SIR: This report, prepared by the Reconstruction Research Division, of which Herbert N. Shenton is chief, contains extracts from and digests of articles concerning readjustment and reconstruction activities in foreign countries which have appeared in recent publications. The material selected consists, mainly, of accounts of governmental activities in the organization and administration of readjustment and reconstruction work and of similar activities of important national industrial, commercial, and welfare organizations. In making this selection the following publications were consulted: Commerce Reports, Daily, August 1, 1918, to April 16, 1919. Published by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, United States Department of Commerce. Other United States official publications. Board of Trade Journal, Weekly, October 10, 1918, to February 13, 1919. Published by the British Board of Trade. The Bulletin of the Federation of British Industries, Weekly, British Labor Gazette, Monthly, November, 1918, to January, 1919. Reviews of the foreign press, published by foreign Governments. American newspapers and other periodicals, of which an extensive clipping file on the general subject of readjustment and reconstruction is maintained in the office of the Council. In arranging the items for each of the countries, no attempt has been made to bring related subjects together, the items being arranged in chronological order according to the dates of publication of the sources consulted. The information given is necessarily incomplete and fragmentary, but it is believed that all the important readjustment and reconstruction activities in foreign countries, at least those which have occurred since the date of the signing of the armistice, were mentioned in the sources used in the preparation of this report. 438339 Although the utmost effort has been made to check the actuality of the reporteil activities, in enemy countries, the limited facilities for verification have restricted the possibilities of these efforts. It is possible that some of the statements to which reference is here made were issued primarily as propaganda. However, even if this be the case, the statements have been issued and the issued statements are themselves active factors which can not be ignored. The digests of the various reported activities, although they are put in the declarative form and are not regularly preceded by some such phrase as "it is reported," are to be considered merely as digests and not as statements of the Council of National Defense. Faithfully yours, GROSVENOR B. CLARKSON, Director of the Council of National Defense. |