Show Bruc Bru karts charts washington digest new program for U S defense crowds politics into background rising tide of war hysteria in nations capital endangers A advancement of many new deal social reforms by WILLIAM BRUCKART service national press bid washington D C washington there is a new kind of political conflict developing in washington the extent to which it will go depends obviously upon developments in Eu ropes war it is fair to say nevertheless that at this moment died in the wool new dealers are frightened within an inch of their lives from fear of what the war hysteria is going to do to their pet social program it should be said by way of explanation that president Roosevel ts defense program am is is likely to require the best industrial and military brains available that means the president must turn to the captains of industry so cordially hated by real new dealers for certain types of help and guidance for a preparedness program william through these last bruckart several weeks observers here heie have witnessed new deal reformers making strenuous efforts toward warding off any changes in their programs that would set back the schemes they have been fostering through the last seven years those new dealers who have the presidents ear have gone so far as to persuade him to issue a warning to congressional leaders that none of the new deal reforms or social advances shall be abrogated by defense legislation in the meantime however most every observer also has witnessed a tendency on the part of those charged with official responsibility to take steps leading to more workable plans in hastening defense preparation indeed right now there is an intensive study being made under guidance of the army and navy of such things as wage and hour regulations and limitations upon private financing other things that amount to handicaps upon the nations productive capacity also are being examined the idea behind all of this is of course to learn whether the numerous so called reforms will help or hinder speedy development and production of the war materials which must be available if Eu ropes war gets further out ot of bounds minimum mi mcminn wage scales A are re being investigated As showing how the new deal advocates are resisting any encroachment upon the reforms which they have fostered it is necessary only to report as an example that the federal contracts board has been holding hearings on proposed minimum wage scales the board boar is functioning under the walsh healy act this statute permits the department part ment of labor to fix minimum wages paid in any industrial plant which is manufacturing under a government contract it if the materials which the government is buying cost more than the board has been going right ahead with hearings on its recommendation men dation that a minimum wage of 52 cents per hour be established in the entire electrical industry it has done this notwithstanding the fact that anybody must realize how useless the procedure is if it becomes necessary for the president to use wartime war time powers and require emergency schedules of production to be maintained moreover it is doubtful th that at the information collected by the board will have any value in any event this is true because wartime war time conditions abroad naturally are i influencing our industrial conditions the data being collected probably will be meaningless if the war continues another six months with respect to the question of limitations of hours which employees may work the same story is true in addition it can be said I 1 believe that congress will waste very little time in removing the restrictions strict ions on hours of labor it if the emergency requires complete marshaling of american productive capacity Eu ropes war may end many theoretical ideals I 1 could go on with other illustrations of the character mentioned here those these serve however to il lustrate the point I 1 have been attempting to make they illustrate also the possibility that a further expansion of Eu ropes war probably means the end for many of the theoretical ideals deals about which the new dealers have been prating 0 through these many months there is a bit of humor in the grim reality of the conditions facing this country today I 1 have written in these columns many times that the new deal pay rollers were leading the drive to reelect re elect mr roosevelt for a third term that is the only manner in which they can be certain to hold on to their jobs now however we find mr roose belts candidacy moved forward very definitely by the impetus of Eu ropes war while at the same time we find the avid new dealers being slowly pushed into the background while practical merk men are called in to direct and manage the defense program there is also to be noted in connection with the excited conditions incident to war preparation here that certain groups are exerting selfish pressure it will be said of course that a democracy permits selfish interest to employ pressure but the thing observers note around washington these days is the very early activity of some groups which are striving apparently to make a profit out of the war mr roosevelt has publicly declared that extraordinary profit is not going to be permitted his statement however does not assure prevention of the selfishness it will take a great many thrusts and some punishment to accomplish the purpose some conversation has already been heard to the effect that mr roosevelt must place more confidence in private business leaders it if his defense plans carry through the president as everyone recalls has seemed to enjoy cracking the whip over business at frequent intervals during his entire seven years in the white house the more conservative members of the administration recognize the cleavage between the president and general business and LOUIS JOHNSON not on speaking terms with his hil boss they are seeking to heal the wounds but the new deal reformers the inner circle will not listen to such advice many of them will frankl frankly Y say that business is not to be trusted and they are not going to allow business leaders to ride in the saddle of defense management changes in in present cannet cabinet are being called for As the war situation in europe unfolds some of the saner minds in washington are calling for changes in the presidents cabinet it seems quite obvious to that school of thought that a real secretary of the navy and a real secretary of war are badly needed it is well known that secretary woodring and assistant secretary johnson of the war department are at od odds ds in fact until a few months ago mr woodring and colonel johnson were not on speaking terms it is the general understanding that colonel johnson is doing a reasonably good job but the condition within the department is such that no complete operation cooperation co can be expected mr edison who is running for the governorship of new jersey has been no howling success as secretary of the navy so it is not an exaggeration to say that unless two good men are placed in charge in those two departments part ments the execution of a defense program can be badly messed up there are other places within the government where changes also could be made with profit according to present indications however the responsibility must remain with the democratic administration for the republican leaders have definitely turned a cold shoulder to suggestions gest ions of a coalition government even in these days of crisis |