Evening star., 1943-09-26
National Planning Association
Turns to Postwar Problems
Group Hos 9 Years
Of Experience
Behind Proposals
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

With postwar committees threat.
ening to take on the form of ar
epidemic, it is noteworthy that post.
war planning is not new to the Ma.
tion's Capital. and that all aspects
of it are not entirely political.
Working quietly here is a volun-
tary, nonproft, nonpolitical organ.
ization known as the Nationa,
Planning Association. It's head
quarters are at 300 Twenty first
street NV. in historic home
situated near that portion of the
city which Thomas Jefferson desig-
mated as his choice for the site OF
the Capitol.
The origin of the National Plan
ming Association goes back to 1884
when small group of men expert
enced in management, Government
and labor had a far-reaching idea
That year millions of men in the
United States were jobless. Thou
sands of factories were closed. Food
surpluses were rotting. Private en-
terprise had begged down. Govern
ment was trying to prime the pump
Lets turn hindsight into fore
sight" said the men. Let ma
tional planning be the concern of all
Americans rather than of Govern
ment alone. We know now that the
cost of not thinking ahead is toe
high for any nation to afford"
The founders incorporated their
idea here in this city without fam
fare and many responsible leaders
from Americas major economic
groups met together with this plan
ming approach: "State the objec-
tive, find out the facts, design the
solution in the light of the facts"
Officers Are Listed.
Today the National Planning AS.
sociation has such key men as viii.
liam L. Bait, who is chairman of it.
board OF trustees, as well as busines.
executive and vice chairman of ths
War Production Board. It's vice
chairman Is Robert j. Watt, inter.
national representative of the Amer.
lean Federation of Labor. Among it.
board members are H. c. Some ol
Amsinck, Some g. Co., the chair.
man Of its Executive Committee
Charles E. Wilson of General Elec.
trio and Clinton s. Golden, vice
president of the United Steel Work.
ers OF America, and other nationa.
leaders. E. Johnston Coil is thu
executive director of the association
and Virginia D. Parker is the editor
of its Public Policy Digest, which /.
issued monthly except during July
and August.
The nonpublicized committee dis.
cussions of the National Planning
Association and its published re.
ports have been of service to variou.
industries. For instance, Its study
Crisis In Steel" received Nation.
wide attention as the first warning
OF the impending shortage before thu
attack on Pearl Harbor. Anothe,
report entitled "Germany's Chal.
lenge to Americas Defense" focused
attention on the magnitude anc
menace Of Germany's war effort be.
fore beginning of hostilities.
The associations more recent
study, when Demobilization Day
Comes" was the first concise analysis
OF the tremendous task involved ir
the transition from war to peace.
Relief Report Praised.
Illustrative of the practical value
OF the National Planning Associa.
tons researches is the fact that
when former Gov. Lehman of New
York organized the ONCE of Foreign
Relief and Rehabilitation Operations
members of its staff found already
prepared the associations report on
Relief for Europe" and pronounced
it the most useful brief document
on the subject.
The associations report. Ger
man Strategy of World Conquest -
is being used by the Army.
Another recent study is Postwar
1ndustrialization of China" In
preparation is an all-over survey of
Latin America, with conclusions as
to how its human and physical re-
sources can best be developed on a
long-range basis to fit into west
ern economy.
Nor has the home front been neg
lected in the surveys of the asso-
citation. Recently off the press was
the first in its Transportation Sc
ries" of pamphlets, The Outlook
for Domestic Air Transport" by
Ernest w. Williams, jr. The author
is technical adviser on transporta-
ton problems for various Federal
agencies and an analyst for the
War Production Board.
Out in two weeks will be the asso-
cations Poll of Public Opinion or
Postwar Problems" Conducted upon
a noncommercial scale, it polled
Democrats and Republicans, the
wealthy, average, and poor, a.
to what they want this country tc
be in the postwar period.
In prospect are studies on food
medicine, clothing and organization
for international relief in Europe.
Backbone of the associations pro-
gram for the present and the future
are its three standing committees or
national policy drawn from the
ranks of agriculture, business anc
labor The members serve as in
dividuals, the committees meeting
separately and together.
Public opinion has been focused
upon recent joint statement ISSUED
by these three important commit
tees, which asserts: "The basis O.
Americas postwar economy shoule
be private enterprise, with private
business and industry and agricul.
ture continuing to operate as the