Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-18
Senator George Asks
Congress Leadership
On Postwar Policies
Responsibility Rests
With Lawmakers, He Says
In Forum Address

Senator George, Democrat, OF
Georgia called on Congress to &C
cept the responsibility of postwar
economic policies and plans and tt
prepare now to discharge it, in Ma
tional Radio Forum address last
night over the Blue Network
Author of resolution to establish
= bipartisan temporary joint COM
mittee on wartime economic policy
George declared in an address ar
ranged by The Star and heard
locally over Station WMAL:
Final responsibility rests with the
Congress, and The purpose of the
resolution is to have the Senate
accept this responsibility squarely
and to prepare now to discharge it."
Pointing out that scores of tlan-
ming groups are now active" in draw
ing up blueprints of the world after
this war, the Georgia Senator de-
clared the planning movement is
'incoherent, inconsistent and unco-
ordinated" and added that harmony
between the different groups is i'm
possible because of so many different
PHILOSOPHERS, premises and methods. 3"
Little Chance Of Unity.
mo blueprinted plan will be uni
~ersauy acceptable as a practical
proposition" he said. 1T is quite
unlikely that prograss toward a
sound political economy will come
about by rational plan. AS it has
developed. planning is an explosive
element without much chance of
unity"
He pointed out. however, that the
"ferment" for planning indicated "a
country wide awareness of the need
for sounder economy after the
war"
The Federal Government will be
intimately a part of postwar plan
ming and economic solutions, Sena-
tor George asserted.
This follows inexorably from the
extension of Government activities
during the depression and in the
present war" he added. Even
without these influences, a chaotic
postwar situation will compel the
Government to take an active hand
In economic problems.
No reacation against the re-
straintS of war controls will 90 so
far as to reject all Government &C
ton. On the contrary, appeals for
Government aid and intervention
likely are to be heard more loudly
than ever before, If Congress is not
prepared to discharge this RESPONSE
bility, others will step into the
breach"
Urges Hearings at Intervals.
He stressed that the committee
should draw no over all blueprints"
nor lend itself to any planning
group. public or private. as an in
quisitorial weapon" but rather
should analyze and see through"
SPECIFIC legislative proposals to the
larger plans and purposes which
such proposals support"
From time to time, the committee
should have limited hearings. he
said, at which should appear the
ablest and best men and women in
the country. qualified both by ex-
perience and study to speak upon all
of the economic problems which will
inevitably press for consideration in
the postwar period.
Beyond doubt. the committee
must consider provisions for de-
modifying the Army. relocating war
workers, reconverting the war in
dustries and carrying the farmers
through the transition from war to
peace demands for their products"
Senator George declared.
I'm short. we cannot suddenly
scrap all war controls and all war
measures, but these must be gradu-
ally relaxed"