Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-27
DEFENSE COUNCIL
REVIEWS IT'S WORK
First Annual Report Cites
Work That Has Been Done
In Mobilizing Industry.

! u"uHcH or national defense, review
ing something OF the scope Of its nc.
tiVltleH from ita orgn nization. March
y, 1917, TO the close NJ the fiscal year
| ending June 30. both the council and
| ita subordinate committed. dikcl1Be
some OF the extremely effective indus
trial work which has hocn accom-
pllshed mp 10 tho latter date ana in
dictate steps already taken which have
| developed into further marks OF the
| nations progress Ia the conduct Of
the war since that time
TN hrond sense" Director W. g
! Giffofd suNs IN Introduction. the
cornell and commission have sought
! 10 mako available 10 the United
| rtntes the best thot ana effort Of
| American industrial and professional
| lie for the successful prosecution Ot
war No past war has been so es-
| senilnlly a war OF tho mechanic and
The machine. and n is the realization
! OF this truth that has been thruout
the Inspiration ~ the policy pursued
| hy the council, the commission and
| their subordinate bodies
Tho direction or the machinery Of
American Industry FOR the national
defehSH necessarily Involves the Gre
hton or an organization OF great
aud rapid Improvement In war ma
chinery nttendedgby the edudl spaed
with which Implements OF warfare
are strapped and replaced at the
'front.' have been reflected by cor
responding rapid transformation and
stimulation OF the Industrial ortani-
Ehuon within tho nations at war.
These over changing developments
| nave necossitated almost unprece-
den,od fleSiblliv In government or
The history OF the first three
months OF the war In the United
states has proven no exception. Con
stnntly recurring demands for in
crea~es In personnel and for new ef-
forts In unexpected directions have
had to be met as the war progressed
IL has been the effort of the organlza
tion OF tho council Of national defense
10 mold Itself In constant readiness To
meet such new demands and 90 shift
lts ground and expand lis facilities, In
the interest Of the national, service II
has beon In no sense a fixed institu-
It's organization has been and of
necessity must continue In process of
revolution rapid enough 10 keep
abreast with tho rapidly changing
current OF the times and yet conser-
NbuVe enough To prevent confusion or
lack OF proper co ordination and CON
| rol In n peculiar sense IL has felt
ltself called upon To be constantly
ready to "fill In the gaps" and assist
The regular departmentsN OF the gov
ernment In their splendid and sue
| cessfal effort TO expand and carry the
new and huge burdens thrust upon
mem by the country's need Fiexlbu-
ity must remain the essence OF the
spirit with which the council carries
on lts work"
One OF the organizations first de-
Veloped to carry out the councils
| policy was the aircraft production
howrd, The work OF the aircra n
board resolved itself into two main
divisions, equipment for training pur-
| poses In this country and equipment
Tor combat work In France. IL was
round That very sa satisfactory train
ing plane and engine had been de-
| Veloped by an American company
an engine which had been tested and
| found entirely satisfactory, both by
England and Canada.
~ was In the development OF the
program Of combat Reconnaissance
and bombing planes III: the major
| difficulties were encouni ~od. In all
| these forms OF machine the lack on
/ previous American experience made
u necessary 10 depend 10 large eN-
tent on designs developed In the al
| lied countries or adaptations from
these designs In the production OF
engines there appeared 10 be an In
superablc obstacle 20 producing for
! eisn engines and .translatlng them
Into the methods OF American shop
practice, with It's feature of stand
ardixed quantity production
IL was this consideration that led
| To development OF the composite I'm
| ternational design known as the Lib
oity Engine" so constructed and with
ilA parts 80 standardized that II lends
Itself easily 70 quantity prosl,i elton by
American shop methods. a
Among other features of tho
boards work covered In the report
are the progressive development OF
the manufacturing resources ,of the
country capable OF being adapted to
the manufacture OF airplanes and the
steps taken to convert them 10 that
work: the general policy adopted of
relying mainly on relatively few
highly organized and manifestly can
able establishments rather than scat
tcring orders for planes and separate
parts among large number OF small
shops. This decision was accompa-
MED by careful inventory OF the
facilities for ,manufacture, partscu-
larly In automobile plants Steps ware
taken TO relieve shortage IN satins and
linens; and recommendations were
made as To forms of contract, the
elimination OF foreign royalties. and
other general assistance In developing
business and indnstrial policy.
or the work OF the automotiye
transport committee. another subsld-
! larry body and the cooperation given
by the society of automotive engl-
neers. further Illuminating review Ia
made In May conference OF Is
chief engineers, representing the prin-
cipal truck MANUFACTURES of the
United states, was held in the room
OF the committee. under the auspices
OF the society of automotive engi-
neers The special detail equipment
demanded by the quartermaster' de-
partment on trucks for war service
was considered and complete stand
ardigauon OF many OF these details
was accomplished az between prac-
tically all makes of trucks This paS-
uCular work was In n way the en-
terlng wedge toward tho completely
standardized heavy-duty, medium
duty and light war trucks.
The committee has all along kept