The Washington times., 1934-12-13
HOOVER EFFORT.
RECALLED BY
PARTY HEADS
Identical Personnel Involved in
Republican Administration,
Leaders Point Out
BY FRANKLIN G. sARTwELL

BY FRANKLIN u. SARTWELL
What a laugh the Republicans
are getting out of the spectacular
broadcasting of President Roose-
velt's declaration that "the time
has come to take the profits out
Of war;!
It's a big laugh, but a kind Of
rueful one. Also, it Is a laugh
which pays a sort Of grudging
tribute to the marvellous publicity
ability of the incumbent of the
White House.
G. o. P. Tried 1t
Because what the President
said yesterday wasn't anything
new. It wasn't even really spec
tacular. The Republicans had
done the same thing years ago.
They did it then without parade
and without pomp.
They scarcely made the first
pages of the metropolitan press
wien they moved to take the
profit out of war;" They did 1t
with the same instruments that
the President now purposes to use.
They didn't, however, get the pub
licity "break" that the President
got and they didn't get very far
toward having the program that
they mapped out adopted.
Probably the most Chagrined
man in Washington as result o.
the Presidents having called a
conference to take the profit out
Of war is Patrick j. Hurley, for.
mer Secretary of War, often men,
toned as a possible choice for
the Republican nomination for
President.
For it was Mr.. Hurley who
launched the Republican move to
"deprofitize" war three years ago.
Mr.. Hurley was, as Secretary of
War, chairman of the WAR
Policies Commission" appointed
by President Hoover in 1881.
The commission, including in It's
membership the present Secretary
of the Navy, Claude A. Swanson
(then Senator, and the Demo-
cratic leader of the Senate, Sen,
ator Joseph T. Robinson, held
lengthy hearings on the subject
of taking the profit out Of war.
It met throughout the spring.
summer and fall, of 1881, and as it
convened in March of chat year
Mr.. Hurley announced. among
other things:
"Next there must be deter.
mined the reasons why, in the
Governments efforts to supply
its needs in all past wars, Oppor'
tunity has been presented to
some individuals to reap extraOr'
dinary financial profit, while
others have been called upon to
bear more than a prOportiOnate
share of the burdens"
President Roosevelt, in announc'
ing his proposed discussion OF the
move to take the profit out OF war
called upon Bernard M. Barucn'
Gen. Hugh johnson and Gen.
Douglas Macarthur to participate
in the conferences.
Baruch Also Had Program
Well, the Republicans then pro
ceeded to think back to the days
of 1881. Shortly after MIR. Hurley
called the War Policies Commls-
sion to order, there appeared be-
fore it Mr.. Baruch, with an elao'
orately printed brief outlining the
manner in which the profit mlgnC
be taken out of war. Mr.. Baruch,
who had been chairman Of the
war Industries Board in the
world War, was admittedly the
first student of the problem.
Mr.. Baruch brought with him
and his brief severe cold and
several gentlemen. He announced
that because of his cold ne
wouldn't be able to read the en-
tire brief. But some of the gentle
men accompanying him would
take up that task if he faltered.
The cold overcam him. He
faltered. General Hugh Johnson
took over the reading.
Among the witnesses called by
the commission was General Mac
Arthur, then, as now, Chief OF
Staff.
The commission took about
900 pages of testimony. It
touched on every phase of war!
It's effect upon the civilian popu-
lation, upon profits, upon the
military and naval forces, upon
Industry, and upon agriculture.
That testimony represe a
pretty thorough study.
Recommendations Made
Later the commission prepared
a report and recommendations
based upon its exhaustive inveS-
tigation.
Summarized in the words Of
Mr.. Hurley, the report held that
lit is nothing but dishonest and
lnpatriotic to require one man
TO offer his life for his country
while another is profiting by
war"
Six specific recommendations,
with numerous subheadS, were
made in the report which the
commission submitted to Con-
gress. Among these recon-
mendations was the following {:
"In addition to all other
plans to remove the profits Of
war, the revenue law should
provide that, upon any declara-
tiOn of war and during the
period of such emergency, indi-
vidualS and corporations shall
be taxed IS per cent of all in