Evening star., 1942-01-09
Lands Is Named
loo. {. D. Post;
LaGuardia Stays
Harvard Dean to
Be Executive to
Cory Out Program
BY the Associated Press.

director. was announced To-Day Dy
the White House
Presidential Secretary Stephen
Early said Mr.. Lands would have
the title of executive Of the o. c.
D. and that he and Mayor La Guar
dia would fashion, in consultation,
broad matters of policy.
Mr.. Early was asked whether Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt would continue as
assistant director of the o. C. D.
and replied that he had heard
nothing about the matter.
Mayor La Guardia in statement
here today said he welcomed Mr..
Lands appointment.
More Time in Field.
Dean Lands will take the details
of the office administration off my
shoulders" the mayor said. Il will
then be able to devote more time
to perfecting the organization
throughout the country.
Frankly. this plan meets the
Washington situation because of the
growth and the added activities Of
the Once of Civilian Defense, and
will afford me more time in the
field.
Frankly. it does not meet the
New York City situation because it
will take more of my time. I must
be realistic about this.
The matter Of equipment is OF
the utmost Importance. I must
warn the country that we must have
the fire equipment ordered and in
production at once. There must be
no delay
Dean Lands is to be responsible
for creation of the necessary organ
ization to effectuate the policies de-
cided upon and for personnel to put
the policies into effect.
In Boston the dean asserted he
regarded his new assignment as
"a full-time job" and said he would
report for duty in Washington Mon.
day.
Delighted by Appointment.
Il am delighted" he said, with
the opportunity the President has
given me to work with my old and
cherished friend, Mayor La Guardia.
My job is as it is described-to carry
into execution the policies Of the
o. C. D. and to see that they be-
come effective"
Considerable criticism had de-
veloped in Congress and elsewhere
because Mayor La Gusrdia was re-
tanning both his job as Mayor Of
10 rit aud lirart-
ing the o. C. D. Man, persons had
contended he was unable to devote
sufficient time to civilian defense
needs and only yesterday the House
voted to turn over funds for civilian
defense to the War Department.
The House fixed the authorization
fund at sl00000,0 900, but previously
the Senate passed a bill setting no
limit on the expenditure and giving
the job of obtaining defense facih-
ties to La Guardia's outfit.
Under such a situation. undoubt-
edly to be affected by the White
House announcement. adjustment
would have to be made in a joint
Senate House conference commit
tee.
Held Other L. S. Positions.
Dean Lands was once chairman
of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and before that was q
member of the Federal Trade Com
mission. Since 1887 he has been
dean of the Harvard Law School. a
post which he held before he entered
Federal service
Asked whether Mr. Lands would
continue as dean. Secretary Early
said he understood the new execu-
tive officer OF o. C. D. was making
his arrangements now with the
university and he did not know what
they were.
Mayor La Guardia will continue to
hold membership on all Federal
boards on which the o. c. D. now
is represented and also will con-
tinue to attend cabinet meetings,
Mr.. Early said.
He advised Mr. Early this morn
ing that he would meet Mr.. Lands
in New York next Monday.
The latter will have Offices here.
Mr.. Early said, and his salary Will
be $4,000 a year. His appointment
is for an indefinite period.
Wants Equipment in Hurry.
Asked for comment on both the
House and Senate measures, Mayor
La Guardia said he thought both
bills were all right. He added that
any program which would deliver
defense equipment in hurry is all
right
THE cities need this equipment
very. very badly" he said. There
can be no fooling now
There were strong indications
that he would have potent backing
in the conference committee. Chair
man May Of the House Military
Affairs Committee, in charge OF the
bill. who is likely to be one OF the
conferees, has opposed the move
to turn the job over to the War
Department. and quoted Secretary
Stimson as also opposed.
The amendment placing the purse
strings for civilian defense in the
hands of the War Department was
adopted by roll-call vote OF 187
to 1853, with almost solid Republic
can support. BY single vote mar
gin. 179 to 178. the House rejected
another amendment to create .
Sl0,O0O-a-year post of assistant sec
retary of war in charge OF civilian
defense.
Defended by May.
Amid repeated protests that the
question of air raid precautions was
too important to engage in per-
sonaities, advocates of giving the
War Department the assignment
asserted that it was not a part
time" job. and criticized Mayor La
Guardia for attempting to do that
work while serving as Mayor.
But Representative May countered
by asserting that Mayor La Guardia,
(see CIVILIAN DEFENSE, Ps. A-6)