Evening star., 1940-11-17
Problems of Defense
Lie in the Future
By OlUen L. Scott.


beginning at last to take a firm hold
The total of dollars that will be trans
formed into airplanes and guns and
ammunition and warships in November
will be twice that of June January will
see half again as many dollars going for
defense as in November.
Obviously this is progress in a task
that involves the fate of Britain and the
defense of this hemisphere. But it is
only the barest beginning if the needs Of
British and of the American Army and
Navy are to be met in time. Great Brit
ain must have more of everything and
in a hurry The American Navy must
have more of everything and in almost
as much of hurry. There is more time
with the Army.
In the campaign that ended November
with the reelection of President
Roosevelt, the charge was made that de-
tense was moving slowly and that aid TO
Britain was tagging. The slow motion
and lag were ascribed TO the National
Defense Commission. The trouble with
that commission was supposed TO be the
lack of a chairman. Investigation does
disclose some lag and some slow motion
in the effort Of this Government TO arm
but the responsibility does not lie with
the Defense Commission and will not be
solved merely by choosing chairman
for that commission, regardless OF who
he may be.
Trouble is found to lie deeper. in the
structure of American industry and in
the structure of the purchasing organi-
zation for Army and Navy. The Defense
Commission has performed miracles,
working within the limits Of its power
For example: When William Knudsen
stepped into the Defense Commission 10
assume responsibility for defense pro-
duction he found no standardized de-
signs for aircraft. 1t had been Army and
Navy policy 10 utilize experimental types
in order TO keep abreast Of developments
with the money made available by Con-
gress. This neceSsitated time out TO
agree upon Standardization. Then Mr..
Knudsen surveyed the aircraft indus
try-a highly progressive industry, but
one that still was in the stage that did
not permit Of mass production.
-
This industry was not organized 70
turn out aircraft on basis Of the great
volume demanded by Britain and the
United States. So Mr. Knudsen turned
10 the automobile industry with which
he is familiar and this industry early in
le4l will be swinging into line with its
methods Of straight-line production 10
try to solve the sirplane problem. But
this takes time
As another example: When Donald
Nelson Of Sears. RoebuCk took over re-
sponsibiliry for procUrement-the loo OF
purchasing agent for defense-he might
have assumed that his would be the task
Of actual ordering Of goods. Instead, the
Army and Navy DO their buying through
many bureaus and with much division
Of responsibility. Mr.. Nelson could only
advise. He might make progress with key
men IN the services only 70 discover sud
denly that those key men had been
shifted 20 other posts.
This same situation had prevailed IN
England. and. report has II, IN Germany
until developments MADE Il necessary 70
take the task Of procurement-a non
fohtlng task-out Of the hands OF the
military services TO be placed in the
hands cf q powerful centralized civilian
agency. There are those officials OF I'M
portance here who believe that this same
move toward Capitalization must be msoe.
There is another example: In charge
Of acquisition and production Of basic
materials IS Edward Stettinius, formerly
chairman of the United States Steel
Corn. Mr.. Stettinius has worked Won
ders IN preparing to build supplies OF
strategic war materials. But the key
material in all defense effort IS steel A
shortage Of steel could spell disaster 70
Britain and TO the defense industry or
to non defense industries in this country.
Demands for steel are going 10 be I'M
oense. The American steel industry IS
operating today practically al capacity.
Yet all efforts TO convince that industry
OF q need for great expansion OF plant
have failed with the result that valuable
months have been lost. Today the Gov
errment is thinking seriously Of build
ing its own steel plants 70 be leased 10
the private industry for operation.
In none Of these instances would a
chairman Of the Defense Commission
have solved the problem. Instead, the
difficulty goes much deeper than that,
involving as i does a read ojustment IN
the attitude and in the function OF
some very large and important indus
| tries. and involving some change in the
organiza ton and function Of the military
services as they tie in with the procure
nent Of things needed by those services.
-
How the steel industry, for instance,
can be induced TO speed the construc-
tion Of new plant when many Of its
leaders feel that there already is 100
much plant for all normal requirements
is q question that is difhcult TO answer
unless the Government Is given more
power.
The Defense Commission keeps on
showing very definite results in the
fields assigned 10 1t.
For instance: Leon Henderson has
been successful 70 oate-ano in very
practical way-in keeping prices from
getting out Of hand. MIR. Henderson has
used two methods to get results. Both
are accepted by private industry. First,