Evening star., 1943-11-07
baruch Accents
Job Of Revisinq
War Contracts
Will Map Policies
On Problems Durinq
And After Conflict
BY J. A. FOX,

bernard M. Baruch Will ad-
minister the enormous task Of
revising war contracts to meet
the needs of battle strategy and
shifting war industries to peace
time production, James F.
ByrneS, war mobilization di-
rector, announced last night.
Mr.. Baruch's acceptance of this
vitally important post should assure
the country that the adjustment
problems will be handled with both
statesmanlike efficiency and broad
vision,' Mr.. Byrnes said in state
ment issued through the White
House announcing the appointment.
In taking over this special assign
ment, Mr.. Baruch, who has been
acting in an advisory capacity to
Mr.. Byrnes for some time, will head
a new unit in the Office of War
Mobilization, which is ito deal with
war and postwar adjustment prob
lens and to develop unified pro-
grams and policies to be pursued by
the various agencies of Government
concerned" Mr.. Byrnes said.
Calls Meeting Tuesday.
He added that the first natter de-
manding Mr. Baruch's attention
would be adjustments rendered
necessary not by the cessation Of
hostilities but by the changing re-
quirements of our war strategy" ex-
planning that any reshaping of war
programs must, of course, be car
ried through with view to increas-
ing the effectiveness of our war ef-
fort"
Mr.. Baruch is getting down to
work at once, and has called
meeting Tuesday of representatives
Of all procurement agencies to con-
slider the formulation of definite
policies to be followed in revising
the terms of contracts or canceling
those for which there is no longer
need.
President Roosevelt first an
nounced the contract program on
October IS, explaining that the
matter was one that could not be
disposed of by slap-dash or rule
of-thumb methods, but on the con-
trary, required careful eonsidera-
ton. AS an example of what is
entailed, he pointed out that the
War and Navy Departments ars
in the process of revising more
than 5000 contracts involving bill
lions Of dollars.
At the time, the President ex.
planned that the new OWN unit
would concern itself both with war
and postwar policies. amplifyina
that it would study and consider
the whole range of problems which
will ultimately arise out of the
termination Of war contracts, in
cluding the problems of reconver-
sion and disposition of plants and
property no longer required for war
use"
Reports Made to Byrnes.
Mr.. ByrneS has been meeting with
procurement agency representatives
since the contract matter was
turned over to the OWN. and has
obtained reports and recommended
tionS which will be available to Mr.,
Baruch.
Congress already has been giving
much thought to this same prob
lem, and shortly before the Baruch
appointment was announced. Chair
man George of the Senate Postwar
Economics Planning Committee told
reporters he believed that some
overall agency was needed to map
a program both for the transition
Of industry from war to peace. anc
for shifting individual industry from
one type of war production to an
other.
/ Senator George said he felt that
Congress should legislate Ito give
some direction to the program" be-
cause whatever is done is bounc
to affect the future economy of the
country.
| Advised later of the Baruch ap-
pointment. Senator George said he
still is Of the opinion that Congress
should have say He explained
that he did not want to be under
stood as arguing that the executive
tSee BARUCH, Page A-5)