Evening star., 1940-11-01

cisions at a time when experts and
technicians should be permitted to
decide what is the best way to get
production of vital necessities. Here
are some of the revelations which
illustrate the full effect of having
a President run for third term
in the middle of a critical defense
crisis:
l. Mr.. Roosevelt told the Ameri-
can people over the air that the
Boeing plant in Seattle had in
creased its production last month
by 400 per cent over last year. He
didn't reveal how many planes were
involved. Authoritative informa-
ton here Is that the Boeing plant
made one or two planes month
last year, so that If they have in
creased 400 per cent, they are max
ing eight or less now. The Presi-
dent for political effect used 400
per cent, but the facts show 1t is
a negligible number Of planes for
Uncle Sans use and is nowhere
near the production needed from
each plant in order to get the de-
sired $4,000 planes a year.
2 Aubrey Williams and his asso-
ciates in the National Youth Ad-
ministration were given an excel
lent plan for the training Of youths
as apprentices in connection with
mechanical trades. The plan called
for an expenditure of S6,00O,0O0 in
Government funds. The appren-
tices were to be placed in private
plants, and boys from 16 years of
age up were to be selected. When
Mr.. Williams came back from a
conference at the White House, the
President had insisted that the ap-
prentices be started at the voting
age of q and over, that high schools
be used and that the appropriation
be increased to S4O,OO0,000 1t is
reported that this money has been
allocated to States doubtful as to
electoral votes in the present elec-
ton. The principal expert in the
National Youth Administration who
had recommended the plan became
so disguised with this exhibition OF
politics that he resigned and went
back home.
Experts Beaten on T. V. A.
3. Announcement was made the
other day that the defense commits
sion had approved the proposed
operation by the T. v. A. of an am
monium nitrate plant at Muscle
Shoals. This is contrary to the ad-
vice and recommendation of the ex-
perts, who feel that a better and
quicker job can be done by private
manufacturers rather than under
Government operation. Most all OF
the experts recommended against it,
but Chester Davis of the defense
commission is reported to have been
persuaded to go to the White House
with the controversy. When he
came back he gave the Presidents
views insisting that the T. V. A. do
the operating. The defense COM
mission was compelled to agree. The
dissent of Mr.. Stettinius and Mr..
Knudsen was overruled and there is
talk that the minutes of the first
meeting were even changed so as to
eliminate a record of any disagree
ment.
The action taken does not promote
sound defense and is purely political.
1t represents the first major victory
of the New Deal radicals over the
businessmen in operating the de-
fense program The heads of chem
ical societies say the T. v. A. plant
cannot be put into shape as fast as
the private plants. The idea, of
course, behind it all is the New Deal
desire to have a system of Govern
ment-oWned plants to supply farm
ers with fertilizer once the war is
over. This means a tight hold on
the farm vote of the future.
4. The defense commission is busy
trying to increase industrial pro-
duction and this means many new
plants. To locate these plants means
a knowledge of American industrial
processes. Yet when Messrs. Stet-
tinius and Knudsen, who have busi-
ness experience and know some
thing of industrial production, ex-
press themselves on the defense
commission, their voices are not