Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-13
u. s. MAKES READY
FOR WAR FOOTING
Railroads Available for Military
Use in Twenty-four
Hours

WASHINGTON. Feb. 13.--rhe United
States is rapidly preparing for war-if it
comes
Arrangements whereby the railroads of
the nation can be placed on n war footing
within twenty-four hours II necessary were
begun this afternoon by Government off,
cials cooperating with the American Rail-
way Association. Daniel G. willard head
of the Baltimore and Ohio, president or
the Railway Association and member of the
Presidents Council of National Defense
held conference with Government officials.
A committee of expert engineers of the
Railway Association will shortly be ap-
pointed to take up with Government eX-
perts detailed plans for the procedure to
be followed if war comes
Army men, railway heads, navy officials.
heads of the biggest industrial plants in
the world the head Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor. perhaps the largest or
ganization of its kind in the world; the
financial kings, have mapped out IN almost
complete detail plans for mobilization not
only of men and munitions but of labor,
capital, transportation facilities and all
things that would go to make for strength
and power behind as well 'the front"
Preparations for quick mobilization CT
Uncle Sans military and industrial
sources took definite shape today at a sec
ond meeting of the Council Of National De-
fense, which was attended by Secretaries
Baker, Daniels Redfield and Wilson.
Brigadier General William Kuhn, mill
tary attache in Germany at the outbreak OF
the great war, detailed at length the sys-
TEN by which Germany mobilized her men
and materials.
L. S. Stettenius, of Morgan G. Co, who
has handled the details Of all purchases in
this country for the Entente Allies. will
tell the council tomorrow of the best way
for mobilizing supplies.
Special committees were appointed to
handle the various angles of the work.
The committee on labor will be headed
by Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation of Labor
Transportation and communication is
in charge of President Willard.
Science and research, including engi-
neering and educational problems, will be
handled by Commissioner Hollis Godfrey
of the council and president Of Drexel In
sttute, Philadelphia.
Bernard Baruch will be in charge of
rounding up raw materials, minerals and
metals.
Munitions. manufactures and work OF
standardizing industrial professor for war
will be In charge of Howard f, Coffin, of
Detroit, president of the Hudson Motor Car
Company.
The rounding up Of supplies including
food, clothing, etc, will be under the drec-
tion of julius Rosenwald, of Sears, Roebuck
& Co. ,ag tyEMM
Medicine and problems Of general sanIta-
tion will be handled by a committee under
Commissioner Martin.
Mr.. Willard said today that he held a
meeting yesterday in New York with the
heads of fifteen of the largest railway lines
of the country at which It was decided to
make the American Railways Association
the instrument for handling all transporta-
tion of men and supplies.
~ - ,...tt
be organized in each of the four military
departments-northern, southern, eastern
and western-and the problems of each de-
partment's transportation problems will be
worked out by each divisional committee
President Harris, of the American AS
ISOLATION of Electric Railway Lines, an
today that the electric lines were
ready TO cooperate in any work. so that
transportation cav be made continuous
from electric TO steam roads and vice versa