The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-14
BOOM IN u. S.
IN FEW WEEKS
Change From War to Peace Not Elk
pected to Bring Hard Times
or Financial
Panic,

United Press Leased Wire Service.1
WASHINGTON. Nov. 14.-Within
a few weeks the United States Will
undergo big boom, according to the
forecast of leading government OIL
cials here today They anticipate no
hard times or panic during the pro-
cess Of graduating industry back
from war to peace.
So confident is President Wilson
that the foundations for reconstruc-
ton are firm that he will not hurry
in his recommendations to congress
for legislation needed for reconstruc-
ton. Pending his appearance before
congress. which will probably await
his annual message-the president
may place in the hands of COM
mission of experts, members Of the
house and senate appropriations COM
mittees, and Secretaries Baker and
Daniels, the work of arranging de-
tails for infiltration of returning sol
diers into industry.
The war labor board, one Of the
agencies created by the war. will be
retained, it is said, for long time.
The government will follow a pol
icy of stabilizing labor and industrial
conditions as thoroughly as possible
I
and war materials.
1t was strongly intimated today
that the first contracts to be cut off
will be those which are using ma
terials for which there is large
commercial demand, both at home
and abroad. taking into consideration
at the same time the problem OF re-
distribution of labor.
Bernard Baruch, chairman war in
dustries board, revealed this govern
ment's policy on reconstruction today
with the announcement that the war
industries board will be the clearing
house for the cancellation of all gov
eminent contracts. The facilities OF
the war industries board will
supervise this work. Contracts will
actually be cancelled by those de-
partments in which the contracts
originated. The war industries board
does not make contracts and never
has done So The war and navy de-
partments, the shipping board, rail-
way administrator and other govern
ment agencies which, make contracts
will Immediately notify the war in
dustrieS board upon cancellation OF
orders. The war industries board
will then Immediately reallocate ma
terials to commercial enterprises.
The war labor board will at the same
time direct the redistribution of labor
whenever such action is necessary.
The facilities section will perform
the reverse function of the require
ments division. Since the war indus
tries board was organized the heads
Of all the various sections and repre-
sentatives of the war department,
navy, shipping board, railroad admin
istration, etc, have held conferences
each morning in the war industrise
board building. At such conferences
requirements for materials were pre-
sented In this manner bidding OF
one department against another was
prevented.
The war Industries board would
,. then allocate materials accordingly.
shaving the estimated requirements
of one division or another to make
the best use Of available material.
In cancelling contracts the first
endeavor will be to release the ma
terials and labor from factories en-
gagged in making shells, explosives
and those commodities which are
strictly munitions. AS soon as the
war Industries board is notified ma
terials and men released will be i'm
mediately made for commercial in
dustry which best absorb them.