The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-30

Washington, Oct. 3O-In the great task of internal reconstruction after the war, the War Industries Board seems certain to continue in existence and play a large part in the trans | formation of war manufacturing back | to peace time production. This is one feature of the governments program i for easing the nations business from the pitch of war to the pursuits of i peace without convulsing it in the process. In sense, the program 1 is tentative, because its formulation i has just begun. Nevertheless the planning for peace is giving all gov 1 ernment agencies in Washington these | days material for as systematic thought as the prosecution of war. Reconstruction of Industries l Industrial reconstruction, next to demobilization of the army, is prob ably the most important phase of these plans. How to stop the manufacture of shells, of guns, of army and navy supplies, without stopping the indus trial wheels which made them, and to furnish new work for these wheels, is problem which agencies of the War Industries Board will be called on
  dreds of industrial and commercial leaders who have been called to Washington will have to continue their services for essential peace work, or substitutes for them to be found.
 | Manufacturing plants which now look to the War Industries Board for assistance in obtaining materials and | full suggestions of the Board, eventu- ally will call on some government agency to guide them during the progress of facing about toward peace production. The War Indus tries Board is the only agency equip | ped with the machinery and supplied with the information to give this guidance. For that reason, the off cials in closest touch with currents of ideas within the government insist l that the War Industries Board will continue in existence indefinitely af- ter the war, regardless of when the war ends.
 Labor Power Increase
 Officials intimate that means will be found of continuing the current plans for eliminating strikes. of giv-
 
 agement of industrial plants, and of extending both labor and trade feder- ationS to promote collective bargain ing. They suggest that the govern ment, through the War Finance Cor poration, may aid in the conversion of industries from war to peace foot ing, reversing the existing priority of war enterprises. Railroad transpor- IL shipping must be co-ordinated and supervised for a. few years after peace comes as they have been during the war, in the opinion of government leaders. Employment agencies. uni versailles and schools, churches and other social organizations must CO., operate to facilitate the placing of returned soldiers in the occupations where they are best fitted and most needed.
 To do all this, it is the belief in many official circles in Washington that most government agencies which have sprung up during the war must continue to function for an indefinite time afterward. These include the War Industries Board, Shipping Board, War Trade Board, Food and | uSl war LdDOE Policies Board, numerous divisions of the Council of National Defense, War Finance Corporation, and many oth- CT connected agencies. The Railroad Administration has 21 months to live after peace is signed, unless future legislation should change existing , plans for restoration of railroads to private control The Red Cross Young Mems Christian Association ! War Camp Community Service, and similar institutions will have big work to perform in conjunction with the government long after tEe war is ) over.
 In realization that the question ol ] how to accomplish all these compli- cated matters will be as big a ques- ton as that of how to make war has l.been, nearly all government agencies now are bestirring themselves quietly to taking stock. In Congress the spir- 1t is reflected in at least three pend- ing resolutions looking, to creation of boards or commissions to study re- construction. The Republicans advo- . cate a survey by & committee of mem- bers of Congress. Senator Overman's resolution provides for appointment
 
 various problems. Senator Owen has a similar suggestion. Most admins tration leaders are inclined to endorse Senator Overman's proposal
 President Discusses Question
 President Wilson has discussed the questions of internal, as we'll as in ternational reconstruction, with a few advisers, and 1t Is understood that il was at his suggestion that the Coun- cil of National Defense went to work months ago gathering information from all departments and bureaus concerning their capabilities as peace time bodies. An extensive biblio- grapay, several chests full of reports and a number of charts, have been gathered together for the use of any agency which may undertake to for mulate the governments reconstruc- ton program. No effort has been made by the Councils officers to sug- gest policies. This research work has been done largely by Walter S. l rNya