New-York tribune., 1917-07-27
Secretary Baker Dominates
Organization of New
Board
Voice Is Given
To Union Labor
Baruch Sidetracked for
Craftsmanship; Gompers
May Be Member
BY c. w. GILBERT

chairman Of the General Munitions
Board, will be chairman of the War
Industries Board, whose membership
will probably be announced either after
the meeting of the Council of National
Defence to-day or for publication on
Monday morning. Mr.. Baruch, who
was expected to be the head Of this
organization, will be a member of II, in
charge of war purchases.
Labor will be represented on this
board, probably in the person of Mr..
Gompers. This will be the first recog-
nition of organized labor in any way
corresponding in Importance with the
appointment of labor members to the
British War Cabinet. The new War
Industries Board will not correspond in
Importance TO the British War Cabinet,
but it will be the most important body
for purely war purposes which this
country will possess, until war forces
some new Capitalization of power, and
labor will have representation upon 1t.
The form which this war orgsniza-
tion will take is largely the work Of the
Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker. 1t
is apparently Mr.. Baker who In the last
few days has sidetracked Mr.. Baruch as
the prospective head Of this most i'm
portant war organization and has
caused the appointment Of his fellow
townsman, Frank Scott, to the post.
Baker Is Dominating Figure
Mr.. Baker is the dominating figure in
the organization for war here now. He
dominated the Council Of National De-
fence and he has dominated its reor-
.anization. His plan has largely pre-
vailed. His emergence is dramatic, al
most romantic, in appearance, but it is
easy to explain.
In a board where one man has a good
mind, perhaps the best mind, and where
he controls practically all the money to
be spent, he is inevitably the boss. That
has been the situation in the Council OF
National Defence. The only men in II
with real power, with real money to
spend. have been the Secretary Of War
and the Secretary of the Navy. And OF
these Mr.. Baker had Ear and away the
best brains and far and away the most
money to spend. He was the boss. lie
ruled the Council of National Defence
and has ruled its reorganization.
So far as there is war organization
in Washington to-day it is largely Mr.
Baker. And TO this not only his rela'
tive capacity and his control of money
but also his personal influence with the
President have contributed He is closer
20 the President than any other Cabinet
member, except Mr.. McAdoo, the Presi-
dents son-in-law. Mr.. Bakers quick
keen mental operations are source OF
delight to the President Moreover
there is genuine affection existing be-
tween the two. All of these things to-
gether make a very powerful man. And
Mr Baker is powerful man.
Rosenwald May Be Member
Besides Mr.. Scott and Mr. Baruch and
a labor man, probably Mr.. Gompers, the
expectation is that Julius Rosenwald
will be a member Of the new War In
dustries Board, which will combine such
creative work as the General Munitions
Board and Mr.. Rosenwald's supply COM
mittee have been doing with the work
Of purchasing for this nation and for
the Allies.
Thus the scope Of the board has been
enlarged in accordance with Mr.. Bak-
er's ideas. With IT will be appointed
a committee on priority, which will
pass on questions Of priority between
the government and the public and
probably between different members of
the public itself when the plan Of q
single price for every one-government,
Allies and public alike-goes into effect.
In these boards there will be a repre-
sentative of the army and navy and
representatives of the business world
whose names have not yet been dis
closed.
The War Industries Board and its
correlated priority board will be un-
der the Council of National Defence,
because Mr.. Baker so advised. Secre-
tary McAdoo urged that they be made
independent of the council.
The argument was advanced that be-
cause the Council of National Defence
had no power. being purely advisory in
its function, it would be difficult TO
give powers TO the War Industries
Board and the priority board II placed
under il. This situation is to be met
by having the Secretary of War. the
Secretary of the Navy and the Ship
ping Board delegate the powers TO pur-
chase and to commander, which they
possess, to the new boards.
Boards with Vast Powers
Thus you will have the anomaly Of
boards with vast powers. spending bill
ions-delegated powers, II is true, but
none the less vast-acting under q
body without powers, purely ad-
visory council. But that is the way 1t
is 10 be. II is not clear just how
pcvers TO determine priority between
Individual business men will be placed
in the hands of the priority board
without action by Congress. Perhaps
,h.y. too, may be found under the
broad commandeering powers which
~. President snd the Secretaries 81