Evening star., 1943-04-14
Jones Says Postwar
Disposition Of Plants
Is Up.to Congress
Businessmen Warned
By Commerce Chief
To Plan for Future


NEW YORK, April 14.-Secretary |
of Commerce Jones said today it
would "be for Congress to decide"
the postwar disposition OF billions of
dollars worth uf. Government
financed war plants. y
Mr.. Jones urged businessmen all |
over the Nation to plan now for
the postwar period or else Govern
ment will have to make its own
plans" which, he added, may not be
to the liking of business"
| Speaking before the first national |
meeting of the Committee for Eco
nomic Development, a non-political
organization originated on a sug-
gestion by Mr.. Jones, the Secretary |
said the estimates of the cost of the
present war ran around $250,000,- |
100000 and added:
IF we are to pay the costs Of this |
war we cannot do 1t by indulging |
in another depression"
Speaking of the period when the |
Government withdraWs" from manu-
featuring after the war, he said it |
was essential, If business and private
enterprise were to be preserved, for |
plans to be made now.
Business Must Plan.
He told the group of businessmen
who have made it their job to stimu-
late individual postwar planning that |
there need be no serious lack of |
work for quite time" after the war.
''The problem will be to provide
jobs at a living wage for every per-
son willing to work." the Secretary
said.
ITO do this (businesS) must have |
| plans-broad and practical.
The views of every section of our
economy should be included"
Contrasting the costs of war and
the cost of the depression period of
1930-39, Mr.. Jones estimated that,
including relief work, the depression
was as expensive as the estimates
for the current war, s250,000 900, 900.
U. S. Owns 1,5OO Plants.
Turning to postwar again, he esti-
mated that the Reconstruction
Finance Corp, which he heads,
owned through Defense Plant Corp
about $500 plants
In some industries, he said
aluminium, magnesium and aircraft
the Government owns more facil-
tiles than does private industry In
synthetic rubber. he added, the Gov
ernment owns all.
He said that it would be possible |
for private capital and management |
to replace Government in putting |
these plants ''to work usefully" in
the postwar period, "if business and |
industry cooperate with govern
ment."
He said he expected the factories |
now turning out war goods to find |
wide international market after |
hostilities end if there is sound |
postwar planning" now.
Problem of Financing.
MANY parts of the world will have
to be rehabilitated,' he said. The
problem will be to fill-and finance
the orders. not to get them"
Commenting briefly on postwar
currency stabilization proposals
which have been offered by United
States Treasury experts and by
British government men, Mr.. Jones
said that undoubtedly we will have
to help great many countries, and
in doing SO we will help ourselves"
He expressed the view, however,
that sound business docs not mean
you have to make a profit on each
transaction"
He inferred that high taxes were
one obstacle business would have to
overcome, commenting that while
most people feel taxes are too high
"and they are, probably, in some
places and in some respects high
levies would continue.
Business will have to bear all the
taxes it can and still remain virile
and strong" he said. We've got to
look forward to that phase of our
economy after the war"
In explanation, he pointed out
that I'VE haven't yet won the war,
by Jugful,' and that after the
war is won, I'VE must be prepared
to police the world"