Evening star., 1941-11-09
Defense Confusion
Requires Correction
BIZ OUen L. Scott.

President Roosevelt is 10 nno re-
turned to his doorstep the same problem
that he has tried for more than year
to get of that doorstep.
The problem is that of administering
this country's now vast armament pro-
gram. 1t is a problem that grows from
Mr.. Roosevelts unwillingness to let 60
of any real personal power so that this
power can be delegated to some one who
can see that 1t is used effectively. Out
of the problem flows a tangled admini-
strative situation that prevents smooth
functioning Of the defense program.
On two previous occasions the tangle
in administration became so acute that
the White House was forced to act.
At first, President Roosevelt created
the National Defense Advisory Commis-
sion. This agency. which had many
aspects of debating society, was sup
posed to run the defense program. 1t
was almost headless and begged down.
Then came creation of the ONCE of
Production Management. This agency
was given two heads of equal rank, Will
liam Knudsen, as director. and Sidney
Hillman as co-director. After a few
months, this organization also begged
down.
There followed creation OF what is
known as the Supply Priority and Allo-
cations Board. set up after an investiga-
ton by the Presidents adviser Judge
Sam Rosenman. Now there are signs
that all may not be we'll with this newest
organization. Any glance at an organi-
zation chart will suggest reasons why.
The charts show that S. P. A. B. is
buried down the line of defense agencies
with an uncertain relationship to those
agencies.
More than that. there is tangle of
personalities and OF overlapping powers
that is very difficult to unravel. That
tangle, to date, has been held to a mini
mum by Vice President Henry Wallace.
who is chairman Of the board. 1t soon
is discovered, however. that Mr.. Wallace
is given no organization of his own to
keep tab on what goes on and that he
personally cannot devote any great
amount Of time to the Job because OF
his other duties
Some Of the strange situations that
are developing follow:
First. there is the situation confront
ing Donald Nelson. Mr.. Nelson is execu-
tive director of S. P. A. B. and as such
is responsible to the whole board and to
Mr.. Wallace in particular But Mr..
Nelson was selected for that place by
the President and not by the board
Then, too, in carrying out board orders
Mr.. Nelson must operate through the
ONCE Of Production Management. which
Is headed by Mr.. Knudsen and Mr. Hill
man. In that capacity he no longer Is
bossed by the board but by two members
OF the board. After navigating through
that maze, Mr. Nelson discovers that in
hands, but in those of the Army and
Navy which are responsible directly to
the President
Next, there is the situation that con-
fronts Leon Henderson Mr. Henderson
Is given the important task Of prevent
ing a runaway price advance He is
head of the once Of Price Administra-
ton. But, as such. he has quite un-
certain powers; and Congress. instead
of bulwarking his powers appears to be
| preparing price-control law that in
| some particulars, may actually weaken
| existing powers.
That is just one side of Mr. Hender-
! sons situation. In addition to heading
| o. P. A., he also is full-fedged men,
ber of S. P. A. B. and sits with equal
! rank alongside Mr. Knudsen and Mr.
Hillman, among others. Furthermore
| Leon Henderson Is head OF the Division
Of Civilian Supply, inside o. P. M. In
| that capacity, Mr.. Henderson must re-
| port to Hillman and Knudsen as his
! bosses; and Mr.. Knudsen makes it clear
| that he expects this division to abide
by his orders. And if that were not COM
| plicating enough. there Is the further
fact that the Division OF Civilian Supply
must function within a framework set
UP by 8. P. A. B. and not o. p NJ. Once
| that tangle is Strengthened out, the dis
covery is made that so far as business
civilian supply centers in Floyd Odlum
who heads another division, that of con-
tract distribution. within o. P. M
The Governments chart readers have
| Just about thrown up their hands in
despair trying to trace the lines Of au-
thority here.
After that there is a srarl in the field
Of defense housing. This snarl is so
bad that President Roosevelt has had
to turn loose Judge Rosenman to try an
unravelng job Here the trouble CEN
ters around Housing Co-ordinator
Charles Palmer who has shown an
amazing ability to get special grants OF
power from the White House that put
his agency in class by itself, appar-
emily free from domination in the field
Of priorities either by S. P. A. B. OF
| o. P. M. or the Army and Navy. Mr.
Palmer's battles with Housing Admin
strator Nathan Straus and Works Ad-
ministrator John M. Carmody have been
loud enough to attract the attention OF
Congress.
| Then Vice President Wallace is up
against another problem Of his own.
Mr.. Wallace, in addition to his other
tasks, is charged with operating the
economic defense board. which. in turn
is waging this country's economic war
This board stems directly into the White
House and, on the surface, is one Of the
few defense agencies that appears tc
have clear-cut authority. Yet. a little
investigation discloses that the boaro
has few powers to operate directly. In