Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-06-03

During the final phase OF the World
War no man or corporation or institu-
ton could raise money without the
approval of the Capital Issues Commit
tee of the Treasury Department, which
committee in turn would not permit
the borrowing Of money unless the
War Industries Board approved the
use to which it was to be put. Thus
the City of New York was not permit
ted to spend $S,O0O,O0O for the build
ing Of schools. The City of Philadel-
phta was prevented from making i'm
provements that in peace time would
have been necessary, but in war time
were not Various states, counties
and cities, and vast number of pri-
vate concerns, were denied the use
Of money and materials for purposes
not necessary for the winning of the
war. Each part of the community had
to adjust its wants to the whole great
undertaking.
There have been a great many bills
introduced into Congress on the sub
ject of Industrial mobilization, some
sponsored by great organizations like
the American Legion, and others By
newspapers and publicists But it is
surprising how little knowledge there
was on the part of those who drew up
the bills OF the practicability and fea-
sibility of so mobilizing our resources
that it would be impossible to make
as much profit in war as in time of
peace. Take into consideration the
fact that the following things were be-
ing done in 1915
General Crowder who was in charge
Of the draft, had asked the chairman
of the War Industries Board where he
could obtain additional men needed
for the Army in France with the least
possible dislocation of the war making
Industrial civilian machinery, and we
were In the process Of replacing male
labor with women. BY a system of
priorities the Board was allocating to
our own Army and Navy, to the Allies
and to the essential war industries the
things they required. 1t was making
priority rulings as to transportation,
and they were being followed out by
the Railroad Administrator. The Fuel
Administrator distributed fuel only on
the rulings of the War Industries
Board. The Board was engaged in
disentangling and removing the many
conflicts and competitive efforts in
volved in labor and buildings that had
previously occurred because of lack Of
any co-ordinating agency. 1t was allo-
eating power and making regulations
for the hitching up of scattered units
of power. 1t was changing munitions
orders from congested to less longest
ed districts. It had actually carried
into effect an order that no building
involving $4,000 or more could be un-
dertaken without tbs approval of the
War Industries Board. No steel, no
cement, no material Of any kind could
be used for any purpose whatsoever
unless the War Industries Board per-
mitted it. No steel company could
sell over five tons of steel unless ap-
proved by the Director of Steel. The
L
Of money for any industrial or finan-
cial operation unless it was approved
by the War Industries Board. The
President issued an order that no COM
Wandering should be done by the
Army, Navy, Shipping Board or Food
Administration without the approval
of the chairman Of the War Industries
I'D oforio1 irHJ Stru
and indeed practically every industry
in the country, was organized through
appointment of committees, and none
Of these industries would do any bust
ness except under the rulings promul-
gated by the Board Standardization
in every industry was rapidly proceed
ing. These rulings were made known
through the issuance of official bulle-
tins at irregular intervals and were
distributed by the press. We were
endeavoring to arrange it so that the
fighting forces were to receive those
things which they needed and no
more, so that whatever was not &C
tually required at the front was left
to civilian purposes. Industries were
CuTIdllcu, Uul uOFCl uSoIiOyOu ohOiO-
tonized, but never killed. Indeed, the
use of men, money and materials was
rapidly being brought into exactly
that condition which I have previously
stated to be necessary in case of an
other war.
If, in addition to this, the President
in the future has the authority to fix
prices and distribution of materials
and labor. rent, and the use of man
power, transportation, fuel and all the
things necessary for the conduct Of
the war, any rise in prices will be pre-
vented, even in anticipation of war.
There are many who claim that war
is caused primarily by the desire Of
profit am not one of those. But if
there is anything in this contention
this plan will remove the possibility Of
anybody urging war as a means of
making profits. Even If there are no
men who desire war as means of
making profit, the fact that profits
would be less in war than in peace,
and wealth and resources would be di-
rected by the government, might have
some active lettering influence on