Henderson daily dispatch., 1942-02-20
Proposed Civilian
Defense Reorganiza-
ton Pigeon-Holed

Continued from Page One)
from State Coll sc and the Depart
ment Of Conservation and Develop
ment. Many months later, when war
finally arrived, johnson told Il meet
ing her Una only about half the
counties had been organized. In most
Of them. although the director did
not Say il, the organization had not
acc .npIished anything.
5 &c the declaration Of wal
john N and his assistants have real
" Y ''ktd. But their efforts, ac-
cora.ng to criticism reaching Raleigh
from al Owe state, have not been
very effective. There has been a lot
Of running around in circles, dupli-
cations Of effort, misunderstanding
of what is to be done and who is to
do it,.
Johnson has been under fire. He
has been accused publicly and pri-
Va.ely Of being ineffective. Some of
that criticism emanated from mem
berS Of his W council Some from
he peopla working under him. That
is the sort Of organization It has
been.
But Johnson does have a good de-
tense. Much Of the general confusion.
much OF the Intellectual running in
circles, is due to the confusion and
~tan-dancjng activities of the office
civilian defense in Washington.
-rguc his defenders. Moreover. the
tire and other ~rationing Jobs drop
ped in his lap made it impossible fol
him 10 give enough time to the rest
Of the job, they say.
The governor has listened to both
sides OF it. Some of the governors
w remarks indicated that he
might relieve johnson Of all duties
except that concerning %rationing.
There was an intimation that he
might be called back to State Col
legc and the whole job turned over
to somebody else-or several other
people, But apparently the governor
has changed his mind about that
if, indeed, he had ever made it up.
The business Of s~alvaging waste
paper, scrap metal, old rubber and
rags has been taken away from John
sons office for the mOsv-part. The
federal government has set up its
" salvage office, which works
with Johnson bu. not under him.
Narrower, it !, ,uita possible that
ratloning win be taken over by fed
era! offices. also. The office of price
administration intends to set up .
North Carolina office, 1t may do
the local job Itself. So II begins &
look as if the state defense council
Will have lsss to do and that its
director will be left in charge of its
activity.
Some weeks ago the governor went
TO the American Legion 10 get a man
who would serve as Johnson's 'ex-
ecUtjVe assistant. The bellei was
that in time Ne would take fun
charge OF the straight deiels and
protective activities Of the office.
The governor offered the Job to
Bin Joyn,r and to Commander Nc
MILAN. Both turned it down. NcMil-
Ian did So on the insistenCe of some
OF the Legion leaders. The governor
then Countered with requests for q
list of able leglonnaireS from whom
he might pick a mar who could do
the job. Mcmillan furnished one list
and a Legion committee anOthe. One
mar recommended was Andrew JOY
ner Of Greensboro. The jog was Of
fered to him but he turned il down.
1t is understood that another man
also received the offer and declined
1t. The governor became irked and
made that it hdr shrdlu shrdl shrdl
SAID that he would look elsewhere.
Among the men the Legion sug-
gested to Governor Broughton, in
addition to Andrew Joyner, were
Bob Hanes OF Winston-Salem who is
pretty well taken with his defense
contract work. Thurman Chatham of
Winston-Salem who since has been
accept d by the Navy, Bill Duncan
of Rlleigh. Burgin Pencil of Ashe-
vile, John Stedman of Lumberton,
Claude Ramsey of Raleigh. Pat Tay-
or Of sboro. and Bill Umstead
# Durham. 1t is obvious that the ma
iority of these meu would not take
4 place as assistant to Johh6ona they
might be willing to run Me ONCE