Evening star., 1947-10-24
Mobilization
Continued From First Page.

Roosevelt, he said, the President
had changed his mind, "as he must
have a right to do He said no
reason was given for the change.
When Chairman Brewster sug-
gested the Roosevelt letter offering
him the post should be in the record
for historical reasons, Mr.. Baruch
said he could see no point in filing
the letter and the chairman did
not insist.
II must say" Mr.. Baruch added,
that Nelson was consulting me
from time to time"
II believe your ONCE at that time
was in Lafayette Park" Senator
Brewster remarked, presumably re-
ferring to the fact that Mr.. Baruci1
used to enjoy resting on a park
bench near the White House on his
visits to Washington.
Yes" Mr.. Baruch replied.
Before answering questions, Mr.
Baruch told the committee that
thousands of lives, extra billions Of
dollars and months of time" were
lost in World War II because the
Government repeated the mobiliza-
ton errors of World War I.
He said the armed services had
q mobilization day plan which
would have saved precious lives
and the wasted wealth, but they
were not permitted to be put into
effect"
I'VE were told this was differ
ent kind of war and none Of that
old World War stuff was wanted"
Mr.. Baruch testified.
AbsoIves Roosevelt.
Questioned by Senator OConor,
Democrat, of Maryland, Mr.. Baruch
absolved President Roosevelt of any
desire for delay in war preparations,
but said his recollection was that
"some professors and so-called ex-
perts on organization" had been
called In. Earlier, he had said there
were people around at that time,
with influence, who tried to do 1t
the easy way" referring to mobiliza-
ton for all-out war.
Mr.. Baruch reminded the commit
tee that, instead of adopting all-out
economic controls in World War II
the Government added 10 per cent
to the parity level for the farmers,
and eliminated wages from the orig
inal price control law He argued
that made spiraling prices un-
avoidable.
He told the committee it will take
courage for Congress to deal with
all the facts of the imitation prob
lem when the special session con-
venes November II.
Urges Universal Training.
Turning to the future, Mr.
Baruch listed universal military
training and a work-o fight Law
for the home front as essential fea-
lures of an American preparedness
program. Although expressing hope
that the United Nations will sue
ceed, he observed that although
the shooting war is over, we are in
the midst of a cold war which Is
getting warmer"
The committee is attempting te
learn why a 1899 industrial mobili-
zation plan was discarded after
Pearl Harbor.
Mr.. Baruch was named by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in 1885 as chairman
of a committee of cabinet officers to
find ways of taking the profits out
of war. In addition to working with
this group, he said, he appeared be-
fore congressional committees and
went fully into all the questions
now before u.s."
No Action Taken.
But. in the end, there was NO
action" to put his recommendations
into effect, he said. "Faltering step
by faltering step we moved toward
controls, but those controls were
never sufficient and far-reachine
enough"
Mr.. Baruch said the policy oi
piecemeal controls led to the pres
ent threat of imitation.
The minimum program Mr.. Barucf
would place on the statute books
ready to function If war should oc
cur, would include provisions max
ing:
"An men and women subject II
mobilization with a work-or -f1gh
clause. The same applies to all pro
LESSONS, science, callings, crafts, in
dustrial and agricultural efforts, in
cluding labor of all kind. In othel
words, there should be a pool OF al
our manpower-brains and braw1
ready to be tapped at any momen
for war purposes.
IAN industrial plan ready to g