Evening star., 1943-02-19
Nelson Gives Wilson
Green Light on
WPB Control
Executive Vice Chairman
Gets Power Over All
Personnel in Agency
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Charles E. Wilson, just ap-
pointed executive vice chairman
of the War Production Board,
had the green light" today to
take over complete control of the
multifarious activities of the War
Production Board, subject only to
'the policies and direction" of
Chairman Donald M. Nelson.
Mr.. Nelson issued an administra-
tion order last night giving Mr.. Will
son sweeping powers over all the
organizations within WPB and their
personnel-poWers no one except
Mr.. Nelson has had before.
The order said the executive vice
chairman had authority to appoint
the personnel, to establish the in
ternal organization and to define
the functions and responsibilities
Of the units under his control. The
units include the Smaller War
Plants Corp, though the order said
that, in accordance with the act
OF Congress setting up this agency,
the chairman would continue to ap-
point its directors.
Sign and Issue Orders"
Mr.. Wilson is authorized to Sign
| and issue directives and general
orders and to act as chairman in
the absence or disability of Mr.. Nell
son. Before entering WPB several
months ago, Mr. Wilson was board
chairman of the General Elec-
tric Co.
Mr.. Nelson's administrative order
was issued amid reports that furthe,
changes in the executive setup and
policies of WPB would follow .he
upheaval earlier in the week which
led to the ousting of Ferdinand
Eberstadt, vice chairman of WPB
and the resignation of Lou E. Hol.
land, deputy chairman of WPB anc
former chairman of the Smaller
war Plants Corp, and head of the
WPB Smaller War Plants Division
Mr.. Nelson Cancelled a press con
ference which he and Mr.. Wilson
had scheduled jointly for yesterday
afternoon.
There was no official explanation
for the failure of the two chic
executives to receive the press a
that time, but it reported from al
authoritative source that Mr.. Mel
son still had important decisions
to make and would not be ready t.
parry the questions of ;nquisitiv
, reporters until some of these mat
ters had been settled.
Important Post for Bait.
1t also was indicated that William
l. Bait. a vice chairman of WPI
without specific duties except to &C
as a general liaison officer, will b.
placed in charge of the Controlled
Materials Plan.
| While Mr.. Wilson, formerly il
: charge of production, now control
both production and materials, i
! was considered likely today that tn
= operation of the Controlled Ma
terials Plan, which replaced the oil
prioritieS system, would be dele
gated to Mr.. Bait, with Mr.. Wilson
exercising general supervision.
] Since his new appointment MI
, Wilson mas issued a statement eX
2 pressing confidence in the plan a
= applied to critical materials "Whel
= co-Ordlnated with a realistic sched
J uling operation" No basic change
in the procedure are planned h
. said, though there may be mino
? changes. AT no time he added
e was the Controlled Materials Plal
a subject Of conflict between tn
S Army, Navy and WPB."
|, Mr. EbeTstadt came to WPB from
t the Army-Navy Munitions Boar
and has been regarded as the advo
cate Of the armed services in thei
fight with WPB for control Of mill
tary and naval production Hi
ousting was regarded by Under
secretary of War Patterson ant
Navy Undersecretary Forresta
members of the War Production
Board, as victory for civilian
. supervision and slap at them, i
was learned
), In announcing he had named MI
6 Wilson executive vice chairman ant
. had asked for Mr.. Eberstadt's resig
: nation, Mr.. Nelson said he felt tina
j control of productions and material
should be under single head.