Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 280, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1917 — NATIONAL DEFENSE [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL DEFENSE

MEMBERS RELIEVED AS GOVERNMENT AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES. The Council of National Defense issues the following statement: The • Council of National Defense was established to bring about the coordination of industries and resources for the national security and welfare. Previous to the entrance of this country into the war steps were taken by the council so to mobilize the industries of the country that they could render effective assistance to the Nation in its hour of need. The crisis made imperative the necessity for prompt action. Since instant steps were necessary the Council of National Defense authorized the formation, under its direction, co-operative committees of industry, to be composed of men representative of their respective ines.

These committees have given faithful, patriotic, and invaluable assistance to their country. Many of the individuals serving on them have done so only at great personal and financial sacrifice. The thanks of the entire country is due to these men, who unhesitatingly and unselfishly reponded to the Government’s appeal for aid. Technically, however, this necessary emergency machinery set up by the council was not in' the administrative sense ideal as a means for making permanent the mobilization of industry in a democracy at war. Practically it was effective, but the committees were placed before the public in a position unfair both to hemselves and to the Government. The council and its war industries board, after giving this matter serious thought for some weeks, have concluded that it is now possible ttr arrange for meeting the Government’s needs through the appointment of highly qualified individuals as Government employees and expert advisors, and also to meet the needs of industry as well as to assist the Government by representative committees created not by the Government, but by the industries themselves. It>' therefore has become feasible to discontinue the embrassing situation wherein the members of the present committees are appareptly called upon to act both as Government agents or advisers and at the twme time as representatives of the industries. In dissolving the present co-operatice committees of industry the action is taken only with the highest praise and thanks for their splendid and indispensable work, and at the same time with the hope that representative committees of the industry will be formed by the industries themselves at the earliest possible moment. The establishment of such committees, formed so as to entitle them to speak for their entire industries, will .render immediately available valuable sources of in formation upon which the Government can draw in connection with the countless business and industrial problems attendant upon the conduct of the work necessary for the prosecution of the war. .