New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-03
Baker and Lane Disagree
In Views Of Big Business
Dispute Over Coal Prices Due to Varying Conceptions
Has Not Yet Reached Point of Bierness-At-
tributed to War Secretarys Tacessness

is always a presumption that they are
Influenced in their negotiations by the
viewpoint of big business. which, of
course, has not always been consider
ate of the government.
Moreover, there have been some ne
gotiations engineered by committees
of the Council of National. Defence
which will bear investigation. For eX-
ample, il is stated that No. . siding.
used largely in the construction Of
army environments, was contracted for
at $40 per thousand. This same stock,
il is credibly reported, one month
before the entrance of the United
States into the war, sold generally for
Sl4 per thousand, and there was no in
creased demand for this lumber mean
time except from the government.
The csntonment construction is
bound TO face investigation. it is pre-
dicted This will be forced by dis
gruntled bidders, if by no one else.
II is already charged that various in
terested concerns have secured COM
missions for their representatives in
the quartcrmaster generals depart Of
the army and the further designation
of these men to posts where they could
serve their former employers.
Members of the advisory organiza-
ton of the Council Of National De-
fence are urging the general shaking
down Of their organization and the
centralzing of authority in the re-
sidual body. This general uneasiness
in the council has been magnified
through Secretary Bakers reputation
of the coal committees authority to
negotiate for the government
Ifncorfainf,r Io
The general uncertainty in the coun-
Gil was well illustrated to-day by a
circular inquiry sent out TO various
units of the council by Frank A. Scott.
chairman of the General Munitions
Board, asking under what authority
these units were acting. II was fur
Their emphasized to-day by delay in
the priority committee TO take action
on an important matter until General
Aleshire, chairman. could secure the
approval of Secretary Baker as chair
man of the council.
The whole question Of authority to
negotiate for the government is in a
most chaotic condition. The various
government departments and bureaus
which have this authority in peace
times within the limitations specified
by law are completely swamped by the
student burden of the tremendous war
programme. They have neither suf-
ficient office space nor sufficient cleri-
cal help to proceed with the war bust
ness. In fact. the executive depart
ments are trying to do stupendous war
business with peace organizations.
To relieve this pressure on the gov
eminent departments. no doubt. the ad-
visory organization of the Council Of
National Defence has taken the initia-
tive in great many ways that will not
bear rigid application of the law. This
was necessary. however, if the war pro-
gramme was to be advanced.
As one important official of the
Council of National Defence put it to-
day: What this whole situation needs
more than anything else is one big man
TO take hold. Then. there must be a
more compact organization, and there
must be coordinated leadership of the
highest order. have not seen the man
for the job yet"