Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-30
Buruch' sFormuIu for ! otuIWur

to discuss their problems in
common council, and to co-ordi-
nate their action.
Key to Boards Control.
The very essence Of the boards
positive control of industry lay
in three of its functions:
Cd The determination OF
priorities;
CD Its exclusive control over
Communicating;
80 Power to fix the price of
basic commodities.
CD Priorities. The Govern
ment, through the Railroad Ad-
ministration, controlled trans
portation. Because OF the power
of Government to commander
supplies and facilities Tin some
small part definitely expressed
by statute delegating some of
IL to the President and, in large
and completely comprehensive
part, generally known to reside
in Congress) every producer in
the country was aware that fail
ure to cooperate with the war
measures of Government might,
and very probably and promptly
would. result in the appropria-
ton by Government of all that he
had. These two sanctions en-
abled Government to obtain
complete compliance by indus
try with the orders and regula-
tons of the board.
The priority system proved ef-
fective beyond the hopes of its
proponents. 1t affords a method
Of almost-instantly marshaling
the industries of the country
and thereafter synchronizing
and controlling their operation
In far more effective way than
If the Government were in &C
tual control and operation of
any Of them.
The criterion of the priorities
administration was that of rela-
tive essentially. It's power to
support essential industry and to
curtail or cut of less essential
uses was very great. BY such
curtailment or suppression it re-
leased vast quantities of sup
plies, labor, transportation, power
and money to necessitous uses.
BY the very complete conspectus
Of relative need and available
facilities and supplies which
necessarily developed under It's
hands. the board was enabled
to know very definitely the loca-
ton. size and emergency OF most
Of its major problems. BY the
utter dependence of both supply
and demand on priorities. regu-
lation and coordination of both
were greatly facilitated. 1t rem
dered relatively simple that
which cat first sight) seemed
complex beyond hope of effective
administration.
Some Initial Confusion.
90 Communicating. The true
basis Of our control of industry
was the latent land in part ex-
pressed power OF Congress to
commander. Portions of this
power had been expressed in
statutes and delegated either to
the President or to other agen-
cies. There was some initial
confusion In the exercise of these
delegated powers tor the threat
of such exercise by unco-ordi-
mated users of it. The President
finally ordered that no COM
Wandering order should issue
without approval OF the chair
man Of the War Industries
Board.
This provision is absolutely es-
sential. The final essence of
control Of all industrial activity
must be lodged in a single re-
sponsible pair of hands. II there
be one single authority charged
with ca determination OF pri-
GRITTY, 90 communicating, and
tc) price fixing, then the de-
tails Of the migration of va
rious war administrations be-
come of less importance and 4
great flexibility is permissible.
tReLessed by The Bell Syndicate, Ine)