Evening star., 1940-12-22

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In the rearmament program were
taken yesterday:
Extension of the export control
system to Is additional items, in
cluding chemicals useful in produc-
ton of war gases and aviation gaso-
line,
S284,21S,700 Navy Orders Placed.
Placing of Navy orders totaling
$284.2l8, 700 for submarine chasers
and auxiliary vessels. Included were
four ships designed for placing anti
submarine nets at entrances to
strategic harbors.
Selection of a site at Tulsa, Okla,
for a plant which will assemble
planes from parts made in auto
mobile factories. Similar plants
already have been allocated to
Omaha and Kansas City
Award of $6,756,3 ,399 contract to
the Hercules Powder Co. of Will
mington. Del, for operation and
equipment of a powder bag loading
plant near Pulaski. Va. This plant
will operate in connection with the
S36,00O000 powder plant the same
firm is building for the Govern
ment at Radford Va.
Drafted at an initial meeting of
the new four-man supreme COM
mand of the Nations defense pro-
gram. the Knudsen statement fol-
lows IN full:
"The Presidents purpose in
creating this Office was to consoli-
date and coordinate the various
activities now in operation to pro-
vide an adequate national defense.
1t is expected to provide the neces-
sary authoritative leadership re-
quired to still further accelerate and
augment the production of war ma
terials of every kind.
Gravity of World Situation.
at is born out of consciousness
Of the heightened gravity of the
world situation and a recognition
that the contest which produced
this crisis is irreconcilable in char
acter and cannot be terminated by
any methods of appeasement.
Both the future security of the
United States and the total de-
fense for our democratic principles
In this worldwide contest demand
that every resource of capital and
management and maximum effort
on the part of labor shall be cease
lessly employed to provide the
means of defense against attack.
"The Office for Production Man.
agement has but one mission-pro-
duction to the maximum of Amer
can resources in capital and labor
In management and industry, in
every field which can contribute
to victory.
1--WE call upon the people of the
United States to recognize to the
full the gravity of the crisis which
called this organization into being
and f1guratively to pull off their
coats and roll up their sleeves and
, give their concentrated, undivided
attention to one thing-the swift
est possible production of the means
of defense. To this end we invite
the cooperation of every element
In the American community"
Declaration of Full Agency.
Although bearing Mr.. Knudsen's
name alone, it was made clear that
the militant declaration actually
was an expression of the full agency
For several hours prior to it's issu-
ance, Mr.. Knudsen had conferred
with his colleagues in the new Or
ganization, Associate Director Sidney
Hillman, Secretary of War Stimsof
and Secretary of Navy Knox.
And although there was no init
nation that either the White HOUSE
or the State Department had hae
a hand in the action, there was NJ
question but the declaration and the
timing of its issuance clothed il
with all the force of an official pro.
nouncement of this Government.
AS such it might even be con.
sidered, by indirection at least, tt
be an answer to Berlin accusation.
earlier in the day that the American
Government permits policy from
morn until night of pinpricks, in.
jury, insult, challenge and mora
aggression"
The Berlin assertion was made b!
n