Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-23
BEAy YER
AS WAR NIENACES
Nations Energy Bent on
Preparations for Opening
Of Conflict
DEFENSE COUNCIL BUSY
Navy Construction, Munitions,
Transportation and Industry
All Speed UP
From a sior Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March q


Preparedness for war with Germany.
ranging from immediate construction of
i've t25. 900 900 battle, cruisers to the stand
ardIxaton of lenses for feldglasses Will
be considered at joint meeting tomorrow
Of the Council of National Defense and
the Advisory Council. The meeting viii
be held at the war Department. Secre.
tary of War Baker Is chairman of the Ma
tional Council, which is made up of six Cab
met officers. The Advisory Commission 10
made up of military experts and heads OF
big Industrial enterprises.
81. Special attention is being given at this
time to the question of industrial pre-
paredness. the ability of the manufacturing
concerns to produce the wide range OF equip
mert necessary to put any army of at least
1000, 900 in the field. Various private or
limitations, which do not have even a
Quasi-oficial standing are preparing to CO.
operate with the Government.
DEFENSE COUNCIL
4 The six Cabinet officers who compose the
Council of National Defense are: Secre-
7 taries of War, Navy. Labor, Agriculture
Commerce and Interior
Y The Council is aided in it's duties by Ad-
visory Commissions appointed by. the
President who are Daniel Willard, presi-
dent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
chairman: Howard Il. Coffin, vice president
Of the Hudson Motor Company DR.. Hollis
Godfrey, president of Drexel Institute, Phil
adelphia; Samuel Gompers, president OF
American Federation of Labor Julius Ros-
enwald. president Sears. Roebuck & Co.
Chicago DR.. Franklin II. Martin, Chicago !;
Bernard NJ. Baruch, New York city.
4 With view to handling every phase of
the war situation through men expert in
their individual lines, the advisory commit
tee has appointed the following committee
ehairmen:
Trap pSnDrtatiOp and communication.
Mr.. willard.
Munitions. manufacturing, including
$ Standardization and industrial rela-
lions, Mr.. Coffin.
Supplies including food and clothing,
Mr.. Rosenwald
Raw materials, minerals and metals,
Mr. Baruch.
'2s Labor including conservation of
heath and welfare of workers, Mr..
Qompers.
MEDICINE, including general SANTA
tion, Doctor Martin.
Science and research. including en-
cheering and education, Doctor God
frey.
The several chairmen have named sub
committees and these subcommittee have
worked out the details necessary in case
Of war in their every phase.
NAVY WORK RUSHED
Activity in all lines of preparedness,
especially the rushing of plans to place the
navy in perfect condition for mobilization
and strengthening it in accordance with the
speeding up plans authorizing the expendi-
ture of S115, 900, 000 are under way.
All the citizens advisory committees are
working night and day and splendid CO.
operation is being given by men of affairs.
The representatives of the large shipbuildng
Arms, Cramp, the New York Shipyards,
Newport News and Fore River will confer
tomorrow with Secretary Daniels about the
building of the battle cruisers and the time
In which they can be constructed with the
suspension of the eight-hour day.
At the same time the smaller shpbuiiders
rs well as the large ones. will be in con-
ference on the building of submarines.
The last naval bill authorized the build
ing Of fifteen destroyers and the navy will
build as many more as the capacity of the
yards will permit.
Conferences with the steel makers will
be held next Monday, and these concerns
will be asked as have been the shipbuid-
ers to turn seventy per cent of their ca
pacity over to the Government. In case
t,ey do not do SO, and the shipyards do
net cooperate to the limit with the Gov.
ernment's steel concerns. both will be com,
mandeered. as provided by the recent act.