US Army
Quartermaster Foundation
Fort Lee, Virginia
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US Army
Quartermaster Foundation |
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The
Manufacturing Branch of the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot THAT
the Philadelphia Depot is primarily a manufacturing depot is not generally known
to the field, even among Quartermaster Officers. It is quite evident that even
though some may realize that it is a manufacturing depot, they have very little
conception of the size, variety, or importance of the work turned out. It is the
frequent and almost unanimous observation of visitors to the factory, whether
they be Officers of the Quartermaster Corps, Officers of other Arms or Services
whose work may bring them in contact with this Depot, or even prominent
civilians, that they had not the remotest idea of the extent, variety, or
magnitude of the operations; that an organization which makes scores of military
articles ranging from gorgeous National colors, and flags for the President and
War Department Officials made of silk and done by hand, down to ordinary working
clothing and tentage for shelter, is something unusual, and not found anywhere
else to their knowledge. While the Manufacturing Branch is for purposes of
organization, part of the existing set-up at the, Depot, it is so operated that
in case of emergency, with the rest of the Procurement Division it can be
readily divorced from the other Depot activities and become part of the
procurement scheme to be operated in conjunction with other munitions activities
under The Quartermaster General and Assistant Secretary of War as provided in
the general procurement plans. GROUP OF FACTORIES The Manufacturing Branch of this Depot ordinarily is
called the factory, but in reality it is much more than "a factory,"
being composed of a group of fourteen to twenty factories as the occasion may
require. These factories or sections of the factory correspond to complete
factories found in the industrial world. In the industrial world the output of a
factory in the clothing or allied industries is one or at the very most a very
few items, while here at the Philadelphia Depot, there are manufactured articles
covered by a great many industries. It is not the intention in this article to describe the
physical set-up of the factory or to point out by mere statistics the output,
but rather to give the reader some idea of the magnitude of the work and how it
pertains not only to the furnishing of supplies to the Army in peace times, but
its value as an experimental institution for the constant development of types
and improvement of equipment, and also how it acts as a reservoir which should
be invaluable in an emergency, and which undoubtedly in the last emergency saved
the Government millions of dollars. THE
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT The factory has been in existence in one condition or
another since the Civil War. Tents were the first articles of manufacture and
for many years most of the canvas of the Army was made in the Philadelphia Depot
which at that time was at the old Schuylkill Arsenal, 2620 Grays Ferry Road. The
present location, 21st Street and Oregon Avenue, has been in use only since the
recent War, and the manufacturing activities carried on there only since 1922.
A section was later organized to make coats for enlisted men. From this
beginning and especially since the World War, there have been added from time to
time other articles until at present there are manufactured here practically all
of the outer clothing that the soldier wears, except shoes, hats and caps, and
in addition many articles of individual and organizational equipment. In the beginning there were about sixty employees
engaged. This number increased from time to time as the activities were enlarged
up until about the time of the Spanish American War when it might be said the
first real factory was in operation. After that War there was another decrease,
but, however, the factory remained larger than it had been at any time prior to
that period. At the beginning of the World War expansion again began until all
available buildings at the old Schuylkill Arsenal were used and a large modern
manufacturing building in the vicinity covering about one city block and six
stories high was commandeered. Here manufacturing of uniforms, shirts, denim
clothing, flags, both silk and bunting, etc. was carried on on an enormous
scale, and in addition to the people engaged within the factory building, there
were about 10,000 persons, chiefly women, who took the cut work to their homes
and performed all sewing operations. After
the Armistice, it was necessary to release the commandeered building and the
facilities of the old Arsenal would no longer meet the manufacturing
requirements, with the result that the present building at the new Philadelphia
Quartermaster Depot at 21st Street and Oregon Avenue, was altered to provide for
factory facilities and was equipped along the most modern and up-to-date lines. This building is 960 feet long by 160 feet wide, and
divided into seven bays or sections. The lay out of the factory was so organized
that all the raw materials required were brought into the Receiving Section in
the extreme western end of the building, and traveled from there through the
various operations until the extreme eastern end of the building was reached,
where the shipping or transfer section is situated. This section transfers the
completed garments to the Storage and Issue Division of the Depot, where it
remains in the hands of the Property Officer until shipped on requisition to
other Depots or Stations. The interior set-up was so designed
as to have each succeeding operation bring the article nearer to the shipping
section 50 as to prevent backhaul of material after it left the receiving
section. MODERN EQUIPMENT The equipment installed here was the latest available
at the time and is being constantly added to by the most modern equipment as it
becomes available. There are many and frequent changes in sewing machines and
labor saving devices with which it is necessary to keep in touch. The result has
been the constant acquiring of improved equipment and the disposition of
obsolete or old types which even in the case of emergency would be of little or
no actual value in production and for which very little if any sale would exist. What precedes is a sketchy outline of what is here.
which together with the pictures, is chiefly for the purpose of acquainting you
with the Philadelphia factory. From
the standpoint here, the important feature of our factory is not so much where
it started or how it grew, but what it is and what may be accomplished with it.
