Evening star., 1940-12-20
Roosevelt Calls
Defense Chiefs
To Farley Today
Three-Mon Supreme
Council Among
Plans Considered
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

President Roosevelt prepared to
talk turkey" today to the National
Defense Commission, preliminary
to a major reorganization in the
administrative machinery directing
mobilization of the Nations military
resources.
Meeting this advisory group for
the first time since his two weeks
inspection cruise to the Caribbean
defense area, the Chief Executive
has before him in varying detail
nearly half dozen proposals for
revising the defense setup-all dedi-
Gated to the objective of expediting
production of armaments for our
own use and that of Britain, China
and Greece.
Precise nature of the various sug-
gestions has been closely guarded
by the White House, with only one,
that for a three-man supreme de-
tense council, being admittedly un-
der consideration.
Wartime Basis Studied.
In the face of admission by present
commission members that hoped-for
production rates are materially be-
low estimates, plus newly develop
Ing demands for greater quantities
of equipment for British needs, the
new administrative plan as event.
uallly adopted may contemplate
placing American industry on a war
time basis-abandoning, in part at
least, the principle of simply ex-
panding the normal" productive
economy.
To see him Immediately before the
scheduled afternoon conference with
the Defense Commission, the Presi-
dent summoned to the White House
War and Navy Department officials
who discussed the reorganization
with him earlier in the week. In
this group were Secretary of War
Stimson. Secretary of Navy Knox
and Undersecretaries Patterson and
Forrestal of the same departments.
At his press conference this morn
ing Mr.. Roosevelt said he could not
promise any announcement on the
reorganization at any precise time.
He confirmed the report that as
many as four or five possible plans
are before him and that the ulti-
mate choice may be a combination
OF some or all of these.
Questioned again today as to
whether his program for leasing
war materials to belligerent coun-
tries might require amendment or
repeal of the Neutrality and john
son Acts, the President said it would
require legislation, but as far as is
known now would not necessarily
affect those particular statutes.
The President also canvassed the
whole problem of defense produc-
ton and reorganization today with
Speaker Rayburn and House Ma
jority Leader Mccormick
AS the legislators left the White
House, the Speaker explained their
interest is principally along the lines
of whatever new congressional en-
actments may be required for the
plan to lease materials to Britain,
but that all aspects of the defense
picture had been discussed.
Roosevelt Confers With Cabinet.
Yesterday Mr.. Roosevelt conferred
for three hours with his cabinet, sum-
moned into an unusual Thursday
session for the announced purpose
of considering the administrative
problems IN the defense picture.
The department heads declined any
comment as they left the White
House after the session, but other
sources asserted that decision on
the reorganization is imminent.
Appointment yesterday by Presl-
dent Roosevelt of Robert Porter
Patterson as Undersecretary of War.
a newly created post, was considered
one of the steps being taken to free
certain key procurement men from
other responsibilities in order that
they may concentrate wholly on
the defense program.
bur0en 10 De heuuCeO.
Mr.. Patterson has been serving
as Assistant Secretary of War. in
which post he has had many other
duties in addition to major re-
sponsibility for the departments
contract work Selection of a sue
cessor to the assistant secretaryship
is expected to free him completely
from these other obligations.
1t is not expected incidentally,
that the eventual administrative re-
organization will be accompanied
by any important change in the
advisory functions of the present
Defense Commission or in the con-
tract responsibilities of the War
and Navy Departments.
Mr.. Roosevelt also took occasion
at his press conference to comment
on recent reports of undue delay in
preparation of the eight naval bases
leased from Great Britain. Describ-
ing the reports as lot of nonsense.
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-18.)