Evening star., 1942-08-02
Military Control
Of Industry Is Coming
By OUen L. Scott.

and civilian leaders of this country's
war effort is approaching. That show
down, when it comes, is almost certain
to see a gain for the military viewpoint.
The issue involved is fundamental.
1t concerns the degree OF control that
is to be exercised by government over
industry and over individuals in the
interest Of getting things done in
hurry.
On the one side is Donald Nelson
with his War Production Board. Mr..
Nelson wants to run the war effort with
a minimum Of overall direction out OF
Washington. He insists upon protecting
civilians and civilian industry from what
might be disrupting demands of the
armed services. His desire is to avoid
the building of an immense bureau
acracy that would control every move
OF civilian industry.
On the other side are found the Army
and Navy, represented by 1t. Gen. Bre-
hon Somervell and Vice Admiral S. M.
Robinson. They are responsible for sup
plying the armed forces of the Nation.
They are impatient for results. They
also are impatient with policies that
give any play to business-as-usual or
life-as- usual. They want priority on
all materials and tight control over
the use of materials that will assure
production Of war materials regardless
of the effect upon civilian industry or
upon civilians.
The reason why the military view
point is likely to make gains is that
many war industries are up against
acute shortages OF raw materials. Some
are beginning to slow down and a few
even to shut down because they lack
steel or copper or aluminium forgings,
among other things. There Is evidence
that the civilian management OF the
war effort is only scantily informed
about the actual flow of raw materials.
Some civilian industries are supposed to
have huge inventories of critical mate
rials while war industries are short.
The whole system of wartime priorities
is breaking down from lack OF careful
planning and overall supervision
There is argument over who is re-
sponsible for this state Of affairs Civil
ian officials blame the military for con-
slant changes in their program Of arms
production and for dumping orders into
industry without regard to any co-ordi-
mated program of production Military
officials blame the civilians for falling
during the past two years to build up
system OF control over raw materials
that will permit careful check upon
the use of these materials.
Regardless of where the blame lies
the following results are expected to
flow out Of todays situation:
First. there is almost certain to be
further sharp reduction In the amount
OF materials that will be available to
non-war industries. It is entirely prob
able that this Government will be forced
to do what Hitler did in 1888 and take
inventories sof raw materials from ci-
| william industry where required to pre-.
vent q breakdown In arms production
Second, there Is almost certain to b<
tighter Government control over all o.
industry. It is going to be necessary
| to set up machinery that will allot ant
follow the now Of raw materials from
the mine straight through to the f1n.
ished war product. Today, no offlcia
knows exactly why 1t is that there /!
an acute steel shortage when the Amer.
ican steel industry is producing twic,
as much steel as ALI of Hitler's Europe
and Japan put together or why ther.
is a dangerous shortage of copper wher
this country has 100000 tons avail
able annually against about 200, 900 ton
for Germany and Japan. There is poo
planning some place.
Third, there is almost certain to b.
a harder-boiled policy OF dealing with
civilians Ofdcials, from Presiden
Roosevelt down, have hesitated to taxi
steps that would cause inconvenience t,
voters. They have SHE'D away from
Nationwide rationing programs ant
have avoided any restraint on demand
of labor and agriculture for steadil!
growing privileges. Military officials ar
insisting upon a policy Of acting to re-
strain civilian demands first and o
arguing afterward, II there is to be an,
argument. The critical problems aheat
are to force wider acceptance O
this policy.
Civilian officials are inclined to poin
to big figures and to see in those fig
ures a proof that their policies hav,
been successful Military officials, OF
the other hand, refuse to be impresse,
by figures. They insist that all of th'
production reports mean nothing unles
translated into weapons actually de
livered and put to use in battle.
The fact Of the matter is that on thi
basis the United States is not yet max
ing an impressive showing. Here agail
the difficulty is planning. However, tn
planning breakdown In the field O
weapons Is one that traces to the mill
tary services and not to the civilian,
1t reveals the confusion that has pre-
vailed over how where and when tn
United States is really to get into tn
war.
For one thing, this country has beel
placing emphasis upon turning out mer
chant ships. 1t has been falling benin
IN production Of escort ships that woul
protect merchant ships from attack. S
the new merchant ships and their car
goes sail out with inadequate protection
to be sunk by submarines.
For another thing, the United State
went all out for battleships in the earl
days Of the war. Armor plate that Nigh
have gone into tanks or into other NOR