The Washington herald., 1916-11-28
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column On CITY.

The Council of National Defense. Gre
ated by the national defense act. will
meet at the War Department December
4 for organization. The civilian advisory
commission Of the council. headed by
Daniel Willard. president Of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. win attend the
session. at which definite plans Of pro-
cedure will be mapped out.
The council is composed of the Secre-
tar1es OF War. Navy, Interior, Agricul-
ture' Commerce and Labor. The advisory
commission. In addition to Mr.. Willard, Ii
composed of Samuel Gompers, president
OF the American Federation of Labor;
DR.. Franklin H. Martin, OF Chicago; How
ard e. Coffin, of Detroit:. Bernard Baruch,
OF New York City; DIR. Hollis Godfrey. Of
Philadelphia. and Julius Rosenwald Of
Chicago.
COORDINATION of all activities in the
country to play their part in war time IL
the object Of the council
-
The War Department has been puzzled
over the problem OF furnishing clothing
Tor army aviators recruited from the re-
serves. The officer in charge of the Avia-
tion Section OF the Signal Corps intends
nautical troops from the reserve force,
but no funds have been appropriated by
CONGRESS for the furnishing Of uniforms
to these men,
The Iequisition calling for clothing for
them Is regarded as in a class separate
from that for clothing for troops of the
regular army. In view of the absence of
special funds for the purpose, the equip
ment OF these men out OF quartermaster
appropriations would result in a deficiency
Tor the supply of the regular army.
The appropriation for army aviation
amounts to 5000 and is for "aeriaI ma
chimes and accessories necessary in the
aviation section" with further authority
for the disbursement OF the money for
paying and otherwise providing for Of
hcers and men Of the aviation section.
So the War Department authorities
have decided to solve the problem by con-
sidering that this provision is broad
enough to cover the purchase of clothing
Ing the officers and enlisted men while on
active service.
A special study Of the storage needs
at the various navy yards is being made
by the Paymaster General Of the navy.
Storehouses generally are very much con-
gested. and estimates are being made
for the construction OF new storehouses
at the New York and Puget Sound yards.
The Bureau Of Yards and Docks has
been working on a type plan of store
house which Is to combine the best fea-
lures OF modern storehouse construction,
with the maximum of storage space. The
building. as designed, will measure 20
feet long by $50 feet wide and will be a
U-shaped, eight-story. reinforced con-
crete structure, equipped with all modern
appliances for efficient and expeditions
handling Of stores.
All principal yards are lacking in suit
able facilities. Congress will be asked
to provide new storehouses to take care
OF the large quantities of material needed
for the new ships included in the three
year building program.
The introduction of Zeppelins into the
United States military service will be
discussed at the coming session of Con-
gress, according to many army and navy
officers.
These officers for the most part do not
favor the Zeppelin. and they point out
that reports from observers In the war
zone do not indicate that the Zeppelins
have accomplished, as a factor Of offense
and defense, or even as a means of OBJ
yervation, all that might be regarded as
justifying the great cost involved in the
construction, operating and general main
tenance of the type.
1t is pointed out that the building of the
Zeppelin itself, big and expensive as it is.
is only part Of the total cost. There
must be special construction in the way
of 1,00o-foot hangers, while the site Of the
Zeppelin stations must be chosen with a
restricted object in view.