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Show BEPOHT GBUT SAVING Ti THE MINT Work of the Council of National Na-tional Defense Given in Detail to Congress by the President. NEW SOURCES OF SUPPLY FOUND Business of Country Assisted Assist-ed in Meeting Changed Conditions Incident to the War. WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. Expeditious production and delivery of war supplies and substantial saving in contract prices to the government have been achieved by the council of national defense de-fense through its civilian advisory commission, com-mission, according to the council's first annual report transmitted to congress today by the president'. The report covers the work of the council for only four months, from the time of organization, organiza-tion, March 3, 1917, to the end of the fiscal year, June 30. "In a broad sense, the council and commission have sought to make available avail-able to the United States the best thought and effort of American indus- tri.'il and nrnf pssi nna 1 life fnr tlip suc cessful prosecution of the war,' the report says. ' "It has been the effort of the organization or-ganization of the council of national da tense to hold" itself in constant readiness readi-ness to meet new demands and to shift its ground and expand its facilities in the interest of the national service." New Sources of Supply. Tn order to assure the American forces adequate equipment to bring victory, vic-tory, vast increases in the country's output of war supplies were ueccssary. The council has developed new sources of supply for both raw materials and finished products and purchases of supplies for the executive departments, have been co-ordinated. Assistance also was given by the council to the business of the country in meeting changed conditions con-ditions and adapting resources to war demands. Efforts of American women to assist in the conduct of the war roceived special attention from the council, which provided means for con- ccntrating their energies effectively. "The council's aircraft production board," savs the report, "slate that the lack of" previous American experience experi-ence in battle plane construction led to the adoption to a large extent of designs de-signs developed in the allied1 countries, or adaptatious from those designs. The difference in shop practice in this country and in Europe resulted in the development of the composite international interna-tional design, known as the 'Liberty motor,' so constructed and with its parts so standardized that it lends itself easily to quantity productions with American shop methods. General Policy Adopted. "Manufacturing resources of the country were adapted to the manufacture manufac-ture of airplanes, the general policy adopted being that of relying mainly on relatively few highly organized and manifestly capable establishments rather than scattering orders for planes and separate parts among a large number num-ber of small shops. ' ' The committee on labor's report tells of the conference of organized labor representatives at which they stated their unqualified allegiance to the republic re-public iu any situation. Later a resolution was adopted by the committee, approved by the council, coun-cil, declaring there should be no departure de-parture from present standards in state laws or state rulings affecting labor. that it is essential for national defense. In describing work of special committees, com-mittees, special mention is made of that on wages and hours, wlii-li assisted in incorporating in government contracts the standards for' wages and hours al-. al-. reudv established bv federal legislation. V The report says 'that of 48 persons working continuously for the council only UiS were paid, the greater part being be-ing clerks and stenographers, not counting count-ing a very Imvlio number of persons V giving part of their time in and out, of Washington. |