The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1944-07-13
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
:. Washington, D. C.

WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
:. Washington, D. C.
The press gave notice a few weeks
ago Of the installation Of a swarm
of bees in the office of a government
agency. 1t was in the Smaller Wal
Plants corporation. and it was
placed there by that ball-of-fire, up
and-doer, wounded and decorated in
the last war, defeated for reelec-
ton to congress, and ex-mayor of
San Antonio, Texas, .Maury Maver-
lex. He said he got the bees to pro-
vide a living example of how to keep
busy.
I thought the gesture amusing.
typical of the dramatically inclined
Maury. So I went down to look the
scene over, noted certain subsequent
events and I decided that the ges-
ture, although amusing enough. was
by no means an empty one. For
within one week, something hap
pened, the significance of which has
been all too little appreciated. Re-
conversion began and the long stag
nant tide turned in favor of little
business.
1t is only a trickle so far, but the
flow has started, which, it is hoped,
will eventually get the wheels of
small business. which had been
slowed down past the danger point,
moving again in the manufacture of
civilian goods.
Less than a month before, