Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-20
Bait Rumored
Head ofOPM
Policy Branch
Koudsen Apparently Due
TO Stay on Production
BY PAUL MALL0N

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2O.-The
w Presidents handyman, New
York Justice RoSenman. has
been rummaglnG around through
the OPM, working up reorgani-
zation plan, and is about ready
with something.
AuthorltatIVcly recommended
To head a new policy-maklng
branch of the defense regime is
William L. Bait, president of the
big ball bearing company, $ Is +
Industries. who has been in
charge of several production
lines in OPM but has been do
ing more than that Job. Bait
knows the problem thoroughly
and enjoys the confidence Of the
other government officials
The advance inner notices of
the RoSenman plan suggest also
that William knudSen. the nomi-
nal OPM head, would handle the
production end, as at present.
but under an entirely different
SCtup.
THESE limited reports indicate
L that the unwieldy and con-
fuSing existing organization is at
last 10 be broken down into a
policy branch and a production
branch. hut the reorganization
will cut deeper than that.
OPM officials who have tried
to draw charts of the existing
organization have wound up
with something apprcXimating
the finger-painting smearS of
children in kindergarten. One
OPM authority has said a chart
made by a woman research eX-
pert for a business magazine is
better than any they have pro-
duced.
In short. the duplication, inter-
twining. overlapping of authority
has been just about as bad as
could be.
In recent weeks. the situation
has grown steadily worse, while
all involved are awaiting the
efficiency report TO Mr.. Roose-
velt's chosen investigator.
CHAIRMAN Mariner Eccles of
" federal reserve contrived
short cut for his current move
TO get and break up inStalment
buying and easy purchase
plans"
(The economic godfather of
the New Deal, British economist
John Maynard Keynes, told
every one here initiation could
not even be restrained unless
the purchase of goods was
slowed down in this way.
Mr.. Eccles, and no doubt the
White House also, figured there
would be trouble from Congress
If congressional approval were
sought. The subject was left
out of the price bill. Instead,
EccleS dug out an obsolete
amendment in the Banking Act
of 1888. giving his board power
10 control credit. 1t was writ
ten for the depression, and for
gotten since.
Some of the congressman are
murmuring against this sub
terfuge." House Banking Chair
man Steagall is protesting that
the amendment was not in
tended for the purpose to which
the board is going TO put II.
Eut nothing will be done. I'm
questonably The administration
could get congressional author
ity if il wanted to take the
time.
A more important question is
whether congressional Stalllng
on the price BILL and the admin
istration's long delay in moving
against inStalment buying. will
not make the remedial measures
too late.
Mr.. ROOSEVELTS return
VI from his hideaway sea con-
ference stimulated a new furry
of rumors that he might throw
an cXpeditionary force into Da-
kar or Casablanca but YOU will
have 10 90 a long way inside
this government 10 find any one
who thinks the idea is good
The local French governor at
Dakar has repeatedly informed
our consul there that any occu-
patton move will be resisted 10
the utmost whether il come
from the Free French. British
or Americans. The Free French
General De Gaullc once assumed
there would be little resistance.
and thereby made one of the
major mistakes OF the war He
is clearly the one TO Try ii again
-if any ono docs.
But If there is 10 bc resist
ance. tho operation would re-
quire q considerable portion Of
the British and American At
lantic fleets. including trans
ports. and more army divisions
than are now prepared for ac-
ton in the whole United States.
NO GERMANS are in Dakar.
~ a few Nazi members of the
armistice commission and sew
eral NaZl business men, trying
10 drum uD Arab trade. are in