victory, and not to take it for doubtedly been a failure.

We have, therefore, decided to you have to spend a considerab'e granted-loud cheers). To do

their energies (hear, hear). You must trust them. You cannot

Up to the present we have divid-' later stage. that the whole engineering and

I will just give one or two work them in blinkers and fettera munition areas. Each of these for the State ultimately to take ød the country into ten I think it might be necessary chemical resources of this country, illustrations to show to"what ex- The other point is this: Wel nay of the whole Empire, must be tout the process of sub-contracting have found it necessary to secure

aresa we have placed under a complete control of the metal mobilised. When that is done, failed to develop the whole adequate office accommodation. business men, with local know- should not be wasted on non- committee of management of local market so that valuable materiale France and ourselves alone, with strength and resources of the That is very much more important out Italy or Russia, can overtop commanity for this purpose. than it seems at first sight. We

ledge.

essential work (bear, hear), the whole of the Teutonic output. There is one district which I bare secured offices where those these areas there will be Offices of done that. A good deal of work

At a proper centre in each of for war.

To a certain extent we have. visited the other day where sub- sngaged would not be in each Material, and Machinery Needed, cont toting was producing some other's way, and where businese Munitions attached to headquar- has been done already. Daring all, of material-material for the That is only in one town, and I consult the heads of department, That is of first-class importance. of metals has been working hard, Now this is a question, first of thing like 10,000 abells a month. men can come up 12 town and ters, where specifications, samples, the last few weeks a very able shell body, material for the fase, give it merely as an illustration, and have an opportunity of trans Wherever I went one of the first and he has achieved very notable go forth will be available, min at the head of this question material for the cartridge-case, and am confident from what I am acting their business without loss things basiness men said to me results in the way of mobilising material for the explosive. It is told that the quantity will be a of time. That is very important. very largely a question of ma- quarter of a million or 300,000 a We have been able to get hold of was: Tell us what you want our raw material. Loannot attach chinery, and it is finally but by month in a short time. That is a very magnificent building. Its to do(cheers). We are all too high a degree of importance to question of labour. In the first nese men there to organise them agriculture (laughter) and our ager, and it is not a question of accurately informed of the stocks no means least important it is a the process of inviting all the busi-was designed for the purpose of ready and willing. We are all the Ministry being regularly and instance, all these questions selves tobeers) and to assist us first effort was bustling to make our having any dietaalination to of raw or semi-manufactured resolve themselves into a question to develop the resources of their that building ready in as short a place our workships at your dis- materials in the country. This we have abundant supplies of, ledge; they have skill, they are on some we have to husband very the spot. It saves a good deal of every way, considering the difcheere). The demand for follow the past, present, and fatore was a very great achievement in

ly what it is you are asking for "with any degree of accuracy to carefully, some we must take time in avoiding journeys up to fioulties of the labour market.

Specifications, samples, and so ontpat of many classes of muni steps to increase the supply, or London, it saves a good deal of

forth comes from every part of the tions. With this object in view An Appeal to the Business otherwise we shall be short at the time in the corridors of a Govern

Community.

country, and we are doing our the Department will sak for oritical hour. The same thing ment office (renewed cheers) not any quarter, it is due to the same she had a great trade with other

Now all this is vital to the best to supply it. What is forgot-monthly returns from all concern- caure. Where the Allies are countries is' manitions of war, making progrema in any part of but, taking all these things into

in this country a vast amount of waiting for interviews, and it sporeible as it is for leakage and making and the making of a clause dealing with the question the line it is due to the fact that account, the surplus of our engi

machinery which is essential to saves a good deal of correspond the prevention of friction and chine guns, or part of machine of returns to the Department in that sector of the battlefield neering reserves available for

the prodaction of material of war, ence, which I have always thought delay. However, I should like to guns, is an absolutely new busi the Allies have a predominance producing material of war is un-

but then we are abort of other was the worst way of doing busi- make this appeal to the business ness to the vast majority of these I must call attention alio to in the manitions of war.

machines equally important. It ness-(loud and prolonged laugh. ommnsity. It takes some time people. British engineers dan another point in this respect. We have an undoubled superi- France, and it we produos within doubtedly greater than that of

18 the old problem of the bottle ter).

to organise what is practically a adapt themselves se readily as am sorry to say that there are in- ority in menfcheers) and I am the next few months as much as

neck. It is no use getting your London Comes to the Rescue.

