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Show I MIDDLE WEST AND ITS INDUSTRIAL BIT ! I I Not Only Is 1 the Section JL Doing Much to Equip and Feed Fighting Forces, but I It Provides Two , Soldiers for the Three Main Branches "Where East Giyes One. BY G. B. CABPENTEB. m epNCLE SAM has taken off his hat to -WJ tho Middle West, for the Middle "West has taken oft lta coat, rolled Up Its sleeves and onco moro demonstrated that. In poace or war. It is flr6t to malic reply when a great danger menaces the nation, A year ago, tho East suddenly awakened awak-ened to the need for preparedness. Tho government seemingly saw tho steady drift of International diplomacy Joward war. The cry was raised for preparedness prepared-ness and Now York led off with a great ptreot parade and demonstration. F. Washington officials, over anxious to give expert diagnosis of the pulso of the country, hurried to the White House an-I sought President Wilson. ' The country Is ready for preparedness," prepared-ness," they said. "Only ono thing is needed tho Middle West Is unpatriotic and divided. We of tho East have tho spirit of our fathers, but tho spirit that filed tho flintlocks at Lexington, drovo tho charge at Saratoga and ran the batteries bat-teries at New Orleans, has been dls-eohod dls-eohod In sordid, mercenary greed In the Middle Wost. "You must go to tho Middle West and Bpeak to these oloeplng souls. You must point out to them that they aro needed. u wiaa you iuck, Dut we fear that our trir will be of slight avail, for, In the security of tho heart of the country, the Mlddlo Western men care naught for any goal but tho American dollar." To these men the Mlddlo West has made reply in the past two months! That reply has been a revelation to the Wai Department and to the thinking men of the East. For had the Mlddlo Wost failed to answer Uncle Sam's call to war. tho army and navy would bg in a sorry , otato of preparedness for tho great con- rfllct now on tho horizon. With every passing day the truth has beer brought home to the government that tho officers of the army and navy knew what they aro talking about. Never was a war conducted by this country In tihich tho lawmakers had less to say lhar is the case in the present struggle. Becauso the government has realized 1 that In its fighting corps It has experts, lr In Interesting to note that in March of this year, Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, Fletch-er, a man of few words, during a visit to l. Louis, said, "Tho Mlddlo West is always al-ways first In a fight." ( Middlo "West Patriotism. If there la anyone today who does not k pollovo that tho Middle West is first in Ihls fight, consider theso facts: She has given two volunteers for the threo main branches of the servlco whero the East has given ono Tho first two base hospitals organized, equipped and sent abroad were from Cleveland, Ohio, and St Louis. Her shoe factories will make the bulk bf tho shoos to be worn by Uncle Sam's fighters. Her clothing houses will make at leaBt rfcalf of tho uniform1?. Her mills will produce at least one-Ihrd one-Ihrd of the underwear. Hor oil clothing factories will produce Mi of the cavalry riding coats and pon-fchos. pon-fchos. Her hardware factories will make a largo percentage of tho kit bags, tent u llns, stoves, pans, etc. Pier workers In wood will produce al- f tnost GO per cent of tho tent poles. 1 There Is no need to refer to what the. ! gallon expects of the Middle West in the r iueytlon of food supplies. It has beer. aid in tho East, "If tho Middle West trill do her share In producing food we Will look' after the manulactured ar- t bcles " i Lut the Middle West has not only pre wired for food supplies, but Undo Sam has said, "I need your factories for making mak-ing loggings and you and you alono must I lake cere of tho bulk of tho shirts which Hj men will nocd." i So the Middle WoBt opened some of !ls factories, made idle by tho demand for bodcl plants. Tho Mlddlo West bought jnoro machinery. And as one result of Middle West energy and resource, the bulk of the leggings will bo made In the ( VlJddlo West, and at leaBt ono-third of Bio 3.000,000 shirts needed will bo shipped Irom Middle West stations. a One usually need not go far to find a lfgX lelEsh man. Therefore, it is a common S0 bl'crlcnce to hear this sentiment expressed; ex-pressed; "Woll, why shoudn't these men help the toornmont? Look at the money they're paklng." But aro thoy? Unselfish Industrial Patriotism. Here Is what tho factory manager of a Uint that Is producing 3000 army and fcavy shoes a day says: t "Our trado has been