The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-15
MAKE SURVEY OF
 INDUSTRIES HERE
 RELATING TO WAR
Chamber of Commerce To Take Up Work in Bridge
 port Under B.D. Pierce.

Bradford D. Pierce, Jr., president of the Chamber of Commerce, has been in conference the past week with H. J. Hartman, president of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Charles R. Otis, member of the War Board at Washington, in regard to the regional survey of every part of the United States of all industries. The instructions for the information required are:
 "An immediate survey of every part of the United States is to be made, in order to find out which industries not now doing war work may be utilized for that purpose, also which indus tries already engaged in work for the government are able to take on addi- tional contracts to increase their pro- duction of munitions and war sup plies.
 ITO do this the War Industries Board has established Resources and Conversion Section, with Charles A. Otis, former president of the Cleve- land Chamber of Commerce and a member of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, as chief.
 "The country has been divided into 20 regional groups, each of which will be organized through it's com mercial associations. One organiZa- ton in each region has been selected to take the initiative in bringing about definite organization. The commer- cial body chosen to do this prelimin- ary work will communicate with every other business association in it's region and with the industries not represented in such associations, and 1 arrange for 8 general meeting at which plans for organization will be perfected. When that is done it is expected that one man will be named in each region to act as the l direct representative of MT. Otis in | handling business between the region and the Resources and Conversion l Section.
 Every type of industry, whether 1 represented in commercial organiza- tions or not, will be asked to coop crate. The regional system is intend ed to supplement the work of the l National War Service Committees ot | lllc oOIIlS Ol W1lISh eLLS e1l- ready effectively cooperating with the government, while others are in pro- cess of formation. Many industries are not so organized as to permit rep resentation by a National War Ser. vice committee.
 By the regional system it is pur. posed to look after the requirement: 1 of these scattered industries and pro vide a means by which greater i'm petus can be given to increasing pro duction in every part of the country It is believed that this will result il great measure in preventing furthel dislocation of labor, new housing programs, unnecessary expansion o
 plants, and freight congestion. l
 win be an object also to provide worl for industries whose normal output i being reduced without their resource
 being employed in new directions"
 New England is divided into Nos
 and 2 zone districts, with headquar
 ters in Bridgeport and Boston respect lively. The local Chamber of Com
 merce will assume the duties thereb, evolved, and it is expected that tn
 entire time of President Pierce a
 well as that of Secretary George Gov
 will be devoted to this new work
 while the work formerly done by tn latter will be assumed by the assist ant secretary, Meigs B. Russell. Contrary to previously publishe reports, local representatives canno award contracts, and all contract l must be awarded by the War Indus tries Board at Washington.