New-York tribune., 1918-06-13
US. and Allies
Plan a Great
|EconomicPool
Council to Control Food
and War Material TO
Be Created

WASHINGTON, June 12.-Pooling Of
all economic resources of America and
the nations allied against the Central
Powers was a step nearer to-day after
the weekly meeting of the Presidents
War Cabinet.
One of the moves planned in the
project for welding into vast mobile
machine the entire economic power of
the United States and the Allies behind
the military forces, is the creation of
a munitions council, with headquarters
at one of the Entente capitals.
This phase of the question, which
has been under consideration by the
War Indus .ries Board for some months,
was laid before President Wilson at.
to-day's session.
Council in Two Parts
Under tentative plan outlined, the
munitions counci! you'd be divided
into two parts, food and war material.
On the former would sit representa-
tives of the food ministries of the
Allies, and a representative of Food
Administrator Hoover. On the latter,
Allied munitions heads would sit with
a representative of the War Industries
Board.
The control, purchase and distribu-
tion of food, raw material and finished
products needed by the Allies would
be centred in the munitions council.
Any question concerning the needs of
the various Allies, their armies and
those of the United States would come
before the council. Where one ally's
requirements, either for food or ma
terial, are more pressing than an
others steps would be taken to meet
that need first. Orders for material
would be allocated or reallocated in
conformity with varying needs and the
ability of plants in the Allied nations
to deliver.
Every industry, both in Europe and
| the United States. would be the object
| Of special study with regard to its
and duplication of manufacture would
| be prevented.
While the plan outlined is now ten.
tative, such progress has been made
that Assistant Secretary of War Stet-
tinius, Food Administrator Hoover and
otner officials of the war making
! agencies are arranging to go to Europe
within the next few weeks to make
preparations for setting up the organi.
Zation.
Aside from the necessity of co6rdi.
mating the industrial efforts of all the
cobelligerents and preventing duplica-
ton of output, it was pointed out to.
day that the situation at the battle.
| front made some sort of pooling
| scheme essential. The frequent shift
! ing of trops from one sector to another
necessitates the transfer of their
equipment, guns, munitions, food sup
! plies and other impediments, weighing
thousands of tons. A pooling arrange
! ment would make it unnecessary to fol.
low a military unit with long trains OF
freight.
To Keep Tab on Production
The President is preparing TO keep
in close personal touch with American
production for the war by having q
comprehensive survey Of progress laid
before him at regular intervals.
To this end he has written Chair.
man Baruch, of the War Industries
Board, asking that bureau be created
under the board, to keep a close check
on the progress Of all war work, in.
cluding coal and steel production and
manufacture of war materials and
transportation.
That the creation of such bureau
Is contemplated was disclosed to-day
by Representative Sherley, Of Ken
lucky, chairman Of the House Appro-
priations Committee, in speech on
the sundry civil appropriation bill.
Mr.. Sherley made no mention Of the
President's letter, but it was learned
later that the President had taken the
matter up with Mr.. Baruch and that q
plan for surveys every month or two
). was being worltd out.