Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-05-02
DEFENSE COUNCIL
BEGINS LABORS IN
WASHINGTON CITY
Secretary of War Baker Out
lines Work That Must
Be DOne
SECRETARIES OF NAVY
AND INTERIOR SPEAK
Must Prepare for Year Of
War at Least and Per-
haps More

Washington, May 2.-State and fed
eral governments mus work in closest
cooperation in the nStion's IS history, if
the nation is to be successful in the
greatest of all wars, Secretary of War
Baker told representatives of all state
councils of defense when they opened
sessions here today.
Especially will this complete eo-opera-
tion be necessary i'll putting together
the parts of the great army machine
authorized by congress, Baker said.
AS far as possible every effort will
be made to preserve the identity of the
national guard, in the building up of
the great army-to-be, Baker continued
in outlining roughly the plans for en-
forcement of the selective conscription
plan.
The sessions today marked the first
real step Of organized cooperation be-
tween the states and the federal govern,
ment in the matter Of national defense.
Baker urged as the first step to be tax
en- by the states to make the first ma
tion-wide conscription registration day
'a great national demonstration of pa.
triotism and firmness. Of purpose. y
Baker did not menti9F specifically the
matter of military Cooperation but he
plainly hinted that this important mat
ter still is unsettled and would be sub
ject to change.
A Festival Occasion.
"Make registration day national
! festival OCCASION" said Baker.
"The exact form of our cooperation
on the other side is difficult to de
termine and when determined is subject
to change.
"But we do know that the worlC
needs food and one Of the ways to wiz
the war is unlimited production. I'm
der modern conditions the whole natio1
is at war--as much at war in the homC
as at the front. ="
/ Outlining the machinery for raising
the new army, Secretary Baker said:
Gas soon as the bill becomes Law
the president will probably set day by
proclamation for registration through
out the nation. The men will go t.
their usual polling place and register.
GAS far as possible the election sys
TEN of the townships villages and coun
ties will be used. In an enterprise O.
such magnitude there is bound to bt
some confusion, but after the first elias
is properly registered and assorted W.
can call successive lcvies with httl
difficulty.
An Altar Of Freedom.
"With your cooperation we can
make the polling place on that day al
altar of free institutions.
Secretary Of the Navy Daniels ais,
spoke to the council representatives
Secreatry of the Interior Lane, Secre
tary of Commerce Redfield, Genera
Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff, and 9th
er officials Of the general staff wer
present at the meeting.
Council representatives, will be re
ceived by President Wilson this after
noon after which they will go into ses
sion with the Council of National De
, fense. Secretary of Labor Wilson
President Pierson of the Iowa Stat
Agricultural college, will talk to tn
body on labor and food problems
War May Be Long.
. Secretary of the Interior Lane warn
cd the governors that the war is likel,
to be long. "And it will be fought o.
this side Of the Atlantic" he continued
"unIess we beat the Germans to it. oq
shipyards must shpeed up, and surei'
, we can speed up to supply the tonnaag
needed to bridge the 5000 miles be
tween us and Europe. =,
Lane advised that the nation lay it
plans m and prepare its resources fo
more than a one year struggle. In thu
connection he pointed to a report Q
z Herbert c. Hoover Of the Belgian reile
commission 60 showing that Germany still
has two years supplies plenty OF Goa
and md iron and l8,OoO,ooo cattle where
with to feed her fighting men,
By way of preparedness, Lane su9
: oested that community effort be pu
, Forth and showed that the governmen
Is irving for greater productiveness o
reclamation projects. He said the ns
t lion would be humiliated if it tried
$ FIGHT only through the medium of loan
> to the allies.
1ouDr Ar,Iys FORM TTNT0N