Evening star., 1942-02-28
Roosevelt Asks
For Increased
War Output
Plants Approaching
168-Hour Week,
Nelson Replies
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

President Roosevelt today
called on Chairman Donald N.
Nelson of the War Production
Board for further intensiflcation
of the war effort in every fac
tory, in every home, and on every
farm.
This Is total war" Mr.. Roosevelt
said in a letter to the Nations pro-
duction commander. I'VE are all
under fire To win we must
fight"
In immediate response, Chairman
Nelson informed the Chief Executive
that a great variety of ways are
being devised for speeding the war
production program, including an
approach to 168-hour factory work
week and the establishment of joint
labor management war plant COM
mittees for the planning Of increased
production.
Mexican Defense Unit.
The White House also announced
today the formalizing of previously
announced plans for a joint Mex
United States Defense Com
mission.
The commission will be vested
with the responsibility of studying
and planning a defense program for
the two countries. American rep
resentatives will be 1t. Gen. STAN
ley D. Embick and Vice Admiral Ale
fred W. johnson, both retired.
Mr.. Roosevelt spared no emphasis
on the urgency of this Nations war
task in his letter to Mr.. Nelson.
The months just ahead are the
critical months of the war;" he told
the production official. Victory de-
pends in large measure on the in
creased war production we are able
| to get from our factories and arsen-
ais in the spring and summer OF
1912 What has been done so far
must be exceeded. This is total war.
We are all under flre-soldiers and
civilians alike. No one is a spec
tator, we are all belligerents. To
win we must fight.
Spring Needs Crucial
THE urgency of today must be felt
in every shop and factory producing
war goods, in every home and on
every farm. Then We shall achieve
the spirit and cooperative action
that carries team to victory.
II therefore direct you to take
every possible step to raise produc-
ton now, to bring home to labor and
management alike the supreme i'm
portance of war production this
crucial spring
4 Mr.. Nelson was similarly pointed
in his reply. He wrote
In response to your letter direct
ing me to take every possible step
to increase war production in the
crucial months ahead, the War Pro-
duction Board is undertaking the
following:
"A continuing national drive, de-
signed not merely to increase pro-
duction at once but to keep stepping
it up further as the war continues.
The principal aims of this drive
are to increase production immedi-
ately in plants which now have war
contracts and to convert other
plants to war production as speedily
and as completely as possible.
Variety of Methods.
This will be made effective in q
great variety of ways, including:
81. Greater utilization of plants
now producing war goods, aimed at
bringing us as close as possible to
the theoretical maximum of l68
hours work per week for every ma
chine in those plants.
%. Recognition and rewards for
outstanding industrial accomplish
ment, both by management and
labor.
49, Establishment of a plan for
Joint labor management war plant
committees which will consider sug-
gestions from all quarters for in
creasing production and which will
help demonstrate the importance OF
our soldiers of production.
81 have discussed this matter with
officials of the War and Navy De-
partments and the Maritime Com
mission and have been assured of
their hearty cooperation.
Monday night I shall start
series of weekly discussions of the
part each one of us will play in this
drive. I shall announce other de-
tails as rapidly as possible"