The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-01-21

fool the taX-paying public.
That's one Of the suggestions
embodied in the report Of Chair
man Harry S. Truman's senatorial
defense investigating committee.
calling for separation Of all Sl-per-
year men from the arms program
unless they sever their private
business ties, the theory being that
these private ties influence them
in placing the governments orders.
The assertion also is made that
we're paying excessive prices even
for military supplies that we ac-
tually do need, only. say the COM
plainants, we oughtn't to be over
charged for them.
Chairman Alva Adams Of a
senatorial appropriations subcom-
mittee, which has spent consider
able time delving into the subject,
recently spoke very bitterly con-
corning it. Our war production, he
charged, is being conducted with
'incalculable waste"
Moneys Worth:
It isn't that the Colorado solon
doesn't want us } arm ourselves
up to the limit and to help the
other democracies, but he says
that, for what we spend, we're en-
titled TO get our moneys worth.
He doesn't believe that We do. II
we did, he argues in his committee
report, either the bill would be
smaller, or else. if it stays at its
present figures, well get a heap
more of the necessities OF warfare
than we're getting at present.
1t all amounts to a charge that
we're being profteered on, and
that our buying agencies are ac-
quiescent-
The case hasn't been proved and
It's mighty hard to prove just now,
for the minute anyone makes such
an assertion, he's denounced as a
copperhead or a Quisling or an
Axis propaganda or some such
thing, and nobody likes to be so
classified.
That there's been mismanage-
ment evidently is recognized by
the administration, as more than
indicated by its reorganization Of
production, with Donald Nelson as
the new car Of It.
II doesn't necessarily follow,
though, that the S1-per-yearlings
are anything worse than fairly dis
tracted by the magnitude Of the
situation dumped on them so un-
tremendously. AS for a Sl-per-
yealings private business connec-
tons, how's he going TO sever them
completely?
The Sf-per-yearling quits his
private job, but undoubtedly he
still has some personal holdings
with the concern he previously was
associated with, and presumably
continues TO draw a bit of interest
on them, but he can't very well
turn them all over to the Ped Cross
or some similar outfit and start in
living on an annual 81, literally.
Even a 81 per yearling couldn't
survive long on that stipend.
For S1-per-yearlings I have a
certain amount Of sympathy.
In the Middle
They make big sacrifices and
then are bawled out on the ground
that they're making them for sell
fish purposes. And IL they're
blamed for incompetency only. it
can't but be pretty painful to a
chap TO be called incompetent when
he's trying so hard to make him
self patriotically useful.
It's popular in Washington to
preach economy in non-defense.
civilian spending. That is, it's
popular except among the folk
who have been doing that kind Of
spending hitherto-social reliefers,
ct cetera. They resent it like
everything, but it's o. K. with
the emergency aggregation. That
crowd wants all else cut to the
bone. and cheers pleas for it to the
echo.
Hint at war economy, though,
and heaven help you.
Instantly arises the chorus,
This is a heck of time to econ
omizel"
-. e... 49,, .Es-