Evening star., 1941-12-28
Industry Ready
For Blueprint
Of War Needs
RooseveIt-ChurchiII
Conference Expected
To Clear Way
By PAUL GESNER and
JOHN BECKLEY,
NIldn Irnrld ara H urritnx.

NEW YORK, Dec. 27.-For ths
first time since the start Of the de-
fense effort industrial leaders this
week could look forward to re-
ceiving definite marching orders
possibly good for the next 2 to 5
years.
With Roosevelt and Churchill con-
ferring in Washington with nih-
tary advisers. it seemed likely that
American industry soon would have
its first comprehensive view Of
what would be needed. when, where
and in what quantities.
Men who run Americas factories
have worked under the handicap
of constantly changing instructions
ever since the defense program
started. Several times the require
ments have practically doubled
overnight in the face of Axis vic
tories. Emphasis has shifted from
one kind of equipment to another.
U. S. military men themselves
have had no definite yardstick with
which to measure our needs. They
did not know for certain where We
would fight; how large an Army or
Navy we would require; who the
opponent would be or in what the
ater the war would be waged.
Today these doubts have been
swept aside.
The lines Of battle have been
locked once and for all. Virtually
every important military power.
with the exception of Vichy.
France, has plunged into the fight
on one side or the other.
Clearer Problem Faced.
Under these circumstances. Roose-
welt, Churchill and their military
staffs this week faced a problem
more clearly defined than at any
previous time in the war Hope
was high in industrial circles as
the week ended that American in
dustry would soon get a full view
of the task required of it.
Industry was clearly in the mood
for a victory program. Men who di-
rect and run Americas machines
eagerly were waiting the order they
had sought impatiently since the
fracas started, namely: Here's what
we need. Produce these things and
We will win"
President Roosevelt took two i'm
portant moves on the industrial
front. He speeded the drive TO
merge Canada and the United
States into one productive unit for
the duration and placed overall con-
troll of the flow Of freight and pas
senger traffic in a new agency. the
Office of Defense Transportation.
Out of the labor industry con-
ference which threatened a tie-up
on the controversial point of closed
or open shop. the President sal
vaged an agreement on three basic
principles: elimination of strikes
and lockouts, settlement of all dis
putes by peaceful means, and ac-
ceptance of War Labor Board with
power to resolve controversies be-
tween employer and employees.
Industrial leaders were chagrined
by Roosevelt's failure to rule out
the closed shop issue.
Court Decision Hailed.
The week. however, was not with
out its gains for management. In
a clear cut. 7 to 0. decision the ST.
preme Court affirmed the right of an
employer to express freely his views
on labor policies and problems so
long as his statements were not
part of design to coerce employees.
Previous decisions on this subject
by the Labor Board had been a
sore point with many executives who
felt that employers had been de-
prived of the right of free speech.
Gasoline rationing for civilians
seemed likely to again become a
moot question as Japanese subma-
rines began to take toll of American
tankers. Unanswered as the week
ended was this question: Can coast
al areas of the United States, which
are served almost wholly by tankers.
continue to consume their usual
quantity of gasoline while the United
States Fleet mist be supplied In two
oceans and japanese submarines
operate in coastal waters?
Retail stores. still totaling up
Christmas sales which for many
reached record levels, broke out yes
terday with rash of clearance
sales in an attempt to cushion the
post-Christmas lull and beat the
fast approaching March Is tax date.