Evening star., 1939-08-11

aging a war in DAVID Lawrence
dustries board in the midst of mod
ern war, he has not yet appeared
on the horizon. The Congress OF
the United States recognized MI.
Baruchs meritorious service by
awarding him the Distinguished
Service Medal.
To omit Mr.. Baruch from the
personnel of the new board Is TAN
tamount to emitting man ike
winston Churchill from BRUSH
war cabinet in the event OF war
abroad. MI. Baruch's experience
runs into the ramified details OF
a complex industrial war moolll-
cation. and no man alive today
made a more intensive study OF
what has to be done with the buSl-
ness and economic mechanism IN
war time.
Those of us who were in Wash
ington in war time and saw the
numerous mistakes and errors made
before President Wilson suddenly
put Mr.. Baruch in charge recall how
important it was to Americas war
machine to get industry and the
Army and Navy and air forces
efficiently co-ordinated. Mr.. Barucn
not only had the confidence OF in
dustry, but the complete confidence
of Americas war President-Wood-
row Wilson.
FayOrs Adequate Defense.
Whether to include or exclude MIR.
Baruch from the new War In
dustries Board could not possibly
have had any relation to MI.
Baruchs views on strict neutrality
recently expressed, because the war
industries job takes effect only after
the emergency has arisen and de-
cision has been made by the Con-
gress to enter a war or take a
protective and defensive position.
Mr.. Baruch is well known TO be
q believer in adequate national de-
fense, but is against involvement
of the United States in any future
wars. Once war has been declared,
however, his knowledge of how to
mobilize the Nations industries
would be invaluable to the Army
and Navy.
The mystery, however, is why
Mr.. Baruch was not appointed.
The board personnel was chosen
by the Army and Navy heads and
had to be approved by President
Roosevelt. The President was As
sistant Secretary of the Navy in
the World War and was abroad a
large part of the time, but he
could easily have ascertained by
consulting the records of what hap
pened just how efficient the Wash
ington operation developed under
Mr.. Baruchs skillful management
One of the interesting things
about Mr.. Baruch's war experience
was that he detached himself and
all his private investments from
any possible connection with war
securities and then bore down heav-
lily on possible prohteering by any,
body. He has favored consistently
the taking of the profits out of
war. He has. not only proclaimed
that purpose, but has given con-
crete evidence of how to do it.
TIE men who constitute the new
War Industries Board are capable
men and would, if war broke out,
be compelled to detach themselves
from their present positions in the
business world. They would have
to make decisions that would cut
down the profits of some of the
biggest corporations in the country.
Congress has indicated An inclina-
ton to legislate to take the profits
out of war by heavy taxation. Mr..
Baruch has withdrawn from all
active business, has put most of
his fortune, it is said, in Govern
ment bonds, and he would have no
dlfflculty in deciding issues on their
merits because he himself has no
direct connection with American
industrial enterprises.
May Have Been Oversight.
Failure to give the Nation the
oeneflt of Mr. Baruch's services NAV
nave been an oversight or based on