Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-12
Organize
u. S. as One
Huge Factory
Local anization
TO Know Part
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

up efvffitf1 war bOard With
authority to make all purchases
for the army. navy. maritime
and lease-lend organizations is
based on a belief that failure
10 organize the domestic front
for the battle of production has
already been translated directly
into serious defeats.
Total war requires that our
vast economic system he oper-
ated along the Orgsniza tiOnai
lines Of single Industrial plant"
That basic belief is 100 per
cent correct, but the means sug-
gested TO make il effective is
our old stunt of piling one mex
perienced new Washington or
ganiZation on top of several
others on an untried and illogical
plan.
THIS war production problem
i is so vast and varied that a
newcomer couldn't even take
good look al the whole OF il
without becoming bemused. 1t
would take weeks for him TO
learn even its elementary geog-
raphy and many more weeks 10
begin TO make intelligent de-
ciSionS.
We haven't developed any out
standing man in our months Of
effort. but we have educated a
good many in al least what il is
all about. and the organization
is improving
II doesn't make any difference
whether they are soldiers or
civilians. if they have learned
their way around.
Certainly Mr.. Donald Nelson
and Mr.. Leon Henderson. the
two foremost figures at present,
do not claim 10 he soldiers and
many Of their eager young as
slstantS who wear shoulder
straps exalted as high as
colonel's wouldn't know how 10
take a corporals squad across
the street.
They are mostly civilians In
uniform. The suggestion that
the overall board be composed
of civilians doesn't mean much.
DUT as said earlier. The COM
- mittee's basic belief that
the country should be organized
As a single industrial plant
means everything II is true that
this hasn't been done or even
started.
II never will he done by the
single eXpedient Of setting up
new board or commission in
Washington.
The place Ia organize this
country in that way is anywhere
and everywhere but Washington.
II can be done.
! myself have seen il done
twice--once for the first World
War draft and once for the Blue
Eagle--every city. county. town
and village marshaled like tho
marching companies and regi
ments OF any army corps in
purely voluntary cooperation.
THE great industries have 10
Il be mustered a little differ
emily as has been started. AT
long last, by Mr.. Nelson's IN
du>try committees.
But that is only one small cor
ner Of the job and doesn't relieve
the necessity Of organizing also
every little territorial commu-
nifty giving every living soul
something definite and worth
while 10 do.
There are several kinds Of ma
tional EXAMINATIONS for partlcu-
lar purposes such AS the Red
Cross. They are fine but We
need national organization 10
unity the whole effort.
The local and spontaneous
plan 10 tabulatc, organize and
coordinate all the human and
other resources and effort AT
Mount Gilead, o., has been de-
Scrlbed here and elsewhere.
There was some opposition 10
that excellent plan on the ground
that IT duplicated the place and
effort OF the local councils OF
national defense.
IVES. but those councils weren't
and aren't doing tho Job,
partly because they don't know
what TO do and partly because
there is no inspired leadership
10 tell them and see that they
do it,
We've cot 10 have local or
GanlZation here tied into
national leadership with in
spiration, imagination, knowl-
edge Of tho, country and an
infinite capacity for work.
II doesn't need IN have much
money. II can use and not
duplicate any and all existing
organizations. !; can tackle
anything But unless il has the
pep and fire Of an old-fashioned
religious revival. il will be just
another American flop.
Distributed by KING Features synd. Inc.