New-York tribune., 1919-11-07
Forms an lnterdepartmental
Board of Government OF.
ficials to Frame Program
for Prompt Mobilization
Industries To Be Indexed
Secretary Baker, as Chair
man. Soon to Call Meeting
and Begin Active Work
N~ec York Tr6rrs
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON. Nov. 6.-Grosvenor
B. Clarkson. director Of the United
States Council Of National Defense,
announced to-day the formation of a
government nter-departmental board
a peacetime organization whose duty
it will be to survey and classify the
industrial and economic resources Of
the country, with a view of framing
program which will result in prompt
mobilization in case of war.
The council. under the law which
Of War. Navy. Interior, Agriculture.
Commerce and Labor. The inter-depart-
mental board includes:
War Department-Major General
George X. Burr, assistant chief Of
staff, director of purchase, storage and
traffic
Navy Department-Rear Admiral
William Strothers Smith, on special
duty at Navy Department.
Department Of the Interior-Nan II.
Manning. director, Bureau Of Mines.
Department Of Agriculture-L NJ.
Estabrook, chief, bureau OF Crop Esti-
mates.
Department of Commercials. s. W.
Stratton, director, Bureau Of Stan
dards
Department Of Labor-Royal Meeker,
Commissioner of Labor Statistics.
Grosvenor B. Clarkson. director Of
the council
Lessons From World War
Lessons from the world war Will be
utilized, says Mr. Clarkson in his state
ment. Files and records of the Wa,
Industries Board now are in the hand
Of the council and are being ndexe,
and classified, with data drawn from
Il ,,-t,
other war agencies. The research staff
Of the council already is at work or
survey which is 20 serve as a nucleus
for permanent plans regarding national
defense The first meeting Of the new
inter departmental board is expected to
be he'd shortly under the chairmanship
Of Secretary Of War Baker
The military officials chosen for rne
board were selected. Mr.. Clarkson CON
knowledge Of war requirements of the
Army and Navy departments, and the
eNii'ans on account Of their familiar
ity with the resources OF the nation.
'lt is the judgment OF the director
Of the council the statement adds.
that the creation of this board is one
Of the most progressive steps toward.
scientific and econom cal considerat on
Of the national defense in al its va
been taken under the government
at viii tend automatically to check
Unnecessary duplication of national de
tense activity on the part Of the sew
eral departments at the same time ac-
1uainting the departments with the
needs and problems Of one another.
Acts as Clearing House
at is tie sort of intensive work over
q continuing period now about to be
begun that it was the duty and intent
Of the council to carry on in the early
day Of its organization. This pur-
pose however, was defeated by our en-
trance into the war. when the council
had al once to turn itself into 8 vas,
emergency machinery to advise and as
sist he executive departments
The board will endeavor. first, to
get logically stated the problem OF ma
tionai defense with regard to the APP
pl cation of Industrial and econom c
forces to modern war. and will act as
clearing house Of information and
know edge between those executive de-
partments dealing saliently with the
national defense. 1t will report from
time TO time TO the members Of the
council