The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-05
SAVED MONEY
| ON WAR GOODS
Council of National Defense
Was Of Much Ben
eft
REPORT GIVEN
BEFORE CONGRESS
Covers Only -Four Months,
but Much Has Been
Accomplished

Washington, ID. c., Jan. 5.-Expedi
tious production and delivery OF war sup
plies and substantial saving in contract
prices to the government have beer
achieved by the council of national de
Tense through its civilian advisory com
mission, according to the councils first
annual report transmitted to Congress
yesterday by the president. The report
covers the work of the council for only
four months, from the time Of organiza
tion, March 3, 1917, TO the end of the
fiscal year, June 30.
I'm broad sense. the council and com
mission have sought to make available
to the United States the best thought
and effort OF American industrial and
professional life for the successful prose
cution of the war; the report says
"The direction of the machinery Of
American industry for the national de.
Tense necessarily involves the creation
of an organization of great neXibility.
The swift changes in strategy and rapid
improvement in war machinery. attended
by the equal speed with which nipple.
ments of warfare are scrapped and re-
placed at the front, has been reflected by
rapid transformation and
stimulation of the industrial organiza-
tion within the nations at war. The his
tory of the first three months of the war
in the United States has proven no ex-
ception
ut has been the effort of the organ
ization of the council of national defense
to hold itself in constant readiness TO
meet such new demands and TO shift its
ground and expand its facilities in the
interest OF the national service. Its or.
ganization has been and of necessity
must continue in process Of evolution
rapid enough TO keep abreast with the
rapidly changing current Of the times,
and yet conservative enough to prevent
confusion or lack Of proper coordination
and control. In peculiar sense it has
felt itself called upon to be constantly
ready to fill in the gaps and assist the |
regular departments of the government
In order to assure the American forces |
adequate equipment To bring victory, !
vast increases in the country output OF |
war supplies were necessary. The coun |
ell has developed new sources OF supply |
for both raw materials and finished prod
ucts and purchases of supplies Tor the
executive departments have been eo-or.
dinated. Standardized specifications for
tools and implements used in the manu-
facture OF munitions have been intro.
iueed and the cooperative organization
Of transportation and electric communi-
cation for war service has been enlisted,
an aircraft program was inaugurRted,
motor transportation facilities stimulat
ID, labor leaders organized con ointly
With representative employers for the
Effective enlistment of the workmen in
war service, scientific research promoted
he engineering and medical professions
for war and the coal industry ,
organized for more effective production
II fuel
Assistance also was given by the coun. !
il to the business of the country in :
Meeting changed conditions and adapting :
esources to war demands The local !
of the states were centralized. | I
Efforts of American women to assist ,
\ the conduct of the war received spe r
ial attention from the council, which 9
rovided means for concentrating their
nergies effectively a
THE councils aircraft production r
GARD" says the report, states that u
ne lack Of previous American experience a
! battle plane construction led to the
doption to a large extent of designs de- G
eloped in the allied countries, or adap- q
ons from those designs. The difference Fl
shop practice in this country and in s.
urope resulted in the development of 4
he composite international design, ;,
nown as the Liberty motor, son con
nown as the Liberty motor soon con +,
ed that it lends itself easily to quantity "
with American shop methods or
Manufacturing resources of the coun- Il
V were adapted to the manufacture of q.
rplanes, the general policy adopted be
& that Of relying mainly on relatively "
W higher organized and manifestly ca H.,
Ible establishments rather than seat IN
ring orders for planes and separate n
rts among a large number of small IN
ops. "
Competitive bidding between the war
d navy departments and between sub
partments and committees, has been
minated by the general munitions 6;
ard, which acted as a clearing house;
rticularly for orders which involve ma
rails in which a national shortage ex-
ed. Where manufacturing facilities in
re insufficient the board has directed mi
orts TO develop new facilities. pa
The committee on supplies by the Sc. sh
ring of options, the 'pegging of prices til
various articles, the allotment of large m,
lurements throughout the industries. bu
: elimination of middlemen, and the
rbing OF competition between govern III
mt departments. has enabled the gov tn,
iment TO make substantial savings in a
purchases of textiles, foodstuifs and pin
Their.
The report of the committee on raw ella
-- un
tn,