The Nome nugget., 1948-02-09
Monday, February g, 1948
MT. Baruch's Peace Production Plan

BERNARD M BARUCHS rare ability to clearly through complex problem has served this country derfully we'll on every occasion when his advice was followed On those far too many occasions when his ad vice disregarded usually because of the tmdy of politicians the country has had for bitter regret
 Now, testifyng the Marshall Plan for European covery Mr. Baruch has offered his solutions to the Si- twin problems of world peace and economic sta- bility here and abroad And the usual political reaction comes promptly.
 Few of his Senatorial audience gave his spartan for mula much chance of adoption in election year, says the United Press report from Washington But the committeeman commended him warmly it's scope and it's objectves."
 We say that the dangers of another and of nfla tonary disaster justify Spartan program, election year or no election year-that the American people, their President and their Congress cannot afford to g nore MT. Baruch's advice this time
 What is his advice?
 He says that in interest and the interest of peace, we should help Europe and the world recover that do without wrecking ourselves that if it is to be done successfully three things beyond appro pration of money essential:
 The job must be soundly organized and Sklfully ad ministered Americans must give what it takes in mod eration se-denal and sacrifice to stop imitation. The people of Europe must be willing to help themselves afd to help us develop global strategy for making peace He says imitation is the great present threat to the strength soundness and sodty America must have in long greuing struggle for peace He says we must stop nflaton not to Europe but to save America And he says that if initiation is stopped and peace 
 "adventure in prosperity"
 Production is the key MT. Baruch proposes two year peace production drive in this country ito work for peace as we worked for without interrup- tions, strikes, lockouts or profit-scrambing.
 To make this possible, he advocates bold measures for halting the inflationary trace to the abyss"
 He would bring down the cost of food-chief element in the cost of lvng-by rolling back all major food and agricultural prices In exchange he would give farmers
 guaranteed market for their crops at the new prices He would call on labor to forego further wage increases And he would restore 50 cent of the wartime excess-profits tax industry and business manwhile encouraging industrial expansion by bring ing back wartime amortization for new plants.
 These measures are interdependent. All would have tc be taken or none could succeed.
 But farmers would gain by guaranteed market. La bor would gain far from lower living costs thar from wage boosts quickly overtaken by rising prices Industry freed from the present prospect of higher wage demands could afford to moderate its profit po cies-all Americans would benefit
 Mr. Baruch would reduce the national debt substan tialy postponing cuts for two years and then ak ing them steadily and gradually the next five He would defer all but really essential public works private projects continue rent controls make greater efforts to promote economy in government
 To those who may object to his proposals in the name