Evening star., 1943-02-21
Congress and Labor
Go 10 Nelson's S Aid;
Truce Reported
WPB Chief Warns of
Danger in Conflicts
In Baltimore Speech
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Continued From First Page.)
matters Of the WPB. Mr.. Murray
was said to have appealed to the
White House to retain Mr.. Nelson.
Members OF the Senate War In
vestigating Committee, headed by
Senator Truman, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,, were said to have urged in
dividually the retention of Mr.. Mel
son. Senator Kilgore. Democrat. of
West Virginia, away from the city
on committee business. was said to
have wired the President in support
OF Mr.. Nelson. 1t was understood
the committee members feel that
Mr.. Nelson's work is satisfactory and
see no reason for change at this
time.
Chairman Murray of the Senate
Small Business Committee declared
that while he had made no appeal
to the President, he was strongly
In favor of retaining both Mr.. Mel
son and Mr. Wilson. He declared
that he would oppose any attempt
to oust the WPB chairman.
Il think that Nelson is sincere,
energetic and is really accomplish
ing things" Senator Murray said
ut certainly would be a mistake to
replace him now when he is reallv
doing things"
Senator Murray declared that Mr..
Nelson had shown strong sympathy
with the efforts of his committee to
help small business play a more i'm
portant role in the war, and that
he felt the newly reorganized
Smaller War Plants Corp. now is in
q position ito really go to town for
u.s."
IF the issue between WPB and
the military reaches the point where
1t will be necessary for either Mel
son and Wilson or Forrestal and
Patterson to resign" Senator Muir
ray said there was no doubt in his
mind as to which pair should leave
Il would let the undersecretaries
get out"
Opposes Eberstadt's Return.
The Senator declared he liked the
new WPB setup with Mr. Wilson in
the operational job and Mr.. Nelson
in the policy position. He said it
would be great mistake to bring
back Eberstadt."
A report was heard from the
White House that Bernard M. Ba-
ruch, the elder statesman" who
headed the War Industries Board
in the last war, would be brought
in by President Roosevelt as "arbi-
ter" to iron out the differences not
only between WPB and the armed
services, but between the Govern
ment's many 'czars." In this ca
pacity, Mr.. Baruch presumably would
either occupy a position of assistant
president" similar to that of Sta
bilization Director James F. Byrnes,
or would head a new super agency
to deal with all war production and
home front problems.
Whether this was a trial bal
loon" or a proposal under serious
consideration could not be ascer-
tanned The plan, as mentioned
In "a White House quarter which
cannot be further identified pub
licly, would shift to Mr.. Baruch
certain of the responsibility which
Mr.. Nelson now wields by himself
Army and Navy officials are
known to have a high regard for
Mr.. Baruch. He filled a similar
shooting role as chairman Of
the Rubber Investigating Commit
tee whose report helped to resolve
the controversy over Nationwide
gasoline rationing and led to the
setting up of a rubber administra-
tor, William M. JefferS.
Denies Three Urged Custer.
The White House meanwhile took
occasion to deny published repre-
sentation that James F. Byrnes,
Samuel I. Rosenman and Harry
Hopkins, three of the Presidents
closest advisers, had urged Mr..
Roosevelt to remove Mr.. Nelson Will
liam D. Hassett, White House press
aide, told reporters:
Il am authorized to say that the
published statement that Justice
Byrnes, Judge Rosenman and Harry
Hopkins have urged the President to
remove Donald Nelson as chairman
of the War Production Board is ab-
solutely untrue"
Mr.. Nelson in Baltimore referred
to the conflict which led to MI
Eberstadt's dismissal as mot great
fight. AS to underlying principles,
there won't be any fight while
am on the job. Sometimes these
things are magnified. To me these
differences Of opinion are only
minor, differences of method When
you get strong men together you
get differences of method. Don't
believe the rumors of rift. On
my part, they are not true. When
] see evidences of pulling apart to
me it spells potential danger to our
p,,,- Fraala,,o