Evening star., 1942-01-07
Navy Expansion Plan
And Daylight Saving
Backed in Congress
Committees Urge Two
New Measures to-
Prosecute War

Two wartime measures, one
calling for S845 900 900 for the ex-
panding Navy and another requiring
daylight saving time to speed in
dustrial production, were advanced
In Congress today.
The Senate Naval Affairs Com
mittee approved the legislation
which would authorize the s845 5,000,'
900 expansion of the Nays ship
building and ordnance facilities
The House Naval Affairs Committee
approved it yesterday.
Rear Admiral S. M. Robinson
chief of the Bureau of Ships, said
the Navy did not contemplate con-
struction of any new yards, but
rather the placing of new facilities
at existing public and private yards
The House Interstate Commerce
Committee approved the daylight
saving time bill to advance by one
hour the standard time in all zones
at 2 am. on the Goth day after its
enactment.
The advanced time would be in
effect until six months after the
end of the war, unless Congress Or
dered its termination earlier.
Senate Action Blocked.
Yesterday the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee approved leg
islation to grant the President au-
thority to advance or retard the time
by proclamation. but in no event
to advance it more than two hours
Senate action on the measure was
blocked by objection of Senator
Taft, Republican, of Ohio
AS members of Congress as
sembled for their session today there
were heard renewed demands for q
one-man director of the vast wal
industries program, outlined by
President Roosevelt yesterday.
Senators Connally, Democrat. OF
Texas, and Byrd. Democrat, of Wiz
ginia, told reporters that the tre-
mendous expansion envisioned in
the Presidents call for $4,000 planes,
$4,000 tanks, 10000 anti-aircraft
guns and 100000 tons of ships this
year made it imperative that one
man be designated to coordinate
these activities.
1T is my view" said Senator Con-
nally, who is chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee, that
the Office of Production Manage
ment should be in charge of one
supreme director. The responsibility
could then be fixed and overlapping
and confusion could be avoided"
The o. P. M. now is headed by
William S. Knudsen. with Sidney
Hillman, representing labor, as CO.
director 1t is charged with produc-
ton. but contract letting authority
retained by the Army, Navy, Mari
time Commission and other agencies.
Senator Byrd said that in view OF
the colossal expenditures in the fiscal
year beginning next July l, the time
had come for control of the entire
productive program by one man, re-
sponsible only to the President.
Worlds Biggest job"
The President ought to appoint
the ablest businessman obtainable
and give him sweeping power to ad-
minister this program efficiently
the Virginia Senator declared. 1--WE
have the worlds biggest job ahead
of us and we ought to 60 about 1t
in a businesslike way"
However, Senator Barkley of Ken
lucky, Democratic leader. said the
existing organization could be ex-
panded readily to take care of the
huge new outlays.
Senator George, Democrat, of
Georgia said he believed the produc-
ton and supply organization with
which the President had surrounded
himself had been strengthened mate
rally in the last few weeks and was
working to much better advantage
than it had in the past
Senator Ellender. Democrat, of
Louisiana predicted that the an
ticipated rate of spending would
make American economy worse of
at the end of the war than
that of the countries we are now
helping" He urged President Roose-
welt to ''see that America is not made
to pay for the entire war"
Bigger Personnel Approved.
The House Naval Affairs Commit
tee yesterday indorsed legislation to
increase naval enlisted personnel
from 100000 to 100000 and Marine
Corps strength from 64 900 to 104 600
A third measure to create limited
service Marine Corps reserve of be-
tween 5000 and 10000 men between
the ages of 80 and As for guard duty
In the continental United States also
The House Military Affairs Com
mittee gave approval by one-vote
majority to bill to authorize the
Secretary Of War to spend up to
$100,000000 for civilian defense in
the United States, its territories and
possessions.
Legislation which already has
passed the House to give the Presi-
dent power to take over any com.
munication facilities in time of wal
was approved by the Senate Inter-
state Commerce Committee without
amendment.
To Extend Power Control.
This committee also recommended
enactment of House-approved legis-
lation to broaden regulatory powers
Of the Federal Power Commission
over natural gas pipe lines.
The Senate Military Affairs Com.
mittee gave speedy approval to q
resolution directing that the Wal
Department restore the rank Of
brigadier general to the late Col
William L. Billy Mitchell, who wa.
court-martialed for his outspoker
criticism of Army air policy. Tht
measure pointed out that "the march
of events has proved the wisdom Of
many recommendations made tc
Congress" by the colonel.
The wool given out by the British
War Relief Society since late in 1913!
would wind approximately l8 time!
around the world.
Soviet Planes Dron