Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-28
Conference 10 Study
Wartime Industrial
Mobilization
$50 Officers Are Called
To PorIey Opening
Here Thursday
BY the Associated Press. ,

BY the Associated Press.
The War Department has sum-
moned about $50 officers to con-
ference Thursday and Friday on its
program for mobilizing industry in
event of war, thus lending new en-
phasis to the administrations &C
tolerated defense program.
Other armament developments in
Guided:
l. Secretary Woodring's urgent
recommendation that the Panama
Canal be made "impregnable" hint
ed at new reinforcements for that
vital link.
2. Senator Clark, Democrat, of
Missouri served notice that advo-
Gates of an expanded ornaments
program would encounter critical
and determined opposition in the
new Congress.
First of Its Kind.
War Department officials said the
conference on industrial mobiliza-
ton was the first of its kind ma
tionally and would be attended by
procurement planning specialists of
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
They are the men responsible for
detailed arrangements to obtain
munitions and supplies.
Complete even to contract forms
to avoid confusion and delay, the
"M-Day" Mobilization Day. pro-
curement plans have been in prepa-
ration since the World War. They
include the specific functions to be
performed by about 10000 plants.
Secretary Woodring's plea for
strengthening the Panama Canal
Notifications went to President
Roosevelt in the Secreatry's annual
report. Defense of the Canal, the
means by which the Navy under
takes to protect both the Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts with single
fleet. long has been a matter of
personal concern to Mr.. Roosevelt
Within the last year, informed
persons said, the President directed
that new protective measures be
taken. In August he made a. de-
tailed inspection of the Canal forth
tlcations en- route home from a
Pacific fishing trip.
Military authorities said that dur
ing 1888 the Army and Navy have
dispatched men, guns. planes and
Warships to make the 50-mile chan
mel between the Atlantic and Pa
cific stronger than ever.
Must Be Made Safer, He Says.
Mr.. Woodring told the President
1t must be made even safer.
Sudden war would find the troops
in the Panama Canal department
in an especially precarious posi-
ton" he reported.
"All locks and dams on that vital
waterway must be made bomb
proof. The possibility of sabotage
by crews of ships transiting the
Canal must be completely elimi-
mated.
1--WE must greatly augment our
air forces and our anti-aircraft in
stallations in the Panama Canal
Zone. The Panama Canal must be
made impregnable"
Mr.. Woodring also recommended
augmented war stores and full equip
ment for the Army and National
Guard. which together form the
initial protective force" of 100000
men in the War department. de-
Tense scheme.
Anticipating Wh>e House rec
concentration to Congress that the
Army Air Corps be enlarged quickly
the Secretary advised that extern
sion of the existing mobile general
headquarters air force now appears
essential"
Opposed by Clark.
Senator Clark expressed in an
interview his opposition to a large
part of this talk about the need
for more national defense" He
charged that militarists and super
navy groups were using war hys-
terra as a cover for another pump
printing program designed to aid
heavy industry"
The Missouri Senator is a leader
in non-partisan Senate bloc chat
has sponsored neutrality legislation
and similar measures.
Instead of huge additional outlays
for ornaments, Senator Clark said
he would press in the next Congress
for these measures:
l. Strengthening Of the present
neutrality act to make it more
mandatory"
2. A "super-tax" program which
would operate automatically on dec
laration of war.
3. A war referendum measure
which would give to voters the ex-
listing powers of Congress to declare
a foreign war.