Evening star., 1941-07-20

eral war materials whose sources were
in distant parts of the earth"
The first steps in the war crisis of
1917-18 were in the direction of con-
servation and elimination Of waste.
Above all with a mass army in prepara-
ton for France, it was necessary to
conserve on manpoWer The War Trade
Board. predecessor to the War Indus
tries Board studied trade after trade
to discover waste motion that could be
eliminated.
When the War Industries Board was
created with new and clarified powers,
a Conservation Division was set up to
effect all possible savings in consumer
goods. Emphasis was put on reducing
the number of styles, varieties, sizes
colors. finishes and in eliminating USE
less adornment and needless display.
Orders Farmed Out.
On a larger scale. industry was called
upon to share shipping facilities i'll
order to eliminate waste.
In the early fall of 1918 Gen Crowder
came to Baruch TO say that the number
of draft electives had been reduced
almost to zero. And beginning with the
first of the year. Crowder would have
TO find 10000 men a month. Where
would they come from? They could
not be taken out Of vital war industries
If they were selected at random from
shops, forges and farms, the national
economy might be seriously upset.
Baruch and his aids realized that the
most careful planning would be neces-
sary TO insure a continued flow of de-
fense and civilian needs. They began
TO plan for even more complete
standardization of civilian life
If the war had gone on another year,
Mr.. Baruch has written, the whole
civilian population would have gradually
emerged, as Wardrobes and inventories
became exhausted in cheap but service
able uniform. The manufacture Of
pleasure automobiles was to cease en-
tirely.
We are apparently still a long Vay
from the kind of controls that were
planned at the end of 1918 Before
there can be any orderly rationing Of
supplies between civilian needs and de-
fense demands, there must be overall
control exercised by some organization
such as the War Industries Board. And
the chairman of this organization must
have complete authority delegated to
him by the President
Scramble for Goods Threatens.
Otherwise the scramble will continue
between civilian suppliers the Army. the
| Navy o. P. NJ. Recently the Navy let a
series of contracts that ignored the
price factor almost completely. Hender-
son and Donald Nelson. in charge OF
contracts for o. P. M. were deeply dis
turbed over what effect these contracts
would have on important markets. IN
less controls are applied. Baruch has
warned, the see-saw of prices rising and
wage demands backed by strikes to meet
those prices will continue. The scram-
bic for goods, as shipbuilders and NUM-
tions workers spend their overtime earn
ings, will grow more desperate and more
chaotic
Besides centralized control. trade
groups and community councils must be
NheoGAAoAASO " NdAlS Out Tic UIuSIS lSSuSQ
at the top.
The War Industries Board issued an
order that no structure costing more than
s2,500 could be built without permission
of the board. Local councils denied all
requests. On appeal to Washington those
that seemed essential to continuance OF
minimum standards were granted.
In that way the harsh restrictions i'm
posed by war were somewhat mitigated.
In some similar way, controls must be
applied in this war which, far more than
in 1917 and 1918, is a conflict of in
duStry and production. How and when
emergency restrictions will be applied
no one, not even executives within the
defense organization, are able TO say.
Word must come from the President.
who must then delegate a part of this
authority to the best man he can find.
And that man will have the difficult Job
of umpire, keeping the balance between
orderly regulation of civilian needs and
the vast appetite of the war machine.