The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-06-18
Now They Can Be Told

Washington, June -.
The President said the other day
that production of war materials had
reached a point where it would be
more hurtful than helpful to the en-
envy to make public the fgures-and
that he would try to get some. That
significant statement is a tribute by
Mr. Roosevelt to the industrialists of
the country.
To many Of these he is-and has
been-personally hostile and for ten
years most of them have been used
as targets by his Administration. Yet,
after eighteen months, it is the job
that industry is doing to which he
points with pride-and justly, Be
cause, everybody comedies now that,
though slowed down by labor troubles
and hampered by long administrative
INDIGESTION and red tape, an industrial
marvel has been achieved in the con-
version of the plants and the turning
out of the stuff. As things are today,
the war and defense contractors are
ahead Of the Presidents own optim-
istic schedules proposed last January.
$500
Actually they are producing planes,
tanks, guns, munitions and war sup
plies faster than they can be used. 1t
no longer is question Of productions;
it is a question of transportation to
our own armed forces and to our al
lies abroad 1t is interesting that pro-
duction has now become the big thing
of which the Administration has to
boast-actually the one thing. Indus
try is magnifcently doing the job be-
cause the Fords, the Sloans, the du
Points, the Bruces, the Girdlers, the
Weirs, the Kellers and other men of
that type put aside thoughts both Of
politics and profits and buckled down
to do the job.
Mr.. Rooscvclt's statement is the
best evidence as to how well they
have done it. Nor is its value dimin-
ished by disclosures that an occasional
contractor has been making too much
money and evading taxes through the
bonus system. Those things are not
true of the leaders Of industry who
really have performed this production
miracle. One does not have to ascribe
to them any greater degree of patriot
ism than that possessed by other pco-
pie, but certainly they must be cred
tied with no less. Even if is said that
not to be concerned about profits isn't
patriotism but just enlightened sell
tishness, the fact remains the same.
###
Considering the relations between
these industrial leaders and the Presi-
dent what they have done and his
praise Of it constitute about as slim
ulating an eXemple of national unity
as we have. 1t makes it pertinent to
recall what Marshall Hindenburg in
his World War "Memoirs" said Of
American industry: Her brilliant, if
pitiless, war industry" the marshall
wrote, had entered the service of
patriotism and had not failed it. I'm
der the compulsion of military neces-
sity, ruthless autocracy was at work
and, rightly, even in the land at the
portals of which the Statue of Liberty
flashes its binding light acress the
sea. They understood war"
This Hindenburg comment upon our
war industry of twenty-five years ago
is equally applicable to the war indus
try of 1912. incidentally, it is inter
esting to note that the man who last
time was the chief official factor in
war production-Mr. B. NJ. Baruch-
is, unofficially, a considerable factor
now. Until very recently Mr.. Baruch
iit'0 NV bCNll tNtIi vi d COlllllllltt.
Nevertheless, for year before Pearl
Harbor he spent most every week in
Washington Recognized as the best
informed and experienced man in the
country on the subject-recognized
too, as having no political or personal
ak to grind, the story of the Baruch
contribution is an extraordinary one.
When Pearl Harbor happened he
Just took up his residence here for the
duration. He made up his mind that
no one was going to make him mad
and that nothing and nobody was go
ing to discourage him from doing cv-
erything he could to help win the war.
He has been in and out of the Presi-
Dental doghousc a number of times.
Sometimes he would lunch with the
President once a week; sometimes he
wouldn't see him for weeks. He has
been pushed around and patronized
by self-important little people unused
to authority. He has been sneered at
as senile and self-seeking. He has per-
mitted none of these things to disturb
or divert him. He has kept right on
making himself available, doing ev-
erything he was asked to do; show
ing no recruitment when his advice,
after being sought, has not been