Imperial Valley press., 1941-07-01


pies minds more than the con-
Germ over what's going to happen
to the United States in this war,
is the worry of what's going to be-
come of us after the darn thing
Is over. Even fleeting contempla-
ton of the economic hangover which
will follow the mex. armistice-God
speed it-can give case of Grade
A bowling heeby- jeebies If you let
it, National debt of $l00 billion,
defense industries stopped cold,
millions thrown out Of work, Eu-
rope starving.
For whatever consolation 1t gives
you. therefore, it can be mentioned
that this Idea has occurred TO
few people in Washington. and
they're interested in doing some
thing about it, First steps in this
direction were taken when q SUBJ
committee oj four congressman met
to consider a couple of resolutions
introduced by Rep. Jerry Voorhis OF
San Dimas, Calit.. calling for the
establishment of a Post Emergency
Economic Advisory Commission. or
a National Commission on Unem-
ployment and Present and POST
War Economic Adjustment, or
something. Anyway, the idea Is to
get going on study OF this prob
lem right now.
You might think thai considera-
ton OF this problem would draw q
big crowd In Washington, or any
where. But not more than 20 peO-
Ele turned up for the hearings.
Maybe, after all nobobdy cares
what happens to the country af-
ter the war Is ever
But a couple of rather important
witnesses didn't think SO There
was w. L. Bait. director Of
OPM's production division and one
of the two or three sWingingeSt
about defensers among the dollar
a-year men in Washington. Even
The New Dealers say Bait Is good
and industrialists swear by, not at
him. The conservative Brookings
Institution of independent, eco
nomic researchers in Washington
sent over their brilliant Meyer ia
cobstein to give evidence something
of this kind is necessary now, tn
coordinate all the thinking, to set
up research staff, to get come
plan worked out in advance tc
win the war after the war;
BAIT GOES TO BAT
The impressive thing about the
way Voorhis, Bait and Jacobsteirl
look at the problem Is that they
realize postwar recovery cannot b.
any leaf f-raking, boomdoggling
shot-in-th -the-arm relief program. II
Voorhis can get his commission
organized with some high calibel
talent, capable of seeing beyond 9
portfolio of WpA projects, capable
OF planning productive instead ol
productive labor as q solution
for national ailments, his work car
60 down as one of the really i'm.
portant contributions to modern
times. If 1t does the job right, il
can sell the country on the idea
that everything isn't as hopeles.
as some people think it Is.
Bait is practically lyrical on tht
subject. IF we tackle this proolen
CT postwar rehabilitation of in
dustry and manroyer with al
, energy comparable to that which
we are now devoting to the opposit,
process" he says, I'VE can build az
economy and a standard of living
the likes of which the world ha
never dreamed. We can, in the pro
cess, lay the groundwork for al
. industrial system. .. based on ;
price structure designed to reacl
q vast reservoir OF potential con.
sumerS that have in the past beer
able to afford only the basic ne.
CesSities of life" 90.
HOPE FOR THE LITTLE MAN
: That's offering hope for the littl,
, man, If 1t was ever offered, an.
on day when all the rest of tn.
news is bad, and it's too hot fo
comfort to boot, it Is pleasant t,
report happy thought.