Evening star., 1943-11-05
Truman
Continued From First Page. }

OF the War Department"
The Congress has never author
lied either the War or Navy De-
partment to provide new Works
Projects Administration by forcing
soldiers or sailors to remain in the
Army or Navy or by permitting the
production of war goods for which
there is no military use. The Con-
greSs did not vote billions of dollars
of appropriations to the War and
Navy Departments for such pur-
poses as these, and the job which
the Army and Navy did in peace
time planning for wartime needs
does not support the conclusion that
they should be allowed to deter
mine the conditions under which our
peace-time business is to be oper-
ated. That is not military func-
ton"
The committee also predicted the
women who have donned overalls in
war factories ARE there to stay" and
are entitled to a chance to earn
good living at jobs they have shown
they can do" The report also en-
phasized the returning servicemen
are entitled to jobs. If it's prediction
about the women in industry is born
out, 1t indicates the extent to which
this country will have to expand its
prewar economy to solve the post
war employment problem.
Lease-Lend Discussed.
In suggesting that consideration |
be given the possibility of obtaining
replacements after the war for some
iease-lend supplies, the report said: |
For example, if England cannot |
pay us dollars for petroleum needed |
by her and cannot, by reason of a
shipping shortage or other situation.
procure the petroleum she needs |
from the petroleum resources she
controls in Asia, South America and |
the Dutch East Indies, consideration |
should be given as to whether she |
should not pay for the petroleum
obtained from us by transferring to
us her ownership of an equivalent |
value of foreign petroleum reserves
or Of the English-held securities of |
the corporations having title to such |
reserves.
Similarly, we have had to supply |
rubber and rubber products to Eng
land, which did not build an ade-
quate stock pile and which, through
the English and Dutch, controlled
International Rubber Regulations
Committee, hindered Mr.. Jesse
Jones (Secretary of Commerce. in
his efforts to abtain a stockpile of
rubber. Consideration should be
given now as to the terms and con-
ditions under which any such rub
ber monopoly should be continued
after the war. We should insure that
we will never again be the victims of
a plan like the Stevenson plan, bv
which we were forced in the 2Os to
pay eXorbitant prices for rubber at
the same time we were being called
shylockS in the English press for
requesting repayment of war loans
which We made to England
Attention should also be given to
the possibility of acquiring rights in
the deposits of British owned re-
sources of nickel, copper tin and
iron in countries outside England,
and the right to receive manganese
from Russia after the war in return
for lease-lend articles furnished to
1t now"
Fairness to Labor Urged.
The committee urged business to
be fair with, labor after the war, but
also reminded labor that 1T will
have to take a realistic view of
postwar readjustment problems.
In wartime additional labor costs
are absorbed by the Government"
the committee continued. I'm peace
time they have to be taken out of
profits or added to prices. Many
industries will not have a sufficient
profit margin and will not be able
to increase prices and still sell their
products in competition with other
products filling similar wants. A
demand for too much in such an
industry would simply result in
closing the plants
State and local governments
should plan now for public works to
provide an employment cushion dur
ing the transition period, the COM
mittee said, but called those secon-
Diary in comparison to the develop
ment of private industry for the
production of consumer goods.
The committee expressed con-
fldence that America will have the
tools, labor, materials and purchas-
ing power on which to base the
greatest and soundest era of pros
perity this Nation ever enjoyed, if
we have peace and a measure of
stability for substantial period of
years"
Task of Government.
The report pointed out, however,
that industry cannot make plans for
the future "in vacuum" For that