Evening journal., 1916-09-16


every frontier. AT each frontier ter
minal we're huge unloading platforms
ready. prepared. Yet this is only
single and insufficient example of
what preparedness means when ap-
piled to railroads.
We would not advocate for our
country, tracks dedicated purely to
the prospect OF future war, but we do
believe, If the Government would
cease regarding our railroads as the
logical butt OF legislative jokes and
look upon them as a link. and a very
Important link in the chain of pre-
paredness that the railroads would be
financially able to respond with in
creased facilities to care for the ex-
traordinary need-the readiness for
which has decided the destiny OF
many a nation. Less Of Thou shalt
not" and more of Thou may" will
do all business a world OF good.
And Sc We might go on concerning
our unreadiness in every line OF en-
deavor-iron, steel, chemicals, fer
tilizers, dye-stuffs, explosives, mer-
chant marine, etc.-but space for
bids. As preparedness now stands,
we are planning beautiful protec-
tive roof for our Country's mansion
a roof replete with jutting turrets and
bristling cannon. But we have for
gotten the walls and timbers that
must support this roof. Fortunately
not all Of us have been so forgetful.
The National Marine League is alive
to the situation and is laboring man
fully to correct our erroneous inn
preston of what constitutes prepared
ness on the seas. The National Sc
curity League is working for a better
understanding of the fact that an
army is only a veneer. behind which
must be muscles and sinews stretch
ing throughout the land, before we
can have a true preparedness.
Perhaps there are others working
toward a similar end. We need more.
There can never be too many, for the
spotlight of publicity must be thrown
on the fact that we are building our
preparedness upon the quioksands of
that we are erecting
a false front that will fall like a
house of cards unless the Government
itself unifies and codities our indus
tries in preparation for wartime
needs, and teaches us how to mobilize
these industries-not in a years time
but in a days time in full prepared
ness for the inevitable.
The Fulfillment.
In our April issue (above quoted)
we expressed a wish for an organiza-
ton devoted to the accomplishment OF
an Industrial preparedness in this
country. In this article we unwitt-
ingly cast a shadow OF coming event
for-as we have since learned-eyen
as we phrased that mental spasm,
there was just such an organization
i'm the process of formation.
You will remember that some
months ago the Naval Consulting
Board was created with Thomas Edt-
son as chairman. Since that time this
board has been plugging away, with
very little cheering from the grand
stand, but with its fingers well on the
pulse of military and naval affairs
both here and abroad.
Among the lessons learned from the
struggle across the sea is that multi
tudinous battleships and enormous
armies in themselves are worth moth
ing-they must have behind them the
organized manufacturing plants OF
the country, il they are to operate eff
fectively.
Coincident with the realization Of
this fact, a subcommittee of the Ma
val Consulting Board was appointed,
with Mr.. Howard Coffin, one Of the
gcountry's foremost engineers, as
chairman. For the past few weeks
this new-created Committee on Indus
trial Preparedness has been working
hand in hand with the parent Board
and with the Committee on National
Defense OF the Chamber OF Commerce
OF the United States to bring about a
true-an neutrality-suspicious.
All suggested plans presupposed an
industrial survey Of our Nations pro-
ducing facilities on a scale never be-
fore attempted. The difficulties in the
road OF such a survey at first sight
appeared insurmountable. Thanks to
Mr.. Coffin who knew of our interest
in ttb subject, we have been able to
get his own views Of the matter at
first hand. In the Engineers Build
ing OF New York City. we found him,
and he convinced us that the proposed
survey was not only feasible but that
almost the last detail Of the plans for
its accomplishment had already been
worked out.
"The Committee on Industrial Pre-
paredness," said Mr.. Coffin, will
shortly ask the manufacturers of the
country to cooperate in preparing a
thorough-going inventory Of the
countrys manufacturing resources -
this being the initial step toward the
goal OF Industrial preparedness. With
this survey as a basis, it is planned
to scatter small educational orders
annually among the manufacturers.
that anyone, so desiring. may become
intimately acquainted with the manu-
facture of army and navy supplies.
This step also carries an added ad-
vantage in that the skilled labor Of
the country will become familiar with
the requisites Of successful defense
and will automatically establish an
industrial reserve which will be main
tanned in full operation in the event of
strife. with the full status OF the en-
listed men,"
i Under ordinary circumstances such
an inventory would consume years OF
time and thousands OF dollars, but the
answer to this problem has been sup
piled by 10000 OF the country's fore
most engineers offering their time
and services gratuitously for this
| work