Evening star., 1947-11-23

Toilette, BiSSell, Llebert, Remington
and Davenport. Prof Bissell prob
ably wrote more of the text than
any of the others. Mr.. Liebert had
final responsibility in reading the
proofs for errors. Mr.. Davenport
spent 10 days'in Washington putting
ultimate polish on the style. He is
credited with such telling phrases
as "the United States is no limit
less cornucopia," sit is not wise to
underestimate the steepness of the
climb" and aid must not be viewed
as means of supporting Europe,
but as spark which can fire the
engine"
Able and Youthful
A characteristic of the group of
five is not only outstanding ability
but youth. Mr.. La Toilette, the old
est, Is So. Mr. Missell is 38, Messrs.
Liebert and Davenport SO and Mr..
Remington about 30. Only the years
of residence could have endured the
stress of sustained and intense labor
to which they were subjected. There
was also a distinct literary flavor.
MI. Davenport is professional
writer. Prof. Bissell has published
numerous articles in topside mag
azines. MI. Liebert is at work on
biography of DR.. Samuel johnson.
AS the only political member and
an old hand at committee work,
Mr.. La Toilette was made chairman
of one-man drafting subcommit-
tee. His was therefore the supreme
editorial responsibility. He was also
one of two out of the 10 members
who made direct contributions to the
text.
The other was Chester c. Davis,
president of the Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis and head of the
Agricultural Adjustment Admin
istration from 1888 to 1886. AS
chairman of the Subcommittee on
Food Resources, Mr. Davis himself
wrote the sapient and exhaustive
special report on food, with Dean
William I. Myers of Cornells Col
lege of Agriculture as principal ad-
wiser.
Toiling often at his desk until 4
am. and scribbling feverishly on
pads of yellow paper, Mr.. La Fol-
lette composed with his own hand
the climactic section of the report
under the title of The Interest of
the United States in European Re-
covery." The opening paragraph
states the creed which from begin
ming to end invests the document
with irreproachable candor. THE
committee has faith" wrote Mr.. La
Toilette, lin the sound judgment of
the people and of the Congress when
they have learned the whole truth"
Principle Not Argued
AS author of this chapter, Mr.. La
Toilette was responsible for the re-
ports insistence on the humanita-
rian aspect of the foreign-aid pro-
gram, which too often has been for
gotten; for it's blasting indictment
of the Communist system as "one
where iron discipline by the state
stamps out individual liberties and
obliterates all opposition" and for
an analysis of what would happen
to the American way of life and
form of Government If bolshevism
occupies European analysis cool
and dispassionate, and partly for
that reason one of the most forni-
dable prophecies ever written.
| 1t is the recollection of men pres
ent at the time that Mr.. La Toilette
supplied the wording of the sum-
mary's famous passage regarding
Americas S attitude toward the So
cialist governments of Britain,
France and Italy. The question was
threshed out at full meeting of
! the committee.
Strangely enough, in view OF the
number of conservative businessmen
who were members, there was no
controversy over the principle, but
only about the energy Of the Ian
guage to be employed. Suggestions
were tossed about, to be accepted
or rejected. At last Mr.. La Toilette
took his pencil and yellow pad and
wrote. What he put down was
offered as a motion by business
man and unanimously adopted.
La Toilette Had Big Hand
Commercial interests were reas-
sured by the statement that this
committee firmly believes the Amer
lean system of free enterprise is
the best method of obtaining high
productivity" Then came dec
laration as strong as well could be:
TT does not believe that any for
eign-aid program should be used as
means of requiring other govern
ments to adopt it. The imposition
of such conditions would constitute
an unwarranted interference with
the internal affairs of friendly ma
tions."
MIR. La Toilette also had ruling
hand in compiling the admirable
summary, which is based on other
sections of the report, including
particularly his own chapter. The
writing itself was done chiefly by
Mr.. Liebert and Mr.. Bissell. As
head of the Subcommittee on Pro-
gram Administration, Mr.. La Fol-
lette determined, but did not ac-
tually write, the section proposing |
an independent agency, preferably
of a corporate nature, for operat-
ing the program. with a single
administrator in charge and with
major policies to be determined by
the State porfypepf