Evening star., 1934-12-17
National Planning.

- fANA 81 6A60AlAS 40 1AA1lOSI "
stagger the imagination has been put
forward by the National Resources
Board. 1t provides for systematic de-
velopment of the natural resources of
the country on a huge scale. Public
works are to be planned far in ad-
vance, with sums reaching up to
$l0,000,000,000 to be used for public
construction in single year. Water
resources are to be developed for travel
and traffic and power. Flood loss is
to be prevented and also soil erosion.
The use of the mineral. resources is to
be planned. But that is not all. The
problems of employment, of higher
standards of living, of the use Of lands
by the farmers, all are woven into
the national planning proposed now by
the board appointed by the President
to make this study. The board Is
headed by Secretary Ickes of the In
terror Department and includes in its
membership four other cabinet off,
GERS, Frederic A. Delano, Harry L.
Hopkins, Charles E. Merriam and
Wesley c. Mitchell
More and more it appears that the
more abundant life is to be the more
managed life. If there are to be ma
tional plans, some one must manage
them and see that they are put into
execution, must see that the people CO.
operate. And more and more it ap-
pears that the Federal Government Is
to play the part of manager. The
States, it is true, are expected to CO.
operate. But the history of co-opera-
ton between Federal and State gov
ernments has shown that usually the
Federal Government soon play the
dominating part in both planning and
management.
The program advanced by the Ma
tional Resources Board has back Of
it a sincere desire to improve condi-
tions in this country and to see that
future Americans shall not go through
disastrous periods of depression in the
future. In a measure, such planning
may be considered to be social insur-
ance. Mr.. Ickes, in submitting the
report of the board, has wisely COM
mented that the mere declaration of a
set of policies to be pursued would not
automatically produce results. Legis-
lation will be necessary first and ad-
ministration second.
How far a huge program OF public
works actually will aid in making
permanent recovery and prosperity is
a disputed question. There is no
question, however, that the National
Resources Board is convinced that
such a program would be Of vast
benefit. The conclusion has clearly
been reached that private industry
cannot in the future give sufficient
work to keep the people employed,
which, after all, is largely matter
of proper distribution of production
and of the earnings made from
production If industry is unable to
make this distribution, then the Gov
ernment, it is urged. must step in.
If the Government finds it necessary
to plan for industry, a new situation
is Immediately developed and the
whole series of activities of the peo-
pie will be drawn into Government
planning and, in the end, under Gov
ernment control.
The planning proposed for co-ordi-
nation and cooperation in connec-
tion with the conservation of natural
resources of the country may be
larger, but it is not entirely new.
Much has been planned and much
has been done along these lines in
the past, though perhaps without
adequate coordination National
planning of this kind undoubtedly
will be of great value.
In its discussion of the agricultural
problem the National Resources
Board has indicated that the system
of private property in land" in this
country has led to abuses" And the
report adds that basically the abso-
lutte ownership still resides in the
State, either individual common
wealth or the Nation. These COM
ments are made in connection with
crop production. The inference to be
drawn clearly seems to be that the
Government has a perfect right to
dictate to the farmers what use they
may make of their lands. These are
new ideas in America. But the ex-
tent of control over crops and the
farmers who produce them through
the A. A. A. may convince the people
that these ideas have gone beyond the
stage Of mere planning.
integrity in Art