The Press., 1918-09-05

had occupied were officially taken over by especially created federal adminis- tratIOns. But new problems constantly arose. and the work of the state cOun- cIls. instead of diminishing, has nOta- bly Increased in scope and in signih- canoe.
 "To accomplish this work they have built up an organization uniquely suit ed to it's purpose. Every state council of defense has active county, or equiv alent. councils of defense under 1t. while in nearly every state the organi- ration of community councils iL the school districts. bringing the govern ment tO the people and the people to the government. Is progressing rapidly.
 Through their speakers. their war conferences. their contact with the press and their contact with the peO- pie themselves through their cOmmuni- " councils. the state councils are now in special sense the guardians of civilian morale tn each state, carrying on work of education and infOrma- tiOn which we look to see continued and strengthened. In order that the will to win and the knowledge of how to make that will effective may be everyb"dy's possession throughout the war. in the dark hours of trial as We'll as In the hour of victory.
 "In states with considerable pOpu- latIOn of foreign origin the state cOun- cils of defense are leaders in the work Of AmericaniZation. establishing war information bureaus, correlating exist Ing AmericanizatiOn agencies, inereas- Ing as far as possible the educational facilities available tO the fOreign-bOrn and seeing that such facilities are used.
 The state councils are engaged in preparing the young men of the cOun- try for the high duty of selective serv- lee. advising aLd informing then in particular upon the adjustment Of their legal affairs and upon military conditions and requirements and social hygiene.
 "They are bringing their great intiu- ence to bear on behalf of economy ana thrift throughout the country. It is also their special task. In the interest of economy, to supervise the soIicita- ton of funds for war relief by vOlun- tary agencies. and tO coordinate the efforts of these agencies. seeing that they work tremendously and tO com mon purpose. and determining what agencies shall he approved and what discouraged.
 "They act also as the state repre- Sentatives of the Highways Transport Committee of the Council of National Defense in the Increasingly important work of extending and facilitating mo- tOr-truck transportation, in order to re- duce the tremendous burden on our railroads and to stimulate the prOduc- ton of food by providing means of transporting 1t to market.
 "In addition, they are doing notable work in connection with public health, in connection with vocational educa- ton and in studying and assisting in the solution of the difficult housing and rent-prOfiteering problems which the war has brought to many local ity.
 Last, but far from least, their raml- flying organization enables them to play a valuable part in the practical execution of the policies of the De partment of Agriculture. the Food Ad- ministratiOn, the Fuel Administration, the Labor Department, the Shipping Board and the other federal agencies which are extended into the states. We expect the state representatives of these federal agencies to feel in the future. as thsy have been able to feel in the past. that the organization of the State Council ot Defense Is their ready right-hand. Most of the state councils are incidentally performing the special service of bringing these federal representatives together for frequent and regular consultation, and in most of the states these federal rep resentatives are actually members of the councils of defense.
 These, in general terms, are the broad lines upon which the state cOun- els are now acting, and have said nothing of the local industrial and sO- cial emergencies which 1t Is their spe- cial province to meet by local action.
 ''The existence of this great national system, valuable for each and every government department. makes, of course, for economy of effort and ren- ders unnecessary the creation of much local federal machinery which would otherwise have to be set up for the per formance of specific tasks.
 May I suggest, then, that you ask all federal departments, administra- tiOns and commissions, when planning new work or extension of their Organl- to consider carefully the pos sibllity of using the state council sys- tenn so as to prevent duplication? A better understanding on this point throughout Washington would, I think, make for the general efficiency of the war machine.
 Furthermore, will you not remind administrations and commissions that all requests and suggestions for work on the part of the state councils should be submitted through the state cOun- els section of the Council of National Defense? This section has attained a strong position as the agency to which the state councils look for authority and guidance In the programs commit ted to them for execution. It is clear that in the interest of efficiency all re- quests for action from the federal gov ernment should go to them through this single channel In the past fed eral authorities have, not infreQuently, caused confusion by going directly to the state councils with recOmmenda- with conflicting rec I believe 8 word from you would prevent such misunder- in the future.
 Tt Is difncult to estimate the impor- EAnes Ok the service rendered Glnes