new departure. We cannot get engineers in any other country to dications of the holding up of assored by all thoas who have they are likely in produce, the find that you are stoppe is a quos place where you could tarn out the first few days,

fifty part of the machine ready to

Take London. London at first into working order immediately, any new work, but they cannot do supplies in certain quarters for been at the front that it is not Allies would oorsly equal

find that you are stopped by the sight does not strike you as a and there will be cases during it without seeing it, and without higher prices-(hon. membera morely superiority in numbers but the product

and getting fall specifications. Every "Shame" and that this is caus in the quality of men-renewed Powers, but wou

› Central tion of organising over the whole a great quantity of war material, perhaps, even the first few weeks, opportunity has been given to ing serious delay. cheers).

Dovar-

field what is essential. for supply- bat when you begin to examine it where business is not attended them to go to any Government terials that are essential. whelming superiu, ...a the ma

ing the material cf war..

Attention has been drawn to a London bas an infinite variety of to as promptly as you would ex- arzenals, or to the arsenals at tendency on the part of varions Germanys Pre-War Preparations,

What the War Office Did. small shops and some fairly large pect it to be in a department Elewick, or to those of Messrs. contractors to delay deliveries of The plan upon which we had ones doing some of the finest work that was fully organised and Vickers, Mazim, and the rest, but old and running contracts, ap- That is the first great fact I should like to get into the minde

proceeded I explained to the that is, the cost difficult work of where everything is going well they naturally want to see those porently with the object of using House in a statement I made here all. I do not know, Mr. Speaker, hope the business community will things in their own divisions, the necessities of the moment to of all those who can render assist... April. We recognised that if I am in order in showing this extend indulgence to the new de- where they can go and see for secure better prices.

the arsenals which were then in (Mr. Lloyd George then partment in that respect. We themselves what it is that the existence were quite inadequate exhibited a short piece of metal, will do our very best to improve Government are seking for.

These practices maatin the vital to supply the new armaments not which he explained was the fuse it as the days go on..

interests of the pation be brought Local Clearing Houses, to an end-(loud cheers). yet the old armamente, taking of a high explosive), and went on:

Business Honds of Departments.

Associated with this branch of into account the rats at which It is not nearly as complicated as

We have secured the aid of a the Ministry the local committees material in any one particular the "It there were a shortage of munition was being spent, We the fase of the shrapnel. The very large number of business there will be an expert engineer, whole business of turning out had therefore, to mobilise new shrapnel is one of the most de men. Many business men are whose business it will be to help the necessary articles stops. I sources of supply. The War licate and beautiful pieces of engaged in directing and organis the local committees in the sar does not matter how insignificant Office were of opinion that the machinery-belure it explodes ing their own business, which is rounding districts, and a general it may appear: the shortage in 8,000,000 a month. The problem preponderance in two or three

best method of obtaining that (laughter) but this is supposed 35 important in a state of war as organising secretary. The re- one particular is enough to delay of victory for us is how to eqnal directions was very notable. It is and surpass this tremendous pro- essential they should be under-

existing firme ao.se to have expert takes a hundred different gauges propose to utilise them to the full, and the Admiralty will be asso- is very much too serious for any duction. The problem of speedy tod in inviting the assistance of

control of production, and control to turn it out. You can get a large first, in the Central Office, to oiated with each of those centres, practices of that kind to be al victory is the accomplishment of the community to enable us to

over companies and workshops number of firms to turn out the organise it; secondly, in the which will act as a clearing-house lowed to go on (cheers). that aim with the least possible compete with this formidable.

which up to that time bad had no shell to scoop it out. I don't localities to organies our resources for work, labour, and information, Coal Production. waste of time. Any obstacle, any enemy. The superiority of the

experience in turning out shells know if that is the technical term there; and thirdly, we propose to They could assist in dealing with I should like to Bay a word with aay indiscipline, any prejudice, or marked in their guns, in their mismanagement, any hindrance, Germane in material was moat for that plan. There was firat of comparatively few who do this to the right conclusions in dealent that we can rely on the tories so that the expansion of the and other kinds of munitions. You can get quite a large number have a great Central Committee local difficulties, and advise and regard to raw material for er- There was a good deal to be said of firms to do that, but there are of business men to aid in coming help generally, and we feel confid-plosives. We are building fac delay in the mobilization of our high explosive shells, in their

all the difficulty, unless something kind of work (Mr. Lloyd George resources at the earliest possible rifles, sni, perhaps, most of all, bilising the resources at the dis-It is in that respect that London strong then who have got in the try, capital and labour, in the this respect I should like to deal his ing with the business community, patriotic co-operation of the chief manufacture of explosives shall mcident will postpone victory.

