Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-18
WAR SUPPLIES
HEAD IS NEEDED
This Is Opinion Of Director
of National Council
Of Defense.

of Defense.
| Washington, D. c., Jan. 15.-The
senate war inquiry today continued
/; its investigation into the merit of q
plan to establish a one-man control OF
the purchase and distribution Of army
supplies. Director w. 8. Clifford of the
council of national defense was the
first witness.
In endeavoring to mobilize industry,
Director Clifford testified, that pre-.
vention of waste was one Of the first
aims.
I'VE even went so far" he said, "as
to change the Paris styles Of women's
dress to save cloth, by taking 1t up
with French Ambassador Jusserand,
and arranged to reduce cloth con.
sumption next year about 80 1'3 per
cent"
DUPLICATION IS ELIMINATED.
The councils committees, he de-
clared, have cut out much of the dupli
cation Of work and Crossing of
wires" and also increased industrial
production.
II don't know" he said. where this
work Of the national council could
have been handled by the government
without some &co-ordinating agency
like the council, for it affected not one
but many departments and also COM
prised work which no existing depart
ment was prepared to handle"
SINGLE HEAD Is NEEDED.
!, what is lacking in preparing this
whole program Of war;" asked Chair
man Chamberlain.
TITS the lack of one policy, one pro-
gram and one executive authority for
dealing with industries that are not
able without enormous expansion to
meet the needs of the war"
When asked If he saw defect in
the plans of Secretary Baker for re.
organization Of war work Mr.. Clifford
said he agreed with Mr.. Willard that
the war industries board, the para
mount authority proposed, is volun.
tary organization and lacks legal
authority.
PRESIDENT SHOULD APPOINT.
II would suggest" said Mr.. Clifford,
"that the president have power to
appoint head Of war industries. /
would prefer single individual
"The scheme of Secretary Baker
may work, l think. and I hope it will"
he said. "It's worth trying. But IL
we find it will not work It should be
to the war industries head
whose organization could be built up
gradually as needs develop. He would
be the only man to know the whole
situation. Obviously a.
dozen or fifteen separate purchasing
agencies can not know that. War in
dustries must be handled AZ unit"
AXE FOR CIVILIANS.
"The present system Of voluntary.
civilian advice or aid to the govern.
ment should not be cut out with
meat axe" Mr.. Clifford said, but In
government supplies the
trend now is toward salaried and rep
supervision"
Mr.. Clifford denied that confusion
results from the great number Of CIV
ilian committees now in existence.
Through the voluntary system Of
in fixing steel prices, Mr..
Clifford declared $3,112.0oO,000 was
saved to the country. On copper, he
said, $4,000, 900 had been saved on gov
eminent purchases alone Through
the war industries board Mr.. Clifford
cited many other savings BY voluntary
price fixing agreement.
Twenty million dollars alone was
saved, Mr.. Clifford said by changing
plans for the army cantonment build
Ings from one or two stories. Other
savings made by the committees of
the defense council Director Clifford
cited in detail as follows:
Oats for army horses $1,000 900;
cotton duck 1925, 900: leather options
$4,000. 900; shoes $1,6s2,000; airplane
motors $3.50 to 5000 on each one;
spruce for airplanes $2,S5O,000; lum.
Der for army cantonments $2,O0OOO0. |
Mr. Clifford said he advised Score.
!ary Baker regarding the general war
reorganization plan submitted by the
after.
1.-THE plans accord with my recon.
except that I desired a
single individual instead of a board to
control war industries and that favor |
! single responsible authority through
legislation by congress-
TURNED DOWN TWICE 4