Evening star., 1943-12-21
Stuart Chase, Hoffman
Offer 'BIueprints Here
For Postwar World :

oAACp ~ hlCo AOl pOSIWd1 WOI III
were advanced by Stuart Chase,
economist and author, and Paul
Hoffman, president of the Stude-
baker Corp, at a United Nations
Forum last night before an audi
ence of $500 people at Constitution
Hall.
Listing conditions making for en-
ployment and unemployment follow
| ing the peace, Mr.. Chase suggested
compensatory economy" as the
most likely answer to the problems
the country probably will face. This
system is one where business men
largely own and operate the means
of production, but where the Gov
ernment UNDERWRITERS employment
through its control of financial ma
chinery, through social security
measures and public works.
Three Basic Principles.
Mr.. Chase said a compensatory
economy" rests on three basic prin-
ciples: business men are ENCOURAGED
to carry the maximum possible load
of production and distribution so
long as the output is sound, in de-
mand and able to pay its way: the
Government, cooperating with local
governments and groups, undertakes
to fill any serious gaps in employ
ment left vacant by ordinary busi-
ness activity; and the Government
also extends to all citizens the ben
efltS OF social security.
Declaring that Americans demand
good food, shelter, clothing medical
care and education as minimum
standard living requirements, Mr..
Chase pointed out that work bring
ing satisfaction in the sense Of
achievement will be the demand of
returning veterans rather than
merely job. Their pressure, plus
that Of organized labor and business
In addition to war workers faced
with the loss of jobs, will force the
country to accept the war lesson
that what Is physically possible is
financially possible"
Mr.. Hoffman, declaring that the
term full employment is a mis-
leading one because it promises too
much and is too vague, asserted it
would be possible for the country
to employ the SIS to So million peo-
pie necessary for prosperous post
war country. He said the goal could
be reached because there will be a
tremendous pentup demand for all
sorts Of goods. an unprecedented
amount OF savings in the hands of
people and a fund of skilled me-
chanics and technicians making new
and old products available in great
numbers.
High Production Goal.
Emphasizing that our goal must
be an increase in the output of
goods and services which automat-
lcally increases jobs, Mr.. Hoffman
declared the goal must be an in
crease Of 331a per cent in production
above 1910. This goal can be reached
by concentrating on the Main Street
side OF our country rather than
chiefly on the large cities.
He also asserted that people have
been too pessimistic about the length
OF time necessary for conversion OF
plants to peacetime uses. The au-
tomobile industry, most difficult to
change, can be ready for peace time
production in to 7 months, and
some fields can be turned over with
in "a hours. The big job, Mr. Hoff-
man pointed out, is not reconversion
but that plus expansion.
William l.. Bait, vice chairman of
the War Production Board, intro
duced the speakers. Members of
the panel to take part in the dis
cussion following the speeches were
Wayne Chatfield- Taylor. undersec-
retary of commerce; Howard r.