Evening star., 1940-05-19
Roosevelt Backs
Efforts 70 Speed
Planes 10 Allies
industrial Leaders
To Attend PorIey
Here Tomorrow
BY the Associated Press.

Ds tuc hSsoCldIeu fTeoS,
President Roosevelt was said au.
thoritatively yesterday to have de-
cided to put the administration
force behind efforts to speed de-
liveries of American-made war
planes to the hard-pressed allies.
Informed airmen said means to
hasten completion of more than
1000 planes which Britain and
France had ordered since the war
started would figure prominently
in conference of industrial leaders
with Government officials tomorrow.
The feasibility of turning over
to the allies new planes manufac-
tured for the Army probably would
be considered also, it was predicted,
though officials said no formal re-
quests that this be done had been
received thus far.
Mr. Roosevelts extraordinary pro-
gram to strengthen defenses at
home made swift progress in Con-
gress during the day, and word
spread that the Chief Executive
might ask still more millions for
armament later if he deemed them
necessary.
Supply Bill Approved.
Working with unusual speed,
Senate Appropriation Subcommit-
tee approved a 1892, ,491 ,724 Army
supply bill carrying the Army's
share of the special defense fund
proposed by the President earlier
last week
The subcommittee provided that
the moEey should be available the
moment the law is signed, instead
of next July / as most appropria-
ton measures specify, and sent the
bill to the full Appropriations Com
mittee for consideration tomorrow.
Many members Of, the Senate pre-
dicted that that chamber would ap-
prove the huge fund, and send it
back to the House for acceptance Of
the extraordinary additions. by mid
week.
AS Senator Hill, Democrat, of Ala
bama told reporters after a White
House visit that the defense pro-
gram would involve speed, more
speed and still more speed" the
House Naval Affairs Committee
tackled the question of relaxing
legislative restrictions on shipbuild-
ers to hasten naval construction.
Tentatively, the committee ap-
proved legislation giving the Presi-
dent broad powers to ignore wage
and hour regulations, profit limita-
tions and other Federal laws in
order to hurry construction of fight
ing ships and planes for the Navy.
Baruch Sees President.
Bernard M. Baruch, financier and
chairman of the War Industries
Board during the World War,
lunched with Mr.. Roosevelt but told
newsmen afterward he had heard
of no plan to establish a. board like
the one which he formerly headed.
In a statement issued here, Frank
Gannett, New York publisher and
candidate for the Republican presi-
dental nomination, called upon the
President to reconvene the War Re-
sources Board-composed of busi-
nessmen assembled last year to
study American preparedness-and
to make public a report on the
boards studies.
Declaring New Dealers had Sue
ceeded in having this report sup
pressed, Mr.. Gannett said:
THAT report outlined a plan for
insuring the most efficient and SAT-
est coordination of industrial re-
sources with the least wastage of
money and material and with no
politics. I understand that it rec
commended industrial mobilization
directed by a board of citizens, of
men experienced in industrial af-
fairs and not under political control
and supervision by various depart
ments and bureaus which have pro.
duced so much chaos in Washing
ton. 1t is understood also that the
special powers granted to this board
would extend only through wartime
or war emergency. The present
powers of the President and his as
sociates would not be increased.
Sees Nation Protected.
THUS the country would be pro-
tected against still further accumu-
lation Of power being retained in
governmental hands after a war
emergency would be over: it would
not find itself in the hands of
domestic dictator after peace had
been won."
Edward R. Stettinius, jr., chair
man of the board of the United
(See PLANES, Page A-20.)