The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-09-17
News of the Iron and Steel Trade
QUICK. RESPONSE
MANUFACTURERS
Plants Could be Turned Over at
Once in Case of Need-Calls
it industrial Mobilization.

Once in Case of Need-Calls
it Industrial Mobilization.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-sur-
prisingly quick response has been
made by manufacturers Of the United
States to the request of the war and
navy departments for report on their
output Of materials that would be
needed by this country in case of
war. It had been supposed that con-
siderable time would be required by
the manufacturers to supply the data,
; which, of course, is being treated
confidentially; but virtually all of it
now is in the hands of the government.
All Showed Eagerness.
The willingness and even eagerness
Of manufacturers to respond to the
call Of the government has been taken
as healthy sign Of what might be
expected in the event that the Unit
ed States should be forced into hos
tilities. Steelmakers and others re-
Gently appeared in Washington and
assured the President that their plants
would be turned over to the manufac-
ture Of government material at any
time it may be necessary. That was
during the decidedly strained rela-
tons between the United States and
Germany. Another crisis may be
near at hand and in such an event
the information the war and navy de-
partments have will prove of ines
Unable value.
The proposal of Bernard Baruch,
New York banker, who last week told
the President his plan for a board
Of business men to direct the nations
industries in case of war, is asserted
to be but an elaboration of the system
that has been carried out by the two
departments having charge of the ma
tional defense.
Calls 1t Mobilization"
industrial mobilization" appeals to
Secretary Garrison of the war depart
ment and Secretary Daniels, of the
navy department, as something great
ly to be desired and they at once
undertook a census of certain manu-
factories that are now in such shape
that they could be Immediately put
into public service. This plan has
been worked out with exceeding de-
tail in the war department., which
would require it, more than the navy.
Here there is a card index that shows
at glance every plant in the United
States that could be employed in the
manufacture of small arms, shrapnell,
cartridges, shells, high explosives,
ordnance of various kinds, power,
barbed wire, grenades, trench digging
tools, locomotives, rolling stock,
armored, motors, ambulances, aero
planes, hydroplanes, saddlery, blan-
kets, military clothing, medical sup
plies, commissary stores and supplies;
in fact, every conceivable article that
enters into present day warfare.
The index goes farther and indi-
Gates the annual output possible in
every such plant, the character of the
machinery used and its adaptability
to being converted to the manufacture
of a different kind of military ma
terial, and what it's operators esti-
mate as it's output under high pres
sure.
Not detail has been overlooked in
this industrial mobilization. So COM
plete is the roster of American in
dustry that, should hostilities be
forced upon the United States, flood
of kilograms issued from the war
office would stop every job now under
way and start every plant at work
upon the needs of this government.
This is one phase of national pre-
paredness that has been perfected
without any great stir being made
about it.