The Washington times., 1916-01-17
New Mobilization System to En-
list Every Factory That Can
Make War Supplies.
RAILROADS ALSO A FACTOR
Scientific Engineers to Unite in
Gigantic System Like That
Of Germany.

The Secretary OF the Navy has Just
made public details Of the plans OF
President Wilson and himself for
mobiiizing the Industrial resources Of
the country, including transportation,
in time OF war. That these plans were
TO be Formulated was announced yes
terday through the medium Of q letter
from President Wilson TO w. L. saun-
ders, Of New York. president of ttpp
American Institute OF Mining E.,
,gineers, in which the society was ask
ed to nominate a representative from
its membership for each State of the
resentatiyes from four other technical
societies TO assist the naval consult
ing board in the work of collecting
data for use in organizing the manu-
featuring resources of the country
for the public service in case OF en-
ergency. The four other technical
organizations which are asked to CO.
operate are the American Society OF
Mechanical Engineers, the American
Society of Civil Engineers, the Ameri-
can Institute of Electrical Engineers.
and the American Chemical Society.
Inslffs annual address to Congress- on
December President Wilson indi-
Gated that he might ask for small
appropriation to carry into effect the
suggestion he made for arranging to
mobilize the economic resources OF
the country in any time OF national
necessity. The invitation to the hve
technical societies to cooperate with
the Government to that end Is the
outcome Of recent consideration given
to the best means OF adopting the plan
which the President had in mind when
he prepared his address.
Plan In Operation.
The details Of the plans for Industrial
mobilization show that the movement
has already been put into operation in
part through the committee on pro-
duction. organization. manufacture and
Standardization OF the naval consulting
| board. Members of the flve technical
societies are serving on the naval con-
/ sulting board. and a representative OF
each society is member OF this COM
\ mittee. The committee has had several
/ meetings, and after consulting with Sec
retary Daniels outlined the plans which
were stated in President Wilson's letter
/ to President Saunders. and the presl-
dents Of other technical organizations.
Briefly, the plans contemplate the
| gathering of information that will en-
able the Government to know instantly
/ In case OF war Just where 1t can obtain
I-all the additional supplies that II will
need to provide for fits military and ma
val forces the Binews OF waf-mupftiQns
clotalng.s foods. and the host Of other
things that would be required to equip an
army, In addition, the number OF loco
L III
ger and freight. will be ascertained from
the railroads. and to a certain extent
4 the Government will have at hand In
formation that win enable It to know
in advance how II will be able to
transport troops and supplies.
Like German System.
The plans approximate those which
Germany has had in operation for many
years. In his statement Secretary DAN
iels said that zone ofthe belligerent coun-
tries now engaged in war" an appar-
ent reference to Germany. sis utiliSing
about SO per cent of its industries in
producing material for the army and
navy" The United States Government.
he said. would seek to do the same
thing.
The plans provide for fulfilling. in
part at least. the dream of military
and naval officers In this country who
were impressed for q long time prioE
to the European conflict with the ad-
vantage of the German system of max
ing Industrial resources capable of inn
mediate mobilization in the event OF
hOstinties.