The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-08
MOBILIZATION OF
The INDUSTRIES.
FOR war THEME
OF LANES REPORT
Secretary Describes How
Peaceful Democracy Has
Been Transformed
CONFUSION rs
NOT SURPRISING
America Must be Trustee
of Social and Political
Ideals
CBy Associated Press.)

Washington, Dec. S.-ln his an
nual report published today, Sec
rotary Lane, in characteristically
striking phrases. portrays the tran
sition of a peaceful democracy into
a nation organized for war. Posses
sion of resources alone he warns the
country does not win wars and re-
counting the enormous progress
made on every hand declares the
physical stores of the United States
are almost completely at command
of the worlds needs.
what can you do to serve? ."
quotes the secretary. ITO that ques-
ton each individual and each de-
partment Of the government must
give answer. The answer OF this de-
partment is that it has put every
agency and activity which it has at
the service of those departments
more directly concerned with war
making. Our men of scientific know
Observation-Disclosures, chemists, en-
gineers, opographers-have found
new work at their hands. The home
steaders and the miners on the pub
lie lands have been released from
their obligations If they so into the
army or show themselves to be or
greater service off their lands than
on them. The reclamation service
on a million and a quarter acres or
irrigated lands and the Indians on
a hundred reservations Joined in
the campaign for more meat and
more wheat. The patent office has
been searched for new devices that
could be brought into use to Kill the
submarine or limit its destructive
ness, for the plans Of heretofore I'M
formulate Of improved or unknown
sources of power. Before war actu-
ally came this department had COM
piled the data which showed the
power OF the nation in mineral and
chemical resources, our possible
needs, and how they could be met at
home or where abroad. Prepared
lists Of those men who had special
knowledge or were of skill along the
lines OF our own activities enabled
us to expand as the call was made.
Under the imperative mandate Of
war that all things shall become
subject to a new classification ac-
cording to their usefulness in carry
ing on the nations struggle, certain
phases of our work have fallen into
the background, while others have
been brought into the high light OF
national Importance.
Tests Full Powers.
But the making OF war today Is
far more than q test of primal re-
sources; it tests the fun powers Of
the nation in every resource and
capacity and especially along lines
Of scientific knowledge. And here
again we find that the ways of peace
have given something in the way OF
preparation for war. The scientific
bureaus of the government found
themselves converted over night in
to adjuncts and auxiliaries in the
great international contest. Men who
had regarded themselves as modestly
useful only in the discovering and
revealing OF new sources OF material
strength found that their years Of
experience in the mountains and on
the desert in laboratories and In
mines, called them at once into the
thick of the European struggle.
War forces a nation to an inten-
sive study OF what 1t can do. Thought
and Worthless are the answers to
the problems OF material insuff1ci-
ency. We Of America have had no
little to boast Of through the quick
century OF our march across con-
tinent And without doubt our abiI-
ity to stand alone, depending on our
modern industrial nation. Is some
thing of which we may be proud,
not so much because we have this
land as because we have found out
It's worth and made Ii ours by put
ting it TO use. But we soon realize
when thrown into such q struggle as