Evening star., 1942-11-15
Bill 10 Overhaul
War Production
Pushed in Congress
Victory in 8 Months
Declared Possible;
Single Command Asked
Continued From First Pare }

the backing of organized labor and
some farm organizations.
It is believed in some congress
SIGNAL quarters that the move is ar
effort to stir the President into inn
mediate action. Congressional lead
ers have announced a White House
decision not to press for legislation
OF this nature during the remainder
OF the present session of Congress
Sponsors of the bill frankly admit
they had not discussed the proposa,
with the President because it was
their belief that 'the American
people are looking to Congress fol
leadership in the organization OF
Americas economy for large scale
warfare"
They further admit they realize
Mr.. Roosevelt can do all which
they propose by executive order
However, because of the precedent
they said he established on the
anti-inf1ation legislation, they be-
lleve he is looking to Congress to
tackle now a resolute overhauling
OF the war production machine"
Active in War Program.
Mr.. Roosevelt has declared the
manpower situation was vexing but
not yet in state of emergency
The part the bills proponents
nave played in the formulation of
war programs makes, observers say,
their move to press for immediate
action by Congress all the more
significant.
Senator Truman is chairman of
the Senate Defense Investigating
Committee, which has made sweep
ing probes into war contract awards
and the manpower situation.
Senator Pepper is chairman of a
Senate Labor and Education Sub
committee which has been investi-
eating the manpower problem.
Senator Kilgore is chairman of
another Education and Labor Sub
committee holding hearings on bill
to establish an Office of Technical
Mobilization
Senator Murray is chairman of
the Senate Small Business Com
mittee.
Representative Tolan is chairman
of the House Defense Migration
Committee, which has submitted
two interim reports on the war pro-
duction and manpower problem and
which paved the way for the in
PRODUCTION of the bill in both
Houses October 20. The Tolan
Committe contends the proposed
consolidation is merely a central-
sation of civilian authority over ex-
listing agencies and not super
agency. 1t is held the bill would
permit reduction in the number of
war agencies.
Strategy Up to Military.
The advocates Of the bill explain
the measure would put procurement,
production and manpower under
one roof and place military, farm
ing and industrial manpower in
harness to work as a. team, so that
every person serves his country
where he can serve best.
The sponsors said the bill also
would free the military "for the
planning of the global strategy this
war demands, and leave it up to
civilian production forces to deliver
the goods and weapons needed"
Declaring that recent military
developments have caused us to
hasten the hearings" the pro-
ponents said the first session would
be held tomorrow before Senate
Education and Labor Subcommittee
headed by Senator Pepper.
Because of the confidential nature
Of the testimony, the hearings will
be executive. Officers of Is cor
porations, holding, it was said, half
of the war orders" so far awarded
have been invited to testify.
Plan to Consult With Baruch.
Hearings before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee will be
started after conclusion of the Sen
ate hearings.
The sponsors said they planned
to consult with Bernard M. Ba-
ruch, director of the World War
Industries Board They explained
that in the preparation of the bill
they had leaned heavily on the
lessons Mr.. Baruch had provided
from his World War experience in
earlier testimony before congress
sional committees and his numerous
publications"
Mr.. Baruch has been reported to
be taking a official interest in
the manpower situation, and is said
to have expressed opposition to the
Kileore- Tolan program.
In joint statement, Senators
Pepper and Kilgore, and Represen-
tative Tolan, said, I'VE have a
patchwork program, marked by con-
slant breakdowns of production
schedules; by boarding at this plant
while that plant goes without ma
terial. Skilled machine tool build
ers are being drafted while airplane
plants wait for machine tools We
have the War Production Board
unable to find 2O0OO,OO0 tons of
lost steel, and 300,0OO,O00 pounds
of 'mislaid' copper. We have the
armed services and their contractors
jockeying with each other over men,
machines and materials.
I'm the face of the African opera
tions, the WPB cannot expect us
to wait eight months to see whether
the new controlled material plan
is going to work In eight months
this war can be won"
To this statement Senator Pepper
added a prediction that within three
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