The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-08-06
To Mobilize Resources of
This Region to Help
Win the War
GOVERNMENT WORK
FOR MFG. PLANTS
Object of Regional Committee to In
crease War Production Through Utiliza-
tion of Resources Not Now in That
Work-Of Particular Interest Here.

Work-Of Particular Interest Here.
Col. J. G. Estey of this town has been
appointed representative for Vermont
on the War Resources committee for
this region, subcommittee of the Re
sources and Conversion section of the
national War Industries board. There
are 20 Of these committees in the coun-
try, the one for this region (Which en-
braces all New England except Con-
necticut and a portion of Massachu-
sets west of Worcester county, includ-
ing In its membership in addition to
Col. Estey, E. w. Cox of Portland. NE.
Ralph d. Reed of Manchester, n. H.,
+. y. Kimball of Boston, George S.
Barton of Worcester, Mass, Eldon 3.
Keith of CampellO, Mass, and Rus
sell Grinnell of Providence, R. I. Stuart
". Webb, vice president of the Old
Colony Trust Co, is regional adviser
and Henry / Hartman, president of
the Boston chamber of commerce, is
head of the advisory board.
The work of these committees will be
to help mobolize the Industrial resourc-
es of their regions by gathering infor-
nation as to plants not now engaged in
war work but capable of undertaking
such work. plants partly engaged in
war work capable of increasing war
work, putting manufacturers in touch
with government requirements and the
proper contracting departments, and
putting large contractors in touch with
the possibility of increased production
through sub-contracts with smaller
manufacturers
The government is anxious to secure
the increased production necessary to
the conduct of the war with as little
disturbance to local manufacturing
conditions as possible. 1t might. of
course, obtain the increased production
capacity by establishing industries
where they do not now exist or by the
enlargement of existing plants-but
for pretty obvious reasons, the govern
menf does not want to do this, for
building new plants or enlarging ex-
listing ones necessitates the employment
OF labor, of which there is not even
now sufficient supply, the expendi
ture OF additional amounts which il
would be well to avoid, and delav in
getting into action which are also to be
prevented if possible. IF the addition
al quantity of materials needed could
instead be made in plants now in exist
enee and which are producing less es-
sentlal products-and made bv men
who are now working in those plants,
and thus enable them to live where
they now live-instead of newly built
plants, the interests of the government,
OF the men, of the manufacturing
plants, and of the community in which
they arc located, would all be safe
guarded and promoted to an extent to
which they otherwise could not be.
1t is not expected that the War Re
sources committees will be able TO pro
vide war work for any plant whenever
that plant may desire to undertake it;
but IS seems evident that through con
eerted action on the part of the bust
ness men in each district more progress
can be made in producing the result
desired than would otherwise be Sc
cured
Brattleboro people viii follow with
particular. interest the activities of this
committee, for the work which it is 10
take up IS along the same line that the
local board of trade has been working
Tor number of months. At the pres
ent time this town, like many others in
New England, has industrial resources
that are lying idle and empty tene-
ments enough to accommodate all the
people that would be required to put
local plants on full capacity basis.
- would seem, therefore, as if it ought
,,yZ4
not to be impossible, or even difficult,
to turn these idle resources to work for
the government, thereby safeguarding
the interests of all concerned.