Evening star., 1942-12-26
Eberstodt Called Capitals
Biggest Yes and No Man
WPB 'BottIeneck
Buster Proves
Organizing Genius
By the Associated Press.

"Okay. okay," he snorted, I'm
expendable!"
No one today, says Ferdinand
Eberstadt, WPB vice chairman on
program determination and chair
man of the WPB Requirements
Committee, is either ruined or ex-
pendable.
This millionaire son of a German
immigrant rides the drivers seat
of the Nations 100000 ,0OO. 900 war
machine. Others make policy and
direct production. but he delivers the
goods. Some say he, perhaps. is
the most important civilian war
boss of all.
Started Job Year Ago.
Here's the story as told by men
in position to know:
When Mr.. Eberstadt came here.
the war supply program was in
stew-some industries boarded
everything they could lay hand to,
some factories idled for lack of cer-
tain supplies. Officials of all degree
doled out contracts right and left.
bewildered manufacturers butted
their heads together diving for raw
materials, while the armed services
kicked for guns and ships and tanks
and planes.
1t was almost year ago that this
taciturn Wall street lawyer banker
saowed up as civilian boss of the
Army and Navy Munitions Board.
The gold braid, it is said, had
spasm.
But In short order the Army
and Navy decided he was the best
friend they both had. He fgura-
lively knocked their noggins to-
gether, and pretty soon supplies were
organized and going where they be-
longed.'
So, when Mr.. Eberstadt began
prodding the War Production Board
last September, harrassed author
tiles said: Now see here, Ferd, if
you can run this thing better than
we can, get over in WPB and bust
the bottlenecks."
Four Pointed Results.
l. Compiled a list of every known
military and civilian need for VIC
tory.
2. Organized exact, minute to-
minute reports on the supply of
vital materials.
3. Chopped off non-esselltial or
overlapping requisitions and allocat-
ed specific supplies to specific needs.
4. Gave WPB timetable on the
type, quantity and purpose of goods
available for military and civilian
uses.
Here was something no one ever
believes could be done. Mr.. Eber-
stadt was not boasting when on De-
cember 2 he told the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers:
mo nation in all history has ever
produced anything equaling it
(American arms and output and
it Is likely to be exceeded only by our
own production in time to come. "
Once Called Deacon"
The deacon" as they called him
around his college YMCA, is a
Princeton man. Phi Beta Kappa,
a wounded captain of United States
Artillery In the last war. a former
partner OF the old William Gibbs
McAdoo law firm in New York, a
former partner of Dillon, Read &
Co.. and now is head of his F. Eber-
stadt g. Co. investment firm on Wall
Street.
Some say he made $4,000 900 and
had virtually retired on his 80-acre
Long Island estate before he was
38 years old He is So now, short,
stocky and getting bald. He says he
is going back home and sail ships
with his kids again "as soon as we
win this damn war"
He is very determined about 1t,
even to the point of making personal
enemies among those whom he be-
lieves to be faltering in the war ef-
fort. Sometimes he isn't very pop
ular with those who hound him for
yes" instead of mo" answers to
request for supplies. He will turn
down military petitions as readily as
civilian if they exceed the supply
he considers needed for more i'm
| portant ends.
Mr.. Eberstadt Is called the biggest
"yes" and no" man in Washington.
His office is flooded every day and
Sunday from 8 am to sometimes
past midnight with people who have
to get his o. K. or else.
His Decision Sticks.
aT,yo 1;et,~aJB IN Hfo ofc
of folks who had something to say
and to lots who did not" He sits
grim and silent through conferences
and when every one is talked out he
says suddenly. Here, gentlemen, is
my decision" 1t sticks.
His best friends say Mr.. Eberstadt
is cold-blooded in business That
how he got the name of lone wolf"
during the New Deal days, when he
made good money in securities while
others lost their shirts and fought
the Securities and Exchange Com
mission.
He was one Of Owen D. Young's
bright young men" at the Repara-
tions Conference in 1929. Mr.. Young
wanted him because he had studied
and worked in various capacities,
but he was startled the second day
when Mr.. Eberstadt took him aside
and said. Hey. this things fake
1t will bust up because they're play
ing politics and have no concern
for economies" 1t busted.
In these days Mr. Eberstadt is a
frequent companion of Bernard
Baruch, that stalwart old political
economist and sometimes admin
istration dissenter who ran produc-