New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-23

every day IL is the expectation Of Di-
rector Clifford TO take over two addi-
tional floors within the next month.
The war business headquarters is in
PRODUCING a new procedure into gov
ernmental administrative practice. At
the Offices Of the council there is no
eight-hour day in vogue; rather is
there activity Of the downtown New
York business Office type from early
morning until late night, and Sunday
furnishes no exception.
The Munitions Board, headed by Mr..
Scott. meets every morning at S:15
o'clock, a heretofore unheard Of hour
for governmental work to begin. On
the Munitions Board there is a civilian,
who is at once a diplomat and a capable
business man. securing harmonious
progress with an organization IN
which are represented the army, the
navy and the civilian business man.
Middlemen Are Barred
One OF the cardinal rules operating
in the supply Office of the council, over
which presides Julius Rosenwald, is
THE middlemsn need not apply" The
/, government is going to do business
with the manufacturer direct, Mr.. Ro-
senwsld will tell you, and the middle
man who comes around looking Tor
business is wasting his time.
Howard f. Coffin, who standardized
the American motor industry, has un-
dertaken standardizing the aeroplane
industry for Uncle Sam. There are
100000 motors in the United States,
as compared with only 100000 in all
the rest of the world. This great prog
ress of the American motor industry
is due in large measure, il is said, to
Mr.. Collins genius in Standardization.
1t is predicted that when his talents are
turned TO similar development Of the
aeroplane industry America will forge
to the front command of the air as well.
Theodore n. Vail, president of the
American Telephone Company. has ar
ranged for Uncle Sans wire connec-
tions to radiate without delay or OBJ
struction from Washington to the most
remote sections of the country, and Mr..
Vail succeeded in accomplishing some
thing for the government that he could
not do for his own company-he Sc
cured the hearty cooperation of all in
dependent telephone organizations.
Gives Up 100000 Income
Herbert C. Hoover, now en- route 70
this country to assume his new duties,
is giving up an income Of S2OO,OOO a
wear as mining engineer to serve uncle
Sas as food councillor.
First the government modified the
talents of Big Business. Secondly, Big
Business began to mobilize the nation
al resources for uses of war. Through
the advisory commission the govern
ment now is reaching into commercial,
industrial and banking organizations,
into the shops and laboratories, and
taking therefrom experts in processes
of manufacture, organizers, inventors,
engin -ers, buyers and masters OF trans
portation problems. Most of them vol
unteered their services.
Suppose a genius in executive detail
is wanted. Some member of the com
! mission has one in his own business,
telegraphs for him and lends his ser
vices to the government Suppose
scientific buyer is wanted. Mr.. Rosen-
valid commanders out of his Chicago
organization the best one there is and
hires him into the government service
at 81 a day.
The Council of National Defence was
created by act of Congress June 3,
1916. Under the law of its being it is
! empowered through the head of any
department of the government" to or
work in favor Of a government con-
tract. to produce the kind and quality
Of goods needed by the government and
to accept reasonable price for them,
as determined by the Secretary of War.
In case of refusal the President may
take possession of the plant or plants
and turn them over for operation to the
ordnance department of the United
States army, and the recacitrant head
Of the industry may be punished by inn
prisonment for not more than three
years and by a fine not exceeding
$4,000.
Sweeping Power Made Effective
To make this sweeping power efec-
tive and for the coordination of in
dustries and resources for the national
security and welfare" the Council of
National Defence was created by an act
. Of Congress, the army appropriation
act, approved August 90, 1916. This
! Council of National Defence is simply
a committee of the Presidents Cabinet,
comprising the Secretaries of War, Of
E the Navy, of the Interior, of Agricult-
c ure. the Secretary of Commerce and the
: Secretary Of Labor-the heads of those
departments, in other words, most di-
rectly involved in the mobilization Of
the nations resources for war.
The same act provides for an ad-
4 visory commission, consisting of seven
, industrial experts, which shall work
for and with the Council Of National
Defence. II is further enacted:
: THAT 1t shall be the duty Of the
Council of National Defence 10 super
wise and direct Investigations and make
recommendations to the President and
the heads of executive departments as
: to the location of railroads with refer.
ence TO the frontier of the United
States so as to render possible eXpedi-
tious concentration Of troops and sup.
plies at points of defence; the cOor.
dination OF military, industrial and
commercial purposes in the location of
extensive highways and branch lines Of
: railroad; the utilization Of waterways;
the mobilization Of military and naval
resources for defence; the increase Of
domestic production Of articles and ma
terials essential TO the support Of
armies and Of the people during the
interruption of foreign commerce; the
development of seagoing transporta-
ton; data as to amount, location.
method and means of production and
availability of military supplies; the
I giving of information to producers and
manufacturers as to the class of sup
plies needed by the military and other
services Of the government, the re-
quirements relating thereto, and the
creation of relations which will render
possible in time of need the immediate
concentration and utilization of the re-
sources Of the nation"
The Council of National Defence has
il within Its power, subject 20 the
Presidents approval, TO conscript in
dustry 10 compel any manufacturer in
. I tka 20 adolt,or - eooI.v