Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-18
COFFIN ADVOCATES
LISTING WORKERS
Also Recommends Educating
Industry to Requirements
in Event of War.

A program of educating industry
regarding things that would be re-
quired in time of war and the eStab-
lishment of an industrial reserve as a
means of listing skilled workers whose
services would be essential to industry
in the event of future conflicts were
the chief recommendations made to the
War Policies Commission today by How
ard E. Coffin, member of the Naval Con-
sulting Board, who also served on the
Council of National Defense and on the
Aircraft Board during the World War
To carry out the educational pro-
gram Mr.. Coffin said the War and Navy
Departments should be authorized by
Congress to place limited educational
orders in time of peace for technical
| things which do not enter into ordinary
economic life as a means of keeping
industry familiar with wartime re-
quirements.
Hits Labor CONSUMPTION.
The witness emphasized that he is op-
posed to CONSUMPTION of labor, and to
the militarization of industry, but
thought that through an industrial re-
serve list could be made of those
skilled workers whose technical knowl-
edge would be essential in an emer-
gency.
Secretary Of War Hurley, chairman
told Mr.. Coffin the task before the COM
mission is to devise a means of equaliz-
ing the burdens and minimizing profits
| IN the event of a future conflict, and
asked him If he had recommendations
| that might help the commission. in &C
compishing that object.
Mr.. Coffin said that questions could
be answered in one word, by "prear-
rangement." He explained that what
| ne meant by prearrangepoe2t was to
know in advance what the SeAntry is
going to do in an emergency He. said
the one thing that would cause a re-
currence of the difficulties this country
| confronted in getting started in the last
war would be TO face another ,emer-
gency without a plan"
AS to equalizing the burdens Of war,
Mr.. Coffin said this could never be done
| entirely to the extent of offsetting the
loss of lives in the trenches, other than
by looking after the families of those
who give their lives as they should be
looked after.
Mr.. Coffin told the commission, in
urging adequate planning, that the one
product this country had that it could
put Its hands on at the beginning of
the last war was money, and that it
set out to overcome the other short
comings by large expenditures.
With regard to the definite recon-
mendations made by Mr.. Coffin, Chair
man Hurley pointed out that the War
Department already has prepared. I'M
der the national defense act plans for
the mobilization of and cooperation
with industry In the event of an emer-
gency.
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, told the
commission yesterday afternoon he
thought the most practical way to curb
excess profits in event of future wars
would be by recapture through the
power of taxation. Some price fixing
probably would be necessary also, he
said, but should be flexible to meet
changing conditions during an emer-
gency.
Asked by Secretary of War Hurley to
comment on Bernard M. Baruch's plan
to freeze" the whole price IsveI at the
outbreak of a war, Mr.. Green said he
had high regard for Mr. Baruchs
opinion, but found it difficult to accept
that particular view
Mr.. Green said laboring people abhor
the thought of another war; but that if
it should ever occur it should be con-
cluded as quickly as possible. He said
the rule of reason should be applied to
meeting the problems of such an emer-
gency
A. j. Lowell, vice president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, stressed the importance
of maintaining transportation service
in time of war.
Mai Gen. c. c. williams, retired, for
mer chief of ordnance, also gave the
commission his views on the problems
before it yesterday.