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Show e 4 .j , , , , , , . , III Council of National Defense the Greatest Mobiliza- II tion of Brain-Power Ever Assembled - Various Committees and Their Work- What Has Been 1 Accomplished So Far Is Truly Amazing, if Copyright, 1017, by Tbo International Syndicate. IH H"" ALLl THIS COUNTRY'S national - h movemeats inaugurated during ioi")'' W" this great epoch a primal factor in guiding and controlling the I momentous affairs of tho day is tho Council of National Defense. Despite Its foremost part In the affairs af-fairs of the nation tho questions arc yet frequently asked: "What Is the Council of National Defense?" "Whence did It come?" "What Is Its relation with the United States Government?" Gov-ernment?" One of tho clearest and most succinct suc-cinct definitions of the Council of National Na-tional Defenso Is: "It Is tho biggest ploca of civilian cooperation that any government lias ever attempted to create." The Council of National Defenso Is composed of a small group of Government Gov-ernment officials and a large body of men outside of the Government whoso I Individual work in various lines of ln-I ln-I dustry, science and expert knowledge has given them national preeminence. In A Hundred Days. The Council of National Defense antedates America's proclamation of war, for it was created under an act of Congress approvod August 29, 1916, as a measure of national preparedness. It was not fully organized for business, busi-ness, howeer, until March 1, 1917. Sluco that date Its record has been ono of steady and consistent growth. Its material accomplishments in a short spaco of time are tho greatest ever known to history, for in a llttlo over a hundred days It has organized , the most comprehensive schomo of raising an unprepared nation to war strength ever conceived by tho mind of man. Tho Council of' National Defenso is mado up. by vlrtuo of tho high of-I of-I flee they hold, of tho Secretary of War, ! as chairman, tho secretaries of the Navy, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce and Labor. Acting with tho Council as Advisory Commission is a group of men from civil life, nominated by tho Council and appointed by tho President. This Advisory Commission of the Council of National Defense consists of Daniel Wlllard, president of tho Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who Is chairman; Howard E. Coffin, vice-president vice-president of the Hudson Motor Company; Com-pany; Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company; Bernard Ber-nard M. Baruch. banker; Dr. Hollls Godfrey, president of the Drcxel Institute: In-stitute: Samuel Gompers. president of the American Federation of Labor; Dr. Franklin Martin, secretary of the American College of Surgeons, Chicago. Chi-cago. Experts In Command. Each member of the Advisory Commission Com-mission Is particularly prominent and actlvo In somo ono line of endeavor and generally heads tho committees and sub-commlttces in these branches. Daniel Wlllard has to do with transportation trans-portation and, communication; Mr. Coflln, with aircraft, munitions and manufacturing, Including standardization standardiza-tion and Industrial relations; Mr. Rosenwald w'lth supplies, Including clothing, etc.; Mr. Baruch with raw materials, minerals and metals; Dr. Godfrey with engineering and education; educa-tion; Samuel Gompers with labor, including in-cluding conservation of health and welfaro of workers; and Dr. Martin with medicine, surgery and sanitation. Under the Council thero aro a number num-ber of committees, and under the Advisory Ad-visory Commission there are a number num-ber of committees, with ramifications in overy large city In tho country and reaching Into other Industrial centers, and containing on their rosters over a thousand members, Thero is tho Aircraft Production Board, with Howard E. Coffin, ono of the most brilliant engineers In America Amer-ica as Its chairman; Commlttoo on Coal Production, F. S. Peabody, president presi-dent Peabody Coal Company, chairman; chair-man; Commercial Economy Board, A. W. Shaw, president of tho A. W. Shaw Company, chairman; Committee on Shipping, Edward M. Hurley, of tho United States Shipping Board chairman; Commltteo of Women's Defense, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, honorary president National American Amer-ican Woman suffrago Association, chairman; Interdepartmental Advisory Ad-visory Committee, to assist in tho dispatch dis-patch of business with tho executive departments, presided over by tho director di-rector of tho Council; General Munitions Muni-tions Board, and Munitions Standards Board, with Frank A. Scott, of tho Warner Sz. Swascy Company, acknowledged ac-knowledged authority in tho production produc-tion of munitions for uso In modern warfare, chairman; Section on Cooperation Coop-eration with States, Georgo F. Porter. a Chicago business man, chief. Scopo Of Committees' Work. The membcrs of tho Advisory Commission