The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-09
THE WORLD
TODAY

Seif-Councu OF ECONOMIC AdviSefS
to the President-Sounds like OPP
Grafton Icebox. It raises q vision Of
men so aloof from ordinary feel
ings that they no longer converse,
but exchange ideas in the frigid
language of arithmetic: plus and
minus.
But the original three-man eoun.
ell under former President Tru.
man had the usual human differ.
ences of opinion and different
tactics. And the public knew about
the differences, which Is more than
1t may be able to learn about the
kind of council President Eisen-
hover has in mind.
Congress created the council In
1916, giving the three men q full.
time job of watching the economy
and advising the President on poll.
cieS for keeping the country pros.
porous. The act establishing the
council said il should have 4 chair.
man and vice chairman.
The first chairman was DR.. I'd.
win G. Nourse, who described him.
self as a liberal with both feet
on the ground. Vice chairman was
Leon ]. Keyserling, who came into
the government with the Roosevelt
New Deal. The third man was
John D. Clark. All were appointed
by Truman.
When they sent their recommen.
dationS TO the President, and dis
agreed, they could say so. This
was a public document. And they
disagreed in more ways than one.
Keyserling. for instance, thought
the council members should testify
before congressional committees
in support of Truman programs.
Nourse thought the council should
stay clear of such entanglements.
Nourse resigned in 1919 and Key.
serling headed the council until the
end of the Truman administration.
II may have been due 70 the con.
fusion of settling down IN 4 new
job but when Eisenhower first took
over he seemed all for getting rid
Of the council. He sacked its pro-
fessional staff. Congress acted
more than willing to 90 along BY
cutting off money for the council.
Eisenhower picked DR.. Arthur +.
Burns, former Columbia University
professor of economics, TO be bis
economic adviser. Eisenhower then
told Congress he wanted 10 revive
the three-man council, with all new
members, Of course. Burns seems
the likely man for chairman.
But Eisenhower said he wants no
vice chairman. He said he wants
the chairman 10 report 10 the
President.
Does this mean the other two
council members can't even sign
the report or express publicly any
differences of view? Inside the ad.
ministration II was said this Is q
question to be answered later.
A rule Of public silence on the
other two council members might
have the effect Of turning the eoun.
Gil into one Chairman with two as.
sistants under his thumb. This
would be the reverse Of what
Nourse had. There Is no doubt FL.
senhower wants the chairman "a
be boss.
In fact, he gave the chairman
two hats because, actually, it
seems, Eisenhower wants not one
but two groups Of economic adj
viSers. For. In the same mesetae
to Congress about his plans far the
council. he said he also wants this:
An advisory board on economic
growth and stability. made up a
the heads Of several government
departments and agencies. or their
representatives. And the Precedent
announced that the chairman 81 the
Council Of Economic Advisers also
viii be chairman Of the advisory
board.
The President AZ the same tine
outlined q powerful role for this
dual chairman: He would not only
report to the President On the rec.
ommendations Of the council buf
on the recommendation q The
board too.
Since the thinking q the council
might not always coincide with tie
thinking Of the board. the chasr-
mao might sometimes find himself
In > dilemma. But inside the i'd
minisirasl0n il Was hopefully saR.
gested this kind q problem could
be avoided By amieahle agreement
among al concerned.
The idea o. the board really Cor.
maIixes what vas done wifn0ut
tile BY TIE Cd eoaneh whosa
members consulted regularly, IL
making W their recommendation,
with the heads II TIE various agsns
cies dealsag 10 eeonomlc prohlems,
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