The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-08-08
NATIONS EXPERTS
PLAN DEFENSES
Committee on Preparedness
Gets Favorable Legislation.
REPORTS FROM ALL STATES

Chairman Howard e. Coffin Determin-
ing How Manufacturing Plants Of the
Nation Could Aid Government In
Time Of an Emersency-Everything
Needed From Soap TO Shells.
Congress has practically completed
legislation that will carry out the en-
tire program OF the committee on In
dustrial preparedness OF the United
States naval consulting board to estab-
lish a firm and enduring foundation
for the nations defense.
There will also be incorporated into
law the committees carefully worked
out plans to teach American manufac-
turers now I'm time OF peace, through
annual educational orders, how to turn
out war munitions and all other mill
tary and naval supplies when needed
1t likewise seems probable that legisla-
ton will soon be passed adopting the
committees measure for an industrial
reserve SO that In time Of war the
skilled mechanic shall be kept at home
on the Job, where his services are most
needed TO feed the firing line.
This legislation comes during the
closing days of the committees re
markable three months campaign,
made with a volunteer, unpaid organi-
zation of business men and engineers.
1t has been an epoch making work
and marks definitely the new era OF
the engineer i'm the preservation OF ma
tional governments.
Although the committees great In
dustrial inventory had been making
excellent progress, national conditions
recently became such that Chairman
Howard Il. Coffin sent urgent tele
grams to the chairnen OF the commit
tees state boards directing them to
make all possible haste to gather the
industrial information so vital TO the
army and navy of the United States.
At the same time Secretary of War
Baker detailed five officers of the regu-
lar army service. two of them mem
bers OF the general staff, to the com
mittee's offices In the Engineering Socl-
cites building, New York, TO assist I'm
rushing the work 10 the limit and TO
gain immediate benefit for the govern
ment of the large amount of data al
ready obtained.
Many Reports Come In.
As a result OF the increased yigor of
the work OF the great army of engi-
neers and chemists under Chairman
Coffin and Supervising Director w. S.
Clifford reports are coming i'm from the
field In even greater quantity than be
fore. The engineers and chemists are
members of the American Society OF
Civil Engineers, the American lnsti-
tute OF Mining Engineers. the Ameri-
can Society OF Mechanical Engineers,
the American Institute Of Electrical
Engineers and the American Chemical
society. The committee IL inventory.
ing scores Of thousands OF plants to
know exactly how each one of them
can adapt its equipment to produce the
thousands of things. from shells t.
shaving brushes. necessary for the
governments use In an emergency.
There are more than 10000 manufac.
turing concerns in the United States
doing a business OF Over 100000 a
year. and all OF these are being inven.
toried, to say nothing of many smaller
plants with equipment peculiarly suit
ed TO turn ont material for the fightine
line.
Only a few business men have re
fused to give the desired information
usually to yield on a fuller explanation
of the committees purpose and the
country's need.