Evening star., 1943-03-12
Ie-to-Grove

The two reports of the National
Resources Planning Board which the
President has sent to Congress set
out proposals that are certain to
occupy prominent place in our ma
tlonal thinking for years to come
When this war is over 1t is not going
to be possible for the United States
or any other nation to cast off it's
military habiliments and step easily
back into a peacetime economy. On
the contrary, the transition from
war to peace and the reorganization
OF our future national life is going
to be an extremely difficult process.
And it will have to be worked out
under the pincers-like pressure OF
a fantastic national debt and a surg
ing demand from all classes of peo-
pie for better living and a greater
measure of individual security
Obviously, no solution of these
tremendous postwar problems can
be hoped for unless there is adequate
advance planning, and it is in recog-
milton Of this fact that the Congress
and the people-should undertake
consideration OF the tentative pro-
grams worked out by the planning
board. There will be extensive dis
agreement, of course, as to details,
and there is no doubt that many OF
the boards specific suggestions will
fall on unsympathetic ears in Con-
gresS. But it Is to be hoped that
opposition to such sections Of the
reports as may be deemed inadequate
or unWise will not tend to blot out
the larger fact that these documents
are a significant challenge to the
vision and the common sense of the
Congress and the people.
The specific recommendations con-
tanned in the reports have been pub
lished elsewhere in The Star, and
space considerations preclude their
restatement here. But it may not be
amiss to suggest some of the funda-
into account in arriving at any con-
clusion as to the usefulness or other
wise of the boards recommended
tions.
First, there is the important ques-
ton Of cost. Apparently the plan
ming board did not attempt to recon-
cile its proposals with the Nations
ability to pay for them, and, in any
event, this is matter which must
be determined by Congress. 1t is
evident, however, that the program
in its entirety would be costly. Un-
doubtedly Congress will endeavor to
bring it within the range Of probable
revenues, always having In mind the
thought that failure to do any,
thing to meet the postwar problems
would be the most expensive of all
procedures.
Second. there is the question OF
the ability OF the National Govern
ment, Influenced as 1t is and always
will be by political considerations, to
handle such gigantic undertaking
in an efficient manner. AS outlined
by the planning board. the postwar
program would project the Federal
Government into the affairs and the
lives Of the people to far greater
extent than at any time in the past.
Is it capable of undertaking this re-
sponsibility? To what extent should
the Governments ability to dis
charge such functions in the future
be Judged by the manner in which
it is presently handling the burdens
imposed upon it by the war?
Finally, it will be necessary to de-
termine whether on balance, the So
cial gains contemplated by the plan
ming board would more than Offset
the losses, for certainly there will
be losses if the plan, as proposed, is
adopted The boards proposals tend
to encourage the individual to look
to society for support, to discourage
reliance upon ones self, Under the
increasing complexity Of our econ
omy, we have already gone far in
this direction, and it Is reasonable
to suppose that we shall go further.
But there ought to be keen aware
ness of the disadvantages which &C
company any dulling of individual
initiative or incentive, a clear reali-
zation that the goal of democracy
should be a minimum rather than a
maximum Of dependence upon gov
| ernment.
Congress, rejecting the will of the
people, must decide how these mat
ters, with others that will suggest
| themselves, are to be worked out.
The most that can be asked is that
the problem be approached con-
structively and with firm determi-
nation to do the best we can with
| the resources at our disposal