Evening star., 1943-01-20
Col. Johnson 10 Head
smaller War Plants
Corp. Within Week
Board Choirmun Holland
Urged to Remain in
Post Of Chief Deputy
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Lou E. Holland, board chair.
man Of the Smaller War Plant.
Corp. and deputy chairman o.
the War Production Board il
charge Of its Smaller War Plants
Division, will be replaced within
a week by Col. Robert johnson
commander Of the New York
ordnance district.
1t was disclosed today that Wal
Production Chief Donald M. Nelson
at whose request President Roose.
velt made the change, hopes" Mr.
Holland will remain as chief deputy
to Col Johnson.
Mr.. Holland had not disclosed to-
day whether he would stay. Through
his office in the Raleigh Hotel, he
made only this comment: Il came
to Washington to fight the battle
for small business, and I intend to
continue until that battle is won.
The switch came as surprise
when 1t was announced at the White
House late yesterday. While changes
in the corporations board had been
expected for some time, the replace
ment Of Mr. Holland had not been
mentioned in official circles.
Speedup Sought.
The change, it was indicated at
WPB, came in an effort to speed up
the work of the two organizations
which Mr.. Holland has headed since
their inception last summer. A
spokesman recalled that Senate and
House Small Business Committees
had criticised the machinery which
Congress set up to help plants OBJ
tain war contracts. The twin or
ganizations, the corporation and the
WPB division, were charged with
slowness in getting started and with
falling to accomplish enough since
they got under way. Only Monday,
Chairman Murray of the Senate
Small Business Committee, in a
report to the Senate, said that, while
shortages Of materials had hampered
small producers and manufacturers,
this was no excuse" for the failure
of Mr.. Hollands organization to
achieve more.
Senator Murray said he was happy
to learn that Col. Johnson had been
named to head the corporation and
the WPB division. adding that the
Army officer would bring invaluable
experience gained in War Depart
ment procurement. The Montana
Senator said he also had a high re-
gard for Mr.. Holland, remarking:
HE undertook a stupendous task
and I believe he was making head
way with the effort"
Mr.. Holland, on the other hand,
seemed to make good impression
at his several appearances before
both committees, judging from eX-
pressions from members afterward.
He insisted that the WPB division
and the corporation were hampered
at first by lack Of proper directives
giving them sufficient authority and
that organizing field forces to aid
small business was a slow and diff
cult job
Mr.. Holland, apparently with no
thought of reSigning, issued a state
ment Monday saying that more than
81 000,000.000 in Army contracts had
been placed in the last two months
with firms employing from S to 500
persons each. He attributed this
showing to the full support being
given by the procurement agencies
of the Army to the principles estab-
nshed by the smaller war plants
division"
Requested by Nelson.
The White House announcement,
not mentioning Mr.. Holland, merely
said that the President, at the re-
quest of Mr.. Nelson, had asked the
Army to assign Col. Johnson to WPB
to become a vice chairman and also
to act as chairman of the Smaller
War Plants Corp. Mr.. Holland, as
head of the WPB Smaller War
Plants Division, has been a deputy
chairman. Raising the post to a
vice craftsmanship, it was indicated
at WPB. connotes that small susi-
ness is being given added impor-
tance.
The announcement caught most
officials at WPB and even at the
Smaller War Plants Corp. by sur
prise. Mr.. Holland and Col, john
son conferred with Mr.. Nelson yes
terday. it was learned.
The two smau-buSiness organlza-
tions are correlated, though sep
arate. The WPB division is charged
with bringing together productive
facilities and Government procure
ment officers. so that smaller firm:
NAV obtain war contracts, convert
ing machinery if necessary ant
feasible. The corporation advances
funds to under-financed concerns.
Col. johnson, 40. in civil life i
president of johnson & johnson, tn
surgical supply manufacturer. HI
has headed the company since 1873:
and also is chairman Of its board
He was commissioned in the Arm,
last summer. His home is at Prince
ton, N. j.
Mr. Holland is a small bushes
man from Kansas City and ha
been prominent in civic and adver
tising organizations. He organize'
one of the earliest pools formed 0
a score Of small manufacturers I
turn out war orders.
--~~~-----------~---------
xsynQssssDSszsssssgssesspS