Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-09
Knudsen Sits
AsMcGregor
In Speedup
Critic Sees No Wrong in
HiIIman's Veto Power
1.-THE opinions expressed by
General Johnson are not neees-
soriIy those of The Detroit
Times.)
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

THERE VIII doubtless be con-
Il siderable criticism of the
executive order setting up the
new War Industries Board
called, for some prideful reason,
1.-THE office of production man.
agement." 1t may be said that
two-man control fKnudsen-Hill-
mani is an administrative abor-
ton. that not enough authority
has been delegated and so on
and on.
That criticism will not come
from this column which has been
yapping for such action for two
years. Mr.. B. NJ. Baruch, the
father of industrial notifications
and war industries boards, is
also enthusiastic.
l have just been looking up
the 1918 documents that set up
the War Industries Board. The
essential one was a simple two
page letter from President
Wilson TO Mr. Baruch. II is far
less explicit than President
RooSevelt's executive order and
delegates less specific authority.
Yet il worked TO a marvellous
result. 1t worked because. not
withstanding the supremacy OF
excellence or the ultimate IN
.sloppiness in drawing up organi-
cation charts and orders. success
-fsfiiure- will depend on the
ability and fitness of one man.
DEGARDLESS of organization
IL charts. wherever the Mac
Grpgur sits is the head of the
table" The principle question Is
not the curious law firm = con-
cept of two-headed executive
control lKnudsen-Hillmanl
While a law firm is utterly
inappropriate for executive ac-
ton. the real question is whether
Bill Knudsen is the MacGrcgor.
as Mr.. Baruch demonstrably
was. It's all up 10 Knudsen. He
SAYS with some satisfaction mat
he can now keep his hat on and
spit where he pleases" (Which IS
quaint combination of the I'M
melancholy Dane and Uncle
Remus) but now let's see
whether he will do it.
One doubt is that Mr. Hill
man is there to tell him al least
where. he can't spit.
That doesn't trouble me very
much | have worked with Sid
ney Hillman. The President says
he knows them both and isn't
worried | know them better
and neither am I worried.
Undivided responsibility is
better than compromise. but Mr.,
Hillmane is both a realist and a
highly educated and intelligent
leader. He will obstruct only on
the greatest Of provocation and
the cleareSt case
President Wilson's letter SAID
THE ultimate decision of all
questions except the determine
ton of prices should rest always
with the chairman"
That note is lacking here but
the sands Of % years of change
have passed through the hour
glass
On COMPLETE analysis, what
" Mr.. Hillman has is no more
than a limited veto power. In
truth. it is less than that II is
power TO declare a division re-
Sulting in an automatic and
instantaneous appeal to Caesar,
who. in the clutch OF circum-
stance. must instantaneously and
automatically decide.
That would follow anyway if
KnudSen were supreme and any
such differences arise. as would
compel Mr.. Hillman to make
fight.
To repeat, the only question is
whether Mr.. KnudSen is the
MacGrcgor and there would have
bce1 that question in any form
Of organization. My only doubt
Is the modeSty. sweetness and
gentlcneSs of the man.
Well wait and see. These
qualities didn't prevent his rise
TO the presidency of our greatest
manufacturing company.
Otherwise the set-up is excel
lent. The President is reported
TO have said he didn't want any
Baruch plan. or 1918 model con-
troll. / doubt whether he said it.
II doesn't make any difference.
That's what he's got in every
essential detail.
The subordinate keymen are
also excellent: Biggers on pro-
duction and Stettinius on priori-
ties. Henderson on prices is
moving on the key price of
scrap steel in the good old War
Industries Board speed and
fashion. It's a-sWeH set-up and
a pleasure to say. over the top
with the best of luck"
distributed by United Features Syn. Inc
% YEARS AGO TO-DAY