The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1917-04-13
Mobilization of the Industries of
the Country Is Its Princi-
pal Function.
MADE UP OF LEADING EXPERTS
Will lay Down a Policy Of Industrial
Preparedness for the Nation-To
Point Out to Manufacturers
the Part They Can Play.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

washington Correspondent of the West
ern Newspaper Union)
Washington.-Some time ago the
United States congress created a cOun-
Gil of national defense. The body owes
its creation to the fact that the law
makers held that the country which
best is prepared for peace is also best
prepared for war. Whether peace
broods over the land or war strides
through 1t, it is necessary that the in
dustrial fabric of nation "be organ
lied in the most effective way"
The council Of national defense con-
sists of six members of the president
cabinet, the secretaries of war, of navy,
of agriculture, of the interior, of COM
merce and of labor. An advisory COM
mission of seven persons leach of
whom shall have special knowledge of
some industry, public utility or the de-
velopment Of some natural resource, or
be otherwise specially qualified" has
been appointed. It's members are Dan
lei Willard Samuel Gompers, Howard
E. Coffin Julius Rosenwald, Bernard B.
Baruch, DR.. Franklin Martini and DR..
Hollis Godfrey.
The council of national defense has
two lines along which it must pro-
gress. It's endeavor is to lay down q
complete policy of industrial prepared
ness for the nation, and it is now en-
deavOring to determine facts concern
ing the personnel, the material, and
the economic and industrial resources
to give effect to it's policy and to be
able to maintain it. The members of
the council are determining facts con-
corning nitrates. All things necessary
to make powder in abundance are to
be found within the United States ex-
cept nitrate salts.
To Build Nitrate Plant.
Congress has appropriated $4,000,
900 to build a nitrate plant. The sole
source of these salts today is Chilli
The council of national defense will
undertake the study which is intended
to make the United States government
Independent in the matter of produc-
ton of this absolutely essential ele-
ment of proper preparedness for de-
Tense.
All kinds of Industrial problems are
being studied by the members of the
council. The attempt is to get thor
ough knowledge of all the facilities
of the United States for comprehensive
industrial work, so that preparedness
along these lines may keep pace with
actual military preparedness. Indus
trial organizations all over the United
States have made offers of assistance
to the government.
President Wilson not long ago
summed up the duties of the council
and the advisory commission in
words which put the case succinctly:
THE council of national defense
has been created because congress has
realized that the country is best pre-
pared for war when thoroughly pre-
pared for peace. From an economic
point of view there is now very little
difference between the machinery re-
quired for commercial efficiency and
that required for military purposes.
In both cases the whole industrial
mechanism must be organized in the
most effective way. Upon this concep-
ton of the national welfare the coun-
Gil is organized in the words of the act
for 1.-The creation of relations which
will render possible in time of need
the immediate concentration and utili-
zation of the resources of the nation"
The organization of the council like
wise opens up new and direct chan
mel of communication and cooperation
between business and scientific men
and all departments of the govern
ment, and it is hoped that it will, in