It is realized that statistics are usually not only uninteresting but even bore
the reader, but at the risk of doing this some are used in order to give you a
clearer idea of the magnitude of the work. The following is a list of the
articles manufactured at this Depot and their value. during the fiscal year of
1928. which is the latest report available. It will be noted at the end there
are two items added which are activities of the present fiscal year and which
are shown to indicate part of the increase which has taken place in the present
fiscal year, and which will increase the value of the present year's output 50
per cent over that of last year. Articles Manufactured During Period July 1, 1927, to June 30, 1928
At the beginning of the present fiscal year, July 1, 1928, there were approximately 1,000 persons employed. This number was greatly reduced during the summer of 1928 until on October 1, 1928, there were about 850 people on the roll. From that period on, the number grew gradually until in May of this year the number reached 1,632, the largest employed at any time in manufacturing activities at this Depot except during and immediately following the recent War. At the present writing, the roll shows 1,609 employees. The number of employees from the lowest paid laborer up to and including the General Superintendent, depends wholly upon the amount of work authorized for the factory. All charges for all employees must be paid from the allotments for this work, and in the event there were no work, all personnel would have to be dispensed with. In other words, there is no overhead fund required for the operation of the factory except that taken from the allotments made for work. It can thus be seen that the Government is carrying no expense to maintain the factory unless the factory is producing. PIECEWORK
SYSTEM Of the employees shown 90 per cent are on piecework,
and only such employees carried on a per diem or per annum basis whose duties
are such that they cannot be placed on piecework. All, however, are charged to
cost of the given article. Where a per diem employee is engaged solely on one article,
his pay is charged against that particular work. The salaries of the supervision
and other general labor whose duties cause them to
work on several items or in connection with several of the manufacturing
sections are charged to overhead or general labor, which is prorated against all
jobs. The factory is in charge of an Officer who reports
directly to the Commanding Officer of the Depot. Under the Officer is a General
Superintendent, a Manager, a Superintendent, and a Superintendent of the Custom
Tailor Shop where officers' work is done. The officer has charge of carrying out
all of the policies laid down by the Commanding Officer or higher authority.
He is assisted in this by the Manager, who has charge of the office
force, accounting, receipt and disposition of raw material, estimating,
personnel, finance, and sanitation. In
a military sense he is Executive Officer to the Officer in charge, and issues
all orders and instructions, etc., as directed and keeps informed at all times
of the business status of the Organization.
The General Superintendent of manufactures is in general charge of all
operations of all sections of the factory from the receipt of material until
shipment of the completed articles. He is the technical advisor to the Officer
in charge, and issues all orders and instructions, etc., in connection with
actual manufacture, recommends changes and improvements in methods, systems
and layouts, and advises the Officer in charge on all questions in connection
with the actual conduct of manufacturing. In the military sense he is the second
in command of the factory, and in the absence of the Officer in charge takes his
place and is responsible for all activities. The General Superintendent is
assisted by a Superintendent who is in charge of the detailed operations, flow,
workmanship, and quantity production. These two executives are on the floor of
the factory during the entire day, personally supervising. As the work is completed
it goes into the inspecting and examining section where each article
manufactured is individually inspected. Each section of the factory is in charge
of a foreman and in some sections the foremen have from one to three assistants.
Some sections are in charge of forewomen who may have assistants if the work
requires it. These supervisors are further assisted by operatives who are used
for instructional and detailed supervision purposes. For instance, where the
activity in a given section or shop reaches a point where the regular
supervision must be increased, an operative is put in charge of a certain group
or work in order that it may be followed through without interruption or delay.
