Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-30
BRING SMALL INDUSTRIES
 INTO WAR PRODUCTION
Is Work of Resources and Conversion
 Section of War Industries Board.

Bradford D. Pierce, Jr., reg1onaI advisor of Region No. ? of the Re- sources and Conversion Section of the War Industries Board. on, his re- turn from attending an important meeting in Washington at which the organization of this section was finally completed, has issued the following statement to the press in this region:
 The War Industries Board at Wash ington, of which B. M Baruch is the chairman has recently instituted new section called the Resources and Conversion Section Charles A. Otis has been appointed chief of this sec tion, with headquarters in Washing ton.
 Under this section the country has been divided into twenty regions, Bradford D. Pierce, Jr., of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was appointed organizer for the second region, comprising Con necticut and western MasSac chusetts, and was instructed to call in represef- tative men in his territory to help in organizing the work.
 It was decided to divide the region into six sub-fegions and to appoint a chairman for each. For New London and Windham counties, Carlos c. Peck of New London was made the chair man. The primary object of the resources and conversion section is to assemble as quickly as possible, complete and detailed information concerning in dustries in all parts of the country. A-Those not now engaged in war work, but capable of undertaking such work.
 B-Industrtes only partly employed
 on war worf, but able to increase their | production of necessary war materials, and,
 C-Industries now employed on war work. whese contracts will soon he completed.
 | It is desired to enlist the aid of all | classes of industries and to bring this
 about, it is imperative that all indus l tries of a given region should be ask ed to participate, whether they are now
 members of business organizations or not
 | It must be maG% plain that the full
 est cooperation not only between the different industries in each region, but between the regions of the country must be developed in order to further 1 the prompt delivery of all materials l required for war purposes. Representatives from several of the 1 different government departments in l cluding the war department and the l navy department were in attendance and expressed their desire to coop crate with the Resources and Conver- | sion section to the fullest extent, by offering to MT. Otis complete inform ation as to their requirements.
 MT Otis is to furnish each Regfona, 1 Advisor with copies of these require
 ments, and he in turn is to call upor his War Resources committee con- posed of the chairman of each sub-re- 1 zion for list of firms in the regior capable of doirr whatever work is called for.
 | This information will be forwarded immediately by the Regional Advisor to the chief of section in Washington
 It must be understood that this sec tion has no authority in the matter oi allotting work to any special region
 nor in the letting of contracts to in
 dividuals or firms. It acts merely in aT advisory capacity, offering recon mendations at to where work can bt
 easily and quickly done.
 It is particularly desired to aid tht
 small rnanufa facturers, and especially
 those not now producing war materi
 als. to convert their plants to purposes
 considered essential in the prosecu
 tion of the war A large number O
 plants in many sections of the coun
 try have already been converted tt
 war work and mony more such con versions must necessarily take place
 This fact was strongly emphasized
 during the meetings held at Washing ton.
 |, Allied to the desire to aid small man ufacturers is the wish to have all pro
 cesseS of manufacture of a completed
 article carried out as far as may b in one locality. In this way the Re sources and Conversion Section hope . to save transportation charges fo
 both labor and materials, to produc , goods with greater speed. and to keel the small industries of each regiol ; supplied with essential work on sub ; contracts.
 It was pointed out that 1t is an i'm portant function of the Resources an Conversion Section to discourage un necessary building construction wfil the war lasts. It is desired to utiliz /: every building available in any wa for making war materials before plan [ ming new construction.