ncglocted by this tJBh. Tho government wants no trlflcrs ncng the makers of its goods. The7 t lay to us, 'You have ono of tho large.it I Ihoo plants In tho world. It is your duty to help your country. But wo cannot wacto tlmo with you unless you produce Ihe goods and produce them in largo i lumbers. Besides, wo must have these I foods, for othor factories have failed us." I "Thero is little profit In making ahooB lor the United States army. Tho quality I Irust bo of tho best, for tho shoes aro 'nfc'cV fciven tho most rigid wear. No matter IP? i ) iWxV III fjp'K '' - 'I - V- J fe Jt3gT-r I ' 'W'k fflt ' ' f "WBH3XB& V fefeasr 4$rS&$ I 1 9 how good the product Is, a trench shoe will last only forty days, and an army sboe, such as Is used In the camps and In marching, is lucky to stand ninety day wear. Industrial Enlistment in Banks. "You can understand that the government govern-ment knows what it costs to produce shoes. They advertise for bids, it Is true, but they set a maximum, and it Is a penitentiary offenso for biddera to combine com-bine and raise tho price, if there were-men were-men who would stoop to such a practice. "Tho result Is that a small, a very small, profit Is allowed. In factories in the small towns, whero living conditions are cheaper and the labor less expensive, we can make a slight profit on tho shoe. Tho3e we make In our city factories we sell at very near cost. "Wo know It is our duty to aid In equipping tho fighting forces of the country coun-try and we have accepted that duty a3 r. patriotic one. And in so doing we know-that know-that wo aro not volunteering for a thort time. The soldiers can wear out thcbe shoes about as fast as wo produce them That means that we and our employes are sworn Into tho service for tho dura tlon of the war," That this viewpoint is generally held by Middlo West manufacturers Is evidenced evi-denced by a visit to the factory of tho Alligator Oil Clothing Company of St. Louis. Here Is what David M. Flournoy, Its general manager, says: "W aro making practically all the oil clothing for tho government. Wo havo those contraolo because our process 's ono by which the oil preparation Is forced through the goods, making them equally waterproof on each side. But tho gov-eminent, gov-eminent, you may say, is running our business now. "Wo must build a new factory and wj must forgot the private consumer. We are making nothing but government goods now. As soon as we volunteered for tho service, Uncle Sam put us la tho ranks and set us to work. we realized It almost as soon as the signed contracts arrived. For on the heels of tho papers came inspectors and men who set barbed wire fonces about our plant and soldiers to guard It. "We are turning out 1410 ponchos a day and 200 army coats. This is Sone with a force of 250 employes Within a fow days 200 moro omploycs will bo at work on the new machinery wo havo installed. in-stalled. Wo must produce at tho earliest possible moment 85,000 ponchos and 16,-000 16,-000 riding coats "We aro proud to be of tho Middle West and to bo selected for this duty But it has takon some tall figuring to meet demands and wo aro Just gottlng Into the thick of the fight." On tho walls of the factories, largo posters pos-ters face tho employes. Tho poster reads: Every Employe of This Factory Is Performing a PATRIOTIC DUTY. All of Us Are Serving the Government By Making Equipment for tho U. S. Army. It is true that the employos are making moro money than in peaco times, but thoy aro as patriotic as their employers, and tho Middle Wost has been singularly free from selfish demands from labor since tho war began. Many employes have been forced to work at smaller wages when learning how to mako some of the new goods. An ofTlcJal of tho Star Clothing Com-panj' Com-panj' of St. Louis said: "Wo did not want the business, but when the Quartermaster's Quartermas-ter's Department put It up to us on a ratriotlc basis, wo could not sldostcp tho icnue. Tho government, maintains Us demand for a high standard of oxcollcnce in goods. Wo could mako tho goods much more cheaply" than wo do, but tho standard stand-ard of cut and fit must bo maintained, and a soldier or sailor must look natty and ship-shape when ho Is dressed by hh Undo Sam. "We are proud of tho ,work wo aro turning out. Wo hao taken on a contract con-tract for shelter tents It wa a ne butlness for us. Wo had to train opo-ptors opo-ptors nnd try out new machinery. Bui we havo recolved word from Washington that the government has never received a better product, if one as good That sounds pretty good for tho Mlddlo West, doesn't