Evening star., 1942-01-22
Nelson Decenira|izine
War Production With
Field Services Seiup
Offices to love Authority
/ To Make Decisions.
Reducing Delays
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Washington awoke today to the
realization that Donald M. Nelson
is giving the war production Job
back to the whole country. Mr..
Nelson's announcement that he in
tended to establish q field service
as q seventh and new major divi-
sion Of the War Production Board
which he heads was regarded here
as . step toward decentralizing the
war effort.
Ofilcials said such q move, send
ing w. r. B. men into the indus
trial centers Of the country where
the battle of the assembly lines is
being fought, would shortcut .
great part Of the delays caused by
paper work and letter-writing and
by the necessity Of calling manu-
facturers here to discuss production
and conversion problems.
Mr.. Nelson said he had not yet
decided "how much responsibility
will be here and how much out in
the field" However, the high place
accorded the proposed field service
In his organization scheme was
taken as clear indication that he
intended to delegate to 1t . good
share Of the decision making power
heretofore reserved for his own Of
nee alone.
To Rank with 6 Other Divisions.
The field division will compare In
importance, Mr.. Nelson said. with
the six major divisions of the w.
p. B. set up by him yesterday. when
he abolished the Once of Produc-
ton Management production,
purchases, materials, labor, civilian
supply and industrial organization
The field ofdces will handle not
only the Job Of bringing small plants
all over the country into the mill
tary arsenal, but win advise con-
tractors on priorities, ALLEGATIONS of
material "or anything else that per-
tains to getting the job DONE" Mr..
Nelson told newspapermen yester-
day.
Mr.. Nelson's theory Of decentral-
izing control Is getting its first big
test in Detroit, where Ernest Kanz-
Ter, veteran automobile production
man, is being sent with q staf1 to
achieve the total conversion of the
motor industry to arms production.
Mr.. Kanzler will have only . deputy
here.
Production isn't done back here
1t Is done there In Detroit" Nelson
explained.
50 Or @ Kanxlers.
IF there are other industries that
have . location In . certain place. I
see no reason why the branch chief
shouldn't 60 right out to the place
where he can do 1t the quickest
without having to bring men back
and forth 70 Washington and argue
about the thing"
There will be counterpart Of Mr..
Kanzler in every important indus
try, Mr.. Nelson said, and he esti-
mated their number at so or go.
Such industry branch chiefs will
report to the new Division Of Indus
trial Orgauntion. created by Mr..
Nelson yesterday to direct the con-
version job on . Nation- wide scale
and to absorb the Priorities Division
of o. P. NJ. The division Is headed
by James 8. Knowlsozi, president of
Stewart-Warner Corp.
Not all the industry chieftains will
have as much power rs Mr.. Nelson
vested in Mr.. Kanxler-"All the
authority that I've got"-because not
all of them will need it, Mr.. Nelson
said. Mr.. Kanzler is authorized to
move tools and machines from one
motor company to another. II neces-
sary to get maximum arms output
Knudsen to Play Separate Role.
William S. Knudsen and Sidney
Hillman, erstwhile co-directors of
the now defunct o. P. NJ, will con-
tinue to play important though sep
arate roles.
Mr.. Nelson said he wanted them
added to the new War Production
Board, and his wish was viewed as