The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-04-26
Representative Body Forms
Industries Committee
AT c. OfC.
SMALL PLANTS TO GET
GOVT SUB-CONTRACTS
Men Who Attended Cleveland
Meet Explain The
New Plan

Knox county was formed at meet
ing of representative manufacturer of
the. county held at the Chamber of
Commerce Monday evening, including
T.. H. Thomas. r. S. Lord, W. c. Cow
er, John Mullen, T.. B. Zeig. of Freder-
icktown. and two Chamber of Com
merce members, President w. l.. Rob.
inson and Secretary Leroy G. Mayer.
The meeting opened with few re
marks by w. L. Robinson. who acted
as chairman. and explained the rca-
sons for calling the men together
r. S. Lord told of the meeting in
Cleveland recently of the Cleveland
Industries commission at which Mt
Vernon was represented by four men.
Mr. Lord said the object of the meet
ing was to gather the representatives
of various counties in this district to-
gether and urge them to organize com
mittees of their own. take an inycn-
tory of each manufacturing plant in
their respective counties and report
to the commission in Cleveland May !.
The object in doing this is that the
small plant may have its share in the
production of materials which will he
used in carrying on the war.
BIG PLANTS GET WORK
Heretofore. Mr. Lord went ON To say.
the large concerns have been getting
all the business as officials i'm Wash
ington could not consider Il several
thousand dollar contract or even one
of II 100000. The result was that the
big concerns have had to enlarge their
establishments. increase their force
of workers and their facilities. All of
this takes needed time and money
which is uselessly wasted.
Under the new scheme, contracts
for war materials may be sub-contract-
ed to smaller concerns such as those
in this city. BY doing this. time and
expense is saved and both the gov
ernment and the small concerns pro
fit by it. This district is bounded by
Cleveland on the north and goes as
far south as GAINESVILLE and Spring
field, including few counties in
Pennsylvania
WILL STABILIZE LABOR
F. II. Thomas said that he consid-
cred one of the important things in
the meeting at Cleveland was that this
plan would stabilize labor conditions.
IL would keep many laboring men in
the smaller cities instead of crowding
them all into the larger ones. thus
maintaining the 'liveness of the small
city, and prohibiting cOngested con
ditiOn in the larger one
Mr. Thomas showed, by means of n
chart. how the production of mater
ials was divided up. There are eight
divisions which the Cleveland branch
as head of this district, would con
troll. representing all kinds of manu-
facture
GIVES LITTLE MAN' CHANCE
John Mullen spoke of the value of
finding the facilities OF the various
factories here so that. at any time
they might be called upon. the govern.
ment would know just exactly how
much work they could do here eff
ciently. After the war. he said. the
organization would maintain its activi-
ties. thus giving the little man" a
chance.
All of the local manufacturers ex-
pressed themselves as being in favor
of the plan and. through the Chamber
of Commerce. hope to carry out the
details successfully.
At conference of the commission
following the adjournment of the
| manufacturers, it was decided to send
wOrd-to manufacturing plants to take
an inventory of their establishments
so that the following information
might be had: Complete line of equip
ment including number OF machines
| kind and size; present line of work:
number OF employees: number of ad
ditiOnal employees that might be USED
if necessary; plant capacity available
| This information must he known bY
the commission next Monday 50 thai
it may report TO Cleveland Wednes
day. May L.