The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-14
CONNECTICUT IS READY FOR ANYTHING

 local agencies throughout the country will have their activities and scope of work increased and breadened in ac- cordance with the suggestion of Presl- dent Wilson to Secretary of War Ba- ker, just made public.
 The President has asked the Secre- tary of War to communicate with all federal departments and administra- tions his wish that, when they are considering extensions of their organi- zations into the states or new work to be done in the states, they consider carefully whether they cannot utilize the state council system" The letter of President Wilson to Secretary of War Baker was in reply to one writ ten to the President by the Secretary of War outlining the accomplishments of the state councils of defense and recommending that increased use be made of these war organizations
 Urged by Connecticut.
 This action is one which Governor Marcus H. Holcomb and the Connecti- cut State Council of Defense have been urging for many months AS soon as Connecticut's defense council organization was perfected to degree that made possible its efficient han ding of tasks assigned to it by the federal government letters were ad dressed by the Governor to various de- partment heads in Washington advis- ing them that civilian war work in this state should be carried c0 through the council. The completion of Connecti- cuts organization was in advance of that in a majority of the other states. Consequently, awaiting the perfection of these other organizations, 1t was | impossible for the administration to suggest that state councils be general ly used throughout the country. In the meantime, however, the organiza- tion in this state, because Washington considered it efficient, has been made use of extensively.
 Connecticut Is Ready.
 When copies of the correspondence between President Wilson and Secre- tary of War Baker were shown to members of the Connecticut State Council of Defense and department heads yesterday the unanimous express sion was:
 "We are ready to tackle any job that Washington gives US, and we will do our best to put 1t through. Our whole organization is unreservedly at the disposal of the federal government in carrying through any part of the task of downing the Hun"
 The Presidents Letter.
 In reply to Secretary Bakers letter outlining the achievements of the state councils of defense President Wilson wrote:
 "My Dear MT. Baker:
 q have read with great interest your account of the achievements of the state councils of defense and your general summary of the activities in which they are now engaged. It is a notable record, and I shall be glad to have you express to the state councils my appreciation of the service they have so usefully rendered. I am par ticularly struck by the value of ex- tending our defense organization into the smallest communities and by the truly democratic character of a na- tional system so organized.
 : T believe in the soundness of your contention that in the interest of econ. omy and efficiency such machinery as that provided by the state council sys tenn for the execution of many kinds of war work should be utilized as faI as possible by federal departments anc administrations. May I suggest, there fore, that you communicate to the heads of all such departments and ad ministrations my wish that when they are considering extensions of their or ganiZation into the states or new worl to be done in the states they deter mine carefully whether they canno , utilize the State Council system, thu! rendering unnecessary the creation O new machinery, and that they trans
 init all requests for action by the stat, l councils through the state councils sec l tion of the Council of National De , fense?
 Cordially and sincerely yours,
 WOODROW WILSON" q Secretary Bakers Letter. ] The letter from Secretary Bake
 calling attention to the activities o
 the state councils of defense and our f lining their ability to handle war worl
 efficiently, which called for the repl
 printed above, was as follows:
 My Dear Mir. President:
 "As Chairman of the Council of Ma
 tional Defense, I beg to report to yo : the noteworthy accomplishments O - the State Council of Defense in tn t forty-eight states of the Union, and t = indicate the war activities for whici . they seem to me to be peculiarly fit e ted and peculiarly responsible, and t ask your advice and assistance in ,. matter vital to their future effective ness.
 "The state councils of defense, a
 you SCe well aware, were instituted a