Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-20
Nelson Told
To Do More,
Talk Less
WPB Directors Attitude
Is Criticized
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

Guthrie and the latter's sudden
resignation.
! doubt if more than a dozen
people knew the following story
before il was mentioned in a
casual and incomplete fashion
in this column as one good way
to keep public confidence and
stop a row in a war agency.
1t happened in 1918. Two big
shots in the War Industries
Board had locked horns on a
question of jurisdiction. One
began to grumble, the other TO
sulk, and each TO accuse the
other and his men Of all kinds
of rumored nonsense.
That poison was infectious
and began 10 seep through the
whole organization with other
big shots taking sides and a
good deal of wholly unnecessary
threatened scandal.
NOW, in spite Of all that Is
~ said about strong admins
traitors kicking the teeth out OF
their sub-chieftains in error. you
don't do that with big shots If
it can be avoided.
There are two ways 10 avoid
II. One is the method of the
administration gently 10 kick
one of them upstairs or send
him somewhere to Observe
something and then. in his alb
sence, TO liquidate his organiza-
ton.
The other is the way ii was
done in the 1918 case. Mr. B.
NJ. Baruch asked both Of them
out 10 his house and said:
"The country needs both Of
you love-birds and I need you"
LIE THEN invited them TO a
IL frank discussion of their diff
ferences and proved 10 them
that they were not important
enough even TO be manly. but
were being used TO interfere
with the whole effort.
"And So" he concluded. "much
as the country and I need you
and as little as know about
how to replace you, either this
has 20 10 stop right here or I'll
have To let you both go. You arc
80 nearly equally at fault that IL
would be an injustice TO one TO
let him 20 and keep the other"
He left them until they came
together 10 him and. witt
Shamed faces OF naughty boys,
reported a complete agreement.
That was that, and there were
no more such. troubles in the
War Industries Board.
MR.. NELSON'S differences
N1 with Mr.. Guthrie are al
most a parallel case. The latter
was Mr.. Nelson's chief for both
textiles and leather goods. After
a somewhat stormy sub-czardom
and disagreement with other
members, as nearly as l can get
the facts (there are conflicting
accounts). Mr.. Nelson takes
away one of Mr.. Guthrie's
offices without having 1t out
with him.
Also, without attempting 10
reach an understanding. Mr..
Guthrie publicly resigns and
makes rulnous charges against
dollar-a-year men IN WPB.
Whereupon Mr.. Nelson obhGlngly
Eliminates and a great public
controversy is born IN the weak
est spot in WPB.
Now, generally speaking ot
what little | know and the much
/ have learned of him over years.
Mr.. Nelson is not, by nature,
fulminator. He has been a
rather gentle and very effective
purchasing agent for great
mail order house
PUT he Is very receptive 10 Sug-
~ geStionS from higher author
ity and'the unofficial New Deal
steering committee thought this
job needed tough guy.
So, their official ghost writer
produced speeches full Of threats
and imprecations- speeches OF
kind Mr.. Nelson is as in
capable OF composing as he
would be of ThanatopSiS-and he
delivers them at frequent inter-
walls.
They had him pose before n
microphone with a pipe held in
his mouth in such way as
would prevent utterance, shak-
ing his fist at his audience. but
with woe-begone expression OF
his face too nearly that Of
home-sick owl TO resemble that
of an angry eagle.
If his three major speeches
were intended as pep talks
they were so an nou nc d
Mickey Mouse could have done
them to better effect.
My suggestions. offered at Mr..
Nelson's invitation in his last
speech, is TO talk less with his
mouth until he has done more
with his brain. and then TO be
himself in whatever he does.
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