The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-30
War Profiteering, No. l.
PRICE-FREEzINC
MAY Be MADE
Wartime LAW
Commission Soon to Bare
Its Report for Drafting
of Wealth.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times stan Correspondent


should 60 to war again what would
happen? Are we any better pre-
pared than we we're fourteen years
ago2 Would there be war prof1teer-
ing? Is there any plan for draft
Ing wealth as well as man power?
Within the next few weeks mem
bers Of the war policies commission.
created by the last congress, which
considered these questions during
the summer, will meet to formu-
late their report and recommended
tons.
When they began their work in
the spring the task was decidedly
abstract; but they will write their
report under the shadow of trou-
bic in the tar east which conceiv-
ably might involve the world in
warfare again.
Created to Equalize Burdens
The war policies commission was
created by a joint resolution ito
promote peace and to equalize the
burdens and to minimize the profits
OF war" In spite of the peaceful
Injunction in the title the resolution
itself ordered the commission ito
study and consider amending the
Constitution Of the United States
to provide that private property
may be taken by congress for pub
Tic use during war and methods Of
equalizing the burdens and to re-
move the profits of war, together
with a study of policies to be pur-
sued in event of war"
Secretary of War Patrick Hurley
presided over the sessions of the
commission, as chairman, and sit
ting with him we're Secretaries
Francis Adams, Arthur Hyde, Robert
Lamont and William N. Doak and
Attorney-Genera William Mitchell;
Senators David A. Reed, Arthur H. !
Vandenberg, Joseph T. Robinson
and Claude A. Swanson, and Rep
resentatiVes Lindley H. Hadley, Will
liam P. Holiday, Ross A. Collins and
John J. McSwain.
A variety of suggestions we're
made at hearings held by the COM
mission. Admiral Samuel MCGOWAN |
retired, proposed that nationwide |
popular referendum be held before
war is declared.
Freezing Is Proposed
Bernard M. Baruch, chairman of !
the war industries board of 1918, |
proposed an elaborate plan, includ- |
ing freezing of all prices by presi-
dental order, at a normal level" |
upon the outbreak of war Repre- !
sentative G. William Ramseyer ad- |
vOcated that war be put on a pay
as-you-go policy.
Congressman Fiorella H. La |
Guardia proposed that all indus
tries be taken over at the beginning
of a war and the population put |
on a ration basis. Senator Smith
w. Brookhart favored limited re-
turns on all investments to one
half Of l per cent. Representa-
tive James A. Frear proposed an
amendment to the Constitution to
prohibit CONSUMPTION of soldiers for
war in foreign countries.
Representative Royal Johnson
suggested cOnscripting all property
and all men in war times. Norman
Thomas was skeptical that threats
against private property actually
would prevent war, but pointed out
that the many suggestions for So
cializing the property in war times
were equally valuable for peace
times.
Submitted Own Plan
Finally the war department sub
mitted its own plan, put into effect
under the national defense act,
which became law shortly after the
close Of war. This plan, already in
effect so far as preliminary Or
ganiaztion is concerned, resembled
the Baruch plan closely.
None of the proposals made to the
commission called forth whole
hearted enthusiasm from its mem
bers, and it is difficult to forecast
what its final communications may
include. Recently Representative
Collins, in a speech reviewing the
commissions work suggested that
the war department would prefer
to have no report made because, If
there is no further legislation, they
will be able to carry on as they
nave been doing in planning the
mobilization of industry, and then if
war comes the industries of the
country can be modified through
the war department and under reg
ular army officers"
However, Collins is writing a re-
port of his own, and if it is not
adopted by the majority of the
commission it probably will be sub