Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-17
By HUGH S. JOHNSON

WASHINGTON, May II. -
The action of the Senate mill
tary affairs committee in rec
ommending that control of pri-
critics remain entirely in OPM
was obviously and uncondition-
ally correct.
Within OPM it ought to go a
step further. Priorities and
price control are inseparable.
Together they amount to an in
escapable conclusion that, as we
approach war, the law of supply
and demand must be adjourned.
A short supply must be ra-
toned, not to the largest purse,
but to the most necessitous use
in the national interest.
Mr.. StettiniuS, the present
priority panjandrum, is nice
boy whose abilities it is neither
necessary nor appropriate here
to discuss, but his activities in
controlling priorities are quite
inseparable from Mr.. Hender-
sons control of prices.
The latter job is the most i'm
portant in the nation-as i'm
portant as the Presidents in its
field and, as this column has in
dicated. in spite of some per-
sonal disagreements, Leon Hen
derson is the best equipped of
our younger men 10 handle 1t.
HENDERSON will be helpless
TO handle it if he can't
have at least an absolute veto
power on priorities. In the
World War, Robert Brookings
had the final say on prices but
he worked hand-in-glove with
Judge Parker, who had the last
word on priorities. Both were
subject in any showdown TO B.
NJ. Baruch as special agent for
the president.
Only two men on the super
war-industries board ever knew
the final determination on prices
especially those of commodi-
ties-until the president had APP
proved. 1t was too great a
temptation. but everybody on
that board knew that price-con-
troll was in absolute step with
priority control-and the thing
worked.
1t worked so we'll that the
system has been copied in every
warning country. There ls no
use in new and foolish expert
mentationS. Ours was the great
laboratory of method and what
we particularly do not need to-
day is any prodding around in
new and UNEMPLOYED territory,
Mr.. Henderson. under Mr.. Knud-
sen, should have the last word
on priorities as he now has on
prices.
A MOTHER thing this effort
"A requires what w o drow
Wilson called a statistical con-
spectus of progress in the whole
effort" This seems now TO be
belatedly recognized but the
"conspectus' now seems 10 be
in the hands of the ordnance de-
partment.
That is demonstrably wrong.
There are several great de
mand" departments-the navy,
the army ordnance, army avla-
ton, the quartermasters de-
partment. the medical depart
ment, the chemical warfare de-
partment, the engineers-not to
mention the maritime commits
sion, the allied purchasers, and,
above all, the civilian popula-
ton, which latter-the largest
seems to have been completely
forgotten in the shuttle, not
withstanding Mr.. Henderson,
published responsibility for CT
william supply
THE tendency of the well or
L ganized and publicized ord
nance department is to horn
into control of this whole effort.
It is very efficient and, under
the present chief, General Wes-
son, is probably at its apogee,
but our problem requires team
work and not stellar players to
the gallery.
This very necessary service
also requires coordination with
the whole job. While / don't
want to seem to be pressing one
of my own boys too far. 1 cant
see the complete pattern any
other way than with Leon Hen
derson having a last word on
price control as we'll as priori-
ties and also, and most impor-
family, the responsibility for
statistical reports on the whole
effort.
Mr.. Knudsen is a production
man. He should never have
haan nuShed into anV other lob