The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-22
CHANGE PURCHASE system.
WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD HAS
NOT MET SITUATION.
Speakers Before Business Mems Con-
vention Urge Creation OF Munitions
Department.

Atlantic City, N. j.. Sept 1S.-En-
tire reorganization of the govern
ment's purchasing system was urged
by speakers today before the war
of American business
men. The war industries board re-
Gently created has failed to meet the
it was declared, by the
lack of complete authority under the
law.
Formation of new government
department, similar to the British
Of munitions, was suggested
by Waddill Catchings of New York
and others. Mr.. Catchings' proposal
was contained in his report as chair
man Of a committee on cooperating
with the Council Of National Defense
named by the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States. It carried the
that the government
be given full authority to fix prices
not only on sales to the government,
but on materials sold to the public
as well.
The subject of war prices and the
duty of industry in meeting the gov
ernment's war needs occupied the en-
tire day. Secretaries Baker and Lane
touched on these topics and declared
that the war could not be won with
out the fullest cooperation by bua-
ness.
Industry, Secretary Baker declared,
must Immediately impose on itself the
same sacrifices demanded of the men
called into the trenches Business he
said, deserves no particular praise for
foregoing profits in war times, be-
cause it owes the same duty to the
government every other class owes
Secretary Lane called on business
men to disprove the saying that
America has no soul higher than
that of money making.
"You are here to answer" he said,
'by announcing that you have made
money, and that you will make money
but that you can make war as well.
You are here to show the world that
there is new American philosophy,
a new day in which men are sized up
not by what they have but by what
they give"
In advocating a general war board
with the broadest powers, Mr.. Catch
ings declared that competitive buy
ing between the government and pri-
vate industry had produced high
prices. The power to make purchas-
es, he said. should be taken out of
the hands Of the army and the navy.
The war industries board, he said,
had filled a useful purpose, but was
not the proper kind of an organiza-
ton. With power to fix all prices, he
declared, the government should be
given authority to decide not only
priority of railroad shipment, already
given it, but priority Of purchase as
between individual manufacturing
firms. The shortage of materials, he
said, forces out of business not the
industry least needed, but the indus
try least able to pay the bill.
The advisory committee of the
Council Of National Defense, Mr..
Catchings said. should be actually in
the service Of the government, it's
members government officers.
Mr.. Catchings' suggestions drew
similar proposals from many speak
ers. all OF whom declared the present
purchasing plan would break down
before the war is over E. p. Albrecht
of Philadelphia blamed the whole
price situation on the fact that there
Is no control over labor prices. Wage
increases coming after the govern
ment has made purchases at fixed
prices were forcing manufacturing in
some instances to sell their goods at
a loss. He presented a resolution to
the convention recommending that
the government be urged Immediate
ly to fix a general scale Of wages.
RIOT IN PHILADELPHIA.