Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-21
The Warriors
Of Production
William |. BAIT
Is the Liberal
Of Business Men
Nelson's Chief Aide
Defends Incomes
OF DoIIsr-Year Men
Nv MERRYLE s. RUKEYsER

By MLRRHLE -. HUhE1SEh
NeseA Writer 90 Eosscuios
ocpyrEht, Is41, International News Service
WASHINGTON. July 21--Like
his chief. Donald M. Nelson. Will
liam L. Bait has shown conspicu-
Gus ability as a businessman TO
get along with non-commercial
groups. Regular officials of the
federal government and OF labor
organizations have shown a regard
for his ability and his viewpoint.
Bait, in private life president OF
the ski ball bearing interests of
Philadelphia, is regarded as dis
ciple OF the liberal wing Of bust
ness thinking.
Since the word liberal has been
so loosely employed, / asked Mr..
Bait, as we chatted in his office
in the Social Security Building in
Washington, where most of the
War Production Board activity is
centered. to delineate his concept
of liberalism. I had In mind that a
cynical industrialist had once re-
marked that a liberal is a fellow
who Is liberal with the truth.
With a ready answer, Mr.. Bait
remarked:
A GROWING PART
Il think that I'm the future
government will have q largo
and growing part TO play In the
economic sphere I'm protecting
the good from the bad and In
relieving traffic tieups In the
arteries Of trade. I think that q
liberal 10 sympathetic, rather
than hostile, toward labor
unions, and recognizes the ma
tional value Of getting labor.
agriculture and industry to sit
tremendously together ut n
round table.
81 don't like TO use the phrase,
economic planning but 1 think
that government will necessarily
have to play . part In postwar
planning. A . believer I'm the
private enterprise system. be-
lieve that private industry |
should have large areas for spe-
cific planning. yet am aware
that government will necessarily |
play some role In overall plan
ming"
A ROWING COMMISSION
The latest shift makes him vice
chairman Of the War Production
Board. with a rowing commission
10 represent Mr.. Nelson as chief
OF staff and with many of Nelson's
powers delegated to him.
Mn Bait, as Mr.. Nelson's right
hand man. will help in the deter
mination Of policies and in the d.
rection of operations of the board.
Mr.. Bait is regarded by his as
sociates as a top man in the civil
ian war effort. His forte is social
Interpretation. in harmonizing in
terests, and in imaginative plan
ming, rather than a routine admin
istration. Even before the war,
Mr.. Bats hobby, instead of fish
ing or golf. has been related to the
intellectual and theological side of
economies, planning, and engineer
ing management. He has been &C.
tive in professional societies in
this field.
Bait thinks that the dollar-a-
year men. OF whom he has been a
conspicuous leader. have made
valuable contribution TO the war
effort through their intimate un-
Outstanding OF the technique of
industry. But he apparently thinks
that some businessmen have UNI
Willingly looked at war problems
through too narrow Spectacles.
THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Bait believes that war produc-
ton is now moving in the right
direction. and that the accomplish
ments should in time be translated
into results on the fields of battle.
AS for the dollar-a-year man
issue, Bait has expressed himself
as believing that the salaried ex-
ecutive who serves the govern
ment for 81 a year while collect
hlk MS private salary II III no
more OF position OF dual loyalty
than the financially independent
person who depends for his income
on corporate dividends and in
terest.
He pointed out that in wartime
dollar-a-year men recognize that
they are serving a temporary role.
and don't feel in a position 10
reduce their income so draStically
that they will be unable 10 con-
tinue their insurance, mortgage
amortization and other financial
commitments.
WINS HIGH PRAISE
One OF his colleagues, in apprais-
ing Mr.. Bait, said:
"He has made an outstanding
contribution In the raw materi-
ais end. He brought not only
engineering and Industrial
knowledge. hut was also valu-
able because he was accepted by
10Th 0Vot1Da IN any differeucea