The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-17
WILLARD RESIGNS. AS HEAD OF WAR
 INDUSTRIES BOARD
Waddill Catchings in Com mittee Probe Criticizes Bakers Plan to Reor-
 ganize Department

Washington, January 16.-With the ton of Daniel Willard as chairman of
 the war industries board. 1t was inti- mated that there would he no appoint
 ment of Eew chairman pending ac-
 tion in Congress on proposals for the
 creation of war supply department
 or administration that would take over
 the work of the industrial board. as
 we'll as that of bureaus of the war and
 navy departments.
 The task of perfecting the proposed
 legislation was undertaken today by the senate military committee, which tenn porarily suspended it's investigation oi War preparations for the purpose. Daily meetings of the committee will be held
 until bill for one-man control of mu- nitions and supplies is ready for pre- sentatien to the Senate.
 NEEDED ON B. s& o.
 MT. Willard's request to be relieved was sent to the President in letter
 dated January Il, in which he said government operation of the railroa ds had raised so many unforeseen and in tricate difficulties that it seemed clear that he should devote all his time to the affairs of the Baltimore and Ohio rail- road, of which he Is president The Baltimore and Ohio, Mir. Willard pointed out, Is one of the heavy coal carriers and also serves many of the war indus 1 tries, and has had it's operating organ ization weakened by the number of of. fcers and skilled employees sent tc France and Russia. He added that ht was confident there were others better qualified than he for the position. INTENTION NOT KNOWN While there had not been the slight. est advance indication of MT. Willard's intention to resign, during his recent 1 testimony before the Senate committe, he strongly advocated one-man contro I of munitions and expressed the opinion /, that Secretary Bakers new reorganiza. ton plan was faulty in that it did no concentrate control and relied an an ex. l tent upon voluntary effort.
 1 The position of President Wilson anC Secretary Baker toward the plan or which the Senate committee now vir 1 tually is agreed, to create a supply di. rector with broad powers. but not (
 memeber of the cabinet, has not beer disclosed. oth the President and tn, 1 Secretary oppose making 8 new cabine officer, but in some quarters the belle | is expressed that they will not seek t, block the legislation.
 l With this feature eliminated, commit tee members joined tonight in predictin. l that substitute for Chairman Cham berlain's original measure proposing 1 department of munitions with cabine head would be brought out soon witt unanimous support. As tentativel! drafted, the legislation would provid | for Ia director of war industries '-al
 individual directly under the President
 without cabinet membership, but witt sweeping authority to coordinate wa industry and control production, pur chase and distribution of war supplies
 CATCHINGS TESTIFIES ! The determination of the committee t press it's legislation was furthe strengthened today by statement re l ceived from Waddill Catchings, presi l dent of the Soss-Sheffield Steel com pany and chairman of the war commit l tee of the Chamber of Commerce of tn United States. AS representative o 1 American business interests of tn chamber and individually, Mir. Catch l ings vigorously urged action to insur centralized direction of the war. H l criticized Secretary Bakers reorgani zation plan and recommended that tn 1 industrial head be a member of tn l cabinet.