Evening star., 1942-11-25
Plan
'0f War Effort
Hit by To|an
Californian, Kilgore
And Truman Appear
Before House Unit
BY JESSE O. IRWIN.

Representative Tolan, Demo-
crat, of California today told a
Senate Labor Subcommittee that
piecemeal reorganizations of the
Governments procurement, pro-
duction and manpower struc-
lures at this time "are no substi-
tute for a comprehensive organ
ization which takes into account
all the related elements of war
production.
The California, chairman of the
House Defense Migration Investi-
eating Committee, said that in plac-
ing the country on war basis, "a
footing which brings into the often
sive every ounce of strength we
have, we must be careful to keep
each element of the job in its proper
place"
He added that "the time has come
to review the entire war effort on
the home front"
With Mr.. Tolan were Senators
Kilgore, Democrat of West Virginia
and Truman, Democrat of Missouri,
who joined him in indorsing the
Pepper-Tolan bill to create an over
all war agency under civilian con-
troll to handle procurement, pro-
duction and manpower problems.
The bill, Mr.. Tolan said. is in
agreement with the peoples wishes
and the the clear intent of ths
President.
McNutt in Surprise Move.
After taking testimony for more
than an hour, the committee went
into executive session on the sudden
| appearance of Paul V. McNutt,
chairman of the War Manpower
Commission. The executive session
was called after Mr.. McNutt held a
brief conversation with Chairman
Pepper of the subcommittee. Mr..
McNutt's appearance was surprise
to spectators, as 1t had been pre-
viously announced he would testify
Saturday.
Senator Pepper also announced he
planned to request Ferdinand Eber-
stadt, War Production Board vice
chairman, to appear before the COM
mittee Friday to explain WPB's new
controlled materials plan.
The trend of the testimony todav
was directed at Presidents Roose-
velts statement at yesterdays press
conference that civilian production
and military officials should work
thelr problems out directly. 1t was
contended that the present organiza-
tons do not permit that because
there is no clear cut understanding
as to who is in high command.
Statements Not Clear.
1t was pointed out that the rela-
tlonshlp between civilian authorities
on materials flow and scheduling
and the statements by military Of
nclals OF their requirements are not
clear. The witnesses agreed that the
CIVILIAN authorities must have COM
mand of all military activities,
which, they said, means production
and scheduling of military materials.
They maintained that the Joint
| Committee on Requirements, as
called for in the Pepper -Tolan bill,
would furnish the necessary meet
ing place for the military and civil
ian high command
Mr.. Tolan said the country was
not using its resources the best way,
| "the war winning way, because the
| control over contracts, material dis
tribution and production itself re-
mains in the hands of military per-
sonnel, untitled either by training or
temperament for the task of mobiliz-
ing the civilian economy"
He said the story Is repeated with
respect to manpower, referring to a
report that the Selective Service
system is moving in on the man.
power distribution program with a
system which will put State draft
directors in charge of occupational
deferments.
Hershey Comment Cited.
"The Selective Service has no
means of training, transferring or
upgrading workers." he added TT
has no machinery for examining
labor use within the plants. As with
production and raw materials, the
decisions will go by default to the
large war contractors"
Maj, Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, Selec-
tive Service director, called his or
ganization, set up as a civilian
organization by Congress, service
station for the Army" Mr.. Tolan de-
clared. TT was never intended to
carry out program of total mobil-
(See MANPOWER, Page A-I4)