The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-08
Text of General Weeler's
Address To N. C.. Engineers

ACS -
about the great accumulation OF
stocks of construction equipment
acquired during the war. OF even
greater value, in my opinion, is
the mass of technical data which,
under the pressure of war, we have
obtained. Research and develop
ment, long a function of the Corps
of Engineers was accelerated a
hundred-fold by the multiple, and
often unprecedented, d e m n d
placed upon the engineers. The re-
search and development program
is to be continued on a higher
peacetime level and larger scale
than at any time in our history"
Place For All Engineers
There is a place and part for
all engineers and engineer groups
in the current national program"
General Wheeler then pointed to
the Sandhills Land Utilization Pro-
ject as an example. This project,
he said, we'll demonstrates the re-
s~toration of economic value to sub
marginal Farm lands and c%ut-over
forests by developing them as re-
creation, forestry, and wildlife
conservation areas
Calling World War II the great
est challenge ever flung at the
American engineering profession,
the General said: "In the five
years between July, 1910, and the
successful conclusion of hostilities,
the Army Engineers built nearly
5000 command installation pro.
jects and 300 major industrial con.
struction projects, at a total cost
approaching eleven million dol
lars.
CONSTRUCTION overseas equalleo
the homeland program in extent
and pace, if rot in total quantity
Construction for the Army, plus
construction for the other armed
services, and for American indus
try converting to war, necessarily
brought into the war effort at one
time or another, in n capacity
or another, every available engi-
neer and construction man."
$500 Contracting Firms
In getting the job done, the Corps
OF Engineers worked with $500 con-
tracing firms and 5000 architect
engineer firms.
To-day the great skills and in
geniousness Of the American engi,
neers are again turned to efforts Of
peace, to the restoration of that
which was destroyed, and to the
building and completing of pro-
jects interrupted by war. A ma
tion-wide span Of projects are be-
ing planned to increase the health,
prosperity and happiness Of the
nation.
"Since the turn OF the century, il
has been too frequently the prac-
tice of engineers to shy away from
an active participation in civil az
fairs. even though they have con-
tributed professionally in great
measure to the wealth, progress,
and security Of the nation.
planning and building r engi-
neer jobs. We a consider with
pride the developments which engi-
neers made possible in rail trans
portation, in shipbuilding programs
which during the wal broke con-
struction records daily, IN the
never static design of automotive
equipment, ard in the vast indus
trial uses and modern comforts re-
sulting from electric power and
the seemingly endless procession
of new materials and articles de-
veloped by the chemical, oil, and
metallurgical industries.
Engineers Contribute Much
"Consider these and you will
agree with me that the members
Of a profession who have contribut-
ed 50 much to our technical de-
velopment have much to contribute
to the development Of our COM
munity, city, state, and national
civic life"
The Corps of Engineers is con-
Quoting extensive research studies
in three major fields, according
to General Wheeler. These studies
include work at the Engineer
Board, Fort Eelvoir, Virginia, on
equipment d c S G n, particularly
earth-moving and heavy construc-
ton equipment, and bridging. Here
the engineers are developing
mobile and highly portable work
equipment, maintenance shops,
trailer transport, and other equip
ment with civilian usefulness.
A second field of research is the
military construction program and
operations, which is concerned pri-
marily with design and construc-
ton for airfields, drainage, and
turf.
Through the Engineering Divi-
sion of our Civil Works program,
we have conducted a continuing
series of studies of construction OF
all types. These studies proved
one of the great technical victories
of the war.
s"The civil works studies are
made at the U. S. Waterways Elk
neriment Station, Vicksburg. Mis-
sissippi. which is. unique in Ameri-