New-York tribune., 1918-11-08
No Comprehensive Policy
Adopted to Care for
New Conditions
Europe Said To Be
Even Less Prepared
Present War Organizations
Can Be Transformed
to Meet Needs
By Theodore NJ. Knappen
,spec,al Dispotch to The Yribune)

SPECIAL Dispatch to Ire 1Ftohne(
WASHINGTON, Nov. THE pros
pect that an armistice may be signed at
any moment between the Allies and
Germany brings to the various war
boards and agencies realization that
eictory has caught the United States
even more unprepared for peace than
: was fo- war A high Official in the
closest touch with the whole great
labyrinth of war activities that has
oeen Constructed in the last eighteen
months declared to-day that the end of
he war had found the government
without any trace Of u comprehensive
,chene for either immediate or ultl-
mate readjustment.
The emergency is such it is conceded
that either the President or Congress
must act at once. Practically all war
instrumentalities feel they can act
backward as we'll as forward. But
while they were going forward they had
a definite objective, III harmony with
the chiectives of all the other forms of
var organization. Now the end of the
war has found them all without COM
mon goal to converge toward. They
ali feel convinced they can get any
where they are directed to, but they
al need direction more or less. AL
most all the unwlnding and untangling
unctions need to be attuned to after
war policies, but there are none.
No After War Policies.
Nobody knows what the foreign trade
policy of the United States is to be.
Nobody knows what is to be the
=
20 feeding the populations of the con-
quered countries.
Nobody knows whether the American
Army. or part of it is to be re-
-ain,d in Europe for police duty fer
months or for years.
Nobody knows whether this country
to assume semi phiianthropic at
titude toward the reconstruction and
rehabilitation OF Europe.
Nobody knows whether it is the ma
tional policy to continue the rule OF
sacrifice and deprivation that has pre-
vailed in time of war for the purpose
of assisting our Allies we'll into the
era of peace for the same purpose.
Nobody knows whether it is to be the
policy to maintain great navy in
peace as well as in war
Nobody knows what is TO be done
With the millions of soldiers who will
soon begin to return from camp and
french.
sNohody knows what is to be the do
nestle trade policy, whether one of
regulation for an unlimited period or
an early free-for-all
Plenty of Ideas
Every department of the government
and every war medium not to men
lion the various auxiliary, semi official
iano numerous private organizations
that have touched on the SUBJECTS
full of persons who have ideas about
what should be done in general and
what their particular organization
should do.
ut nobody has comprehensively
IL ecast or planned. This is not said
. IN criticism, but as statement of fact
The European governments are said
TO be no better off. The burden q.
. the greatest war in history mas beer
too great to leave much energy fol-
all .horitative thought or planning.
The river that has been running one
way with increasing We ocity and vol
ume cannot be turned back the Other
way. a turbulent whirlpool of confu
sion -esuts, and viii continue unit
the general backward channel is de-
fined.
1t is contended that some one, o,
somebody, must Immediately define
the general lines of the channel. As
Congressional action will be tardy in
the very nature of things, it is ex
pected President Wilson will at once
take the initiative by using his gen
era and special war powers TO create
out of the multitude of organization
that have been contributing to the di
rection of the war some sort Of
council, commission or committee to
frame at least & provisional policy, SO
the various divisions and sub divisions
of government will not be trying tc
rravel in opposite directions.
May Keep Defence Council
II is remarked that the Council OF
National Defence, which has mothered
lusty brood of war activities that
have quite outgrown their parent, is
a permanent organization, and does not
end with the war, and it has been sug.
gested it might be the natural medium
for tackling the problems of turning
from war to peace.
However, since the advisory commits
sion, which was non-partisan, has
ceased to function, the council is q
spect to its personnel and therefore,
could hardly expect TO be entrusted
With executive powers by Congress
hat is soon to become Republican
But the council has performed the
service of ascertaining and classifying
III the activities of all the govern
rental and public bodies that have de-
eloped any aspects that look toward
oeace. 1t has just completed survey
Of all this work that shows how its
yarlous and numerous features are re-
ated, or rather unrelated to each
othe. 1t at least has the strange lano
mapped.