it?" Opened Eyes of Government. Another manufacturer of uniforms and underwear, who has fivo of tho largest factories In tho country, said "Thw. Middle Mid-dle Wost has opened tho eyes of tjie government. Whon the Eastern manufacturers manu-facturers fell down, tho Mlddlo West, without fuss or feathers, began to take up the work. "The spirit, the surroundings and tho class of labor in tho Mlddlo West make for a hotter moralo in factoilcs. Tho result re-sult is hotter workmanship. Our goods will go to France, nnd many a boy will bp glad to bo wearing Middle West underwear un-derwear and clothes and blankots, for tho Mlddlo West product will stand up " Within a short tlmo many more contracts con-tracts will bo lot by tho government But onl the man with big facilities will bo pormjtted to take up the work, for tho output must bo enormous to keep pace vlth the needs of tho 1,000,000 or 2,000,000 men who within a year will ho under aims. One of the larger contracts to be let soor Is that for 2,500.000 army shoes and 250.000 hob-nallcd trench shoes. True, the factories are sending out tf-alnloads of putting ovcry ounco of endeavor In'o completing work now under way. For thoj must complete and ship to the Quartermaster's Quar-termaster's Depot 17C.670 army shoes and glvo tho navy 60,000 pairs by August. An expression of war's activities do-mards do-mards the use of such largo figures that millions aro no longer impressive to tho layman and thousands arc given but shoes today, but tho army will consume them almost as soon as produced Patt ot this work, It Is expected, will ho dono by tho Hamilton -Brown Shoo Company of St. Louis. -This company already la 1 3c CUT y?P 2r a. passing glance. It can bo said, however, that In ono day 520,000,000 worth of contracts were signed and dellvored to tho Mlddlo W03t alcne. It Is sufficient to say that the government has not warehouses ado-quato ado-quato to tako care of tho great stores which tho factories aro sending forth. In many cases, tents are being hastily raised near government plants and the cases of goods stored In such a manner that they can bo quickly loaded to trains and sent to tho great mobilization camps which will open In the East nnd South In the fall Work Widely Distributed. All told, tho Government Quartermaster's Quartermas-ter's Departmont Is bujlng 370 items. A uniform may be made In four soparate plants, yet Is known as ono Itom. Tho trcusors aro made in ono factory, hats In anothor, coats in another and leggings in another. Thoso must bo assembled bv sizes and must bo ready for quick shipment. ship-ment. Tho trousers may be made In Dallas. Tex.; the coats In Sodalla, Mo.; the hata in Galveston, tho leggings In, Illinois, but thej must bo brought together nnd put tcGOther and be ready when tho call cornea. In every mannor possible, tho army cuts down tho number of separate items needed. Tho ponchos aro made in sucti style that two of them buttoned to-gothsr to-gothsr mako a Bholtor or "pup" tent. Thus, each man carries half of his ovn shelter tent and a unit of his shelter tent polo. At this time tho Fred Mcdart Company of St. Louis Is making 200,000 shelter tent poles. What of tho financial results to tha Mlddlo West7 Such a question Is not easy of solution. Experts point out that the United States Is entering upon Its greatest period of prosperity, that this prosperity will outlive tho length of tho war and continue for years, as manufacy tuiers arc given opportunity to catch up with tho demands for products loot to tho lajman whon tho factories turned their equipment to the making of nrmy supplies. sup-plies. Hero' Is what one finunclal export, who s I dltccts one of the largest enterprises In the Middle West, says: "Labor In tho Middle .est can be assured as-sured that 'hard times' aro a long way off. Never before hae such high prices been paid for labor. It is true that tho limit has been reached In this respect, but I foar that tho efficiency of oun productive pro-ductive labor would bo seriously Impaired Im-paired If they were given higher wages. Ah It Is now, I know of men running raa-chlnos raa-chlnos that require only quickness of tho oyc f!o operate. They aro earning $7 a day. With the 542 a week of such a mar. Is added tho $20 a week his wlfo earns running a sowing machine, or 'stitcher,' as It Is called. Tho rosult la that this couple como to work In an automobile. au-tomobile. True, It Is not tho best automobile auto-mobile on the market, but it Is a machine that takes them home quickly, gives them time for a pleasant dlnnor hour and then takes them for a spin In the parks in tho