Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-17
President Working on
Plan Outlined to Con-
gress, in Preparation
for Emergency
SENDS LETTERS
ASKING FOR DATA
Would Have All Business and
Industrial Strength in Posi-
ton to Give Quick Assistance

Washington, Jan. 16.-President
Wilson has begun work to put in OBJ
Grafton the plan he outlined in his last
message to Congress for preparing the
nations manufacturing, railroad and
other business resources for quick
mobilization in case of emergency. 1t
became known tonight that he has
written to the heads of all the prln-
cipal engineering organizations asking
that they appoint representatives TO
collect data for use in organizing busl-
ness for national defense, in time OF
danger.
The letters went to the presidents OF
the American Institute of Mining En-
| gineers, the American Society OF Me-
chanical Engineers. the American So
ciety of Civil Engineers, the American
Institute of Electrical Engineers and
the American Chemical Society. The
work of collecting data will be carried
on by the representatives of these or
carnations in connection with the
naval consulting board.
| When the plans tentatively drawn
up by the President and his advisers
are completed, machinery VIII De set
| going which is expected to place III
the hands of the government complete
| information regarding business and IN
dustrial resources which would have
! to he called to the assistance OF the
| army and navy in time OF war.
| When the President addresses the
Railroad Business Association ban
ouet on Jan. 81 he is expected to re-
| fer TO the ACCESSIBILITY of having these
! railroads and concerns which manu-
faciure railroad suppress, 7ro-operate
! in the general mobilization plans. me
army war college already has IN us
nossession much data necessary 1or
| tho nroper movement of troops over
railroads in time of war, but the ad-
ministration desires the active ASSIST
ance of railroad executives and man
ufacturers in completing this fund OIL
information and keeping it up TO date
/ George A. Post, president VI .ho
Railroad Business Association, mas IN
formed the President that his organl-
, cation is willing to cooperate IN TINS
work in every way possible. Other Or
carnations Of business and pro1eS-
s;o,a1 men will be asked to help. the
administration wants at It's cor~haho
a complete inventory of all the asef-
cies needed by the nation should II 8"
| to war.
The organizations asked by the Presi-
dent to appoint representatives 70 alo III
collection of mobilization rata are among
those that nominated members for the
naval consulting board which has APP
nonted a committee to help in carrying
out the Presidents plan.
Secretary Daniels in statement TO-
night Celebrating on the navy's part IN
the program pointed out that the I'VE
eneineering organizations represent a
membership of $1,000 technical men par
ticularly fitted to perform this class OF
work in an intelligent and dlslnterested
manner
| I'm a nutshell" said Mr.. Daniels, the
course proposed is to do in time OF peace
quietly, efficiently and thoroughly, the
very things which all of US know must
be done to achieve preparedness and thus
prevent tremendous losses in lives and
| money possible if they are postponed un-
| til an outbreak of hostilities. In snort
| it is proposed, through the utilization OF
! the membership of these societies, 20 OIL
| up the great wheels of industry and keep
! them turning in the interest of the gov
eminent, prepared at any and all times
| to speed up in time of need
The plan involves board of five engi-
| neers in each state OF the Union, one
from each of the societies. TINS Will
cover civil engineering, mining and met
allurgical engineering. and mechanical
electrical and chemical work, which prac'
tically reaches the entire field. Each one
of the men will be appointed at the re-
| quest of the President of the Uniteo
States, being first nominated by the So
| ciety of which he is member. On ap'
prevail by the secretary of the navy ne
will receive his official appointment ano
become an assistant member of the ma
val consulting board, working through
the committee of the board.
.These five men in each state will
form the nucleus of the organization
In each state. They Will be asked 10
select members of their societies from
all parts of the state and will furnish
them with blank forms on which Will
lbe a true inventory of our country's
producing and manufacturing re-
lsources. including transportation. The
information given upon these forms
will be used by the civilian consulting
board and by the government of the
United States in perfecting the ma
tional industrial organization neces-
sary to the plans for defense.
"Once having the data. the purpose
is to lay this before the government
Continued on. Page +Col. 81