The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-12-18
Michigan in
Washington
BY Esther Van Wagner Tufty

BY Esther Van Wagner Tutty
Once | heard Governor Harry
Kelly tell some other governors thai
the state Of Michigan was a good
barometer OF good and bad Amer
lean conditions. II there's a depres-
sion. we hit the national low. II
war prosperity hits, we boom as the
No. ! production state. II the racial
problem becomes acute, we have
the first major riot. II labor finds
their hour has arrived, we have the
first sit-down strike in the ma
tlon's history
So what happens in Michigan
when peace closes abruptly all war
production is likely to indicate
whether the nation can survive re-
conversion without a depression
and the accompanying unemploy-
ment.
All of which explains why Chair.
man Alfred p. sloan, General Mo
tors. is being widely quoted this
week in Washington by those who
usually find it difficult to say a
kind word for big business"
It's said the most important thing
is not that General Motors will
spend a half a billion dollars TO re-
convert plants TO automobile pro-
duction after the war That's good
news But it's still better news that
Mr.. Sloan recognizes that private
business will be on trial after this
war. II must make good its oath that
postwar economic life OF the coun-
try will be best served by a rever-
sion to the practices OF free econ
omy, temporarily abandoned be-
cause OF the war.
Nor is Mr.. Sloan worried about
continuing price and production
control for a limited time. They
should continue until production de-
velops a better balance and the law
OF supply and demand can operate
freely again.
He doesn't overstress grievances
but does stress responsibility OF in
dustry to the public which it serves.
II General Motors leads the way
the Michigan postwar barometer
may indicate that private indus.
try can effectively employ the lega-
cies OF war for the purposes OF
peace.
The White House has turned
down plans for the WRA to be abol
lshed and its duties transferred
either to the Justice or War De-
partments.
This agency came under fire
from Michigan and Ohio congress
men when a certain pamphlet III
situated that Midwest farmers
could learn thing or two about
cleanliness from the Japs, war-lo-
Gated in the state borders.
For some time, the WRA has
been under criticism from the far
western congressman where the
Jap menace Is felt more acutely.
The new White House decision will
not stop their fight to thrust this
war agency into one Of the old
established departments where
they believe a less lenient policy
will be adopted.
Politically, the subsidy question
is especially tough for senators
from states like Illinois and Mich
igan where the big cities favor
subsidies and the rest OF the state
opposes them.
OF course, the subsidy question
has been called partisan since the
Administration is favoring keeping
subsidies. However, It really isn't
between parties. It's more W
ban versus rural.
Those are the thoughts that Sena-
tors Vandenberg and Ferguson are
faced with as they decide how they
will vote when the subsidy bill Is
reported out OF the Senate Banking
and Currency committee. Particu-
.arly concerned is Ferguson who,
although Republican, has strong
Detroit backing.
Secretly. the fan letter that Al.
bert Engel liked best anent his ar.
ticle on war costs In a recent Read
er's Digest came from a constituent.
DR.. r. J. Douglas. OF Muskegon, now
In the South Pacific.