The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-03-03
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, ID. G.

Washington, ID. G.
At recent White House press and
radio conference, the President, in
talking of certain measures he had
recommended to benefit men and
women leaving the armed service,
explained that long before the de-
mobilization of the fighting forces ac-
tually begins, many veterans are
"demobilized" who, for military or
other reasons, are returned to civil
life. One million have already been
discharged and the process contin-
ues, while others are being taken
into the service.
To some degree this process Is
paralleled by other forms Of demo-
Utilization and congress has realized
that the machinery for reconverting
the American economy to peace
time operation must be set up inn
mediately. One group, a special
committee on postwar economic pol
icy and planning Of which Senator
George is the chairman, has finished
its first report which deals with
Cancellation of war contracts, dis
position and sale Of surplus proper
ty and industrial rehabilitation and
conversion"
Quite aside from the content OF
the report, the document is impor-
tant for three reasons:
First, it provides for action by leg
islation rather than by executive de-
cree, and emissions board whose
first responsibility is to congress
rather than to the Chief Executive.
Gan important step in returning to
the natural processes of democracy
interrupted by the war;
Second, it has been written with a
realization that in the re-shuffiing OF
industry, small business must get a
break. It is quite probable that
Senator Murray, who has taken the
troubles of small business under his
wings, will contribute considerably
to the bill which will be introduced
to implement the purpose OF the
report.
Non-P olifical Expert
Third, and very important, is the
fact that the report was coordinated
and probably largely written by a
paid, non-political expert, hired out
of the committee funds as its coun-
sci. Similar assistance is always
utilized by the tax committee where
highly technical knowledge is essen
tial, and it has long been the feeling
of Senator George and others that
one of the great weaknesses of con-
gressional procedure is the lack OF
expert staff assistance for this type
of work: the coordinating and CORE
lating of the information brought out
in the hearings and the contributions
of the various committees, and the
facts and opinions resulting from the
investigations and the special knowl-
edge of the individual members.
AS a small group of us newsmen
and women sat In the committee
room and questioned Scott Russell,
the counsel, we were impressed with
his grasp of the subject and the
way he separated political opinion
from the factual content and the in
terpretation of the various para
graphs as he read them over to us
or we questioned him concerning
them. Russell was former district
attorney in Georgia and he was also
president of one of the largest bust
nesses in the South, the Bibbs Manu-
featuring company. Gray-haired,
but young looking, and vigorous with
an easy common-sense approach,
Russell gave you the feeling he knew
what he was talking about.
Business and Government
But regardless Of the merits of
this particular case, it seems to me
rather significant that the thinking
leaders in congress, of whom there
are always many, realize the inn
portance of getting Ito use some
what shopworn expression in its best
sense) "more business into govern
ment" business in the sense Of
businesslike and efficient procedure,
not the bias of any particular bust
ness.
have gone into some detail in
previous columns in regard to the
importance Of small business in the
American economy. I will only say
here that Senator Murray, although
not a member of this committee,
was called in for consultation, and
undoubtedly a part of his legislative
thinking will be incorporated into
the bill which ! imagine will be in
troduced before this is printed.
Already the giants are battling.
Efforts are being made by the big