Slichter Chairs Commission To Study Eastern Economy

Sumner H. Slichter, Lamont University Professor, will head a 25-man group of experts to study New England economics, it was announced last night.

Working with a regional committee under Leonard Carmichael, president of Tufts, the group will do research on the effects of federal policy on New England economy.

Carmichael indicated that the group, consisting of prominent men in industry, business, government, labor, and education, would meet Monday to determine the scope of its study.

The committee was organized by the National Planning Association to do for New England what the Association's committee did for the South.

"The committee recognizes," Carmichael, "that it must face up to long-standing problems which so far have resisted the most intensive efforts at solution. New England needs to make better use of our resources--not only such physical resources as forests, recreational areas and fisheries, but also of our research facilities, and human resources.

"Our factory buildings and facilities need modernizing and expanding. We need to stimulate the growth of new firms by opening up new sources of capital. We need new industries to take up the slack brought about by a decline in some of our important industries. There is the problem of New England paying into the federal treasury more than it gets back."