Evening star., 1917-11-03
T0D|VERT PLANTS
TO WAR MATERIALS
Government Plans CurtaiIing
Manufacture of Non-Es-
sentiaI Commodities.
AUTO MAKERS CONFER

A government project now under ad-
visement would curtail to q great ex-
tent the manufacture Of non-essential
commodities during war time and would
utilize the plants for the production
the war.
At a conference Of automobile and ao-
cessories manufacturers with govern
ment officials yesterday plans were dis
cussed for the partial utilization of
each factory for the making Of muni-
tions and other fighting necessities.
Generous cooperation with the gov
ernment was pledged by manufacturers,
and 1t was decided to appoint a COM
mittee to work with the automotive
products OF the Council Of National De-
fense.
To Divert Part Of Each Plant.
The plan is to divert a part Of each
plant to the production OF war ma
terial. It was made plain to the manu-
facturers that while their help is re-
quired. the government has no inten-
ton of taking any drastic action which
would cripple the industry.
facturers represented in the National
Automobile Chamber of Commerce and
the Motor and Accessories Manufac-
turers appoint committee to work
with the automotive products section
of the war industries board in plan
ming how the big automobile factories
of the country can be of the greatest
service.
Yesterdays conference Is the first OF
many to be held with makers OF nom
To o. pf fhA ?
makes greater demands on the coun-
try's resources. All such industries
probably will be called upon to fall in
line behind the government IN curtail-
making a direct contribution to the
nations fighting efficiency. in con-
serving coal and raw materials. and In
relieving the strain on the transporta-
tion system.
Business men directing government
vast war expenditures have found II
advisable to take their work to estab-
lished factories rather than to create
wholly new agencies for making war
supplies. In this way, 1t is said
and at the same time industrial or
ganizatjons built up by private enter
prises have been kept together.
Decrease every Substantial"
Curtailment OF production of motor
vehicles was said to have been taken
up first because of the manufacturers
voluntary offer Of cooperation,
because Of the highly organized
nature of the industry. and be-
cause the problem of obtaining raw
materials, also used in the rhanufac-
ture Of munitions. had become serious
for the automobile men. The extent
of the decrease in production probably
will be very substantial" to be effect
ed gradually as portions Of the plants
are diverted to the manufacture OF
shells. atrplanes and other war neces-
stiles.
Everything will depend on the gov
ernment's needs and no step will be
taken until its effect has been weighed
and the war industries board is sure
it is for the good Of the country as a
whole.
Particular attention was paid today
to the question Of employing men now
at work in factories where products
may be curtailed. and it was stated au-
thoritatively that no action will be
taken in any case until definite plan
has been formulated as to how the
labor affected is to be employed in the
home territory, thereby preventing
costly and diSorganizine migration