Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-10

sion of the will of the sovereign people
on this question.
Council of National Defense
and a Staff of Industrial
Mobilization Recommended
The report of the committee on national
defense of the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States was presented at
the closing session Of the convention at
the American Union building TINS
afternoon 1t recommended the passage
Of legislation which will permit the or
ganiza ton of a staff of industrial mobih-
zation." the functions of which would
be to gather data as to the character
and quantity of munitions and supplies
required. the tools of industry available
to produce them and the means OF
making these tools effective through
legislation. organization and training.
The report also urges the creatioh VI d
council of national defense
Your committee believes, the report
states. that there can be no mliltarS
organization in a great democracy such
as ours which will be either deSlrapie OF
safe much less adequate, unless II lays
down for all time the principle that
equal rights mean equal obligations
Universal Training Outlined.
Then is outlined proposal for uni
yorsal training for war. the Swiss and
Australian systems being pointed to as
examples successful in democracies.
Your committee" it is stated, be
neves in the great value to our country
of this sort of universal training in
time of peace. for its economic ad-
vantage to every individual and for
the cultivation of patriotism. good citi-
zenship, good health and good morals,
which will be worth many times over
the cost of maintaining the system. In
the great scheme of national defense
there can be no question of rich or
poor. privilege or non-privilege.
The report continues:
We believe that no plan of national
defense should be adopted which will
permit. due to the outbreak of war,
any profit arising out of the NATIONAL
danger to any one, and in case the
pressure of war is put upon us we may
unitedly and universally accept sacri-
fees. both of property and person, for
the one great national necessity.
The committee believes that the first
requirement for sound organization is
a council of national defense which
should perform an advisory and CO.
tional strength should be unrepresent-
ed in this council of national defense,
nor should any plans for the use of the
national strength be left undeveloped.,
For an Increased Navy.
TT is the opinion of the committee
that the strength of the navy should
be increased with all dispatch until it
shall be sufficient to restore the United
States to its former position of second
naval power in the Atlantic, with sur
plus in the Pacific sufficient to insure
therein to the United States the COM
mand of its coasts, its possessions and
its trade routes. and to protect from in
vasion the Canal Zone and it's adjacent
territory.
Behind the navy and constituting
the second line of defense should be
the army of the United States. Your
committee in its present state of
knowledge on the subject does not de-
sire to enter into the discussion of
technical questions 1t is, however,
quite clear in one or two points in con-
nection herewith: First. that high
ly efficient regular army with reserves
be maintained which shall be sufficient
TO do the peace-time military duty of
the United States. furnish garrisons
for our oversee possessions. and our
harbor defenses. take the first shock of
war. and be the training school for
officers of the higher ranks. Back of
this professional army there should be
the entire organized and trained man
hood of the nation.
The committee realizes that this or
any other adequate plan of national
defense necessarily involves the rails
ing and spending of large sums Of
money To carry this burden the fed
eral government should closely ex-
anime its present expenditures for all
purposes and then courageouely assess
the necessary new requirements upon
the people of the nation. The COM
mittee is certain that the nation will
respond and that the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States will sup
port the government in its requests
for adequate funds
Proposed Membership of Staff.
The committee recommends that the
staff of industrial mobilization be COM
posed of the Secretary of Commerce, the
Secretary Of Labor. governor Of the fed
eral reserve bank, chief of the general
staff of the navy and army. civilian engi-
neers and operators of steel plants, ma
chine shops, chemical factories food pro-
duclng establishments, textile mills, rail-
roads. etc. together with pubicists~ econ
onists and social welfare experts of rec
ognized public standing and .repute. and
that legislation be enacted the Durpose of
which will be to induce manufacturers
and others TO register in confidence with
the stan details as TO their physical equip
in"nt personal organization and special
lied capacity; legislation providing for
the inspection of such plants as to their
efficiency; Legislation allowing the plac-
Gig OF yearly orders for munitions with
sufh plants as pass inspection as an
iHducernent to the plants to keep their
Sganiza ton in training and their equip
'nent III readiness 10 serve: legislation
pfoNidlhs mat the government may
(.ke option agreements on such
~ nts on lease stock per-
.Ntage basis. whereby these NAV
- taken over and insured by the govern
inent when required for use in time of
war This Legislation should, in addition
70 industrial plants. chemical establish
meiits. textile plants. food producing
plants, fic-, include contractors eouin1
fnent. ra\way, steamship and other trans
portation facilities
Merchant Marine Is Tied Up
With Strong and Bigger NAVY,