The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-08-19

Bowles, New OPA
General Manager
Knows Washington
BY Charles q. Stewart

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. new
10 Washington. Chester BOWles The
neWIyappointed "generarmsnager
81 embattled OPA, is well aware
Of the capitol city's pitfalls and his
experience with ration.ng and price
control in Connecticut will stand
him in good stead.
Bowles did so well in the Con
necticut OPA job that OPA Chief
Prentiss Brown for months tried
10 persuade him TO come 10 Wash
ington. lie knew the local boards
thoroughly: ousted incompetent OF
fciaIs: conducted sort Of "schooi .
for state OPA officials and made
weekly broadcast to the public on
price and rationing matters. He
answered with care a large ran
mail from the public.
Born in Springfield Mass, in
April 1901, BoWles is a member
OF family which founded and
sui operates the Springfield Re
publican. Samuel Bowles, his grand
father. was the fighting editor OF
the newspaper during the Civil
War
After attending Choate School
and Yale, BoWles worked as re-
porter on The Republican for TWO
years and then went to New York
for bigger fields to conquer. Be
fore setting up his own advertising
agency. he worked for the nrm Of
Batten, Barton, Durstine and Os-
borne.
The new OPA operating chief
Nho made a fortune IN advertising
and retired at an age when most
American businessmen are Just
reaching for success, Will be the
capitals miraCle-man II he can do
in little over two months what his
predecessors have failed TO accom-
pllsH III lNb Ntol man ~ -
acceptable. workable and under
standable
Around OPA. however they are
betting on BoWles to do the job.
The energetic newcomer has no
illusions about the task ahead, hav-
ing spent rs months as successful
OPA administrator for Connect
cut. and he has made good I'M
preston on his associates.
Bowles has very definite ideas
on how OPA should operate. They
include fully informing the public.
as TO the necessity for restrictions,
FORMULATING regulations which are
easy for the public and industry TO
understand and observe.
Bowles believes vast majority
OF consumers and businessmen are
essentially honest and want TO do
what is necessary 10 aid the war
effort. However. "chiselers' vii
get short shrift and black markets
will be attacked relentlessly.
Bowles also is opposed to rationing
Just for the sake OF rationing,
BowleS considers 1t his first duty
10 build a strong organization that
will be fair and temperate, yet one
that will be tough and fight when
we aTe sure we are right.
1T will be my responsibility to
examine and, II necessary, TO re-
organize each division OF the OPA
organizati ton he says Let me
list seven OF the lessons | have
learned as an OPA state director
and which will try to apply in
Washington:
1t is clear that people will
cheerfully accept regulations in
wartime provided they really under
stand the need We shall do
our best to make them as simple
as we can, and We shall explain
them over and over again
Pit Is impossible to run any
nationwide government orgsnizn-
ton. such as the OPA. solely from
Washington the EFFORT 10
decentralize must be carried furth-
er
81 know that any successful
operation depends on organization.
and organization in turn depends
upon people it will be my job
to and outstanding people
THE Overwhelming majority
OF people are honest and are anI-
ious to do the right thing.
"5-Public respect for the OPA
will increase II we are willing TO
take vigorous, Arm action when
such action Is required We
will do our best TO clean up black
markets
"6-Eyerything possible can and
should be done to make OPA regu-
lations easy for businessmen 10
understand and 10 live with.
FINALLY. the OPA must be
willing at all times 10 stand up
aoafpgt eeI6eh praueurag