Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-04
PegIer Sees
Car Industry
60 'AII-Ou+'
He's Positive. Now. Tho
Trades in War to W.
By WESTBROOK PEGLER

~ the question of why the
motor industry didn't convert
sooner to war production and
such recrimination, which is
really but the bitter consolation
of peoples beaten in war, and
! turn to something more vital
and optimistic.
This nation is not defeated
and can be defeated only by|
such strictly internal enemies
as politics, fat-headedness and
a stupid belief that we are in-|
vincible merely cause wei
say so.
Unfortunately for private in-|
tereSts and investments, the|
motor industry built so large|
and well and achieved such rel
nounced success that II IS in|
very practical effect, and never
mind any fine old theories of
private ownership. national
asset which could be taken over
just like that by the govern
ment and with pract ical VI
unanimous political approval III
the owners and operators should
refuse 10 help
The big shots of the industry
are today no more able to re-
fuse than Hitler's industrialists|
were.
Their industry, by and large
is as surely an arm of defense
or offense. as the navy and now
il is, as the British say, about !
or going about after consider
able delay
S A means Of noiSing about
"A the country the fact
they are about, or going ~
out. they have been conducting
some sightseeing tours for quite
a collection Of journalists but
not, however, under subsidy
such as all-expenses-paid, which
IS the European way.
They just invited reporter
out and have shown then
around and | think they have in
mind hope of good report q
/ help them put down the sug
gcStion that professional union
GERS. skilled in harangue and
conspiracy. are better fit TO ruI
these enormous plants. which
were built from the naked field
in few score years. than TIT
. findnCierS, promoters, organic
erS, managers and masters O
big machinery who developed
croupy and highly speculative,
engine into the national aSSe
that il is.
At this point J refer 10 mi
notes on the production Of Ger
tain gun parts and tear then
up. for il is wisely forbidden Y
indicate how many Of thes
hard-wrought mcchaniSms, pare
down by great machines fro1
huge ugly square blocks 10 m
fincncSs Of jcWclry. are COMM
out Of the shop in question.
The block comes in from elsd
whore and some one. Certainl
not Walter Reuther Of the CIC
sees within il. as the sculpto
sees the nynph within the bloc
/ of marble. this priceless machin
of war and so il starts on IL
travel through tho works, bein
planed by steel teeth Of incred
lblc sharpness and strength an
bored and filed and gentle
/ until. buttered with hcav
grease and covered with canva
( against the weather and
authorized gaze il leaves
plant 10 60 10 war.
Z TllE man who runs this Shoy
Il was IOoSier kid who wen
into automobiles in the alley
shack maChne-Shop era of th
motor industry and now make
nothing but war stuff. in muc
less quantity than the situatio
desperately wants. 10 be SURF
The workers. here. inciden
ally. appear 10 be, on an ave
age. older I AN the run an
many Of their Jobs call for del
cacy and skill. although ther
arc some operations. thought
require great talent. in who
the toiler may lean againd
something gnawing a candy bd
while the machine performs. an
knowingly quits when its vii
ardry is done.
Production or these gun part
Is rising and the present rate
mild comfort. but lest any on
decide that the war is as COZ
as won, il is still terribly shot
of the great demand and IN
figures arc nothing 10 lard IN
spirit with the blubber of con
placcncy.
A vast assembly plant who
abandoned automo lies la]
week. with ceremonies not ur
tinged with sadness, was we'll d
toward dismantlement.
Men were ripping out the al
Sembly line. chewing great hold
in the concrete floor and did
ging pits for the concrete four
dations of new machines.
Men were shoveling up filing
and scrap and jerking grea
dumb giants Of mechanism b
block and tackle across IN
floors for removal to some grea
central pool in which thousand
of such machines. uSeleSs