Evening star., 1942-10-05

Court justice, as
former member $''3@@@aa
of the House David Lawrence.
and as former member of the Sem
ate he has acquired experience and
knowledge Of the workings of gov
ernment and friendships in the
Legislative bodies: but none of these
alone fitted him for the outstanding
Job that now confronts him. It is
primarily his fairness, his instinc-
tive sense of what public opinion
approves or disapproves and the
confidence that both the Congress
and the President repose in him
that combines to make him just the
right choice.
For II wages and salaries are to
be stabilized and not manipulated
for political purposes or for pressure
group advantages, the man who ad-
ministers the largest single grant Of
economic power ever delegated by
Congress under the Constitution
must be one in whom all classes and
groups have faith and who will de-
mand equality OF sacrifice and toll
crate no special privilege.
Disciple Of Baruch's.
Jimmy Byrnes has one other i'm
portant qualification. He has long
been a disciple of that veteran of
the World War administrative setup
who is playing such a magnificent
part in advising the younger execu-
tives of the present war, namely,
Bernard M. Baruch. The friend
ship and understanding between
these two men extending over sew
eral decades means that Mr.. Baruch
will be at the side of Jimmy Byrnes
helping in whatever way he can to
make a success of the post to which
the President has just appointed
him. !.
Looking back over the record of
Director Byrnes, one cannot class
him as either q conservative or q
radical. He is an honest liberal. He
was the author of the famous "anti-
sit-down strike" resolution passed
by the Senate few years ago when
sit-down strikes became epidemic.
But he was the author, too, as JUS
tice Of the Supreme Court, Of that
much-controverted decision denying
that the anti-racketeerihg statute
applied to the activities of truck
drivers union which forced COM
panies to pay tribute Just outside
New York City for what is known
as "woSk not DONE"
Justice Byrnes applied that stat
ute as he ksund it, irrespective of
how he personally might have felt
about the union activity in question.
And that is typical of his deep sense
OF justice. The only regrettable as
pect of his appointment as Director
OF Economic Sterilization is that
the Supreme Court of the United
States loses man who was destined
to become one of its most valued
members. 1t is to be hoped the
President will go to the Senate
again for his selection. It grows
apparent that as between academi-
clans with tendency to distort
statutory language to accomplish an
objective and men who have felt
the impulse Of fairness that comes
out OF familiarity with public
opinion In elective ONCE, the better
kind Of judges must inevitably be
discovered in the latter group unless
the President goes to the Circuit
Court bench where obviously the
best trained men, judieially, are to
be found.
The Presidents executive order
which defines the powers and duties
OF Director Byrnes and outlines the
functions of the other agencies is
we'll drawn.
Must Watch Other Agencies.
Where difficulties will arise Is in
the administering of the order, and
Director Byrnes will have his hands
full keeping the other agencies Of
Government from reverting to prac-
tices and habits developed during
this war, namely, habits that give
too much consideration to pressure
groups and too little, to what is fair
to- all citizens. .,.s -.
The problems that lie ahead are
simply incalculable. The President
told the press the other day, for
instance, that he couldn't under
stand why Congress acted so slowly
In the midst Of, the ti-infiation
crisis where as in 1888 in the midst
of another crisis legislative acts were
passed promptly when he asked for
them. The real reason is that in
1888 the effort was to lift the coun-
try out Of economic depression by
increasing the purchasing power OF
the American people. The present
effort goes in just the opposite di-
rection-to curtail purchasing power
and in effect to reduce standards OF
living and bring about economic
hardship for millions of citizens.
Congress was rightly hesitant and
only when public opinion revealed
that 1t wanted anything and every
thing done to win the war did the
legislative body respond. Now, Con-.
gress acting within the Constitu-
ton has delegated extraordinary
powers to the, executive and de-
mocracy has functioned as the peo-
pie want 1t to function. There are
hard times ahead but one cannot
escape the feeling that = milestone
has been passed with the appoint
ment Of . competent, fair-minded
man to take over for war purposes
the whole economic situation In
America.
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