Evening star., 1943-02-04
.Wpb kenaced
By lis Worst
Internal Row

Nelson Muy Have 70
Choose Between
Wilson, Eberstodt
BY JAMES 7. NEWTON.
Chairman Donald N. Nelson
today faced one Of the grAvest
crises In the year-old history Of
the War Production Board, oao
that threatened to split the or
ganization wide open, involving
q jurisdictional dispute between
two strong men Of WPB. Vice
Chairmen Charles =. Wilson and
Ferdinand Eberstadt.
Mr.. Nelson's problem involNod
making Z decision % to methods
Of handling war-production orders,
whether to follow the Wilson way
or the method put forward By 1lr.
Eberstadt.
Meanwhile. Z stable portion q
American industry was reportsd in .
ssSAAAVn 10 1Co01t "a Hk10t W08
described ~ conl1icting nrg1e5s ffom
WPB.
Nay Shift Functisns.
In the effort to untansle the sits1a.
ton, Mr.. Nelson was reported 70 %
considering removing some q
WIPES industry branches from tho
jurisdiction Of Mr.. xberstadt, the
omcial In charge Of materials dip-
tribution, to the shop of 1r..Vvtl.
son, the production vice cl1airman.
The WPB chairman, It was said
was prepared to transfer the tHo
divisions which handle general II.
dustrial equipment and mnclstno
tools to Mr.. Wilson.
The crisis was precipitated ~ the
unpublished action of .Nr. Wilsou
IN fixing . deadline Of rehruaey0 9
Tor placement Of war orders invo3y.
Ing any of "a critical comnoneays
used In production Of rubber. e6eoro
vessels, hieh-octane gasoaine, usee.
chant shipping and aircraft.
Psiseities Endaagsrea,
Mr.. Wilson, January 70. reQuseted
Government procurement aasnc1oo
to instruct their contractor q p1aco
Al orders Tor materials used IN max.
ing the ccmponents tor the frat Hi
Of the year BY Saturday a 1ace, II
loss Of their priorities standine.
Mr.. Wilson's action ms said u
have caused confusion In many yav
plants, since By tlse time hi ord1a
cleared procurement AGENCIES
(Army, Navy, Maritime Coa1pAeGaon,
rubber director, etc.), manu1ae.
turers had only 10 days n Whieh
70 comply. IN soame plAntA & ~
said, It was neceaaAxy q, - enaa4
neerS and other tochuic1l help. ~
forder CLERKS "a ineSt Is dea1ruo
Hundreds Of protests poured int
WPB - . result.
| In his duties - . pruduc&jou vic1
FchAtrman Ar. WilSou rocent1y ~
given the ~ o. eehoddatne orGnr1
for the critical c6unpon6nts VIII VI
plants. In doing that It was heooe.
safy for him 70 cut into tn turtg.
diction Of Mr.. Eberstadt, Who con.
trolls the now Of materials.
Protests hy Industry.
| Manufacturers protested tlssy az
not have sumcient nottce e tn
Wilson order. Since instructions a
the order we're sent out by u d1ls
ferent procurement ar ''claiuauts
agencies. apparently iustruct1on1
differed widely. One high c(n6at
SAID the order was not aceouapaatoi
BY . clear explanation for II
necessity Of the action, thus egUat.
ing moro confusion.
TITS impossible for most manu-.
facturers to meet those dates.~ 80
the spokesman for o0e laxeo iudvv.
trial association, who asfned TIT
hts name b withheld. we s,rnralI
cannot know BY that time what "a
requirements for the NEXT M
months viii Be. Producers haudlina
tanks and aircraft and . fsv Go
longtime programs can d H.: bul
the majority Of other naeuufaetan.
ers can't.
The confusion y terrinc. fM
been calling WPB myself and Im
learned that telephone calls and
kilograms are pouring into Wp1
from al parts of the country.
W1lssnss Pwpsss.
This industry representative said
q least one q WPns industry divis
saons-which an responsible "a.
na1n1strattvely 70 llr. Xber3tadt. uol
NJ. WilDon-hAd told QuestjouerS'fa
Throw the thing In the wasfe -.
ket" and disreGard 1t.
He expressed sympathy. howav.,
with Mr.. Wilsons intmfaon-vhtch
ne said was to Get elear 49, a
the demand fcr the -critacal -.
ponents" from the Manufactme
order books, schedule output IL fha
most e6lcient fashion, and .ffoG1es
the schedules 20 that preductjou
would not Be interrupted y nv
incoming orders carrying hia3s9
priority standing. 80,
It was learned that Mr.. Wilson Be.
lieves 1t necessary for some ors al
OF the approximately 80 industry a.
visions Of WPB to be responsihle Il
him II he Is to accomplish his tai
OF speeding production; and that h
believes the Facilities Clearance
Board. which passes ON new p1ant
projects. should also be In hii. jur1e.
diction instead Of Mr.. EherStadt'S.
Eberstadt "Dy-Passod.s
These jurisdictionA questions IN
Of several months standing, and Nr
Wilson's new request apparently ID.
passed Mr.. Eberstadt completely. Il
was addressed to industry throaaei
other Government agencies rathes
than through the normal channels
the WPB Industry Divisions.
Mr.. Wilson'S letter carried tM
explanation that In order to ii.
crease production Of the CON.
ponents by better scheduling, Il /.
was necessary to know the lol3 de.
mand; that II had been found I'm.
possible In - majority Of cases" Il
get this from the claimant agencies