Evening star., 1943-01-03
lndustriaIists Seek
Plan 10 Meet Job
Needs After War
Committee Organized
Under Leadership Of
PuuI Hoffman
BY FRANK MacMILLEN,

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE great
est challenge to the American free
enterprise system, in the opinion of
many industrialists and economists,
will come with the end of the war
and the rehabilitation of some 90
100000 soldiers, sailors and war
workers.
Will the Government be- in a posi-
ton. after a 100000, 600, 900 war, to
carry millions of unemployed on re-
lief, or in made-work projects? Will
returning soldiers be content with
any such solution? Most answers to
such questions are definitely in the
negative.
Then what is the alternative? 1t
Is clearly a vigorous business and
industry which can give employment
for many more workers in civilian
life than ever before, more than in
1910 when unemployment was large,
substantially more than in 1929. be-
cause the working force is now much
bigger than then. Also, in contrast
with 1929, the number of workers It
takes in industry to produce given
amount of goods is substantially less,
as result OF striking progress of
technology.
Suggested by Jones.
Can private industry do the re-
quired job? Leaders in business and
Government have been thinking
about this for some time. Several
months ago Jesse H. Jones, Secre-
tary of Commerce, called a group of
businessmen to Washington and
suggested that group be formed to
help business with this problem. The
proposition was advanced that buSi-
ness cannot hope to succeed If the
matter is just left to chance.
Out Of that meeting grew the
Committee for Economic Develop
ment. Paul G. Hoffman. president
of Studebaker, Is its chairman and
has just announced its program and
its setup. The committee is COM
posed of l8 businessmen, carefully
chosen to give representation of a
wide range of businesses throughout
the country. 1t Is notable that most
of the members come not from the
very biggest concerns. 1t would ap-
pear that an effort has been made
to select men who have come up in
strongly competitive fields.
Also, while sponsored by the De-
partment of Commerce and taking
over as its executive secretary Car
roll L. Wilson, on leave from his
job as chief of the departments
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce, the committee has cut
all ties from Government. 1t is
understood the committee wants to
remove itself as far as possible from
areas Of controversy. political or
otherwise, and to devote itself to it's
job.
Twofold Purpose Seen.
Its general prospectus sees this
job as tWofold. First. that of study
ing the grave problems of transition
from wartime controls to peacetime
operation. For instance, while busi-
nessmen generally are itching to get
rid of price controls and priorities
many are fearful that sudden re-
moval of these controls before in
dustry is converted back to civilian
production and while goods are still
scarce and purchasing power huge
owing to wartime credit expansion,
could bring a disastrous imitation.
Then, now and during this period
of transition, come the problems of
settling upon long range Govern
ment and business policies conducive
10 maximum employment and pro-
duction, policies in which business
expansion will be encouraged and
not discouraged.
For this general field of transition
and long range policy, the commit
tee has set up a research division.
which will represent about half of
its work. 1t is contemplated that it
will cooperate freely with various
other Government and private re-
search and planning groups.
Adjustments Faced.
But, secondly, aside from this gen.
erai problem of policy, and no less
important, is the problem through
out the country of helping the in
dividual community and business to
plan for the future, to be ready to
Shift into civilian work. The coun-
try has never before been so thor
oughly converted to war. Industry
has been literally torn apart and put
together again for war production.
Meanwhile, research has gone on
apace, and many things that were
being manufactured before will be
obsolete soon after the war.
The committee is setting up an ex-
tensive field organization to work
through regional and local groups. to
encourage the making of plans now.
before it is too late. so the blueprints
will be ready to set up civilian op-
erations and put men and women to
work producing for peace.
The committee is under no illu-
sions as to the magnitude of the
job. 1t does not expect to find any
magic formula Says Hoffman. "it
is the toughest assignment COM
merce and industry ever tackled"
Preliminary studies indicate full
employment will require gross
production of goods and services
some IS per cent above the level of
the last best peacetime year. Hoff-
man says:
I'VE have got to reach that new
high level quickly-at least within
two years after peace-unless we
are to have millions of people walk
ing the streets, looking for jobs"
Change to Be Gradual.
The two-year interval is not too
ominous, since rehabilitation from
war work presumably won't come
all at once but gradually.