evening. Soldiers from Middle West. "In many cases tho wages of operators havo been doubled in tho past few-months, few-months, llecently, I noted a classified a&vertlseinont of a Middlo West manufacturer manu-facturer who offered $16 and ?18 a wco't foi operators on work that previously paid 50 or 511. I do not see how ne can mako any money on his product, but I am not prepared to state that any man is not a better judge of his business than I am. "The Mlddlo West has demonstrated its patriotism In tho greater number of recruits re-cruits glvon tho various branches of the service. It has demonstrated Its abilltv to deliver tho goods and be patriotic by showing the Eastern manufacturer that quality goods can be made In large quantities quan-tities in the Middlo West. "Tho East has always been looked to for manufacturing. Certainly no ono has sought to dispute hor right to attempt to finance tho country. But Just now It looks to mo as if the Middle West will havo to help tho East out in financing the wai loans. "And tho Middle West will do It. The buying of bonds is a mattor of education with most people. Wo aro not clow to 'pick things up In this section of tho country, and when our employes realize that a government bond is the same thing an a government 55 bill, wo will outdo the East In tho financing of tho loan. "Much of tho money glvon the govorn-ment govorn-ment for tho bonds will bo spent In tho Mlddlo We3t. Money will be more and moro available. Which means that factories fac-tories will bo enlarged, smaller manufacturers manu-facturers given an opportunity to show thi stuff they are mado of, and, best of nil given a chnnce to compote with tho East "Tho impression grew abroad when war first thioatened that tho big camps would bo in the East, that the Eastern manufacturer would have all the bus t ncss because he could ship to thcee campi or to tho depots at much smaller cost H than could tho Middle Western man. H "But tho camps are to be in tho South, H whore the men can be trained during the winter months, and that places the mills I H of tho Mississippi Valley In an enviable H position Wo are at the very gateway to I H this territory, with waterways to help jl thu railroads carry tho great burden. i j H A Great Munitions Plant. , jH "The government has not been sleep- rH Ing The river boats are now practically . fH controlled by Washington and will bo j I H mobilized to help in tho great work of 1H concentration, which will reach Its flood J jl tldu In September." a aH Owing to the patriotic restrictions of J JH the time, it Is not possible In this article iH to treat In detail tho great part tho Mid- I jM die' West is playing In the production of I 'R ammunition, or what Is generally termed M munitions. H It may be said, however, that from on H forlory in Illinois a train of fifteen cars, H jammed to tho doors, Is necessary each H day to carry the girls to and from worK i H in the cartridge plant. Never beforo wa? H there such a domand for skilled mo- j H cl anlcs, men who can turn out guns and H gun carriages Tho leather Industry, i jH also, needs saddle and harness makers ( IH At Rock Island, 111., Is located one of M tho most plcturesquo of the munition M plants of America. r'H This great arsenal Is located on an ) jj island in tho Mississippi River Tho work- , j men are ferried to and from work each j fM day. It is tho Essen of the West, nnd Is ' each day turning out huge howitzers, J f trench mortars and tho so-called moun- M talr gun. The factory is naturally pro- J jJ tected by water and Is under heavy M gvaid. M Happily, tho secret sanico has been M rocrulted to moro than twice Its normal fl strength In tho past threo months and M thousands of aliens aro being closolv H watched. This survolllanco will incroaan T with Registration Day, as each police- f man and fedoral official In tho canvass U for Blackcrs will have first-hand hnowi- j edgo of every porson within his re- M spectlve. district. Yes, it wns all very woll for tho effete 9H East to warn President Wilson that the FH Middle Wost was unpatriotic and could liH not be counted on to help much during ) the war. But war brings many changes ll and opens many oyes. Jl Tho Middle West, unlike tho East, for- M got to spend much tlmo In tho waving nf flags, but, Instend, quietly rolled up lis H sleeves and proceeded to mako It a per- sonal business that the tons of Uncta IH Sam should want for nothing when thoy ga forth to spread tho doctrine of liberty IH for all nnd prlvllcgo to none. Il And don't foiget that tho Mlddlo West 1 soldier Is doing his part In filling up Lhp B |