Evening star., 1921-05-08
RY JOSEPHUS DANIELS.
Former Secretary Of the Navy.
ARTICLE "a.


man to become it's overshadowing fig
ure. On the other hand. its bigness
swept men hitherto but little knowr
to the multitude of their fellows into
places of prominence and tremendous
responsibility.
Men were caught up out of private
life, from commercial, industrial and
professional vocationS, and practically
cOnSCripted by national need for pub.
lie service.
Some of these men, holding offices
which had sought them out and con
strained them to assume their bur
dens, presently found themselves the
objects of criticism and abuse on the
part of factions of the people and the
press. 1t was ungenerouS 10 mer
who were giving themselves with al
utter devotion to their country; bu1
they took it bravely and patiently ant
in good humor. and went on witt
their jobs, content to let events vim
dictate them, as events did.
= The men in charge of the most I'M
portant special activities of the wal
trade and war industries boards, the
Shipping Board. the food and fuel
administrations and alien property
custodian formed, with the Secre-
taries of War. Navy and Treasury. a
sort of special council. whlch met
frequently with the President ana
which was. though improperly called
by many newspapers the war cabinet.
"Barney" Baruch Leading Figure.
The story of the War Industries
Board has been told, happily, so that
tne man who will write the real JUS
tory of the war the may not yet nave
pa. his pen to paper) can grasp the
magnitude of the mobilization OF IN
GuStrIeS under the able direction OF
Il M
lad made his fortune in Wall street,
buying stocks when they were low and
srIIinS them when they were nigh
the secret of success in that center
OF making and losing fortunes In
uay.
There was some distrust in Wash
iugton of the idea of putting "a Wall
street speculator' in charge OF this
giant job when the President INST
asked Mr.. Baruch to undertake the
direction of the War industries Board
But as his grasp and greatness. ms
industry and patience, mis- forgetfui-
ness of his own Interests We're
merged into his passion tor pubic
service, the feeling OF doubt gave
way to one of admiration. confidence
ana respect AS result Barney
Baruch emerged from the war as one
vi it's leading figures. and ne added
To his reputation by the wisdom he
displayed at the peace conference.
when l was in ParlS. ne and Vance
NSormICk We're troubled because,
th.y could not bring their hnancla.
associates of the allied nations 10 See
tndt prosperity and stability could
not come to the world until the
amount Germany was 10 pay was
definitely nXed. The caoOs and DIS
treSs which followed the faiiure 10
adopt the policy proposed bF MT
Baruch TESTIFY 10 his wise foresight
Hoover, Worlds AlmOner.
Food will win the war" was a
sound slogan which Herbert Hoover.
head of the Food Administration. ne
ried into every home In America. The
President called him to this duty
after he had made an international
reputation as the worlds almoneT IN
Belgium. At his benest We quit eat
ing -four bread. We ate pork so that
beef and mutton could go TO our
soldiers and allies, ana Hoover
furnished the scant but sufficient
menu for every breakfast and dinner
table in America. There was no law
behind this self-denial of 11O,UUO,0OV
people. The President issued re-
quest to the people sto follow Mr
Hooyer's lead, and thsy did 1t in de-
nying what their appetites craved.
This was the severest test, and the
Americans met it.
Mr.. Hoover is different from all
other almoners 1 have known. What
sentiment he has he supresses. In
executing a policy of help for starV-
ing people he is so businesslike that
some one said he was ''as hard as
nails" After the war he continued
his able leadership in saving the
starving in Austria and in the Bal
kans. and naval officers and enlisted
men kept open the lines of commune
cation and gave such co-operaton
that Mr.. Hoover told me when | was
in Paris that he could not have car
ried on without the navy.
What is the secret of Mr.. Hoover?
Practically nobody, speaking broadly,
knew him personally when he came
rather silent except when something
that he is deeply Interested in makes
him talk freely. He writes speech
of convincing power, but he has no
eioQuence. The secret is that ne Is
an engineer and practices his trade
or rather profession. in whatever he
undertakes. Only the one thing ne
is doing interests him. and he has a
genius for exciting the admiration
and devotion of his co-workers lie
him, and always was evolving new
plans for his work. Mr.. Hoover
showed talent for publicity in fur
thering his undertakings which no
man of his generation except Theodore
Roosevelt has approached.
New Standard in ShipbuiIdinE.
The Germans despised American
ability TO build ships and to send
over men, munitions and supplies
With US shipbuilding had so long
been neglected il was no longer a
trade. but craft. In 1914 the Pres
ident directed the Secretary of the
Treasury. the Secretary of the Navy
and the Secretary of Commerce to
draft a bill to restore to America d
merchant marine. 1t was flibustered
to death in the Senate. later revived
and passed with emasculations which
halted its quick action and large
service before we entered the war
But without shipyards tfor the Navy
had contracted for 20 per cent of al
shipbuiIding facilities before tn.
Shipping Board got it's gait what
was done by this country in building
merchant ships set a new standard
Edwin y. Hurley, who was d mem
her OF the war clearing house hat
succeeded in every undertaking oi
his life He is confirmed optirnIs'
and brought vision and faith to wha
. seemed an impossible task. He ant
the other men who taught us tha
"ships will win the war" worked
miracles They said he spent money
too freely. that ships cost too muci
and contracts were given at eNces
sive prices. But Hurley got results
and his spirit Of cooperation an'
" N'-'P
crate with every agency OF the gov
ernment gave him high piac'
among civilian war leaders.
Order for "Heatless Days"
Harry A. Garfield. head of thu
Fuel Administration, another mem
ber. earnestly believed that the saw
ing of coal and oil WAS essential Il
the winning Of the war. Aside from
my respect for his ability and my
personal attachment to him. which
ripened 9 the daNs went bv. ad