Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-05
War Industry
Board Still
Great Need
-tI-as
New Wallace Economic
Unit Not Enough
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

a been written about the new
economic defense board, headed
by Vice President Wallace.
In the first place. it has been
asserted that this is the long
awaited industrial mobilization
central authority comparable
with the war industries board.
1t is nothing of the kind. 1t
is an agency TO use the overseas
bearing of American economic
forces to strangle potential enc
mics and help potential friends.
AS such it is very essential and
is long. long overdue.
But il does not remotely com
pare with the still unfulfilled and
indispensable war dustries
board and the purpose of which
is ID TO accelerate war produc-
ton and (2) to conserve supplies
for the civilian population.
ITO THIS latter necessity we
Il have given only lick and
promise-a lazy lick and
poor promise. All action thus
far indicates but a laundering
effort TO accelerate war pro-
duction and no effort at all 10
conserve civilian supply and
morale. AS for the Wallace
board, it compares with the
World War trade board. but not
with the World War industries
board. To the proper function
ing OF the latter il is, or should
be, merely an auxiliary.
The truth of this criticism
about domestic chaos was dram
atized last week in the "Hellza-
poppin" show that was put on
paralyZing the silk industry.
threatening 10 paralize automo-
tive transportation IN the last,
cutting off a principal export
market for cotton and petroleum,
suggestion OF a general price
sterilization by fiat. but leaving
the principal elements OF cost.
food and wages, TO rise AT VIII.
In addition. we have a tax bill
whose ineffable inequitleS adds
/ one more area of bitter Amerl-
can resentment TO the many
others certain 10 result from
the other headlong. unstudled
and inept actions Just reclted.
MUCH Of the desired result
vi of all this is necessary and
unavoidable. but the means 70
reach those results have been
demonstrably headlong gro
tesoue and impossible.
AS for the Wallace economic
defense board, it is said on the
one hand that the purpose OF IT'S
personnel is TO enlarge the
stature of Mr.. Wallace as presl-
dental timber and on the other
that his selection was due to ms
great knowledge OF world eco
Monies and his popularity IN
South America because he has
rrrrutfv- learned 20 speak
Spanish.
II the former l. the reason,
il is an almost obscene reason
There is no time TO put neon
petentS in key positions Tor
political reasons Of a possible
t bearing three wears hence.
About Mr.. Wallace learning
10 speak Spanish in middle age,
| wouldn't know. 1t Is the
easiest of the romance Ian
guages in which 20 become
specifically glib. Two weeks
after classes began in the old
West Point courses the cadets
i used 10 do snake dance 10 the
tune of the Farmer in the
DELI: "Yo hablo Espagnol, 'Ho
hablo Espagnol! Hoy es Mier-
coles. Yo hablo Espagnol' -
which boasted that they now
spoke Spanish and proved il by
r1arnfng- orc~ttty IN Spanish
week.
Typical of our border patro
i service was soldier whC
asked a Mexican "habla uSteo
ESpagnol? Well lend me este
broomo. want 10 sweep-out-c
-" and explained that II was
perfectly simple TO speak
Spanish.
"You just put an % on every
word"
No. its not hard TO make
prepared speech in Spanish. IvC
done it myself. But that Is
long way from converting ar
Iowa farm boy into an expert
on Latin America in language
economics or politics. especially
language. which is as full o.
tricks as a maGician'S kit.
No cabinet board under thu
present overwhelming duties o
the departments can be work
ing board. and as for Mr.. Wal
lace being an export trade. al
he has done so far is to push
price-pegging policy which ha
practically destroyed. in favo
of other countries, our eXpor
market for farm products.
Furthermore. if that board i
to be superior TO and not merel.
coordinate with some centra
agency for domestic mobiliza
ton il means that the needs o
other countries are TO TAX,
precedence over our own need