The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-01
STEEL MEN SLOW
 NWARACTIVITIES SAYS GARRISON
Business And Patriotism
 In Conflict During Early Stages

NEW YORK, May 31-when Bernard NJ. Baruch the other day is- ; sued his statement, challenging the as- sertions of Judge E. H. Gary, chair man of the Steel Corporation. regard. ing the attitude of the steel producers during the war, attention was directed to a book written by Grosvenor E. Clarkson. who was secretary of the war industrial board called Industrial America in the World War.
 At one point in that book he says that some of the steel magnates were 'of the with-my -business-as- I-damn-please' type
 ''In the case of steel, he writes, s'the record shows that from a rather unyielding and even grasping attitude at first the steel producers gradually softened and relaxed and came to take the public view In the end there was not the sullen compliance that would have followed arbitrary action, but the cheerful and earnest cooperation ot partners dominated by reasonableness.
 Again in a chapter entitled, Steel: an Epic of the World War" he writes
 When we entered the war the steel industry was replete from long feedng on the unstinted patronage of the Al lies, and at first the tendency was to exact as large prices from the nome government as from the foreigners. In the records of the early negotiations be- tween the army, the navy, the ship hing board and the war industrial board there are unmistakable signs of lack of cooperation on the part Of rep resentatives of industry. President Farrell of the Steel corporation dis played a somewhat startling unfamiliar ity with the costs of production of steel plates. Judge Ebert Gary, chairman of the board of the corporation, at fI-St advocated excessive prices in the face or refuting figures of his own account ants. This attitude was partly ac- counted for by apprehension os to the disabilities of the future. by resent ment at government interference, anu above all by a profound lack of under. standing of the radical invOlvments or war. In the beginning business and patriotism were confined to separate compartments.
 'In all fairness, it should be said that the steel men soon adapted them selves to the view that the national need was above the question ot profits. As soon as they understood that the rules of the game had been revised they observed them.
 Steel Prices Dropped
 This change, brought about by the government, Mir. Clarkson, continues, resulted in steel prices dropping from 12.15 cents a pound to 3.25 cents. The steel men, he continues. were moved 10 extraordinary efforts because many 1t them were making so much money.
 But this change was not brought SAH ekwuvwVta Mr. Clark sons book indicates. The crlucal daE was September 21.
 ..On the historic occasion when the sixty-five delegates of the steel indus try met the board in full session to de- termine steel prices" he writes. Judge Ebert H. Gary. speaking for his as- sOciates. sOlmenly inquired Of Judge Lovett of the board, as a lawyer:
 May I ask by what authority the war industrials board has undertaken to fix prices?
 "A gentleman of your eminent quail fications in law, was Judge Lovetts answer, after moment of profound si' fence, requires no information from me on that point
 And with grim smile all around the board and the delegation proceeded to fight it out. It was no parlor de- bate either"
 Further on he says:
 The War Industrials Board sought to enlist the steel industry as an en- thusiastic part of the war forces and it needed every pound of steel that could be produced. It shrank from communicating of the industry as a whole. Perhaps. if there should be an other war. it may be possible to draft industry just as the soldiers was drafted in the last war. Industry may he compelled to labor without profit as the soldier was compelled to fight"