In each section or shop, there are checkers or room clerks whose duties
are to keep account of all work done and credit piecework employees for the
purpose of computing pay. EMPLOYEES TRAINED IN SEVERAL
OPERATIONS In the organization of the entire factory, versatility
is kept in mind so that when the work decreases in one section and increases in
another, employees and assistant supervisors may be transferred. When it is
practical to do this, it permits the Manufacturing Branch to retain its
experienced old-time employees, avoid discharging them even temporarily, which
would result in their obtaining work in other places and not being available
when wanted here again. Discharge of old employees because of lack of work,
necessitates bringing in new employees when work is obtained, with the result
that the new employees would have to be trained and much time would
elapse before they would reach the degree of efficiency of the former
old-time, trained employees. It has been calculated that every new employee
costs the Government $50.00 before he or she is properly trained, and the normal
efficient results acquired. This even applies to employees who may have been
trained in other establishments because of the great difference in the character
of work performed in a military plant as compared to a civilian clothing factory. DIVISION OF LABOR As in all institutions of a similar character in the
industrial world, the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot Manufacturing Plant is
operated on a mass production basis, which calls for a highly refined division
of labor. This means that every article manufactured has at least two operations
in its making, and which increases as the manufacture is more complicated, up to
the service coat which has eighty operations. As an example, the service coat
has the following operations: Coat, Service-Wool, Enlisted Men-Lapel
Collar
Each of these operations is performed by a different
individual, necessitating a highly developed system of processing the
garment through the various groups and a very definite method of checking and
crediting individual employees for the work performed. For the purpose of
carrying this method out, each piece going into any garment is marked with a
ticket printed by an especially adapted machine, which carries a shade number so
that each garment will be made up from the same piece
of cloth; a job number so that when shipped it will be applied to the proper
order; a bundle number so that it may be credited to the proper employee and
no duplication of charges may occur; and the size of the garment. This
Operation is performed immediately after the material is cut from the data
placed on the bundles of cut material by the cutter, and is done in the cutting
and marking room as shown in the illustration herewith. The description and explanation given above pertains
to the manufacture of articles of issue made up in stock sizes and, of course,
is the great bulk of the work turned out by the factory here. However, two other
important activities in so far as production is concerned are carried
on, and it is desired to particularly stress them here so
that any information given the reader may be of value to him in making requisitions
or in making purchases as individuals. The special measurement
uniform for enlisted men and the custom shop for officers are the activities in mind. SPECIAL MEASUREMENT UNIFORMS FOR
ENLISTED MEN While in quantity this work is not large in comparison
to the rest of the output of the factory, it is highly important and is one of
the phases of the work which brings the factory in direct touch with the field,
and if not properly conducted either here or in the field is a cause of serious
complaint and dissatisfaction. In
1923, when it was decided that the War stock of garments on
hand was wholly unsuitable for use in connection with ceremonies, reviews and
special occasions, the War Department decided to furnish to each enlisted man
one special measurement uniform for each enlistment, to be made of especially
selected melton or serge, depending upon the Corps Area. The men were
individually measured in the field on blanks furnished for this purpose and the
blanks forwarded through channels to this Depot for the making of the uniform
and returned for issue to the individual. In the beginning, due to the
unfamiliarity of the field with the method of taking measurements and due to the
great variation in the methods used by the company, regimental, and post
exchange tailors considerable difficulty was met in obtaining correct measures.
For the first year approximately 30 per cent of the measurement blanks received
were returned for correction or verifications, and special trips were made to
large posts for the purpose of instructing the individuals there as to how to take measurements. In the meantime, a campaign
of education was carried on by means of circulars for more uniform and accurate
results. The development to date has been very satisfactory in that a number of
blanks sent back during the past year for correction or verification amounted to
only 3 per cent of the total number received, and the number of uniforms
furnished and returned as misfits amounted to only a fraction of 1 per cent. Of the latter cases, investigation develops that the trouble
in at least 95 per cent was still due to inaccuracies in measurements and when
the garments were finally furnished it was on the basis of new and correct
measurements received from the field. It is understood, of course, that to be able to carry
on this volume of business without some inaccuracies is hardly practicable, but
many instances still occur where greater care would eliminate the faults
and avoid delays caused by returning blanks for correction or uniforms for
alteration. The blanks furnished by the Quartermaster Corps for
the purpose of taking the measurements are prepared in great detail and on
the reverse side was placed definite and specific instructions which if carefully
followed would rarely cause the making of a uniform which would not fit the
soldier. The method of holding the tape; the care to see that the measurement is
taken in the place indicated on the chart; and that the individual being
measured stands in a normally erect position are all highly essential to proper
measurements. In addition, tailors or other individuals should follow the
instructions as to taking the measurements, especially in reference to breeches.
This has been a cause of difficulty in the past. While measurements can be taken
over the outer garments, it is where the measurer is the man who is also going
to make the garment and can make the proper allowances that a well-fitting
uniform will result. The method adopted by this Depot permits of uniformity,
whereas, the other method leaves too much to individual judgment. One
of the complaints about the furnishing special measurement uniforms has been in
the amount of time required between the taking of measurements and final receipt
of garment. Here again the question of accuracy of measurement is very important
because if the blank must be returned for correction or uniform must be returned
for alteration, that much additional time is lost before the soldier is given
his new uniform. It requires from three to four weeks for the manufacture of a
uniform after the receipt of a blank in the Manufacturing Branch at this Depot.
