Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-17
WILL INVESTIGATE
HAWAII RESOURCES
IN Event OF WAR
Local Members of American
Society of Civil Engineers
Asked to Act
PART OF NATI0N-W WIDE
INDUSTRIAL INVENTORY"
Information to Be Confidential
and Turned Over to War
and Navy Departments

Hawaii's industrial resources as
they would be available in wartime
are to be investigated and modified
on paper" within the next few months
by local business and professional
men. -
Members here OF the American So
ciety of Civil Engineers have receiy-
ed from the New York headquarters
of the society a letter sent through
out the United States informing them
OF an early Industrial inventory OF
Uncle Sans manufacturing and pro-
ducing resources. As one important
section of the United States, Hawaii
is included in this nationwide inVes-
tigation.
The information 70 be collected will
be confidential and will be turned
over to the war and navy departments
for their use, as the letter says, in
formulating plans through which ev-
cry resource Of this nation may, In
time OF emergency, be enlisted quick
ly In government service.
The letter received by local mem
bers of this big engineering society
is signed by Elmer l.. Corthell, presi.
dent, and Charles Warren Hunt, secre-
tary. It says that within the next 30
days the society is to begin this indus
trial inventory "at the direct request
OF the president Of the United States.
Besides the American Society OF Civil
Engineers, there are cooperating the
American Institute of Mining Engi-
peers. the American Society OF Mech
anical Engineers, the American insu-
tute OF Electrical Engineers and the
American Chemical Society.
Instructions and inventory forms
Will reach the local investigators
through the mails.
European Wars Lessons.
The letter says in part:
Nearly two years Of the European
struggle has taught us that we must
revise our entire previous conception
of war. A failure on the part OF for
eign countries to perfect plans calmly
and efficiently in time Of peace has
led to such economic confusion and to
such fatal delay in industrial mobiliza-
ton that the costs both in. lives and
money may be counted only by the
millions. We have learned that or
ganized industry is the bedrock upon
which we must build our defensive
structure"
In Hawaii, 1t is pointed out by
those familiar with the situation, some
OF the lines of investigation might be
about as follows:
Possibilities for utilizing local iron
works, machine-shops and ship-buRd-
ing plants in time of war.
Plans for turning motor-cars and
trucks over to military authorities In
emergencies.
Use of fertilizer plants for manu-
facture of chemicals used in muni.
tions and possibilities for securing
services of skilled plantation and ex.
pertinent station chemists.
Problem of food supplies here, what
can be stored and what raised. both
for human population and for AMI
mails.
These are only a few Of the many
factors under the head Of "manufac-
turing and producing resources" which
the engineers are asked to investi-
gate.
How the Investigation will be under
taken is still question. II is expect
ed that the written instructions will
come very shortly One conjecture
was made this morning that the Ha-
waiian Engineering Association might
be asked to cooperate.