The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-29

OG0 900 should be taken from the Rocke- feller foundation fund principle to be used for war purposes, has been spoken of here as confirming the belief that has been entertained for year or more that MT Rockefeller, perhaps more clearly than some other men of large wealth, has appreciated the serious phases and factors entailed by the war in Europe, and that this early belief has been com f1rmed and strengthened by the advent of the United States into the war, and, furthermore, that there is imperative need of immediate aid, especially for Red Cross and kindred work
 STUPENDOUS COOPERATION
 Gradually and with clearer and clearer insight, the American people are begin ming to understand the magnitude of the work of cooperation involving combina- tions and co-ordinations upon which the United states has now entered. On the same day the announcement was made that MT. Rockefeller and the founda ton which he created were contributing mill lions for the Red Cross work over which Henry P. Davison is to have ollcial su- pervision, there came also an announce ment from Washington that within a year certainly S9,0N,00OOOV, possibly as much as $10,G000l0.0J0, will be expended in the purchase of munitions of war, sup plies and various accessories, of which both our allies across the sea and the United States government will stand in need. This announcement came imme- diately after the visit of J. P Morgan to Washington. It is inferred Ly MT. Nor gans friends that while in Washington he was in consultation with .he authori- ties there so that they might be we'll ln- formed of the highly perfected organiza- tion maintained by his firm while acting as the agent of Great Britain in the pur- chase of supplies in the United States
 Washington informa tion reflected some of the methods adopted hv the Morgan house, which at it's own suggestion, has relinqushed or is about to reinquish it's relation as agent to Great Britain for the purchase of supplies in the United States. One man, MT. Stettimus, was in supreme control of the purchasing department, or ganized by the Morgan house. When he was selected for that responsible duty he was not a member of the firm, but his success as the purchasing agent (so great that not 8 word of criticism or even sug- gestion came from Great Britain was perhaps one of the reasons why he was admitted to the firm.
 z Now Washington authorities place upon one man the supreme authority under the President for the purchase of SUD- plies not only for the allies, but for the United States government. He is to be a salesman on stupendous scale. He is to have power which is exactly of the kind which some of the federal statutes forbid and if enforced would prohibit any man from holding. His power will prevent competition He can play off one would-be purchase against another He can in that way restrain trade.
 Nevertheless, it is regarded as vital that supreme power of that kind be placed in the hands of one man. It will involve combination and ordination upon scale far greater than that which the organization and operation of the United States Steel corporation reflect So, also, there is to be at the same time combination and coordination perfected by MT. Davison, so that the Red Cross organization can be magnificently eff cient. The methods that are to be char acteristic of this organization and it's op- eration, and those that will be necessary when complete power of purchasing sup plies aggregating s10000, ,O0o, 900, perha ps, in a single year, is placed in the hands of one man, are not in principle different Mir Davison must rely, however. upon vountary contributions, not less than 500, 100000 at first, while the man who sells supplies to the allies and to the United States has the resources of the United States to draw upon.