The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-08
Council of National Defense
By Frederic j. Haslsin. Director
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNE-
INFORMATION BUREAU
WASHINGTON. d c.

Tense here in Washington are the real
heart and brain of America preparing
for war. Great things are going for
ward in the war and navy depart
ments, and almost every government
bureau is contributing some of its
energy and knowledge to the cause;
but these are government agencies
that function as a matter of course.
The Council for National Defense is
the creation of the hour, and in a
real sense it is an expression OF the
country's patriotic CONSCIOUSNESS; Tor
many of the men and organizations
that make it were already enlisted in
the cause of preparedness before the
council was created. So Howard T.
Coffin was chairman of the industrial
preparedness committee when he was
called to his present work; DIR. Martin
already had organized the committee
of American physicians. The council
is largely a coordination of those ef-
forts to organize the nation for war
which hive sprung up spontaneously
all over the country.
Industrial Preparedness.
Industrial preparedness against war
appeals strongly to the American inn
agination. Military service has lost
its glamour for a people who nave
watched three years of useless butch-
cry in Europe; they are ready to nGnt,
but they have no illusions about fight
ing: the war fervor of 1898 is not in
evidence. But a coordination OF the
powers and resources of the nation
so that it may be prepared to act as
unit, a gathering of the national
powers for national blow, is pro-
ject of which both the magnitude ana
the permanent value are~apparent TO
every American. That is why the
Council of National Defense has
grown from a committee appointed by
the president to an organization with
an office force of over a hundred, and
field activities that are spreading IKE
a strawberry vine in May.
The Council of National Defense,
strictly so-called, is merely the bu-
reaucratic figurehead of this organ1za-
ton. 1t consists of six cabinet Off
GERS, who still have all of their usual
duties. Accordingly an advisory COM
mission has been appointed to assist
them, and this advisory commission is
the lobe of the national brain which
is really thinking out the war prob
lem. Its personnel is the best possible
proof that the country is in earnest
about organizing it's industrial forces.
for this movement has drawn to its
aid the very best type of men in the
United States-the type that has al
ways heretofore devoted itself eX
clusively to business and left politics
alone, to the great detriment of poll
tics Daniel Willard, Howard e. COT
fin, Hollis Godfrey, Julius Rosenwald,
Bernard M. Baruch, Samuel Gompers
and Franklin II. Martin are men who
have already made their regulations
or fortunes or both. w. S. Clifford,
son, the secretary of the organization
are also men who have not been iden-
titled with politics.
A Big Deal for Good.
These men have little to gain in
their present work except the salts
faction of putting thru a big deal for
the good of the country. They are as
he
sion appointed by the president" with
its lame ducks and pOmpous pro-
nouncements, as a modern fire engine
is different from the village bucket
without pay, they also serve without
stint. Everyone of them is in his Of
flee in the Munsey building directing
his share of the work
The Council for National Defense is
American business, science and labor
preparing America TO play a powers
part in the world.
But it is more than that. 1t is the
basis of the organization that will di-
rect America in the field of battle.
This commission as it stands has none
but advisory powers. 1t can suggest
to do, and it can collect il formation.
At present that is all Moreover, that
is the trouble. All the inertia of our
unwieldly congress must be overcome,
all the political and bureaucratic red
tape of the departments unwound be-
fore any of the measures recommend
ed by the advisory commission can be
put into effect.
But in this advisory commission the
war executive power which we must
have Il we are to fight is already or
ganized, and constantly perfecting its
organization. 1t is generally accepted
that the administration had Lloyd
Georges council of business man in
mind when it formed this advisory
commission. and that if the nation
takes an active part in the war, it will
be made an executive board. This
could be done either by creating a new
cabinet position for Mr.. Willard, or
by an informal extension of power to
the commission.
1t may be observed that the advisory
commission is constantly extending it's
organization, so that if it should be
endowed with executive powers, its
executive machinery will be complete.
Thus ayfew days ago munitions board
was appointed with membership
of scientific experts. 1t was announced
that this board would prepare NUM-
tions standards to be distributed to
manufacturers who accept government
contracts. In case the United states
sh ould put force in the field. this
standards committee could be convert
ed at once into a munitions board with
rover to make contracts.
y Council of Significance.
So that the Council for National
Defense has even greater significance
for the future than for the present
And in fact, all of its work is directed
toward a much more remote future
than the average citizen realizes With
congress preparing for the universal
service bill. ~and war declared. we are
apt to make the mistake of thinking
we are about to fight. AS matter of
fact, unless somebody, by invading our
home or possessions, knocks off the
chip which we have placed upon our
national shoulder, we will not do any
considerable amount of fighting for
some time to come. We can draft a
million men and train them in less
than a year, but it will take eighteen
months to arm them with rifles. 1t
will require d couple of years to pro-
duce enough big guns to make our