Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-20
Business Asked TO Play
Major Role for Victory
By MERRyLE STANLEY RUKEYsER

hldNN dbdiliNt NihSHf ~ VA ~
titude of business batting, and
in our diStrust for success and
for business leadership. some of
us corrupted our own thinking.
1t was not that the politician
was inSincere in his views.
There was a greater danger in
that he was sincere; he actually
believed that stuff, and his
emOtionallSm 10 some extent
blinded him and reduced his fit
ness 10 govern But now we
are up against the realities; we
have got the toughest and hard
est boiled enemies any nation
ever faced on both oceans.
We can win. we will win. il
We enlist the full genius Of the
American people.
=" We can win. We viii win, IL
We free our eyes Of the glasses
OF pre- JUDGES and blindness and
if we try 10 see things in their
true light. in the spirit of
science; If We Judge men by
their capacity 10 get things
done. by their record Of per-
Torrance rather than by labels:
then we can 60 upward and
onward. we can make a gigantic
productive effort in this war.
But we handicap ourselves
enormously If in our general
thinking we are confused by
MARKHAM half-truthS and by cpl
thetS and labels Of class warfare.
/ SAY II is not plea for JUS
L tice 10 business men - that
is of no Importance now; other
things are OF greater stake;
the business man is rugged in
dividual, he can always take care
of himSelf-bul The interest and
survival of the nation IS al stake.
and in order 10 show a full
capacity of free people in COM
petition with totaltarlan ma
tons. we must unllmber our
selves and release the Shacklcs
We have imposed upon ourselves.
and give the American system a
chance TO function and perform.
Now, in the conferences before
the late and possibly fdmcntcd
OPM. about fortnight ago AT
Washington. a suggestion VAS
made in a closed conference that
IN the conversion of the automo-
bile industry from pcaCctIme 10
10 wartime basis. that rcpreScn-
tatlNcS Of the labor unions should
be permitted -te-sttt- -t47tFfdfS
with management on boards
which made and discussed man
agement problems.
Now, from a lonC-term stand
point for sake Of argument that
might ConCelvably lead TO a more
perfect form of economic NAM
agemcnt and direction. bur say
10 you. my friends. that is
rather grave type Of experiment
10 try now.
Suppose il didn't work: sup
pose that such an experiment
hamStrung management And in
the automobile industry are We
running much risk in letting the
established management iunC-
ton? think moi
In this automobile industry
on the assembly line il was no
accident, my friends, that nun
dredN Of different parts flowed
10 the assembly line >mulla-
neouSly and were ready when
needed. 50 the finished cars
could run on their own power
off the line
TliOSE things did not lust hap
l. pen, they were Tho result Of
careful management effort day
in and day out not only inside
the plant whore the assembly
job was done. but also outside
the plant where hundreds of m
dependent SuppllcrS were work
ing and where they were super
vlScd by the parent company
that was making sure no default
by parts maker would hold up
the whole parade.
In the field OF armament max
ing We have 10 attain that same
type of perfection
And We can do IT,
Mass production j. an AWerj-.
can speciality
But let Us be candid.
10 81. h4trl t,,f
tanned that standard in the new
armament industry.
For example. we arc produc-
ing hullS more rapidly than wc
are making motor power 10
operate those ships and there is
a very serious practical QucS-
ton What shall VIC do?
Shall We slow mp the produc-
ton of hullS until we can aCcclcr-
ate the production Of motor
power?
Now Donald Nelson's oppor-
" 'unIty is a very large one.
You and wish him success.
He had better succeed, because
he represents not only himself j..
and the government. but he rep
re>entS the hopes Of l30. 600 e0
people and those nations a>SoCi-
atcd with us in this war, Dom
aid Nelson can succeed if he
recognizes the mistakes that
have been made up 10 now. and
IT, without regard 10 polltIca!
red tape. he sets about 90 pro-