Evening star., 1942-11-25

control over all these factors were
engaging in doodle drawing. Con-
gressional sources, who have stated
that the White House is planning
such program, interpreted the
Presidents remarks to mean that he
would like for the advocates of this
plan to ease up on their pressure
Only Few bad Kinks"
Discussing current conflicting re-
ports over who had final authority
on production and allocations-
whether it was WPB Chairman
Donald Nelson or the Army and
Navy-Mr. Roosevelt asserted that
these officials would have to work
! together.
The program is going on well, the
President said, with only one or two
bad kinks that would have to be
| ironed out.
The President said all of the
officials concerned with production
problems were supposed to agree.
He added that if they failed to agree
he would put them in a room and
Itil Jllelu 10 40 SO.
He emphasized that complete
harmony among the officials was
necessary and, as an example, he
said the types of war planes had
changed greatly since last January,
each one weighing great deal more
than its type year ago, and each
having more wingspread, more
horsepower and each requiring more
man hours to make.
Raises Sights on Workmanship.
The President added the Govern
ment was going to spend more on
workmanship phase in 1943 than
year ago. He said this would be
constantly stepped up to get much
more out of each plane.
In other words, he said, the Nation
was raising its sights on workman
ship, but not on the total number
of planes.
One OF the problems, he continued,
was to determine whether sufficient
men would be available to man
planes when they are completed.
This is a chief of staff problem, he
said, and all such things had to be
worked out between the staff and
production officials.
Commenting on the selection of
Charles E. Wilson, WPB vice chair
man, to have charge of plane produc-
ton. the President said that one
of Mr.. Wilson's tasks would be to
coordinate the program that is to
time production of parts to produc-
ton of the skeleton plane itself.
Wilson and Nelson today saw the
President, and on leaving the White
House they said, You'll get the
whole story later"
Optimism Not Shared.
The Presidents optimistic note
was not shared in well-informed
Government circles. Reports con-
tinue to be circulated in congression-
al and administration quarters that
the Army was attempting to take
control OF manpower. Informed
sources looked on the aircraft
stalemate as the first challenge
to Mr.. Nelson's authority to take
power over production which he
himself delegated to the Army and
Navy last March.
On the other hand, persons IA
miliar with the views of the mill
tary denied there was any dispute
revolving around Mr.. Nelson's
efforts to create a new aircraft pro-
duction committee.
Mr.. McNutt's frank admission
that Il do not know" in answering
newspapermen's questions at press
conference of do you expect to re-
main as head of the War Manpower
Commission?" is producing support
for him on Capitol Hill.
Cite Pressure.
Congressional sources said Mr.,
McNutt has been working against
insurmountable odds-chiefly the
lack of congressional support for
funds to operate his agency. They
pointed out that he has been up
against terrific political pressure in
| attempting to get the United States