Evening star., 1942-03-04

ing tackled the problem of convert
ing the Government from peacetime
to wartime, and yet it is no reflection
upon him to say that some one in the
Government should have insisted
upon action being taken long before
Washington became so crowded
with unnecessary personnel.
For nearly a year the subject OF
conversion Of the peacetime agencies
to war work has been agitated. This
correspondent wrote on March 18,
l941:
Unfortunately, nobody in the ad-
ministration seems to have thought
of the idea of establishing prlorltles
inside the Government SO that the
taxpayers money will not be eaten
up by projects which, however meri-
torious in themselves, are not needed
now. Many of the lawyers, clerks,
stenographers and technicians who
are a part of the normal functions
of Government could be used in
defense agencies. The ordinary
functions of Government can be
carried on with much less personnel
and will cost much less money If
the President by executive order
were to rule that no additional en-
pioyes will be placed on the defense
payroll unless absolutely unobtain-
able in the regular departments OF
the Government. There are
certain officials who can be tenn
porarily transferred to defense prof.
ects without in any way altering
their status under existing appro-
priation bills.
Priorities Suggested.
'The first place to make econo-
mics is by holding up the hiring OF
unnecessary new personnel.
The next thing is to set up prlorl-
ties commission in the Government
itself to require that certain ap-
preparations be suspended and work
be postponed on normal activires
of the Government which are not
absolutely needed In connection with
the defense program and which the
country can get along without for
few months or for year or So"
Further expressions on the need
for Government conversion came
repeatedly from The Evening Stars
editorial page, notably on December
50, 1941, and then this year on jan
uary IS. January %, February and
February 6,
This correspondent again took up
the subject on February 2, pointing
out that the auto industry was being
asked to convert. that nothing had
been done by the Federal Govern
ment on conversion. and that some
one "cf the Donald Nelson type"
should be appointed to do the Job
of Government conversion.
Senator Wiley Of Wisconsin took
up the cudgels in Senate debate on
February 3 and urged that the
President appoint a co-ordinator
to do the job of conversion of the
Government to war from peacetime
pursuits.
Finally in letter dated February
10 the President instructed the
Director of the Budget to survey all
Government departments and agen-
cies with a view to releasing un-
necessary personnel from normal
governmental uses so as to avoid
bringing in new personnel for the
defen~o e"encleS.
Ac"~r ,,-EeaIcd February 13.
Then on February - the Wash
lngton Pct tcok up the issue and
added to t',o demand for action.
The White --c-5e released on Feb
ruary l3 t,-a Ic,tcr that had been
written on FEBRUARY 10.
After the Director of the Budget
got into action there were further
recommendations, and on February
81 came the executive order from
the White House listing the priori-
ties as between Government agen-
cies and giving the Civil Service
Commission the task of transferring
personnel A Senate subcommittee
under Senator Tydings of Maryland