The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1917-08-29
MAKING CITIES
useful IN war.
How Some munlci pa|ities Are
Organizing Their Resources.
TWO PROMINENT EXAMPLES


Community. wide Steps Toward Or.
aanization and Effectiveness Have
Been Taken In Many Cities Over tho
land-Two Instances Selected, Chi
easo and Dayton.
The country as a whole has respond
ed both promptly and generously to the
unsual demands made by the entrance
Of the United States into the world
wal, says the Town Development Mag
azine. It is Of particular interest, how
ever, to observe the steps taken by
communities and cities as whole to
meet their duty in this emergency and
to provide the most efficient and direct
means Of operation for the accomplish
ment Of the big things which must he
done II America is to do its share In
winning this struggle.
OF course COMMUNICATIVE steps to-
ward organization and effectiveness
have been taken in many cities over
the land. It is impossible here to re-
count the details of all these endeavors,
but two instances are given to show
the plans followed in two cities which
may be regarded as typical. These two
cities are Chicago and Dayton.
Acting as the clearing house for men,
materials, wealth and relief and CO.
operating with the state and national
councils Of defense, the citizens war
board organized recently in Chicago is
already fulfilling its purpose. More
than 800 representative men and wo
men Of Chicago are the incOrporators
and they have gone earnestly at the
task of mobilizing every resource and
energy Of the Chicago district and CO.
ordinating all war activities. 1t is
notable fact that all the incorporators
have pledged themselves to make the
work of the war their primary interest
and not secondary to their daily bust
ness.
Among the first steps to be taken by
this big defense organization are regis
tration of Chicago's man power that all
may be of some service, catalOguing
and mobilization of Chicagos huge in.
dustrial resources for intelligent serv.
ice to an army In the training camp
or In the field, mobilization Of the city's
finances so that its money power may
be laid upon the altar Of service to
country and the marshaling of Chi
cago's overfowing patriotism into an
effective force capable Of spreading It's
influence and enthusiasm where the
greatness of the nations opportunity In
this crisis has not yet been recognized
Harry A. Wheeler, the Chicago bank
CT, who has for years been promineD:
In commercial organization work along
national lines and who was active in
the organization of the war board.
speaks of it thus:
"The war board has in 1t the element
of great service. It will not do for the
citizens Of Chicago to stand on the
side lines and critically observe this
development. The war board has come
into the city's life at time when such
an agency is needed imperatively. and
we should all get into the game and
play it with all our might. Here Is an
enlistment for the term of the war.
open to those who because of age. de-
pendents, physical disability or other
impeachment cannot go to the firing
line
In Dayton, O., an effort is being
made to coordinate and make more
effective the city's war activities
through a committee on war situation
which has been named by the Greater
Dayton association. This committee
is not designed to take over or inter-
fere in any way with the work of the
organizations already in the field for
specific purposes. but is intended to
correlate every local activity Of any
nature pertaining to the war. 1t has
already resulted in tieing together in
one central force every organized body
or representatives of outside organiza
lions having to do with military at
fairs, food problem, agriculture, indus
try and labor, transportation. relief
and any other variety of service. II
was done in the interest of conserva-
ton Of effort. time and money and
with the idea Of inducing cooperation
to the full 100 per cent.
The chairman of the committee IS
the mayor Of the city, and one graft
flying feature has been the fact that
every one asked to serve has agreed to
do So The first definite task complet
ed through the committee has been
the raising Of Dayton's share Of the
liberty loan. Under the committee
there has just been brought together
as working force a group Of citizens
interested in or identified in some way
with the food situation so that sugges-
lions or requests along this line from
Washington or the state capitol can
be handled in the most intelligent and