Evening star., 1943-02-01
Ten Senators Demand
End Of Bickering
On Mi|itaryProb|ems
Measure Greeting Stoff
For Civilian Program
To Be Introduced
Bv JESSE O. IRWIN,

Ten SenatorS-Seven Demo-
Gratis, two Republicans and one
PrOgressive-issued a Joint warn
ing to Congress today that the
public is fed up" with the
pickering and conflicts which
are taking place in congressional
committees and Government
agencies over the size Of the
armed forces. rubber procure
ment, naval escort vessels and
high -octane gas. and is de
manding action to back up
President Roosevelt's S Casablanca
commitments.
They suggested as remedy to a
! condition that threatens disaster"
the creation of an economic general
! staff for the civilian war program"
and they prepared to introduce in
the Senate the Kjlgore- Pepper Of
flee of War Mobilization bill. This,
they said, is the Congress plan to
break the bottlenecks now throt-
ting our military production" which
offer the very openings sought by
those who would weaken Us with
inner quarrels." and permit charges
that war decisions are arbitrary
and capricious acts of bureaucrats
and brass hats
Besides the bills co-authors. others
sponsoring the measure and parli-
cipating in the Joint statement are
Senators Truman Of Missouri, Muir
ray Of Montana, Green of Rhode
Island. Thomas Of Utah. Johnson Of
Colorado, ali Democrats Ball of
Minnesota and Capper Of Kansas,
Republicans. and La Toilette of
Wisconsin. Progressive.
Senators to Question Land.
Despite the declaration OF the
| Klleore-Pcpper group, Senate
manpoWer subcommittee was pre-
pairing today to ask Rear Admiral
! Emory S. Land of the Maritime
Commission how many men can be
transported overseas this year and
kept in supplies, considering that
the present overseas force is esti-
i
mlttee is inVestiga ting whether
Army inductions should be halted
until civilian manpower require
ments are determined
Senator Thomas. Democrat, OF
; Oklahoma, has revealed that Ad-
mlral Land has testified before Sen
!, ate committees that there was q
limit to the shipping possibilities
and Senator Thomas declared that
was primarily what the subcommit-
. tee wanted to determine.
: The Senate Military Affairs Com
| mIttee is expecting TO hear Secre-
J tary Of Agriculture Wickard anc
! ManpOWer Chairman McNutt to.
morrow on food and manpower re.
5 quirements. This committee IS als(
; investigating the size Of the armeC
S forces and the inroads it is making
: into the civilian labor force
/ The lgore-Pepper group aSSertet
: there are 'perSistcnt rumOTS" to The
, effect that some kind of top polio!
2 board is in the making to take "
/. policy questions. which previously
s have been fought out in the press
! on the floor Of Congress or before
} congressional committees
: "Hodgcpodge OF Authority"
e Such a policy board, they said
will be superimposed upon an al
o ready confused administrative
d hodgepodge of authority" and "ther
7 is no evidence that it viii be accom-
n panied by sweeping real!gnmen
:, of authority and responsibility be
X tween the various civilian agcncie
y which are ECW Shor -circuited b,
+ conflicting mandates.
Slightly modified from its favor
;. ably reported 77th Congress version
the KllQOre-Pepper measure provide
. for a director Of war mobilization t
: be IN charge Of procurement. pro
. ductlOn. manpOWer, economic sta
billZation and scientific mobilization
a Directly responsible to him, and, tn
Senators said, "geared together hk
; parts of a watch" would be Office
:, OF Production and Supply. Manpowe
Il Supply, Economic Sterilization an
y Scientific and Technical Mobillza
ton.
. At a press conference jhe con
!. greSSiOna! group. five Of whom ar
- chaImen Of committees inVestgat
; ing the war effort said the Amer
ican people could expect with tn
= pa aep of the bill: a. That bUsi
ncSs. Government officials farmer
and workers would be able 10 IN
derstaud exactly where they fl mt
The general picture: ID, subStantia
Government personnel and pape
work reductions. and tc) bottlenec
,f breaking operations.
e The bill is expected to be referre
lt 70 the Senate Labor and EducatiO
If Committee for hearings. and a com
II panlon measure will be introduced i
= the House by Representative Tolar
Democrat. of California it, was sair