The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-07-05
PREPAREDNESS IN SIGHT AT LAST

The Council of National Defense was
created by act of Congress, Aug 29, 1916.
1t was composed of six cabinet officers,
Mr.. Baker, Sec'y of War, Mr.. Daniels,
Sec'y of the Navy, Mr.. Lane, Sec'y of
the Interior, Mr.. Houston, Sec'y Of Agri
culture, Mr.. Redfeld, Sec'y of Commerce
and Mr.. Wilson, Sec'y of Labor. Each
one of these men was receiving S12, 900
annually to look after matters connected
with his department. Mr.. Baker and Mr..
Daniels must have realized that the army
and navy would have something to do
with National Defense. All of that
council must have known that council
of National Defense would not have been
created if there was no danger of hos
tile attack. Even the most obtuse mind
would have absorbed the fact that Ma
tional Defense would necessitate prepar-
edness. The President and the people
knew, and this council must have known
that the sinking of American ships and
the drowning of American sailors would
ultimately lead to a declaration of war.
Notwithstanding all this, the above emf
nent Council of National Defense did
not organize for effective work till March
/, 1917, more that six months after it was
created by Congress and only five days
before war was declared. The only i'm
portant business done at the organization
was to appoint subcommittee to find
out what ought to be done and to do the
work The Cabinet Council reserved
only the right to do the praying on the
house tops" We cheerfully give them
credit for appointing a good committee
which is called the Advisory Council of
National Defense. This board is COM
posed of seven men, Daniel Willard, Pres.
of the Baltimore and Ohio R. R., in
charge of transportation, Howard E.
Coffin, Vice Pres. of Hudson Motor Co.
has charge of munitions, motors and
manufactures, Julius RosenwaId, Pres.
of Sears, Roebuck & Co has charge of
purchases of general supplies, DIR. Hollis
Godfrey, Pres of Drexel Institute has
charge of engineering, Dr. Franklin Mar
tin, Sec. Gen. of the American College
of Surgeons is in charge of medi-
cines and surgery Bernard Baruch,
banker, is in charge Of coal and metal
supplies and Samuel Gompers of Labor
supply. These men have no salary and
have secured the services of between
400 and 500 experts, who are giving their
entire time to the weak without renum-
Grafton. Only 80 persons receive salary
and these are clerks and stenographers.
In the meantime the council created by
Congress has elapsed into it's former
condition of uselessness, on salary of
$4,000 a year. The Advisory Council
has been at work about two months and
half and amazing results already show
what American energy, efficiency and
patriotism can accomplish, Our 262, 600
miles of railroad have been modified to
give the government the best possible
service in every emergency The best of
telephone and telegraph service has been
made available. Threatened railroad
strikes have been averted and agreements
made to prevent strikes during the war
Metals such as are required for war pur-
poses have been secured in large guam
titles at reasonable prices. Manufac-
turing plants numbering q, 600 have been
pledged to military service. Arrange
ments have been made for supply of
arms, munitions and for supplies of all
kinds. The manufacture of these is rap
idly progressing.
Air craft manufacturers have been or
ganized so as to operate in the most eff