Evening star., 1943-01-02

their sole object -
Is to win the David Lawrence.
war.
The fact that authority is still
distributed instead of concentrated
and that directives or instructions
are issued from the White House or
In the name of the Chief Executive
which seem to supersede the wishes
OF other agencies, and sometimes
even the armed services, creates a
situation that cannot go on inde-
f1nitely.
Basically, the military men do not
feel that wartime is a season when
1t Is necessarily important to avoid
treading on anybody's toes. Yet,
from the civilian side, knowing that
political repercussions occur and are
reflected in Congress when arbitrary
power is used, there is a tendency
to ease up restrictions or at least to
try to soften the blows that most
everybody knows must fall on life
as-usual.
II the military and naval men
exhibit impatience over the way the
civilian part of the war job Is be-
ing executed, 1t is because they want
more and more production and they
want weapons and instruments of
war and equipment given first con-
slderation, no matter what the i'm
pact on civilian supply or needs
may be.
Choice Must Be Made.
Thus. for instance, the civilian or
non-combat population wants rub
Der tires as soon as possible. Gaso-
line rationing, when tied to rubber
conservation, made no big hit with
the people and finally the synthetic
rubber program was forced into a
raster tempo than before. And, vet,
IN the building of synthetic rubber
plants, many kinds of materials
needed by the armed services for
certain OF their weapons are likely
to be sidetracked. Which necessar-
lily should come first?
This same sort of choice has IN
be made again and again. If the
decision Is left to the Joint chiefs
OF stan, on which Admiral Leahv
Admiral King and Gen. Marshall sit
along with Gen. Arnold of the Air
Forces, the likelihood is that Capitol
Hill Will protest that the civilian
agencies are not insisting on the ex-
phclt control vested by executive or
der in Donald Nelson Just about a
year ago.
Then there are other executive
orders delegating to Mannouer
Commissioner McNutt or to PETROL
cum Administrator Ickes or to Rub
ner Administration Jefers or to
Food Administrator Wlckard and
also to Economic Stabllizer Bvrnes
multitude Of special powers, some
OF which can and do cross military
programs and have a direct bearing
on the way the war is being fought
Ihls war, more than any other in
our history, is war Of supplies and
the timing of deliveries, as well as
the ALLEGATION of materials, to the
various fighting fronts. The Pres
ldent tries to coordinate all this,
but he can't possibly do it all and
he cannot have more than the
falnest idea of how the multiplicity
OF powers can bog down the flow
OF stuff needed by the armed
services.
Inevitable Overlapping.
1t frequently is suggested that a
war cabinet or war board of an
overall nature be appointed. This
wouldn't cure the difficulty. The
real trouble is the failure of the
President to concentrate authorlv
and actually keep clear of his ad
mlnlstrators once he delegates
power to them. Also he has not
marked out the paths that each
should take, nor has he taken care
OF the inevitable overlapping with
which each administrator is con-
fronted every time he tackles his
Job.
Thus. again, the mobilization of
fuel and gasoline supplies is vested
In the Office of Petroleum Admin
istrator, and the task of rationing is
IN the OPA and the handling of
freight. with its priority rules, is
IN the Office Of Defense Trans
portation.
1t was assumed that Mr.. Nelson,
As head Of the War Production
Board, would take care of all these
things, but since his appointment
there have been a number of special
administrators appointed.
Back of all these civilian agencies
Is the mysterious lease lend admin
istration in which Harry Hopkins
plays a vital part. Talk on Capitol
Hill of an investigation of this
agency is disquieting, because it
probably means more, rather than
less, perplexities in handling our
relations with foreign governments.
The President is in this picture
constantly. it is said. and whoever
controls lease-lend really has the
decision as to how far the civilian
supply or our own armed services
will get in seeing their respective
requests handled
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