Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-11

ing IN ana OuJ
of the White paVio Lawrence
House since 1884, but a grim realiza-
ton that, as war confronts the en-
tire world, the days of reform for
reforms sake are over, whether one
wills it or not.
There can be, for instance, no
national planning" at the moment
In the sense in which that term has
been used. There can be no at
tempts to rebuild or reconstruct
certain features of the capitalistic
system when the whole equilibrium
has been disturbed by factors over
which neither radicals nor conserv-
atives have any control.
Brain Trust" Served Purpose.
"Brain trusters" served their pur-
pose-they prodded the stodgy, if
not lethargic, thinking of the con-
servatives, who opposed all change
on the ground that it was not OPP
perfume to do so in depression
and that recovery should come first,
whereas the brain trusterS insisted
that, when prosperity comes, no.
body is interested or concerned with
what produces economic depres-
flOnS.
Every President of the United
States has had his brain trust"
but not every President has given
such advisers the confidence or
validity which Mr.. Roosevelt has be-
slowed on his younger advisers these
last six years. Some day, when
memoirs are written and there is no
point any more in ahbiS or vindi-
cation controversies, it will be dis
covered that Mr. Roosevelt was we'll
aware of the extremes to which
some of the reformerS carried him
on major domestic policies, but he
will always insist, doubtless, that,
where conservatives refused to sail
at all, it was necessary for radicals
to explore uncharted seas, hoping to
get their bearings by trial and error.
For decades past in Great Britain,
the saying has been that the radi-
Gals have all the daring ideas, but
the conservatives must be brought
into the government to make them
workable. Such a process of correc-
ton and revision is now in progress
IN Washington, but the most I'M
portant change that has been made
Is in the attitude and spirit of the
administration toward the conserv-
atives. 1t is not now enveloped in
distrust, but actually invites CO.
operation.
Conservatives Enter Picture.
Where there has been a sharp
clash on fundamentals, "co-opera-
ton" has been meaningless phrase.
What each side really wanted was
surrender by the other. Mistakes
in tactics by the New Deal and ex-
cessiVe spending coupled with I'M
foreseen circumstances that have
upset the economic order have
tended lately to bring about a con-
servative trend in the electorate,
and this unquestionably had some
thing to do with the readiness of
the Democratic regime, even before
the war broke out, to trim sails and
adjust itself to the new political
winds.
But the fact remains that con-
sentative advisers have suddenly
been brought into the picture here
all along the line. They are to be
found in major departments and
agencies, and their advice is being
taken. The reason, of course, is that
the task is no longer one of ex-
ploration in which the research of
brain trusters might be needed, but
one of operation. 1t is the actual
functioning of the business and
financial mechanism of the country
that must be guided in these war
times by persons who know every
gadget, every twist and turn of the
huge industrial and economic ap-
paratus of the country.
War Means Regulation.
Because there is no time for and
no taste now for reform" the wa
tiers being dangerous and the need
being great for national unity and
vigilant steering of the ship of state
irrespective of party politics, the
administration bows to the inev-
liable and turns to the right. If
America should get into the war,
which most of us believe she will
not, the regulatory side of govern
ment will become intensified. Then,
more than ever, the confidence of
the business group will be essen
tial. During the World War, bust
ness began to accept profit fixing
and price-flxing and degree of
reorganization which the most ex-
IRENE brain truster" would have
been hesitant to recommend, but,
because businessmen operated the
machine, it was accepted by con-
servatiVeS as a routine necessity of
the war.
So, today, the President is wise
In bringing in the men in whom
business and industry have conf
dence, and obviously these advisers
who are giving up their tasks back
home to serve as volunteers without
pay would hardly tarry here very
long If their plans and recommen-
dations were upset by brain trust
ers" running in and out of the
presidential Offices with messages of
class friction to upset the presiden-
tial poise.
The brain trusters" can retire
with the satisfaction that they
stirred up more major reforms than
emanated from any other admins
tration in a half-century, and, if the
conservatives now honestly amend
and revise but do not sabotage these
basic social changes, it will be his
torically recorded that the war in
Europe brought transition in do
mestic affairs devoutly to be wished
by all those sincere liberals who
think that reform in democracy
always has its time and place and
cycle.
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