Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-03-25
Will Coordinate Many Items
Deemed Imperative for De-
fenSe of Nation.
NATIONAL COUNCIL HOLDS
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE
President Visits Offices of War and
Navy Secretaries-Underwriters
to Fight Incendiarism.

Having taken virtually every defense
measure possible before the assembling
OF Congress. President Wilson and his
advisers in the executive branch Of the
government are concentrating their ef-
forts to prepare for the more sweeping
steps for which congressional authority
will be sought.
The details Of the steps to be recon-
mended are held in closest confidence.
but officials let it be known yesterday
that among the rest general military
budget, co-ordinating many items OF
expense deemed imperative, will be laid
before the House and Senate when the
extra session begins a week from to-
morrow.
Important Events of Day.
During the day the council Of ma
tional defense held a long conference
with its advisory committee of seven
industrial leaders who have mapped out
mobilization plans for the country's
economic resources: the Navy Depart
ment awarded contracts for twenty
four destroyers and called a conference
Of steel and other material companies
for this week to consider means of
speeding naval construction: the War
Department announced that failure OF
the army appropriation bill at the last
session Of Congress would not be per-
mitted to handicap the armys prep
arations: and regulations were promul-
gated to guide the country's newspa-
pers in voluntary censorship. prevent
ing publication of details which might
embarraSs the government.
President in Close Touch.
With these developments President
Wilson kept in close personal touch
Late yesterday afternoon. after a walk,
he and Mrs. Wilson went to the State,
War and Navy building and paid visits
to Secretary Baker and Secretary Daniels
at their Offices. The talk with the War
Secretary lasted nearly an hour.
In making the awards on destroyers
yesterday Secretary Daniels accepted
the maximum estimate Of each of the
three companies submitting figures or
the twenty-four ordered. nine will be
built under the emergency fund, Con-
gress having specially authorized only
fifteen. A considerable number of other
builders were in conference with Off
cials, however, and indications are that
yesterdays order will be doubled or even
trebled if facilities for construction OF
the vessels can be found.
Secretary Bakers Statement.
Regarding the activities of the War
Department Secretary Baker made this
statement to the newspaper men:
"Of course. everybody knows that the
international situation is tense. The
War Department. like every other de-
partment of the governmnt. is busy with
state of preparation, but without at
tempt on the part of the department or
anybody else to determine what that
preparation is for. except to put our
national strength in state of efficiency.
Everybody realizes that this is
sort of unnatural situation. We are
making preparations and buying sup,
plies and all that sort Of thing, and
yet the policy of the country Is stlli
to be determined by the Legislative
body and just what will happen is to
be determined by the President and
Congress.
Emphasizes Equipment Needs.
All that you can say Of the War
Department is that it is pressing
ahead all purchases of everything that
will be needed to equip an army, If
the army is to be called upon"
In awarding contracts for the
twenty-four destroyers on the same
day that bids were opened the Navy
Department established a precedent
for quick action. All of. the vessels.
which will duplicate the thirty-tive-
knot type already building, VIII be
built on a basis of cost plus 10 per
cent profit Contracts for ten went to
the Union Iron Works. San Francisco:
eight to the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company. Quincy, Mass, and SIX to
william Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia.
Emergency funds provided by Con-
eress are to be used in hurrying these
and other naval vessels to completion.
Builders engaged on battle cruiser
contracts conferred during the day
with the compensation board. which
will allot the emergency appropria-
tions.
In Session All Day.
The council of national defense and
the advisory committee were in ses-
sion virtually all day consideEng re-
ports on what has been accomplished.
1t was stated that an official attached
to the committee. a retired business
man of wide experience, recently had
spent several weeks in the quartermas.
ter's department going over the army
purchasing system. As a result of his
study he has reported to Secretary
tion for the efficiency. zeal and ade-
quacy of the service.
Contracts for quartermaster sup
plies such as clothing. shoes, tentage,
etc. have been placed up to the limit of
availa BILE funds, with a provision for
the automatic extension of the orders
on a large scale as soon as additional
funds are available. In this connection
it was stated officially yesterday that
the country was in a better position to
get quickly an adequate supply of
army rifles than ever before in its his
tory.
General Military Budget.
The general military budget to be
laid before Congress is expected to in
clude many army measures which
failed at the last session. and which
now are being restudied and co-ordi-
mated The nature of any recommended
tions as to changes in army organiza-
ton, such the adoption of a uni
yersal service policy, has not been dis
closed.
A possible new element for the consider
ltion of the national defense council was
allied to its attention during the day by
Richard NJ Bissell and Wilbur z. MALTA
leu of New York, president and general
manager. respectively. Of the national