The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-08
Harmony of Action Has Been
Brought Thru Conference.
Chiefs, Directors and Admins
traitors Meet for Coordination. l.
ALL CENTERS ON WAR WORK. r,
Results Already Apparent in
important Decisions Made.
President May Stand for Origf-
nal $500 Price for Wheat.

Washington. April S.-The nations
warmakingf agencies have achieved a.
close harmony of action in the last ,ot
two weeks thru the Wednesday con-s4ssn
fer,nces att the White House which r.,..,
high officials said today have speeded xsn
the prosecution of the fight for de-5a,.
mocracy to the point of greatest efft-l Sod
cheney yet reached. Decisions of far e
reaching Importance have been made.Ils.s
by close contact between the heads q.
of the various branches involved nm ar'
der the guidance of President WILSON, e :
who is said, authoritatively, to have -.
smouthed numerous difficulties when sf,
might have resulted in delay or fric- -
ton without mutual understanding .
reached in conference. The president DO.
now virtually has two cabinets thera -
first of which advises him on dipio-
matte and political questions. while -
the second discusses with the CHIEF SD
executive the problems of mobilizingg al
the industrial powers of the nation. hn {
without which there could be no war-sisd
The cabinet proper, meets every Fri-1sm
day. The war cabinet" or "indus- sFi-
trial cabinet" as it is coming to be
known, gathers at the White House
every Wednesday,. the director GEM
eral of railroads, the chairman of the =
! shipping, industries and war =
trade board. the food administrator -;
and the fuel administrator. At times. TF
when the navy or army has special a.
problem i.volving International ques-s 80,
! lions, Secretary Daniels or Acting -
Secretary of War CrowelI attend. -
/ Political Questions Avoided. Is 3
| The war cabinet at time has = 4
{ touched on political questions. This~
was learned today from very high g,
source. All of the war cabinets work 1se
has been to further the preparations rs
/ of America to throw her entire re-,e4-
sources into the scale against the as
Hun. So important has this work Isl
l hot 4I1a
war except for direction of active T
military and naval movements now is 3
entrusted to the little group of six
men representing the factors neces- -
sary to provide -he fighting men with ~
! all they need to bring victory as :.
quickly as possible. -.tfa-
! Edward r. Stettinius. second assis- ss
! tant secretary of war in charge of all fe*
industrial and commercial aspects of
| the department. may be added to the s
| Wednesday conferences because of the r.
close connection of his work with that "a
of Mr.. Baruch of the war industries
| board and the other members of the :
! war cabinet Mr.. Stettinius is re- 81
garded a virtual director of muni-aa5
tions. lsas'
Food Problems Weigh Heavily
| First results of the war cabinet,soal
I work have become apparent in the
decision of the war industries board to
give preference in delivery to 100 per =
cent requirements of shipyards for 4
ence Fast Wednesday detailed accounts ~
of demands made on him for tonnage. ~
His statement to the conference was 4.
| prepared after frequent consultations "a
with Major General March. chief of
| staff. The war department was said
to be we'll satisfied with the shippings
facilities available. Food problems
have come for much consideration
by the war cabinet. Mr.. Hoover is
understood to have received approval
for any further restrictions on CON
! sumption here that ne may deem adj
visable to enable this country to fill " 81
its pledges of food to the allies. The I'D
i impression also has been gained that o-'
the president is prepared to stand by "a
his original price of s2.20 for wheat. IL r.
the bill to increase the price to S2.5GS
should become law. Food administers i
ton officials have been worried be-
cause increase would destroy the
ratio between the prices-of wheat and p
sugar and might lead to a conversion ~
of sugar beet acreage to wheat unless t-
a complete revision in sugar prices was
made. i+a-
All Problems Hinge Ships. re
All of the problems hinge on ship
ping because all of the work of both 2
cabinets is bent the one object Of -
prosecuting to a successful conclusion -
the war overseas. The NEE ting of all -
the other chiefs with Mr.. Hurley has
resulted in a general understanding Of
the needs of each other.
/ Altogether. the result of the war
cabinets work described today by
one of it's members as having been to
enable all of them to keep step"