Evening star., 1942-08-05

fore the end # 81
1912 this WI David Lawrence.
have been irreased by perhaps
another 5,oo0,N tons.
1t Is a well-hown fact that our
military requirhents do not ap-
proach anywhe near 10000 900
tons and 1t has len variously esti-
mated that even 100000 tons used
for military and hse- lend purposes
would be q reasnably adequate
amount.
What, then, has ,appened to our
steel? Why is thei a shortage of
raw material in tbs basic COM
modify and why ae plants that
make war weapons urtailing pro-
duction because of lax Of steel?
The answer is mt the word
shortage" but ''mald:tribution.
There's no mystery abut it. Dom
aid Nelson conceded betre a Senate
committee recently this raw ma
terials had not been diected into
the right channel Of ses. One
would think that this Duld have
been prevented originallyo BY, sys-
tenn Of priorities. But it wasn't, be-
cause all kinds OF priorit. certif1-
Gates were issued and it ws a good
deal like issuing more ticets for
q performance than there se seats
In the theater.
ALLEGATIONS Failed.
Then came the system of "aloca-
tions" and 1t was decided to allo-
cate materials to certain pants
which needed them. But the Army
and Navy had a system Of alleca-
tions or priorities, and the civilian
demands which rise up through all
sorts Of channels, such as congres-
sional influence and other forms Of
pressure, developed another series
Of priorities.
Only 1000 fewer tons Of steel
flowed into construction in the first
six months Of 1912 than in the first
six months OF 194l. Substitutes
evidently weren't used where they
could have been.
II everybody in the family can
reach into the cash drawer and take
out what he pleases, there comes a
time when some overdrawing occurs
and there isn't enough for a basic
necessity.
Just how the lease-lend system
works is not a matter of public
knowledge. 1t Is suspected that
Harry Hopkins, at the President S
side, had a powerful influence in
that respect. and If the representa-
tives OF foreign governments were
sufficiently eloquent or persuasive,
they got a directive" which was of
more importance than a simple pri-
ority. Was there any thorough
check by American officials to deter
mine If foreign producers could use
substitutes?
Steel Men to Handle Flow.
| In the confusion of "directives'
and "priorities" and ALLEGATIONS
the whole production schedule has
begged down, and now there is a
Smaldistribution" Of steel. The
,rmy and Navy saw this coming and
kgan several weeks ago to plead for
anew setup in which our military
rtuirements would come first, or at
lest for a civilian overall council In
wlch the Army and Navy would
hae a voice along with lease-lend
ant civilian demands.
Sch a mechanism has been sci
up, tgether with an industrial com
mite Of steel men to handle the
now ( orders within the industry sc
as to et maximum efficiency. Thus
after aany months Of delay, we art
putin, steel men in charge Of steel
and tbs, thereafter, will be the ar.
rangemnt with respect to othel
tndustris unless the labor politi
clans uEet it again with their in
fiuence n Capitol Hill and at th'
White Huse.
Pla, Discarded Early.
Why wee experienced steel mel
driven out If one looks back a
the sniping which occurred agains
the OPM personnel and at the con
slant efforts OF so-called labor lead
ers to mix abor politics with pro
duction Management, it will b'
observed WHY little progress ha
been made toward the main objec
tive-getting enough steel into mill
tary channels to make the neede'
weapons of war.
The President, of course, has bee
too busy with other things to sc
these production weaknesses and
he had time he could not possibl
become familiar with the steel bust
ness and do anything else. Hitle
lets each industry's executives hav
4 voice. He copies Americas ow
industrial mobilization plan for wa
which had been widely known hefor
1899 after our best military and IN
dustrial minds had put 1t on pape
But President Roosevelt discarde
1t almost In the first few weeks
the war. The country has pal
dearly for that mistake in judgmen
but if Mr.. Roosevelt now will bac
up the new council which gives tf
military men the voice they shoul
long ago have had there will be
different story to tell In another 81
months.
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