Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-12-20
Congress S|ackens
Pace for Holidays;
3-Day Recess Likely
o. P. N. Recognizes
Preliminary to Foster
Industrial Effort

InOuS(TiOI ETIOTr
Congress today made plans for a
short Christmas-time respite from
work while executive agencies of the
Government increased the tempo of
their activities. The House planned
to meet today and the Senate Mon
day and then both probably will take
three-day recesses until the calendar
closes the session and opens a new
one January 3 or 5.
Leaders of the two houses pre-
dicted there would be no sine die
adjournment so that Congress,
which has been working at high
speed during the last two weeks,
would be available quickly for any
emergency. The bill to combat in
hation through control of the price
structure is still to be enacted.
The o. P. M. ordered a sweeping
reorganization of its internal setup.
preliminary to a sharp speeding of
the Governments drive to convert
industry to full-time production and
trim output of civilian goods to bare
necessities. The change gives Di-
rector-General William S. Knudsen
and Associate Director Sidney Hill
man direct supervision over all 0. P.
NJ. operations.
Navy acquisitions Material.
AT the same time the o. P. M.
announced that the Navy Depart
ment had requisitioned more than
$1,000, 900 worth of critical and scarce
materials held in warehouses and
railroad terminals for shipment to
foreign countries. The seizures were
the first under requisitioning au-
thority extended to o. P. M. by
President Roosevelt's executive order
Of November 10.
The materials include $1,000 900
pounds of steel, 100000 pounds of
electrolytic copper, $4,000 pounds of
tin and 10000 feet of teakwood deck
Ing and squares.
The Maritime Commission an
bounced vast expansion of its pro-
gram Of training men for the
American merchant marine and dis
closed that during 1912 and 1943
about 10000 seamen and 10000 Ii
censed officers will be needed to
man the 1900 cargo ships now under
construction.
Curb on Propaganda.
One Of the home-stretch actions
of the House yesterday was to vote
to require the Communist party and
the German-American Bund to file
With the Justice Department de-
tailed reports of their activities, in
Guiding membership lists and sources
OF financial support. An amend
ment to that effect was added to a
bill previously passed by the Senate
tightening Government supervision
over foreign propaganda. Chairman
Dies OF the House Committee to
Investigate Un-American Activities
sponsored the amendment.
The Senate approved and sent to
the White House a $3.50 zoo. 900 ap-
preparations bill containing $780,
100000 for defense housing and
community facilities as well as ap-
~ O[>iiiieANSAy p1O,OoO,OOO lOI Icl1ol ana
civilian defense Of the Philippines.
Included also was $35,0O0,O 900 to
stock the Hawaiian Islands with
food supplies and $4,000 900 for
civilian defense and relief work in
Alaska, the Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico.
The o. P. M. change reduces to
mere advisers three officials for
merly important in an adn1inistra-
tive sense-Leon Henderson, civilian
supply administrator; Douglas c.
MacKeachie, director OF purchases,
and Floyd Odlum, the helper OF
little business" with the title OF
contract distribution director.
Are Solely Responsible.
Mr.. Knudsen and Mr.. Hillman
now become solely responsible for
curtailing or hating non-essential
civilian production-such as ra-
tioning automobile tires and limit
ing automobile output-and turn
ing all available plant machinery
into war industries. In addition,
the reorganization will eliminate
much Of the red tape and many
of the intermediate steps which
have slowed o. P. M. operations in
the past.
Formerly, the three divisions OPP
Grated independently, requiring con-
tinual interchange of plans and
subsequent delays before the fin
ished product finally reached the
o. P. M. chiefs for approval.
The production branch, under w.
H. Harrison, and the materials
branch, under William L. Bait, were
not affected by the shake-up.
An increase of emphasis on CO.
operation with industry and labor is
one objective of the change, an
o. P. M. statement of policy declared.
Industrial branches brought under
direct control of Mr.. Knudsen and
Mr.. Hillman include those cover
ing pulp and paper, printing and
publishing. lumber and building ma
terials, plumbing and heating, cleo
trical products and consumer dur
able goods such as washing ma
chimes and ironers, automotive,
transportation and farm equipment,
industrial and Office machinery, rub
Der and rubber goods, food supplies,
textiles ana shoes.