The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-15

tials of practical preparedness, Mr..
Coffin said, attention Is to be given
to the placing Of small orders with
such plants that they may begin to as
semble the machinery necessary, and
instruct their workmen in the making
of these articles, so that In case Of an
emergency the arrangements can turn
quickly and effectively to such tasks
on/a big scale.
Educating Producing Resources.
The question of the education Of pro-
ducing resources has been given close
attention by Mr.. Coffin and those en-
gagged with him in the council of ma
tional defense. 1t has been agreed
among members of the council that a
policy involving small, educational or
ders is the one to pursue at this time,
and this policy has been fully adopted.
Mr.. Coffin has been placed in charge of
committee which will have to do with
manufacturing establishments and mu-
nitions plants.
Mr.. Coffin is now giving his close at
Itention to the practical carrying out OF
this idea for the introduction Of the
craftsmanship of the munition maker
into manufacturing establishments
which have never previously made mu-
cede all other steps along this line. As
result the factory which Is now en-
gagged in the making Of automobiles
will not be called upon to make a de-
parture sufficiently radical to inter-
fere with its usual operations, but 1t
, will be urged to turn attention to a
limited extent to small government or
ders of particular kind for which 1t
will be paid the prevailing prices for
such manufactures.
So numerous have the automobile
factories OF the country become, and
so extensively are they operating, that,
while some, might, should war come,
be continued as manufacturers Of au-
tomobiles of various types. alone, q
very large proportion of them would
doubtless be called upon to convert
their plants into the making Of NUM-
tons or parts OF munitions.
Accessory Makers Part.
Naturally, according to Mr.. Coffin.
the accessory manufacturers would be
most apt to be relied upon for the max
ing of fuses and other small munitions
parts. The lack OF plants equal to the
task OF turning out airplanes in any
considerable numbers today would
mean almost certainly that this worn
would fall upon the automobile manu-
facturers. The same would be true as
to motor boats.
This being true, the time required to
over from a peace to war footing
would depend upon the extent to which
they had given attention to the educa-
ton OF their employees along the lines
suggested to them by Mr.. Coffin and
his aids. Mr.. Coffin made it plain in
his talk that manufacturers would not
be called upon to do an unreasonable
lot of work for the federal government
in turning out the articles for which
orders would be given them, but only
enough to result in training a sufficient
number of men along specific lines Of
manufacture to form the nucleus for
a larger force to work under the direc-
ton of these craftsmen.
Mr.. Coffin presided over a meeting Of
defense societies representing all Sec
tions OF the country on a call issued by
him. The object of this meeting. as
explained in the call, was to form a
national organization which would
work In harmony with the smaller and
more compact body, the council of ma
tional defense, and to aid the members
of the latter organization in carrying
out plans for mobilizing the industries
of the country, on which they have
been working for months. National
headquarters win be established in
Washington by the new body.