Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-10
Overlapping
Of Authority
PeriIs@ Army
Not Eliminated
by Reorganization
By HUGH s. JOHNSON

By HUGH S. JOHNSON
COME very remarkable simpli-
~ fications have occurred re-
Gently in the high command of
both the army and our industrial
effort.
One man leadership in the
office of Mr.. Nelson was chief
among the latter. The funda-
mental and far-reaching reor-
ganization of the army effective,
March 9, was the big one in the
army.
1t is set forth by way of de-
scription in war department
Circular SO of March 2, but the
field is so large and complex
that you have to be an expert on
the war department to know
what it means.
The idea was to set up sepa-
rate commands for all ground
troops, all army air forces and
the entire service Of supply and
to abolish or minimize every
existing bureau or unit. (There
are dozens Of them.) That does
not fit well into this pattern.
ON THAT part of the idea, a
" pretty good job was done,
but il is far from being perfect.
Compromises had still 10 be
made, chiefly in the service of
supply. This arose from two
causes. One was the peculiar
position and statutory authority
of the secretary of war.
That office was created dur
ing and completed Just after
World War I. The idea was 10
have in the war department
some civilian who would pre-
serve the essential ideas and
traditions Of the old War In
dustries Board. The objective
was good. but the means created
many conflicts.
This new order had 10 respect
that statutory condition. with
result that the new command
ing general. service Of supply,
l. responsible TO two bosses
Mr.. Patterson, assistant SeCre-
tary of war and General Mar
shall, chief OF staff.
THE other compromise was
Il necessary on account Of Mr..
Nelson. Under the old idea Of
the War Industries Board the
armed services were 10 say Of
munitions what they wanted. in
what quantities and where and
when and do the actual pur-
chasing
The War Industries Board
was there 10 see that they got
the stuff from industry, 10 de-
eide conflicts in their requests
and to help them in any way
possible. II did no actual pur-
chasing. II did not specify types
Of armament.
Mr.. Nelson seems 10 have a
different idea. He wants 10 run
purchasing much more directly.
He is purchasing agent by
profession He has moved his
own WPB assistants, usually
young lawyers and economists,
into the very offices Of such
officials as Mr.. Patterson. not
merely 10 surround the officials
assistants but also 70 influence,
if not override, their decisions.
MR.. SONS own fire.
WI quently repeated "argu-
ment" is becoming sort Of
secret official joke around some
of these offices:
THAT isn't the way Harry
Hopkins and the President want
II done"
I don't wish 10 overemphasize
these conflicts. There hasn't yet
been time 10. Judge how they
will work out. I am merely
recording that they have en-
bedded in this order possible
germs of future troubles and,
especially, again TO repeat an
old and sure principle.
The best plan in the world
won't work under the direction
of incompetent men but able
men Of understanding and good
will can make the worst plan in
the world work.
Some very good men moved
10 the top in this reorganization.
Somervell of the service Of
supply is one Of them. If he has
the support and confidence and
a minimum of interference from
Judge Patterson and Mr.. Mel
son, he will work wonders. If
he has them not, he is licked
before he starts.
That would be a pity because,
for the first time since our feet
became so unthriftily entangled
in this worldwide mess. we are
just beginning 10 see daylight
in our difficult supply situation.
Any new fiasco could hold us up
for weeks.
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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY