Evening star., 1942-01-14
Nelson Helping
Order on
Production Job
President to Make
One-Mun Control Of
Industry Complete

Seeking to establish unqualified
legal authority, the White House
said today that the executive order
creating the new War Production
Board is being drafted in such way
as to give Donald M. Nelson COM
plete and concentrated control of
the Nations industrial effort.
President Roosevelts intention to
set up this agency and to place Mr.,
Nelson in the key spot for directing
an intensified production program
was announced by the White House
last night, before the actual draft
ing of the executive order and the
legal creation of the new organiza-
ton.
In Conference on Draft.
Today. Stephen T. Early, secretary
to the President. said that Mr. Mel
son is being consulted on the draft
ing Of the order with view to
Incorporating in it the legal founda-
ton for the administrative structure
which he prefers, and with a view to
assuring him Of the single handed
control which is intended
The creation Of one-man produc-
ton control-a step long urged on
Mr.. Roosevelt by his friends and
critics alike-momentarily distracted
the Capitals attention from the
Pacific war fronts. 1t promised
initiative in the production field
where lies the allied hope for ulti-
mate victory.
1t was with high interest that
Washington received President
Roosevelts surprise announcement.
Only a few hours earlier Mr.. Nelson,
former mail order executive. had
made plain that his goal was to
substitute too much. too soon for
the old TOO little. too late cry
that has dogged Allied arms.
Criticized for "Too Much"
Were going to build so many
planes and tanks he said, speak
ing in his old role as o. p M
priority director. that when this is
all over those OF us who had any,
thing to do with it are going to be
criticized because We built too
much"
Now the big, bulky, bespectachd
man will have everything to do
with it.
In announcing his decision to es-
tablish the new War Production
Board. Mr.. Roosevelt said it would
have the powers now exercised by
the Supply Priorities and Alloca-
tions Board and that Vice Presi-
dent Wallace as well as the other
present members OF S. P. A. B.
would serve on it. Mr.. Nelson has
been S. p. A. BIS executive director.
Besides being chairman OF the
board. Mr.. Nelson will be charged
with the direction of the produc-
ton program and have general su-
pervision over all production agen-
cies," the White House said. His
decision as to questions of procure
ment and production will be final.
Mr.. Nelson will report to the
President as to the progress of the
program. He will no longer serve
as director of the %. P. M priori-
ties division but will devote his en-
tire time to directing the produc-
ton program
One-Man Control.
There is the one-man control" "
Secretary Early remarked as he read
the announcement.
Mr.. Wallace likewise emphasized
this concentration of authority as
he and Mr.. Nelson left the White
House following a late afternoon
conference with the President. The
Vice President referred to the new
setup as one which has been
sought for a long time, and ex-
pressed full confidence that the
entire administrative structure Of
the production program will fit
(See PRODUCTION, Page A-6)