Evening star., 1920-03-01

DR.. Herbert n. Shenton, foE some
Council of National Defense. has been
appointed acting director of that body,
to succeed Grosvenor E. ClarkSon,
resigned.
The new acting director came to
the council in August, 1918, from CO.
as one of the ableSt research men in
the country. He helped the United
States bituminous coal commission
organize.
Mr.. Clarkson served continuously
in the council for thirty-six months.
He also was director of the councils
field division, which directed and CO.
ordinated the work of the 1000
units of state. county. community and
municipal councils of defense through
out the war. He was chairman and
organizer of the work of the inter
departmental defense board. com
posed of representatives of six eX-
ecutive departments.
Tells Absence of Politics.
In resigning. Mr.. Clarkson wrote
Secretary Baker. chairman of the
council as follows:
For three years. during the larger
part of which time the council was
the rai!ying point for those great in
dustrial and economic forces which.
first under it's direction and later
under the direction of the war in
dustries board made possible the win
ming. of the war; and when the coun-
Gil and advisory commission. partic-
ularlv in the very early days of the
American participation. were calling
to the side of the government the
acknowledged leaders of our indus
trial and scientific life. | do not re-
call an administrative act on the part
of any of the six cabinet officers form
ing the council which contained the
slightest trace of partisan politics.
That state of affairs has been pc
cuiiarly true of yourself AS chairman
of the council: indeed. I believe that
YOU have been chiefly responsible for
it. During the actual war period 1t
formed a remarkable demonstration
of a genuine desire on the part OF
yourself and the five cabinet minis
ters associated with you on the coun-
cikto subordinate personal and point
ical considerations. to the service OF
the government and of the people.
.I am the more free to say this be-
cause my own political affiliation has
always been of another faith and be
cause I neither expect to hold olhce
again nor to enter politics.
Directors Service Praised.
The following statement, signed by
Secretary Baker. was issued by the
ing the resignation of Mr.. Clarkson:
'The resignation of Grosvenor B
Clarkson as director of the Councll
of National Defense having been tend
cred. the council desires to place in
it's recoI1ls a statement of its regret
at the loss of his services and of its
apnreciation of the zeal, energy. sym
pathy and intelligence with which he
has administered the office of director
of the Council of National Defense
from his assumption of the duties.
Dealing with an experimental and
newly initiated governmental agency.
called upon by the emergency of war
to expand it's activities with great
rapidity and upon a tremendous scale.
then called upon by the cessation OF
hostilities to undertake intricate stud
les of reorganization and reconstruc-
ton, MIR. Clarkson has met his tasks
with unflagging industry and fine de-
votion to the interests of the govern
ment.
whether or not the Congress shall
see fit to continue and enlarge the ac-
tivities of the council cannot now be
foreseen with certainty, but the fruits
of the constructive imagination with
which Mr.. ClarkSon has administered
it's affairs and forecast the lines of
future usefulness will remain of per-
manent value"