Evening star., 1945-07-06

menQdUlOnS o II ETahA D. neh''
public affairs, but it has to be done
again. His recent statement before
the Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee concerning problems of German
occupation and our relations with
our Allies is so balanced, so convinc-
ing and sincere that it seems folly
not to accept and act on it.
The details of his recommended
tions have been discussed and gen.
orally approved. There is never any
difficulty getting agreement on
Baruch recommendations. The diff
Guilty is in, getting action on them.
For example. 1t is easy to recall at
least five times in the last four years
when Mr.. Baruch has made study
of a bad situation and suggested
remedies. Immediately there is
chorus of praise from the press.
Enthusiasm is shown by the EXecu-
tive and Congress. Labor leaders
and businessmen join in commend
ing the soundness of his proposals.
Everybody is encouraged. At last
, common sense is to prevail. That is
the way It looks, but that is not the
way it works out.
Delay Instead of Action.
Instead of action. there has been
delay. Except in the case of rubber
the clear-cut steps he proposed
have been falteringly and stum-
blingly taken. 1t took 18 months
before we got a single-headed War
Production Board. Vast trouble
would have been avoided if his in
sistence that it was impossible to-
prevent imitation unless wages, along
with food prices and rents, were
controlled, had not been ignored for
a year.
His reports on the vital problems
of reconversion and surplus products
disposal were acclaimed by Mr..
Roosevelt and War Mobilizer Byrnes,
but Congress, rejecting the logical
bill, passed one so silly that Mr.. Will
liam Clayton resigned on the ground
that no man could properly do the
job under this law.
Other instances could be cited.
Upon one occasion his report was
entirely withheld from the public as
confidential" and nothing ever has
been done about it, Considering
these things, the Baruch patience
is something at which to marvel.
Few men would have stood wha. he
has stood in the last few years. He
stood it because he foresaw it and
evolved formula to meet it.
1t is embraced in his simple state
ment that he wanted to help win
the war; that he knew he had some
thing to contribute; that he in
tended to make his contribution
and was not going to let any one
make him mad enough to quit. And
no one has, though a number tried
Few will contend that this Baruch
formula, to which he still adheres,
has not been good for the country.
And now, again by request, he has
given his views-this time as to how
to control and transform conquered
nation of more than 60,O00,000 peo-
pie with an economy as intricate and
efficient as that of the Germans.
mere is not space 10 present Jne
details beyond sa wing that he wants
Germany whose capacity to make
war again shall forever be removed;
that he wants a Germany which will
pay reparations to the limit of her
ability; that he wants a firm, clear,
sympathetic understanding between
ourselves and Russia. But there is
space to stress the first step which
he suggests and without which we
are sure to founder in playing our
part in the postwar world.
Urges Peace Staff.
What he urges is tina: to unity
all of the many peace problems into
one whole "all governmental agen-
cies dealing with these matters be