The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-04-12
VAST INDUSTRIAL
INVENTORY MADE
Marks New Relation Between
Uncle Sam and Business
Men of Country.
Observation-Disclosures
Sweeping Canvass to Determine Avail
ability Of Manufacturing Plants
for War Purposes Directed
by Engineering Experts.

The returns from the vast indus
trial inventory which has been mad,
In every nook and corner of the Unit
ed States for the benefit of Uncle
Sam and which are now in the hands
OF the council Of national defense, are
regarded as marking n new and vita
relation between the business men OF
America and the federal government
1t Is understood that of the 3O.OOO-Odd
plants of sufficient size to tabulate
returns have already been obtained
from 27,0OO. This work was started
by the committee on industrial pre-.
paredness of the United States naval
consulting board and the figures have
been turned over TO the national de-
Tense council, organized by an act of
congress during the last session.
The information gathered is the first
fruit of the work of the army Of 30
OOO American engineers. members of
nve eminent scientific bodies, who from
the field force of the committee or
ganized TO find out for the federal
government the real Industrial re-
sources Of the nation In time of war.
Work Highly systematized.
For this sweeping canvass the whole
country was highly systematlzed, with
directing boards Of the leading engi-
neerS In every state. Many Of the
states were split up into counties, with
chief field aids in charge. This mar
velous smOOth-worklng organization of
unpaid experts has accomplished def
mite results, and the great inventory,
as shown by the reports of state chair
men, Is moving swiftly and satisfac-
torily to its end. 1t is said that the
committee accomplished in six months,
with the voluntary aid Of the engi-
neers. what it probably, would have
taken the federal government several
years to obtain If it had not had the.
aid of these engineers and the manu-
facturers of the country.
1t is said by the officials in charge
OF the work that the manufacturers of
the nation, recognizing the highly
qualified and nOn-partisan personnel
of this movement, which has the
strong support of the president and
the military heads, have almost with
out exception responded with the
deepest interest in this clOsc-knit
movement for thoroughgOing indus
trial preparedness. They were called
nDon fo Friva N,arU ooI1,Ti,ob d boy,s;,-o ;rFo,.
nation on the adaptability of their
factories, mills and mines to federal
uses from the hour of military mobili- |
zatiOn, the data to be held in the !
strictcst confidence for the sole Scru-
tiny and benefit Of the war and navy
departments of the United States.
Manufacturers See Need.
few manufacturers have doubted .
the ability of their plants to aid the |
government in war time. ii is said.
They have almost invariably changed
their views. however, when shown how
little doubt there is that. on the out
break of real war practically all CON
'ernS not engaged in lines of work es-
Scntial to the national needs would be
stripped of their labor, either for the 4
army or for manning other industrial
plants vital for the supply of such
leeds, and that in the event of hoStili-
les probably so per cent OF. the indus
rieS of America would of necessity be
on producing the myriad
dement's of twentieth century warfare.
t was made very clear to such bust
less men that in the last equation II
$ to the material interest Of every
american manufacturer to have deter
1ined in time of peace and plenty just
What he can do for the republic in
lme of emergency. Finally. there has
cen made equally plain the necessity
or having the least possible shock to
conomc and labor conditions on the
dvent of war, and the advantage,
herefOre, of having the greatest pos
ible number Of plants kept at work.
The great European war has taught
lie astonishing adaptabiIitt of national !
lduStries when properly invent0ried
nd organized. 1t has been learned,
)r instance, that dye factory may
2 transformed within week or ten .
lys into plant for the production of :
gh explosives.
In the state of New York alone, it '
said, some $4,000 firms have been :
ventOried. In no case, so far has :,
he New York board met with definite y
'fusal to give the desired fnforma- "
on.
TO gain preliminary information be- =
re the actual inventory work began
tiers were addressed to $50 of the 7
aiding manufacturers. The responses L
lowed that almost unanimous desire 81
rs expressed on the part of those R
lSiness men, many of them of inter l.
ltiOnal reputation, to support the l.
1rk.. >,