Evening star., 1940-08-28
Defense Commission
Seen Making Progress
By Bdrueh
Finds Nuzi Economic
Mobilization Imitation of
U. S. World War Effort
BY the Associated Press,

NEW YORK. Aug. 28.-Bernard
M Baruch, World War chairman
of the War Industries Board, be-
lieves todays descendant of that
organization, the National Defense
Commission, seems to be coming to
grips with the situation"
He writes the foreword to an ar
ticle on the World War board which
Fortune magazine presents to give
industrial leaders "a thorough un-
derstanolng of the steps that had 70
be taken to mobilize American in
dustry for war in 1917 and 1918"
The ole boards activities were de-
scribed as ranging from remodeling
basic industries to changing wom-
ems fashions.
Mr.. Earuch comments: Except
fora few minor changes the eco
nomic mobilization of Nazi Ger
many was conscientiously built in
imitation of the similar American
system born of our World War eff
fort and the work of our War In
dustries Board"
Auto Reduction Curbed.
The article. prepared by James L.
Tyson in cooperation with members
of the Harvard history department,
points out in part:
l. In 1918 the automobile indus
try was directed to curtail its pro-
duction rs per cent from the pre-
vious year in order to lessen its de-
mand On the steel industry, whose
entire output was needed for mu-
nitions.
2. To conserve steel and other
materials, fuel, transportation and
labor the War Industries Board
limited ordinary building operations
for non-war purposes to structures
costing not more than $500 or addi-
ton Of not more than $500, unless
special permission was obtained.
3. In order to break the artiflcially
inflated price set by the jute mo-
nopoly in Calcutta, the board or
dered silver shipments to India
stopped, thus threatening to create
such a serious panic in Indian cur
rency that within 48 hours jute
prices dropped to a satisfactory
level.
Effected Copper Price Cut.
4. At time when the open mar
ket price of copper was 3574 cents
pound and going higher. the board
induced the copper industry to sell
the Government all the copper it
needed for the Army and Navy at
1867 cents a pound;
5. In order to obtain adequate
supplies of nitrates needed for mu-
nitionS, the board persuaded the
government of Chile, then neutral,
TO conf1scate the closed German
nitrate plants and sell their entire
stock to the United States Govern
ment at price about 40 per cent
under the market;
6. To conserve both fabrics and
labor and to reduce the strain on
the textile industry, the board ar
ranged through the French Ambas-
sador to have the Paris style arbiters
make short skirts and narrower
frockS fashionable;
7. To reduce still further the pro-
duction of civilian goods, the board
persuaded the shoe industry to re-
duce the number of styles and limit
the colors of shoes to black, white
and one shade of tan;
8. BY the time the armistice was
signed. the board had laid plans
to reduce all clothing styles to a
few simple patterns.
Problems Duplicated.
Mr.. Barruch commented: II be-
lieve this most Illuminating article
will impress upon all who read it
many salutary reminders of the
problems this country faced then
and the problem which, in the same
or different form the country now
is facing.
Il hope that the mistakes of those
who were sailing an uncharted sea
will not be made again; and that
unnecessary loss of time and money
will thereby be avoided in our ma
tional preparedness, and. If the dis
aster of war should come, untold
lives will thereby be saved.
1--WE have learned much about
priorities, price regulation, conserva-
ton, substitutes and productive
capacities.
The Army and Navy now are well
organized. There is no price infla-
ton or insurmountable shortages OF
men and materials. And the pre-
sent organization with its fine per-
sonnel seems to be coming to grips
with the situation"