From D-Day to X-Day
Aa Editorial— From D-Day to X-Day D-DAY was perfectly prepared for. The job was done by Army and Navy men, by the Allied High Command, by our General Staff. X Day, that point on the calendar when...
...It it at if General Kiienhower had planned on D-Day to tlorm the coait of Normandy with sailing-vessels...
...On May 12 they sent an urgent letter to James F. Byrnes complaining that during three months nothing had been done toward carrying out their recommendations...
...But it is better than nothing at all and Mr...
...Its msin concern is the protection of the manufacturers...
...The complete faith in private, profit-seeking employers—the undying hope that If their rewards are made big enough the whole business* may be safely left in their hands—is touching but unconvincing...
...It outlines a short and effective way to get the government out of business and return to the ways which produced the late and unlamented depression...
...Excepting for the passage of the G. I. Bill of Rights, this is all that has been done to prepare for the great day when we shall go back on a peace basis...
...The bill, in short, recognized that when a war contract comes to an untimely end there are three interested parties, the government, the manufacturer and the workers...
...Its purpose is to give the manufacturers every possible break...
...Agreements as to payments are to be made with the greatest possible speed and the least possible scrutiny...
...The War Production Board finally, after the date of the Baruch letter, set up a contract termination division...
...And—so far —the only idea of Congress seems to be the old and discredited one of quickest possible return to "normalcy...
...More than four months ago Bernard M. Baruch and John M. Hancock submitted their industrisl demobilisation plan to the nation...
...X Day, that point on the calendar when ten million men will start streaming homeward, has, up to now, not been prepared for at all...
...The idea Is thst if the government gets out of business fast the private employers will be quiekjy enabled to rush into civilisn production and provide full employment...
...One, the Kilgore Bill, was vigorously supported by the AFL and the CIO...
...It has now been duplicated at four or five different points...
...Congress hurriedly agreed before adjournment for vacation on a compromise Torm of the George-Murray Bill...
...The modified George-Murray Bill which was accepted by the House and Senate conferees on Tuesday is of an entirely different sort...
...The problem is already upon us...
...The New Leader lacks enthusiasm with regard to the Baruch plan...
...The legislators, evidently, are not impressed by such incidents as that which oceured at the Brewster plant...
...Had it been pasaed it would have set up machinery for moving displaced workers to new jobs, retraining them if necessary and furnishing unemployment benefits...
...There is no general staff responsible for it, no Ceneral Msrshall or Eisenhower to bear the responsibility...
...The theory underlying this legislation is ths Baruch theory...
...In this respect it is strictly in line with the Baruch plan...
...It ignores the workers...
...Baruch is surely right in urging speed...
...There Is extensive unemployment in numerous centers...
...Its outstanding feature was a set of provisions designed.to protect workers thrown out of their jobs by the sudden cancellation of war contracts...
...It attempted to cushion for all three the disruption that follows a sudden stoppage...
...In order that the manufacturera may not be delayed in retooling for civilian production they are to be financed with government funds during the lean interim of negotiation...
...Corollary to this is the notion that any hardships of the millions of displsred workers will be so soon ended thst no special provision to ease them over the rough places will be necessary...
...Congress had before it two bills dealing with the termination of war contracts...
Vol. 27 • June 1944 • No. 26
