The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-26
|ll!!DER
Big PLANTS
SUMMONED


10 ms lntimete acquaintance Win
,31dnstrial questions. he was in
great demand % . speaker before
xssienEiAc and business crganiza-
yifns. He acquired wide reputa-
dl{on-Hs . public speaker.
~ Many signal honors were confer
red upon him. He served two years
seoccessively as president Of the Ma
sftOnAl Metal Trades association. He
sNA4, ,at one time president OF the
:. 6Ocicty OF Automobile Engineers.
!. FOR three years, from 1908 to 1911,
M. vanDervOOr was a member OF
.tko. Committee on management of
the American Motor Car associa-
Hon, which later became the Ma
stional Automobile Chamber OF
Commerce. In the latter Organiza-
tion he had held many important
positions.
He was appointed member OF
the. munitions standards board
SoOn: after the United States enter-
-ed the war, and was selected by
manufacturers to act as n member
Of the national war labor confer
ence board. Later he was appoint
cd by President Wilson as a men,
Der Of the United States war labor
board. During the war Mr.. Van
UervO0rt gave practically all OF
his, time to work for the govern
ment, sacrificing his health and his
personal interests. go
On European Mission.
After the close of the war early
in 1919 Mr.. VanDervOort was cho-
sen as one Of a commission OF five
sent by the national industrial con-
ference board to Europe to study
industrial conditions. This COM
mission spent 10 weeks in Europe,
returning in May, 1919. The trip
Involved many actual physical
hardships. and MIR. VanDervoprt re-
turned showing visibly the effects
OF his experiences and with his
health severely impaired.
Early in the war, when the Brit
!, ish government enlisted the manu-
featuring facilities Of America, the
Root & VanDervOort' plants were
chosen for the execution of large
and important contracts for shells.
Mr.. VanDervoort's far-sightedness
and ability to foresee the entrance
of America into the war, enabled
the r. & V. plants to render inval-
uable service to the United States,
and become one of the most impOr-
tant sources of the war department
for eight-inch gas shells and the
navy department for fOur-inch navy
rifles. Upon completion Of the con-
tracts for the British government
MIR. VanDervoort caused the plants
! which had been specially equipped
for this work to be closed and the
machinery and equipment kept in
tact and under guard. and every.
thing held in readiness against the
time when they might. be called
upon to serve the United States
Eighteen months later, when Amer.
lea entered the war, the r. & v
had a plant ready for immediate
service. The importance of thi.
plants production has been testi
fed to frequently by public mel
and the officials Of the government
departments served.
II was one of Mr.. VanDervoort'
sincere regrets that the growth o
l the r. & V. organization from it
force OF q dozen men to the thou
sands OF workmen employed in tn
last few years. together with tn
demands OF his work for the gov
ernment, made it impossible TO
him to retain the close persona
touch he had always had with hi
employees. known by employees a
a man OF absolute fairness an
sincerity. he was held in the high
est personal esteem by those VIII
worked in the r.. & V. shops. Hi
personality and the loyalty whic
ne, inspired on the part of individ
ual -workmen was largely respon
rible for the fact that the r. &
plants passed through the irwin,
period Of the war and the Difficult
times following the signing OF tn
armistice without the least sign O
the slabor difficulties and unres
common to large industrial plant
throughout the whole country.
jet Local Leader.
Among local manufacturers Mr.
vanDervoort was recognized as
leader. He served as vice presi
dent Of the Tri-City Manufacturers
association and was q member O
the governing board. He was
director of the Peoples Saving.
Bank & Trust company. He wa,
active in the Moline club and tn,
After-Dinner club of Moline, serv
Ing at one time as president Of thu
latter organization, He was {
member Of the Engineers club o.
New York city and Of the Univer.
sity club OF Chicago, and a mum.
Der of engineering and scientific
associations. AS a young man he
eMliated with the Masonic frater-
ATTY. and during his residence in
Champaign he served as eminent
commander of the Champaign COM
mandery Of Knights Templar. He
belonged to Delta Tau Delta fra
ternity. He was member of the
First Congregational church OF
Moline
Mr.. VanDervoort vas a SON Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas VanDervoort
both of whom preceded him in
death. His marriage with Miss
Mary Smith was solemnized at Lam
sing. Mich, in 1892. He leaves be-
sides the widow, two daughters,
Mrs. Esther Howe of Moline and
Miss Louise vanDervoort, attend
ing Abbott academy at Andover,
Mass; his brother, Cornelius H.
tanDervoort. who has been asso-
ciated with him in business since
1904: and his sister, Miss Ellen B.
VanDervoort of Phelps, N. Y.