Evening star., 1942-05-05
Nelson Asks Removal
OF State Legislation
Impeding War Effort
Trucking Limitations
One Of Chief Problems,
Conference Told

War Production Board Chairman
Donald M. Nelson demanded Of
State government representatives
today removal of non-essential laws
and regulations which hamper
transportation or conservation of
war materials.
Speaking to conference of the
State representatives called by
President Roosevelt, the w. P. B.
head said one of the principal prob
lens was the confusion of State and
local laws which limit the size, cargo
and other features of commercial
trucking.
I'VE have an acute shortage of
paint brush bristles-and we keep
running into local ordinances which
limit the use of spray painting
equipment" he continued. 1--WE
want to conserve the material that
is used to make flour sacks-and we
can't simplify sack sizes effectively
because of the conflicts in State laws
governing those sizes.
Tin plate is of very great strate-
gic importance-but just recently
one State passed law setting stand
ard sizes for baking pans, the effect
OF which was to compel commercial
bakers to buy a lot of new pans.
We are trying to substitute COM
mOner materials for stainless steel
but State dairy inspectors continue
to insist that nothing but stainless
steel be used in dairying and food
processing operations where substi-
tutions could very properly be
made"
Selfish Interests Blamed.
Saying that many of these laws
were passed over a series of years
for the selfish interests of particular
business or labor groups, Mr.. Nelson
warned, I'VE can't win a war that
way"
Speaking of the trucking regula-
tions, Mr.. Nelson said the shortages
of gas. rubber and repair parts are
going to give our motor transport
operators handicaps enough; the
very least we can do is to make sure
that no unnecessary handicaps are
added. This is no time to hang on
to the luxury of regulations which
are aimed primarily at keeping the
people of one State from hauling
goods in another State"
Local building and sanitary codes
are also hampering the war effort,
Mr.. Nelson asserted. Public health
laws in New York and many other
cities, he said, require that new in
stallations of restaurant and foun-
tain equipment be made with STAIN
less steel, and in other instances city
authorities have condemned existing
facilities and ordered stainless steel
equipment installed.
"We are repeatedly finding that
our struggle to save these materials
is being tripped up by some nom
essential State or local law, not only
in transportation and in building
construction, but all across the
board. Many of these laws repre-
sent one of two things-an effort to
gain or preserve an advantage for
some particular group or organiza-
ton or an effort to give one geo.
graphical region an advantage over
other regions" lsa. 44Jr-.. .-
Eastman to Speak.
IT would like to ask all OF you
which is the more important-win-
ming the war, or preserving these
selfish group and regional advan-
tages?"
Joseph B. Eastman, director Office
Of Defense transportation, and
Thomas H. Macdonald, commission
er of the Public Roads Administra-
ton, were scheduled to address the
conference this afternoon.
The conference, held at the Com
merce Department auditorium, was
attended by several hundred dele
gates representing State govern
ments and Federal officials.