Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-18
STEPS TAKEN TO ORGANIZE EV
cry VILLAGE AND HAMLET
IN NATION.
TO BE UTILIZED AS
MOBILIZATION INSTRUMENTS
Resources Of Nation to Be Brought
Under Control Of Local Branches
Much Real Work For Further ex-
pansion Of Efforts of Present State
Defense Councils.
By E G. Dougherty.l

WASHINGTON, March 1S.--CounciIs oil
national defense in every town and
hamlet of the country is the hope OF
the state councils section of the gen
eral council os national defense, when
just announced plans for organizing
the nations defense in every comm n
ity Of America.
At the outbreak of the war there
was formed in each state a councli OF
defense. These state councls haNe
become highly organized turnout the
country and have already created SUD
sidiarv defeuse councils covering much
of the counties of the various states
but there still remains much room Tor
further expansion of the scheme OF
giving every citizen an opportunity Of
doing mis- bit.
Under the plan which the slaIe
councils section has worked out Inc
present step calls for the complete
mobilization of the nation tor War
work behind the general council OF
national defense thru extending lhe
county organization down thru every
CITY and town turnout the country SO
as to create in each school district or
other unit as may be decided oy ioca!
conditions the community council
whose membership in turn is expected
to reach practically every family.
The county councils already are
working in close harmony with the
Red Cross. The food administration
the woman's committee, the AperN
loan organization and every other war
unit. By tha community council 1t IS
planned to decentralize this WORK 10
the fartheres7 possible degree.
The recommendation for the crea-
tion of these community councils has
gone forward Many states ALREADY
have these counsils actively under
way and the plans have been met with
great enthusiasm. IS such community
organization is completed, the various
counties Will report these to the states
and the states in turn 10 he genera
council Of national defense.
instruments Of Mobilization.
In announcing the new plans OF the
general council W. S. Clifford, director
of the courcil Of national defense
said:
organization for mopllzlng the
whole country for the effec-
tive prosecution of the war. Or
ganization is necessary to eliminate
lost motion turnout the country and
10 bring the war home to the people
thru personal contact.
"Of course practically everybody
has been trying to serve, but in order
TO make this service effective it has
become necessary to weld all into one
fighting unit. and it was 70 this END
that the plan of the community coun-
Gil has been worked out for the Varl-
Gus state councils or defense.
1T must be clearly understood
however, that this organization is no.
expected to interfere with other fed
eral departments in their war actiyit-
les. but to work in cooperation with
them
Eve want to have formed purely
local unit in every hamlet in the
country in which every man and Wom-
an can be enlisted for all forms OF
national service.
ITO the people in every nook ard
corner Of every state in the union We
must bring directly home the war
needs, the magnitude of the war, and
what must be done to win il"