Evening star., 1942-06-29

i
the needs of the David Lawrence.
Army and Navy and not the civilian
point of view.
Today 1t is revealed in testimony
furnished by Donald Nelson, chief
of the War Production Board, before
the Truman Committe of the Sen
ate, that fundamental change of
this nature has gradually been
worked out in recent weeks and
that now some of the Senators are
a bit apprehensive lest the civilian
advisers will be swallowed up in
military routine.
Il am ANXIOUS" observed Senator
Truman, ito see that the procure
ment and purchase section of the
War Production Board be in civilian
hands and I am anxious that they
stay in your hands and under your
direction"
''As I have explained TO you be-
FORE" replied Mr.. Nelson. Il have
been given complete authority by
the President over procurement,
which includes purchasing and pro-
duction. -. Now there are two ways
that you can approach it. One, you
can set up your own organization to
do it, or, secondly, you can put it
in the Army and Navy and get
people to do it there who would do
it Just the same as We would. In
other words improve the technique
of the services through the intro
duction of civilians who know the
technique and who will carry it on
there with authority just as if it
were in our own shop.
Given Experienced Men.
Nov, having the authority, I
have delegated to the Army and
Navy the job of procurement. and
have given them men who are ex-
perienced the most experienced
men I had in the job-to go over
there and work with the services in
improving the whole job of procure
ment which is production and pur-
chasing In my opinion that was
the wiSeSt choice I made when l
came on this job. The services have
great many highly skilled tech
nicians and are very close to the
problem
But the services" remarked
Chairman Truman, have a sort of
perfectionist idea of the material
that is not practical in wartime. You
have get to have a practical man
to get things done and you are that
sort of man. In other words,
We want to have this thing III the
hands of civilians, not in the hands
of brass hats We want you to
have control of that"
May I explain to you" said Mr..
Nelson, how expect to maintain
control? Don't forget that I am
the one who takes the responsibility
no matter where it is done"
Senator Truman repeated that he
wanted Mr.. Nelson to retain re-
sponsibility, and the War Produc-
ton Board chief said:
Whenever that responsibility is
not in my hands, I can't accept it
and therefore cannot do the job
Senator Brewster Speaks.
At this point Senator Brewster
interrupted to point out that Mr.
Folsom and Mr.. Harrison, two for
mer WPB men, are now under
Admiral Robinson and Gen. Somer-
veil and ARE subject to them in
the first instance" but asked if
they. "at all times, have an appeal
to Mr. Nelson when they feel there
Is a difficulty developing.
And you have power over both
Admiral Robinson and Gen. Somer-
vell?" continued Senator Brewster
on that point.
That is right" answered Mr..
Nelson, "the supply services of the
Army and Navy report to me"
Senator Brewster pointed out that
the experience of the last war re-
vealed that civilian responsibility
was essential because military and
naval officers hesitate to take the
responsibility of short cuts-their
future is involved if they make
mistakes or if they are subject to
criticism, but a civilian who isn't
expecting to continue in the Gov
ernment service after the war isn't
worried about those things"
Works Other Way.
AS a matter of fact. 1t has worked
the other way In this war. The ci-
william dollar-a-year men have been
wobbling under constant attack
from labor politicians and political
snipers, whereas the Army and Navy
officers In charge of the permanent
bureaus have been the ones who