The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-06

from the military, preparations of wide scope have been made The federal ship ping board has mapped out a plan for construction of many wooden ships of 5000 tons and upward which could do great service in the important work of breaking down the German submarine campaign and carrying food and supplies to the allies. They can be built in a short time. The shipping board also Is seeing to it that ever.- available mer- chantman not needed by the navy does it's share for the public service, and with this end in view, has made survey of all the nations shipping resources.
 LABOR RESOURCES , Even more complete is the mobiliza- tion of labor resources The American Federation of Labor has undertaken to furnish trained workmen for any govern ment or public service.
 In the Held of munitions production, pledges have been secured from the great plants which have been supplying the allies, and a thorough coordination sys- tenn has been perfected. In addition man. ufacturing concerns everywhere now en- gagged in other industries have been sur- veyed for munition making.
 A thorough canvass has been made of the country's wealth of raw materials available for military usage
 No less than 32, 900 companies have off, fered to turn over their plants entirely to the President in war. Among them are the great establishments of Henry Ford, the Bethlehem Steel company, the United States Steel corporation. the Fore River Shipbuilding company. and the United States Rubber company.
 NO HOLD-UP ALLOWED
 Any who may fail to meet the govern ment's requirements at reasonable prices will face prosecution and seizure of the plants.
 other which has occupied large place in the preparedness considerations. Secre- tary Houston has appealed to the farm CTS to increase production, to eliminate waste and tosconserve all surplus. Assist ant Secretary Vrooman has conferred with agricultural and industrial interests in an effort to secure such crop diversi- fication and conservation as will make each section self-supporting when the need comes to use transportation facili- ties for the military.
 So far as finances are concerned, of 'ficials believe there is little to be feared One treasury authority has es- timated that the United States now can withstand eight times the strain under which it labored during the panic of 1907
 No small place in the preparedness plans has been occupied by precau- tionary measures against the activities of foreign agents. With the discovery of German plots in this country early in the war the department of justice greatly strengthened the facilities of its investigation bureau. Tn the months that have elapsed since then the de- partment's preparations have gone steadily forward on an ever broadening scale.
 Aid has been sought of other gov ernment departments in ferreting out of German machinations and with the approach of actual hostilities more than a half million government en- ployes throughout the country were called upon to be on the alert for suspicious activities.
 SCIENTISTS BUSY
 The extent to which science has come to the aid of the government. providing new means of warfare ard systematizing the naval and military establishments. will not become ap- parent until there are actual hostil- ities. Since Secretary Daniels organ ized the naval consulting board months ago important experiments have been under way in the interest of national defense and 1t is known that recent ly Thomas A. Edison has personally given much attention to secret tests of nature carefully guarded.
 Relief plans, worked out in the light of the lessons of the present war have reached maturity which off cials believe will guarantee against any recurrence of the blunders of tho Spanish war. when more men died from improper care than from wounds.
 RED CROSS READY
 The Red Cross is prepared at short notice. its officials say, to establish hospital bases to care for an army of a million men. The bureau of mines has opened it's first aid course 10 thousands of wives and daughters of miners. With the aid of Sir Herbert E. Ames. organizer of the Canadian patriotic fund, the, Navy league is orr ~anizing a fund of $10.000.000 for the miles of naval volunteers.
 In the long list of patriotic offers,