Evening star., 1940-05-31
Getting Down to Work

Even as it is getting organized for
active duty, President Roosevelt's
new Advisory Commission of the
revived National Defense Council is
finding its task growing in size and
gravity. The Presidents request to
Congress today for another billion
dollars for planes and tanks and guns
Will mean an approximate doubling
OF emergency demands on industry
and will create more bottleneckS for
the commission to worry about in
the fields of raw material supply,
manufacture, skilled labor and trans
portation. With the clarification by
Mr.. Roosevelt yesterday of the spe-
cific duties of the commission and
the completion of arrangements for
getting down to work, there is good
evidence that the commission has
been promised the freedom from
bureaucratic and political interfer-
ence which it must have if it is to
function effectively. And, the Presi-
dent assured reporters at his press
conference yesterday afternoon, the
group will have the full legal status
provided by the 1916 National De-
tense Council Act, with such author
ity as that act conferS. The commits
sion'S powers will not be of dicta-
torial nature, but the group will have
standing and prestige in it's efforts
to coordinate industry and Govern
ment. 1t is not easy to forget, how
ever, that a similar setup twenty
four years ago failed to get desired
results until authority was central
lied in an industrial GEAR" It might
save time and trouble to take that
further step now.
Mr.. Roosevelt's assertion that the
Advisory Commission will be respon-
sible to the President rather than to
the cabinet will help to allay the
fears Of many persons that depart
mental discord and red tape might
nullify the best efforts of the co-or-
dinators to put the defense program
on businesSlike production basis.
There is no member of the cabinet
at present qualified to direct so
gigantic a production job as has
been turned over to Stettinius, Knud-
sen and company Mr. Stettinius and
Mr.. Knudsen, the only full time
partners of the firm, will set up
offices in the Federal Reserve Build
ing and Mr.. Roosevelt said they are
"rarin' to CO." These experienced
industrialists will list requirements
of the Army and Navy, arrange
schedules OF production and super
wise and speed up deliveries of raw
materials and finished products.
Sidney Hillman, labor's representa-
tive on the commission, will have
the heavy responsibility of mobiliz-
ing workers for the varied non-com-
batant jobs incidental to the defense
program. This will be largely prob
lem of rounding up and training men
for special Jobs. The President has
shown good judgment in seeking to
make use of the Civilian Conserva-
tion Corps, the National Youth
Administration and similar agencies
as sources of this non-combatant
man power.
Public opinion is Fundamentally
behind the President and Congress
in the eleventh-hour race to prepare
America for the worst that may hap
pen. The cost will be appalling, but
the American people gladly will make
whatever sacrifices are required, pro-
viding they have confidence that
their dollars will be converted quickly
and efficiently into the implements
Of self-protection which have be-
come so indispensable in this dark
hour for civilization.