This time is taken up in first recording the blank, making out the necessary
tickets to go with the uniform, then the editing of the blank by the assistant
foreman of the cutting room to check for inaccuracies or abnormal measurements,
the requisitioning of the cloth. sponging, and shrinking before it actually
reaches the cutting tables. At least one week's work must be in hand before the
first operation, that is cutting, is begun, in order to permit a flow so that a
group of cutters reasonably permanent can be employed. The balance of the time
is required for actual manufacture in the coat and breeches shops, pressing.
inspecting. and transfer to the Storage and Issue Division for shipment to the
field. This
problem has been very carefully and continuously studied to reduce the time
limit required here to the absolute minimum, and the above at the present time
is the shortest period of time that can be practically put into effect. Of
course, it should be understood that a given number of garments could easily be
furnished in a shorter period by about 40 per cent of that indicated, but this
would mean the constant building up and cutting down of the special measurement
section to a point where the quality would be greatly sacrificed and the results
wholly unsatisfactory. An idea of the extent of the work carried on in this
section can be obtained from the following which cover a period from July 1,
1928 to June 11, 1929:
It
is felt that there are "yet improvements which can be made, especially in
the field; as a number of cases in the past few months show that the officers
responsible for taking the measurements have been unable to give it their
personal attention or if personally supervising have been lax in following out
the instructions given. In some of
these cases, officers have after receipt of the garments asked for authority to
return them stating that they were misfits and unsatisfactory; and in cases it
is shown that incorrect measurements were given by them in the first instances
and when new measurements were furnished and uniforms made, the uniforms were entirely
satisfactory. This neglect was not only expensive to the Government, but was a
serious injustice to the individual soldier and resulted in the unit not being properly clothed in as short a time as it should have
been. THE CUSTOM TAILOR SECTION What has been said above in reference to accuracy of measurement
for enlisted men's specials, also pertains to the officers' custom section for
orders . received by mail. The
greatest difficulty experienced in furnishing officers' clothing where the
purchaser is unable to come to this Depot for measurement and fitting, has been
inaccurate measurements furnished. In some cases, in addition, individual
officers have requested manufacture of garments other than those permitted by
regulation. This work must be refused in compliance with instructions from
higher authority and, of course, should not be asked for. The
work of the custom tailor section has been increasing gradually during the past
several years until at the present time the amount of work turned out annually
is very large. The
following list of the orders turned out during the Fiscal Year 1928 will give
some idea of the extent of this activity here. Officers,
Special Measurement Clothing:
The
Manufacturing Branch is continually carrying on experiments based on new patterns, and, also,
experiments on special type clothing for the Chemical Warfare Service. The great
value of the factory for this work is manifest when it is appreciated that doing
the same work in an outside factory would entail not only greater costs, but
necessitate making' contracts and going through all the other formality
necessary in making Government expenditures. It can be seen that this would be a
serious handicap in carrying on experiments when it is not definitely known
exactly what is required before the finished work is produced. From
time to time work is done for other branches of the War Department, such as,
bandoleers for the Ordnance and flags for the Engineer Corps. Work has been done
during the past fiscal year for the Navy Department, for which this Depot bid
and obtained on the basis of being the lowest bidder. Work is also done for the
Soldiers' Home at Washington, D.C. TRAINING OF INDIVIDUALS AVAILABLE IN AN EMERGENCY Just
as the Army is primarily organized and kept in existence during peace times to
be available during war times, just so is the Manufacturing Branch of this
Depot of great value in the event of emergency. It would be the reservoir from
which commercial contractors would obtain experienced personnel to at least get
them underway in the manufacture of military articles with which the commercial
manufacturers are unfamiliar. Assistant supervisors would be highly valuable for
such work and, no doubt, would be great factors in aiding the prompt execution
of the present procurement planning activities in so far as clothing and allied
industries are concerned. The
experience and knowledge gained by the maintenance and operation of the factory
would be of considerable importance in regulating outside groups. This situation
did arise during the past War when the General Superintendent of this factory
was named a member of various committees governing price control, production
facilities, restricted areas for manufacture, and other similar activities of
the War Industries Board carried on in connection with the Army. It is hoped from the above that the reader will be able to clearly discern the advantages of' a manufacturing plant of this character, and may get some assistance from the information given in carrying on any of his activities of the field which may pertain to manufacturing at this Depot. Return to Army Clothing History
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