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Show STATESJGIVE HELP COUNCILS OF NATIONAL DEFENSE HAVE BEEN (ORQArJlZED lf ri08T OF THEM. WORK UNDER NATIONAL BODY Promote Numerous Civic Activities, of War Time Importance, Especially In Regard to the Mobilization of Men, Food and Industries. By EDWARD B. CLARK. Washington. Up to the present time 45 states of tho Union hnve reported tho organization of stnto councils of national defense. It will be tho duty of theso councils to promote civil activities ac-tivities of war Importance. It soemi necessary to tho nniloniil council of defense, nnd to tho administration In Washington ns well, that the stutes ln-illldunlly ln-illldunlly be prepared to take their' part In the grout work that Is uhvud of the nation. The state councils arc appointed by the governors from citizens representing represent-ing larger business nnd Industrial occupations. oc-cupations. They promote, pilot nnd supervise ofllclal and unofficial war activities ac-tivities of the states. In several of tho larger states of the Union lows have been enacted to establish es-tablish the councils upon n statutory basis. In some cases these administrative administra-tive bodies Include In their membership member-ship the governor nnd other state elective elec-tive ofllclnls. Tho legislatures . have given mauy of tho councils large appropriations, ap-propriations, ranging from $23,000 to 51,000,000, nnd lmvo endowed them with full powers of investigation, power to report to the governor or legislature leg-islature and authority to supervise the uctlvltles of local "bodies. Generally there nro local councils In places of Importance which conduct considerable local work and co-opernte with tho stnto councils. Some states have built up complete, well centralized central-ized local sj stems with defense councils coun-cils In each county, operating under tho supervision of the statu council. Under such a system u council In every county can bo Immediately set In motion performing any labor desired by tho state council or by the council of national defense. Good Work of State Councils. Through the subcommittees by which they conduct their work, tho stato councils have undertaken a variety of activities In regard to moblllzntlon of men, food and Industries. Much has been done to boom recruiting nnd to lend a helping hand to tho boys off to tho front. Some councils have seen to It thnt their fighting men nro equipped with wcll-cared-for teeth and feet, as well ns guns. Other states have undertaken un-dertaken to give a good tlmo to the hoys In the camps In the hours when they are not drilling. Food has been a big object of activity. ac-tivity. "Don't waste don't hoard" and "Plant more plant better" campaigns huvo 'been undertaken generally, and often followed up by bulletins of Instruction In-struction as to how to savo food, and whnt and when to plnnt It. Farmers' organizations have been put Into operation. oper-ation. As a, result more land Is under cultivation' and It Is more highly cultivated culti-vated tbnn In previous years. Some councils have seen that waste of labor Is us bad as wusto of food nnd have prevented ambitious, patriotic societies from crowding ono wnr activity ac-tivity nnd neglecting nnothcr, nnd so have unsigned preparation of bandages to one, care of soldiers' families to another an-other and enlistment propaganda to a third. One council has forestalled Industrial In-dustrial wnste by establishing a wartime war-time arbitration board which already has succeeded In settling a big and bitter bit-ter strike. Working Hand In Hand. The council of nntlonnl defense has assisted and generally directed theso local activities and ucted ns a' clearing house for the state councils. It has carried on n lgorous correspondence answering questions, supplying data, und suggesting lines of labor. In return re-turn It has called for euger co-operation, asking state councils to undertake under-take the patriotic celebration of registration regis-tration day, to aid In Hooting the Liberty Lib-erty loan, nnd to stlmulato the conservation conser-vation of food. Nation, stato nnd local committees aro thus working hand In hand through their various councils and bringing to the assistance of our country not only tho regular governmental machinery, but tho aihlco nnd service of all patriotic pa-triotic citizens. It Is possible that tho American people peo-ple huvo no realizing senso of tho greatness of tho Held of actUltles ot tho national council of defense. It Is composed of cabinet officers, but tt hns ns members of an advisory commute scores of tho great business men of the country, of engineers and of experts In nil lines of endeavor, virtually all of whom lmvo given up their work nt homo In order 'to servo Undo Sam In Washington. The pny of most of these volunteers Js $1 a yenr each. The reason rea-son that they tako tho dollar Is that under the law any man who works for tho government In n regularly assigned Job must receive compensation, and so each of theso volunteers takes tho price of ten fair cigars for his yearly stipend. |