Imperial Valley press., 1944-08-25
ANOTHER INSIDE BUREAU
ROW AT WASHINGTON

There is revolt on in one of the new
deal alphabetical families in Washington
,and whatever help or value to the nation
in these critical times this bureau might
be, that help is gone. The row is all shot
through with the same venom that has
characterized the inside chickering's In this
part of the Presidents brood. Charges
and countercharges are being hurled and
dirty work at the cross roads, as the
villain used to he charged with in the
plays of a few decades ago, is hiSsed
about the capital.
This time it is the War Production
Board that Is steaming over. Its eXecu-
tive vice president, Charles f. Wilson of
the General Electric has resigned in
huff and isn't pulling his punches in ac-
cusations against his chief. Donald B.
Nelson, who is about to depart, under
Roosevelt's orders, on a deep, dark mys-
terious trip to China.
The row centers about set-ups for re-
conversion, and, by the way there prob
ably is no problem at hand of greater mo-
ment today than how this country is 60
ing to get back to everyday production
after the war.
Nelson has been engaged in a dispute
with the military over procedure and the
row has only helped to cloud the issue.
Nelson has been accorded the victory one
day, the army the next and in the mean
time definite and workable program has
made not the slightest progress. The
public the one to gain or lose by any
action taken can't even get rlng-s1de
seat for the scrap but must Just hang
around outside the arena and hope Tor
the best and wonder when, if ever, the ad-
ministration is going to get hep to itself
and quit playing politics and favorltes and
with an eye to the main chance IN count
ing votes that may or may not accrue to
the program if it ever Is worked out.
The main trouble, of course, is that
there are too many supposed to be IN
authority; too many bureaus and too
many chiefs who, after all have no more
power than the veriest outsider. 1t Is the
old trouble of the new deal chief naming
a competent person to take over, then
naming someone else whose so-called
powers and duties overlap the other one,
and in it all no one daring to propose
move that doesn't echo what the Presl-
dent wants And so the muddleS con-
tinue and grow and impair the workings
of any possible Set-up that may come,
miraculously, from such hodge-podge
of powers.
In the long twelve years of debating to
every agency and to cabinet members and
to congress the chief executive has put
some highly capable and successful men
in high positions. But he Immediately
has reduced them to the status of clerks
and seen them crucified when, left alone,
they could have rendered fine service to
the nation.
Today there are so many bureaus and
bureau chiefs in Washington, all running
in circles, that nobody knows anything
of what it all is about, and that seems to
be exactly what the new deal wants. Reg
ularly and often, and here there does
seem to be general agreement, they all
stick their hands into the peoples pockets
md pull out millions and billions to keep
this useful and disgraceful situation 60
ing.
Most of the blame for all these rum
muses. and the resultant damage to the
country lies with the President. Instead
of attempting TO get things en- sound
basis he constantly has permitted such
affairs as this now going on in WPB to
continue and increase.
True, he calls the belligerents to con-
ferences and counsels. Nov Bill and Joe
and Tom and Dick and Harry, you all
should stop this back-biting. Run along
now, and be good boys And next day
they are at it again and the next day