Evening star., 1941-12-23
Civilian Direction
OF War Production
Opposed by Army
House Committee Gets
c. !. O. PIon to Speed
Output Of Arms
Hy the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
The War Department registered
fiat opposition today to proposals
that civilian board of supply
handle war production. contending
the program now being followed
would throw all the country's re-
sources into turning out military
material. r.
The pains we have been under
going are due to the partial transi-
ton from peacetime economy to
war economy and not to ineffici-
ency of the armed forces" Under
secretary of War Patterson said in
statement.
Now that we are at war, and the
Nation is ready for a tremendous
all-out effort calling on all produc-
ton resources, some of the pains
will be alleviated,' he added.
Indorses Proposal.
Mr.. Patterson appeared before the
House committee headed by Repre-
sentative Tolan investigating miera-
ton of defense workers, which has
recommended creation Of the civ
ilian board. Endorsement of that
proposal came only a few minutes
earlier from the United Automobile
Workers, c. l. o. affiliate.
Mr.. Patterson declared that, like
the committee, the War Department
was not satisfied with production
to date, expressed hope that it
never would be satisfied, but main
tanned that taking procurement
powers away from the armed forces
and placing it with a new board
would not be a step forward,
Production, he said, now has
reached the stage where war ma
terials turned out by mass produc-
ton is already on the firing line"
Five-POint Program.
A five-point program submitted
to the committee by the c. I. o.
included: o. Creation of ma
tional industry council represent
ing labor, Government and man.
agement; a. conferences between
the U. A. w. and S. p A. B. to lay
groundwork for full conversion of
the automobile industry to military
production: 49, o. P NJ action to
transfer and train displaced auto
workers at Government expense;
a. Federal appropriations to sup
plement unemployment payments:
and 50 price controls without
freezing of wage rates"
The continued refusal of certain
manufacturers in this tthe automo-
tive) industry to prepare for war
work is crime against the Nation
which must no longer be tolerated" :"
asserted r. J. Thomas. president OF
the organization, in a statement to
the committee.
He maintained that survey by
the U. A. w. had shown that the
tooling capacity of the industry was
not now working lat even 80 per
cent of capacity" and argued that
mot all the business as usual spirit
had been purged from the indus
try"
Layoff of 250,0O0 Men.
Spokesman for the automotive in
dustry and representatives of Gov.
Van Wagner yesterday said more
than quarter million workers
would lose their jobs-temporarlly at
least-through curteilments already
ordered in passenger car production
Mr.. Thomas and his research and
technical aides described as "errone-
Gus" some of the testimony fur
nished by the auto manufacturers,
and declared that, despite the grow
ing danger of war. this years auto
mobile models were loaded with
gadgets, like Christmas tree" and
were heavier than previously.
That was either poor judgment
or actual sabotage asserted Mr..
Thomas, after criticizing the manu-
facturers for failure to adopt the
c. I. o. plan year ago for using
unemployed labor to convert auto
motive plants for plane production.
Industry's Attitude Defended.
Representative Curtis. Republican,
of Nebraska, a committee member,
protested that he could see nothing
unpatriotic in the induStrys attl-
tude-that it had attempted to OBJ
tain Government contracts and had
proved cooperative.
They've been very diligent in try
ing to get new plants and new
machinery" commented Mr.. Thomas
Further Discussions Planned.
william S. Knudsen, o. P. M.
director general and member OF the
Supply, Priorities and ALLEGATIONS
Board. yesterday told the committee
that representatives of the industry
would be called to Washington to
discuss further production curtail-
ment.
To direct question as to whether
there was going to be any passenger
car production after January 1, he
replied:
'Is there going, to be any rubber
left?"
The committee received assur-
ances from Mr.. Knudsen that the
Nations factories were being con-
verted for war work "as fast as the
tooling can be done" and that the
little fellows" would get their
share.