Evening star., 1942-01-22

received with M
greater enthusi- @
asm If it were $
not for the fact David Lawrence.
that the decision to delegate to one
man rather broad powers is en-
veloped in the same sort of vague
assurances that were given when
the o. P. M. was established.
Donald Nelson, the new produc-
ton chief, has reshuf1ed the agen-
cies and bureaus of o. p. M. and
kept certain important personnel
and functions. The only major
change is that the firm Of Knudsen
and Hillman, which President
Roosevelt told the press on January
z. 1941, was Just like a law firm and
would function just like a partner
ship, suddenly has been dissolved.
Mr.. Knudsen has been given three
stars and the uniform of a lieu
tenant general and Sidney Hillman
has been denoted from his post as
co-chairman Of o. P. M. to the posi-
tion Of subordinate to the new pro-
duction chief
Recalls Birth Of O. P. M
Rereading the news dispatches of
Just about a year ago, one finds that
Mr.. Roosevelt read to the corre-
spondents an executive order which
he said gave all the authority that
could be desired to make the Ofice
Of Production Management function
effectively. He outlined exactly how
production and purchases and prior
ities would be interrelated. He was
asked If Mr.. Hillman and Mr.. Knud-
sen we're equals and how there could
be effectiveness II responsibility were
divided and neither one nor the
other was boss. Mr.. Roosevelt in
sisted it was a contingency that
wasn't to be expected to arise and
he continued with his analogy of a
law firm.
Going back further to informa-
ton given the press shortly before
the above, namely. on December 20,
1910. Mr.. Roosevelt said that. the
elements Of production and labor
and purchasing could not be COM
biped in the same person and that
amateurs who talk about respon-
sibility in one man prove their
ignorance.
Mr.. Roosevelt has never had any
experience himself In industrial
management, but, like good many
persons who happen to lack that
kind Of experience, he thinks it is
something he can pick up as he goes
along. He learns fast and doubt
less If he were to be given the years
Of training needed to make good
production man himself, he would
master it. But he doesn't happen to
know production and he has never
been willing to grant that produc-
ton men should occupy important
posts IN his entourage.
This, however, would seem to be
contradicted by the wonderful praise
given Mr.. Knudsen when he was
eased out of o. P. M. The fact Is
Mr.. Knudsen is an excellent produc-
ton man but poor politician. He
never had q chance. From the
start he was given some one to
watch over him with co-equal au-
thority. Mr.. Hillman quite natural
" believes In the labor viewpoint.
He is labor union executive. But
the President didn't let Mr.. Knud-
sen have anything to say over labor
matters or broad economic policies,
and yet the House Naval Affairs
Committee reported this week that
strikes were the greatest single
cause of delay to the defense pro-
gram In 1941.
Baked Labor.
Only a fortnight ago Mr.. Knud-
sen ventured to say that the auto
industry could not accept the c. I.
o. plan to usurp the management
function and that machine tools
useful only for automobiles could
not be converted into tools that
could be used for airplanes. From
the moment Mr.. Knudsen baked
labor his custer was foregone con-
clusion. The New Deal spokesmen
began sniping at Mr.. Knudsen be-
cause he didn't agree with the poll
ticians and, Of course, he is 40
politician himself.
Mr.. Nelson has much more polit-
ical sense. He is one OF the few
businessmen In the setup here who
seems to be liked by the New
Dealers. Already there is talk In
New Deal quarters Of how there
ought to be a labor ministry sepa-
rate from Mr.. Nelson's supervision
As a matter Of fact, there happens
to be o cabinet post known as Sec
retary Of Labor, but this is not
occupied by any one who has been
influential In the labor movement.
The reason why enicient men are
driven out Of washington Is be-
cause they are not politically
minded. And the reason why it
takes several executive orders and
. continued reshufning of personnel
and agencies to get some sort Of
central responsibility is that Mr.. |