Norwich bulletin., 1918-08-13
BROADENING FIELD
 FOR DEFENSE COUNCILS
President Advises Federal Department
 Seek to Use Their Help.

State councils of defense and their local agencies throughout tha country will have their activities and scope of work increased and broadened in accordance with the suggestion of President Wilson to Secretary of War Baker, made public on Monday.
 The President has asked the Sec retary of War to communicate with all federal departments and administra- tions his wish That, when they are considering extensions of their organi- zations into the states or new work | to be done in the states, they consider carefully whether they cannot utilize the state council system" The letter | of President Wilson to Secretary of 1 War Baker was in reply to one written to the President by the Secretary of i War outlining the accomplishments of l the state councils of defense and re- | commend that increased use be 1 made of thoese war organizat tions. | This action is one which Governor
 Marcus H. Holcomb and the Connecti-
 cut State Council of Defense have been
 urging for many months. As soon as l Connecticut's defense council organi- l zation was perfected to a degree that
 made possible it's efficient handling of | NoNoIAo oocl6llOu lO IL ny Iut l0Q6Tdl gov
 ernment, letters were addressed by the
 Governor to various department heads in Washington advising them that civ
 lion war work in this state should be
 carried on through the council. The completion of Connecticut's organiza- I ton was in advance of that in a ma jority of the other states. Consequent
 ly, awaiting the perfection of these
 other organizations, it was impossible
 for the administration to suggest that
 state councils be generally used
 throughout the country. In the mean
 time however. the organization in this } state because Washington considered
 1t efficient; has been made use of ex-
 tensivefy
 When copies of the correspondent be-
 tween President Wilson. and Secret ary of War Baker were shown to mem l bers of the Connecticut State. Council , Of Defense and department heads yes r terday, the unanimous expression was:
 We are ready to tackle any job that } Washington gives us and we will dc our best to put it through. Our whole organization is unreservedly at the dis posal of tn fedora: government in car.
 rying through any part of the task of downing the Hun"
 !, Secretary Bakers Letter The letter from Sec. Baker, called at. tention to the activities of The stat, councils of defense and outlinined thei, ability to handle war work efficient ; ly.
 It concluded as follows:
 "The existence of this great nation
 al system, valuable for each and ever,
 Government department, makes. O
 course for economy of effort and rend !. CTS unnecessary the creation of mucl
 local federal machinery which woul n otherwise have to be set up for tn
 performance of specific tasks.
 May I suggest, that you ask al # Federal Departments, Administration. " and Commissions, when planning ne, s, work or extension of their organiza - tions, to consider carefully the possi = bility of using the State Council svs - tenn so as to prevent Implications? y better. understanding on this poir k throughout Washington, would, thinl
 make for the general efficiency of tn d war machine.
 l. Furthermore. will you not remfn -e the heads of all Federal Department ,r Administrations and Commissions. ths l. all requests and suggestion for wor n on the part of the State Council shoul n be submitter through the State Cour
 cil of the Council of National Defense
 This. section has attained a strong nc
 sition and guidance in the program
 committed to them for execution.
 is clear that in the interest of cfficienc
 all requests for action from the Feeder: Government should go to them throug
 this single channel. In the past Fec
 eral authorities have, not infrequentl
 caused confusion by going directly 1
 the State Councils with recommends ! tions-sometimes with conflicting re commentators. I believe word fro, you would prevent such misundel standings in the future.
 ''It is difficult to estimate the in portance of the service rendered, sint our entrance into the war, by thes State Councils. their County Counci and the multitude of workers bande together under them, whom we est mate to number at least one millio feel sure that you. as their Con