South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-05
COOPERATION IS
NEEDED FOR WAR
Intensified Coordination Be-
tween Forces and Factor
les is Essential.
international News Service:
by Victor Elliott.


WASHINGTON. May 5.-When
congress gets through wrangling
over the number Of soldiers and
dreadnaughts essential 70 adequate
preparedness it still will have before
it the important problem Of estab-
Iishing coordination between the
government and private industry TO
bring about the highest degree OF
efficiency in munitions production
when war comes.
The theory that modern war is
fought as much in the munitions
factories as on the dTing line has
been emphasized by the present
worId-war. according 10 army OBJ
servers. The army war college, pro-
ceeding on this theory, has pre-
pared a comprehensive program Of
recommendation for legislation to
provide mobilization OF industries
and utiliza don Of the commercial
and industrial resources of the ma
ton for war purposes
The main points in the program
are:
/. That that president be en-
powered. through any head Of de-
partment Of bureau Of the govern
ment in addition 10 the present au-
thorized methods Of purchase or
procurement in time Of war or i'm
pending war, TO place an order with
any individual or company or or
gained industry for such product or
material as may be required, and
which is Of the nature and kind usu-
ally produced or capable OF being pro-
duced by such firm or company.
,. That compliance with all such
orders or demands for service shall
be obligatory on the part of the in
dustries concerned. and shall take
precedence over all other orders
and contracts when =, the opinion
of the president the conditions war
rant
3. That the compensation shall
be fair and just and shall result in
a reasonable profit to the industry
concerned. as shown by the bill Of
expenses.
T. That there shall be authorized
and established a board or commits
sion on mobilization of Industries
essential TO military preparedness,
nOn-pOlitical in nature. and includ-
ing in its membership representa-
tives of the government selected
by the president. and skilled rep
resentatives of industries, either per-
by the industries concerned, and
tina necessary secretaries and cleri-
cal assistants whose duty it shall
be to organize and coordinate the
work TO fully meet all requirements
OF the government service.
The army war college has been
giving careful study to the problem
OF industrial mobilization as solved
by the European countries now at
war. Control of output, down TO
the most minute detail I'm private
industry. has been taken over by es-
pecially appointed commissions of
the government in every country.
Instances are daily occurring"
says the war college. where efforts
and plans of the government on ex-
perimentation and development
work are being hamPered delayed.
and even thwarted from lack Of au-
thority to demand reasonable and
certain response on the part Of com
mercial industries
During the Spanish-American
war in 1898. the sidings and often
the main lines of the railroads lead
ing to Tampa. Fla, were choked
and blocked even way back into
Georgia. Ammunition, guns. and
even troops were held up and de-
layed. Perishable supplies were
rotting the tracks: and with all this
the railroads persisted in maintain
ing and giving preference to its To-
cal passenger and freight service.
This condition existed in an aggra-
waited form even between Tampa
and Port Tampa. the port of en-
barkation. and the government
either failed or was helpless under
the law to compel preference Of ser
vice"
A more recent instance OF the lack
of team work" between the gov
eminent and the railroads occurred
when a battery Of the third field ar
tiuery left San Antonio under emer-
gency orders COR Fl Paso TO meet a
reported hostile movement in force
on that city from Mexico. For no
apparent reason the train was side
tracked fer the regular traffic and
arrived at destination over u hours
late.