Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-01
Council OF National Defense
Practical Patriots
Ru Ercdorac I HncLi,
By Frederic J. HaSkin

Washington, April 28-Julius Rosenwald OF
Chicago, the member of the advisory commission
to the Council OF National Defense whose special
duty is to advise in regard to the purchase of
supplies and his first assistant, Charles Eisemann.
are walking refutations OF the idea that the Ameri-
can business man is too engrossed in his business
to concern himself with ideals of patriotism. The
entire advisory commission for that matter is
proof that the American business man is ready
to serve his country, but Mr.. Rosenwald and Mr.,
Eisemann express this attitude in their words as
well as their work.
To them this emergency is an opportunity for
the development OF a new nationalism in the
United States. As Mr. Eisemann phrases it,
America must discover new soul; ii must meet
this situation in a new spirit. The question each
American must ask is not the old one. What can
my government do for me! but the new one,
What can do for my government? Modern war
fare, he observes affords splendid opportunity
for every one regardless of age sex or occupa-
ton, to do his bit for his country, and if the
nation is to meet this emergency successfully
every one must do his bit in the spirit OF
soldier.
Such in brief are the ideals OF these men. Their
practical task is the buying of textiles and organ
izing industries to fill the need OF the government.
1t is one for which they are well fitted as Mr..
Rosenwald is president OF Sears, Roebuck & Co.
and Mr.. Eisemann is successful manufacturer.
triotic service literally and vigorously
ut would not be serious" says Mr. Eisemann,
If some OF these manufacturers should lose a
few per cent of their profits for the man that goes
out and gets killed loses 100 per cent of all he's
got"
Mr.. Rosenwald personally believes that the
opportunities of men who would speculate in
situation like the present one should be limited
by law. Cotton prices, for example he thinks are
high enough and he believes that If they are made
to rise through speculation they should be brought
down by proper legislation.
He admits that to clothe several million SOL
ders within the next year and still enable wooden
mills to fill their orders for civilian goods may
very likely be impossible. But the uniforms must
be made first; he has tried to impress on the
wooden men that he expects them to accept the
government orders at reasonable profit and let
the civilian orders take second place. 1t is quite
possible. he thinks, that we may have to start
national habit of wearing old clothes for while
sort of wear your-last-year s-suit-again move
ment. The shiny coat and frayed trousers may
become uniform of civilian patriotism. Mr.. Ro
senwald believes that direct coordination of pro-
Queer. manufacturer and the government is the
method by which present emergency needs can
best be supplied quickly and cheaply.
DR.. Franklin H. Martin, who is commissioner
for medicine and general sanitation, is Chicago
physician and surgeon who has shown unusual
dDHlty as an organizer, HAVING Dcen a moving
spirit in many of the associations and congresses
OF the medical profession in this country. He is
assisted by DR.. Frank F. Simpson. The task Of
these men is to locate and organize the medical
resources Of the country so that the government
can obtain what it wants without delay or search
ing. Men, medicines, instruments and hospitals
are the four chief factors in an army medical Or
ganization and they are dealing with all of them.
One Of the most difficult problems they have to
face is that OF finding the men needed by the
army without depriving the civilian population of
the amount OF medical attention it needs. This
will be done chiefly by using the younger mem
bers OF the profession for army work and by
using every precaution not to deprive any To-
cality OF all OF its doctors.
In addition to the commissioners who have
been alluded to in this and two preceding let
tiers the Council for National Defense has two
paid officials who direct and coordinate all of its
efforts. w. S. Clifford, the director. is an officer
OF the American Telephone and Telegraph COM
pany, who has taken leave of absence from his
regular work to accept his present position. He
demonstrated his ability as an industrial organizer
by supervising the work of the committee on in
dustrial preparedness of the naval consulting
board.
Grosvenor B. GARRISON, the secretary of the
council is New York business man and for
mer journalist, He was also associated with
Howard Coffin in the industrial preparedness
work OF the naval consulting board.