of that kind were done, in mo- fadiosted the high explosive fuse), Where you have got a number of leaders of our engineering indus keep pace with requirements. In The Problem Before Us

in her machine guns. These have posal of the Etate. The House of has come to the rescue (cheere) / habit of directing their own busi-organisation of the country upon with the matter of keeping apour proved to be about the most formmons have only to consider Local business men some of the Deso there is a danger of them these principles,"

the rival countries can produce to to go from que establishment to of organisation, Some material district. They have Jooal know-time as possible. I must say itposal, but we want to know exact information is essential if we are

War;

firens of the Allies before them in, huge sray. In addition to that, applies to machinery. We have merely attending interviews, but success of an organisation re-ten too often is this, that shell-fed, and in the Bill there will be a

Therefore, it is purely a ques- tion of equipping them with the pecessary amount of material to support their valour in their Attacks. The Enemy's Enormous Output.ance to the country. Germsný I heard the other day on very achieved a military preponder good authority and this will give nace in material. She accumu the House an idea of the tremend-lated great stores beforehand. ous preparations made by the She mobilised the whole of her enemy for this war, and of the industries after the war, expansion made since the war ben doubt, tiken store before the having, gan, that the Central European war so as to be ready for the me. Powers are turning out 250,000 bilisation of her workshops imme

Weralogs.

shella a day, that is very nearly diately war wts declared. Her objet was to work through the to be simple. Well, now, this the organising of this office. We presentatives of the War Office the whole output. Therefore, it

The question which in the midable weapons in the war. Ministry of Munitions we have to They have almost superseded the set before us is: Can we achieve rifle, and have almost rendered

complish the object of not merely to see a hop. equalling the output of the muni- Wedgwood), who will tell us of member Mr.

it

the position with which the War ablest business men in London getting in each other's way,

coal supplies in this country Office were confronted to see what have organised themselves into a Therefore, our method has been I am relying very considerably all our high explosivos, and ir

Decentralisation. that purpose Itay we can ao-the rifle unnecessary: I am glad Estimates were 28 millions in a and wish me to azaare the House, man is looking after metals, ac have outlined. There is no time the consequences would be very (hear, hear). It is the basis of meant. The total Army committee, and they assure me,

to give to each man bis task. One on the decentralisation which there is a shortage for any reason year of peace, tions of war of the Germans and bis experience, kad I take the op-represents rot merely 20 or 25 al. They will be able to turn ons after, plant, another after anfficiently well-equipped to make not merely a question of there be

became 700 millions. That will be another Woolwich Arsen efter machinery,

suddenly that in a very short time London other after explosives, another to organise a central department calamitons. I don't think I'm Snother which will be strong enough and putting the case too highly. It is times na much money, but 20 or a prodigious quantity not merely losal organisation and 25 times as much work. It means of abells, but what gives us for others are looking after labour, more than that. There had to be greater anxiety, of particular parts chemicale, and so on. But I am done under pressure in five, six, of the shell which the firm glad to say that in each of these seven, or eight months of the war other parts of the country cannot departments real progress is being the sort of work which in a supply. That is what has been made in spite of the short time business takes yɛsta to build up. 20complished localor

which we have been occupied in the work of reor

Austrians, but we can surpasaportunity of felicitating him on them if we are in earnest his return to this country (obeera). The Central Powers (cheers).

bave probably attained something The Enemy's Anticipations like the limit of their possible

output. We bave only just cross

Realised. The difficulty is that these

ed the threshold of our possibili. weapons cannot be improvised in ties. I have just paid a visit to a short time. The machinery for They came to the conclusion that ganisations

the most of the resources of each ing no diminution in the present district. It cannot

cannot be done output: Therefore, the only possible way

portant there

should be

of doing it in a short time-b cause time counte materially here (hear, hear) and the time the is lont is fall of possibilises disaster when time is so impo