The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-12
|ELKUS COMMISSION
GETS SUGGESTION
Walter Lippman Urges Re-
search Body to Guide Legis-
lators Be Created.
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING
Evans Clark Calls Russian Red
Government "World's Most
Advanced"

Gov. Smiths reconstruction commits
sion. Abram I. Elkua. chairman, gave q
public hearing In the rooms OF the As
fourth street, last night after q busy
day Of committee meetings, enlivsned by
a luncheon in the Bankers Club.
Walter Lippmann. ono OF the editors
Of the Ne.o Republic. proposed the sstab-
lishment Of permanent organization Of
research and consultation for the gyid-
ance and advice Of legislators This ma
chinery. capable Of dealing with new
conditions. he said. should be the frst
step in reconstruction.
The duties Of such an agency, Mr..
Lippmann explained, would be threefold (:
first, the collection and adequate presen-
tation of information; second, confer
ences with various interests concerned
in legislation and, third, the formula
ton of policies and their translation into
concrete measures for the consideration
Of officials.
The body he said, should rest on COM
mittees. In which trade unions, cham
bers OF commerce, boards Of trade and
other civic and Industrial associations
should be represented.
Bruere Urges Conference.
Robert w. Bruere emphasized the de-
STABILITY of getting together industrial
groups, the unions on one side and en-
ployerS organizations on tho other in
trying to work out the great problems
Of reconstruction.
Miss Helen Maret of the Dol said
she would like TO SEQ tho commission
consider the possibility Of making civil
service in New York a self-eoverning
proposition. She didn't believe bureau
cratic administration of civil service Is
q success.
Evans Clark. who said he believes the
present Russian government Is "the
most advanced form OF government that
has ever been tried" declared the f,rnc-
ton OF the Reconstruction Commission
is TO prepare the way for the revolu-
ton that is to come. in order to make
the coming as easy as possible"
He described the State Government as
piece Of machinery which IL cumber-
some in the extreme. while the city gov
eminent Is still more complex and I'M
responsive to the will Of tho majority.
The city folks in reality. he said. are
governed by the upstaters in the Legis-
lature. He suggested q State govern
ment consisting OF single body. which
would choose the Governor and subordin-
ate officials.
NO matter what the commission may
think about It," Mr.. Clark said, "a
change is coming from below and they
should look below for tho ideas which
are generating there"
Hearing in City Hall.
The committee on production and dis
trfbution Of the Reconstruction Commits
sion had It's first public hearing in the
| morning In City Hall. The subject was
the spirit of cooperation as it pertains to
production and distribution Of food. T.
e, Patterson, chairman. presided.
DR.. James p. Warbasse. president OF
the Cooperative League OF America. in
an address on Cooperative Organiza-
ton as n State Opportunity" said that
cooperative purchasing and distributing
helps people to save and gives workers
more money.
Here is the way II operates" he said
in an Industry employing 5000 men a
cooperative society Is formed. Let us
presume that about 1000 employees Join
it Each subscrtbes $40. They estab-
lish q store which handles groceries
meat. clothing and dry goods Goods are
bought at wholesale and sold at the cur
rent retail price. This leaves a surplus
or profit In the treasury, II possible
1t should affiliate with an agricultural
producers cooperative society and pro-
coed to cut out the middleman In buying
farm products direct
There is no limit to the possibility OF
cooperative organization. The same ma
chinery which Is used to run a store also
may be used for insurance and health
protection. 1t can conduct n banking
business, n credit loan department, a
bakery. and help member to become
the owner of his own home.
The cooperative movement aims 10
set people working tremendously to-
gether and to substitute the spirit OF mu-
tual aid and human sympathy for that
OF hostility and antagonism. The State
of New York can best prepare itself for
the trials OF the near future by taking
in time steps necessary to show the peo-
pie how they may be saved from the OPP
preston of the forces which now control
the necessaries OF life"
Dr. Dalton Clark. president OF the Ma
tional Cooperative League OF America,
compared the cooperative movement here
with the movement in Europe especially
IN England. lie sald tne apparent lalI-
ure OF the movement her~ rs cue to the
alleged historical fact that development
OF capitalism has always preceded de-
mocracy and It's aims.
Labor will not be satisfied with
higher wages" he said. Ut must have
a greater and greater measure of CO.
operation In the industries themselves
This is a worldwide movement"
Cooperation stabfIizing Force.
He declared that the stabllizing in
fuence OF cooperation in this country
will be one OF the first principles in the
life of our democracy.
Ex-AssemblSman A. Shiplacofr. mana
ger OF the Cooperative Bakery OF
Brownsville and Fast New York. said
prices OF breadstuffs were out OF all pro.
portion to the price OF -four during the
war, but his bakery held prioes at
| cents on bread and l6 cents on rolls