Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-30
COULD TURN OUT
MANY WAR GOODS
Attempt to Inventory Resources
of Country Virtually
Completed.
ALL THE STATES COVERED
Information Is Obtained From
Thousands of Manufac-
turing Concerns.
ALL THE STATES COVERED


In an attempt TO mobilize Americas
resources for war, is now virtually COM
pieted' according TO an announcement
to-day by Chairman Howard r Coffin
OF the committee on industrial pre-
paredness Of the Naval Consuming
Board OF the United States, who has
the work in charge JUS, how plants
the country over can adapt their equip
ment to produce the thousands of
things, from shells to shaving brushes
necessary for the governments use In
national emergency has been worked
out with the most extreme care
through field reports from engineers
ana chemists who are members OF the
American Society of Civil Engineers.
American institute Of Mining Engi-
neers, American Society Of Mechanical
Engineers. American Institute OF Elec-
trical Engineers and American Chemi-
cal Society.
Coinc!dent with the announcement
comes the statement from Chairman
Coffin that Congress has practically
completed legislation which will carry
out the committees entire program for
establishing firm and enduring foun-
dation for the nations defense. This
viii provide for the sending Of annual
educational orders 10 American manu-
facturers in order to teach them dur
Ing peace how TO turn out the military
and naval supplies needed in an emer-
gency. An industrial reserve will also
be created. so that in time OF war the
skilled mechanic may be kept at work.
where his services are most valuable.
instead Of being sent to the firing line.
Both the inventory and the legisla-
ton growing out of /, are the result
of a renarka BILE three-nionths' cam
paign made by a volunteer unpaid or
OF business men and engi-
neers 1t marks a new era in the re-
lations Of the engineer. the manufac-
turer and tn. citizen generally IN the
: safeguarding Of the national govern
ment, a. we'll a. much closer CO.
between various govern
mental agencies In many states un-
developed resources have been CLASH
tnd an! given publicity and new in
aust.ics are promised the result OF
Information gathered
III siN!:SS MEN SHOW
SPIRIT OF COOPERATION
Business men the country over re-
ceivcd the investigators with the great
a few cases did they refuse TO give
the desired information. and then
usually under misunderstanding OF
the committees plans, which was
quickly cleared VI. over 10000 con-
Germs, each doing an annual business
OF over 100000 were classified. in ad-
dition to many smaller plants with
equipment peculiarly suited to turn
,.l 10 No ~ line
the time cl the Mexican crisis. Chair
man Coffin sent out urgent kilograms
to the chairmen OF all state boards
urging all possible haste, and secre-
tary Of War Baker detailed five rcgu-
lar army officers, two OF them members
of the general staff, 20 the committee
h "a dquarters in New York Instances
from State reports follow:
From Alabama. Chairman Sewell.
while reporting considerable apathy
towards military affairs. says that
manufacturing and par
ticularly mineral problems, with es-
pecial reference 70 coke deposits for
high explosives. have been gone into
He believes this will be Of
incalculable benefit in classifying great
resources, particularly in
Northern Alabama
Arizona, the first State to complete
its returns, offered splendid co-opera-
ton. according to Chairman John c.
Greenway. who said the manufacturers
looked upon the annual educational
orders with great favor
Colorado will be greatly benefited by
the survey. according to Chairman r.
b Moore. as local industry will he able
to develop much greater elasticity and
many new resources till now unknown
will be developed Chairman Samuel
of Connecticut. reports that
there at first looked
askance at the plan. owing to previous
unsatisfactory business relations with
the government. bit that this had been
broken down by personal contact.
a permanent cooperation. new in
affairs. between the MILL
tary service. the technical bureaus Of
the government and the committee, has
been the direct result in the District
of Columbia. according to Chairman
Parsons. The development of char
coal industry in Florida. whore now
almost none is produced, is fore
Swallowed in the report of Chairman
OF that state.
Illinois presented one of the heaviest
tasks OF the survey. for in Chicago
alone over 500 chemical and metallurgi-
cal plants had to be inventoried. Chair
man Frederick *. Copeland spoke en-
of cooperation extended
by the Chicago Association of Com
merce and the Illinois manufacturers.
Indiana. according to Chairman
Barnard, can supply enough canned
food for any army that the country
could ever put into the field. In addi-
ton. there are large supplies OF meat,
bareback and biscuits. as we'll as acid
and automobile plants convertible to
manufacture.
MANY LARGE PLANTS
INvENTORIED IN KANSAS
Chairman Wilcox, OF Iowa, reports
that surprisingly large, number of
industrial plants have been inventoried
In that great agricultural State, es-
pecially railroad shops. Kansas.
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