The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-31
Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
NATIONAL DEFENSE COUNCIL
Durham Herald)

The President has complied with nearly
unanimous appeal that he appoint a natiuAaI
defense council of recognized leaders to boss
the rearmament program.
Naturally, the personnel of the council does
not please all factions and interests. No coun-
Gil any President could pick would do that.
We would not presume to argue that the
persons named by Mr.. Roosevelt are the most
acceptable to be had or that the ratio of repre-
sentatives of private indusry to government is
wholly correct.
However, William knudson of General Mo
tors and Edward S%tettinus, Jr, of United States
Steel are industrialists in whom business has
confidence. Ralph Budd of the Burlington rail
road knows the transportation problem and fits
all right as spokesman for that industry.
Sidney Hillman of the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers is one of the more rational labor
spokesman the field affords and is less mixed
up in the silly A. F. Lie. l. Q. %squabble than
any acceptable rival in his field.
Chester Davis of the Federal Reserve board
and Leon Henderson of the Securities Exchange
commission, of course, are agents Of the gov
ernment-Rooseve appointees - and for that
reason not acceptable to those who suspect the
government and all c1nneced with it, especial
ly Roosevelt and Roosevelt appointees. But
they represent agencies that belong to be rep
SSS'NSo III " ANNtOA'i 1I1oONi w ~
defense program and are men of capacity.
Dean Harriet Elliot of the Greensboro unit of
the University of North Crolina is a lady of
fine qualities and wide experience. She is sup
posed to represent the consumer point of view
and we suspect is capable of doing that as sane
ly and as ~helpfully as anyone around. Her
function, in all probability, will be to speak for
the women and handle public relations concern
ing complaints about prices on consumer goods.
The present idea is that the council serve as
a sort of co-ordinating agency as to industry
and the nations military establishments, army,
navy, and air force. Navy, army, and air force
bosses are to tell the council what they want
and the council is supposed to see that the
materials, labor, plant facilities, and so On are
acquired, put in proper place, and navy, army,
and air force orders are executed speedily.
Probabilities are that brief experience will re-
veal that to do it's job the couacil will have to
organize as a unit, name a chairman who has
broad powers and can commnd with the con-
fidence that back of his command is the au-
thority of the government. 1t is almost certain
that if the proposed program is to be executed
promptly and efficiently, the council Will nave
to be clothed with authority to require indus
tries to give priority to council-approved orders.
The main point, however, is that a national
defense council has been named and to it have
been appointed men who can do the job if they
are given the cooperation doing the job re-
ouires. One can argue that the personnel is
not all THAT it should be. But one can not
truthfully argue that it is not a council Of en-
perience, capacity, and established following.
No group of people can do the job unless &C.
corded full cooperation, The announced group
can do it if backbiters lay off and partisahs
lend their support.