Evening star., 1942-04-18
Turning Point Passed
In War Production,
Nelson Tells Editors
United Nations Output
Exceeds Thot Of Axis.
w. ?. B. Choirmon Soys
Ry the Associated Press.

| ". ?. B. Choirmon Says
| Ry the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. April 1s. - The
United States has passed the turn
ing point" In war production and the
output of the United Nations today
exceeds that of the Axis powers, ac-
cording to Donald M. Nelson, chair
man of the War Production Board.
We can see daylight ahead in
our whole war production effort" he
told the American Society Of News
paper Editors last night
Mr.. Nelson coupled his optimism
with caution, however. pointing out
that today's production figures do
not mean that we are going to win
the war next month or that we can
start out tomorrow to take the Of
fensive."
Year Of Sweat Ahead.
During the next year or 50, we
are going to work harder and sweat
more than ever before in our lives"
he said, "but we can see ourselves
working toward victory"
1T Is safe to predict" that by the
end of the year the Allies shall have
overcome the accumulated reserve
built up by Japan since 1890 and by
Germany since 1893. Mr.. Nelson told
the editors. From then on. he
added, we shall have our enemies
at an increasing disadvantage"
There Is in every battle a turn
ing point" the w. p B. chief de-
clared, "a moment when the side
which finally is going to win gets
past the critical point and begins to
pick up the speed which is going to
bring triumph.
I'VE have not yet won our battle
Of production-but I honestly be-
lieve that we have passed the turn
ing point"
Mr.. Nelson told the editors they
have the "gravest responsibility"
ever placed on them. because:
THE people of America are de-
pending on you to be fair-to put
the good of the whole country
ahead of personal or partisan
interest. They are depending on
you to give them the facts-au of
the facts, within the limits imposed
by military necessity, and not Just
selected facts arranged to prove q
case. They are depending on you
to understand what Is happening
and to present an undistorted
picture"
Points to 40-Hour Week.
Pointing to the recent argument
over the 40-hour work week in
war production, Mr.. Nelson said
the public anger that was generated
created difficult situation and
most assuredly did our war effort
no good whatever. I think the
press could have prevented that
situation from becoming serious by
the simple process of making certain
that every one understand precisely
what the 40-hour law really is."
With the American people living
under q nervous strain, aware Of
what Is at stake In the war and de-
termined on victory, "it IL ahnor-
maliy easy today" he said, ito
arouse public indignation to set up
scapegcats for public wrath, to d.
rect public anger against particular
groups or particular interests"
Some newspapers claimed that
organized labor was impeding the
war effort or that big business was
falling down. Mr.. Nelson said, but
he asserted II would like to testify
here and now, from my own knowl-
edge, that both charges are dead
wrong.
Genuine Cooperation.
I'VE are beginning to get today
one of the most encouraging things
any American can hope to Sea
genuine wholehearted spirit of CO.
operation between big business,
little business, labor and Govern
ment. 1t Is immensely en-
couraging"
The editors close their convention
today with an off-the-record ad-
dress by 1t. Gen. Hugh A. Drum,
commanding general of the Eastern
Defense Command and the First
Army, and a demonstration of
chemical warfare service on Gov
ernors Island.
Earlier yesterday the editors
heard Archibald MacLeish, director
OF the Office Of Facts and Figures,
call on the American press to police
itself against the war-born danger
OF treason in its own ranks and
among its own members"
Principal U. S. Weapon.
Describing the trinity of the press,
the radio and moving pictures as
"the principal American weapon in
this war" MacLeish declared:
THE real battlefield of this war
is the field of American opinion.
- No one knows 1t better than
our enemies.
1T is their principal hope that
they can so divide and confuse and
demoralize American opinion that
the American determination to fight
| the war through to an ultimate
victory will fail Of itself regardless
of the resources Of American men
and American machines which,
backed by American will. would
make an ultimate victory certain" !"
Mr.. MacLeish, asserting that
throughout the Nations history, the
press had played a larger share
than Government in shaping the
public mind, paid tribute to the
role of a majoc:y of the press
in strengthening present wartime
morale.
Minority Elements.
Nevertheless he added, there
are minority elements of the Amer
ican press which are actively en-
gagged in influencing American
| opinion in directions which Lead
not to victory in that war but
to defeat"
After a prolonged discussion OF
a suggestion for a newspaper adver-
tising campaign by the Government
to further the war effort. the edi-
tors asked their Resolution Com
| mittee to draft q report incOrpO-