Com-mission aro In general supervisors of tho broad gonoral linos along which their various committees work. Committees Com-mittees all under and cooperating with Mr. Wlllard Include committees on Telegraphs and Telephones; Railroad Transportation; Cars; Locomotives; Electric Road Transportation. Committees under and cooperating with Mr. Coflln include committees on gas and electric service, and automo-tlvo automo-tlvo transport. Committees under and cooperating with Mr. Rosenwald lncludo committocs on supplies; cotton cot-ton goods; woolen manufactures; shoe and leather Industries; knit goods. Committees under and cooperating with Mr. Baruch lncludo committees on alcohol, aluminum, brass, cement, chemicals, copper, lead, lumber, mica, nickel, steel and steel products, oil, rubber, wool and zinc. Committees under and cooperating with Dr. Godfrey God-frey include committees and subcommittees sub-committees on engineering and education. educa-tion. ' Committees of and cooperating with Mr. Gompers all refer to labor, and thoso under and cooperating with Dr. Martin -comprise the General Medical Board of tho Council of National Do-fenso Do-fenso and cover all departments of mcdlolno, hygiene, sanitation, nursing, etc. Function Of The Council. In tho terms of the Congressional Act of last August tho Council of National Na-tional Dofcnso Is, among other things, charged with the "coordination of Industries In-dustries and resources for the national security and welfare," and with the "creation of relations which will ren- der posslblo In tho timo of need tho lmmedlato concentration and utilization utiliza-tion of tho resources of tho nation." Tho function of tho Council Is thus to Investigate, report and make recommendations recom-mendations and to bring Government officlnls In contact Trlth business men. The Council does not make purchases, issuo ordors or havo any part in the carrying out of orders. It has not the power to do this by law and It does not do it In fact. All buying is still done by tho War and tho Navy Departments through their, several bureaus. Striking Achievements So Far. In a recent report from tho Director of tho Council of National Defense and of its Advisory Commission to the Chairman of tho Council a few of tho accomplishments of the Council wore Instanced as follows: "The mobilization of 262,000 miles of railroads of tho country for the Government's defenso; "Tho close-knit organization of the telephone and telegraph companies of America to Insure to tho Government tho most rapid and efficient wire communications; com-munications; "The Botlomcnt of tho recent national na-tional railroad strikes; "Tho very general acceptance by labor la-bor and capital of the suggestion of tho Council that existing labor standards stand-ards should not bo changed until the need for such action had been determined deter-mined by tho Council with the steadying steady-ing Influence on industry growing out of such action; "Tho procurement of 45,000,000 pounds of copper for tho uses of the Army and Navy of the United States at less than one-half of tho then current cur-rent market price a saving to tho Government of approximately $10,-000,000; $10,-000,000; "Similar accomplishments a3 to steel, zinc and aluminum; "The completion of the Inventory. for military purposos, of 27,000 Amcr- IH lean manufacturing plants; "The money saving to tho Govern-mcnt Govern-mcnt through appointment over tho jH country of committees of business men to .assist the quartermasters' depart-ment depart-ment of the Army In the economical k and efficient purchase of supplies; "The saving to tho Government of millions of dollars by tho proper co-ordination co-ordination of purchases through tho agency of the General Munitions Board of tho Council of National Do- 'Tho creation, under the medical section of tho Council, of a General Medical Board, consisting of many of tho most highly qualified surgeons and physicians of the country; Created An Aircraft Bonrd. "The selection by tho samo section of thousands of doctors specifically qualified for membership In tho mod-leal mod-leal officers reserve corps, and the standardization, far on Its way to com-plctlon, com-plctlon, of surgical instruments and supplies. "Tho creation by tho Council of tho Aircraft Production Board, which Is setting out to mako 3,500 airplanes and to train 6,000 aviators this year: "Tho very definite results, obtained by the Council's Committee on Coal Production in tho procurement and expeditious shipment of coal, both in the civilian and federal interests; "Tho successful Initiation of a movement to coordinato activities on tho part of the States of the Union for the national defense, brought to a clear and workable focus by the con- fl forrmco of States held recently In Washington at the call and under tho auspices of tl-r Council: "The organization of a railroad commltteo to send to Russia; and "The enlistment of reserve engineer regiments to aid in rehabilitating the railroads of France " |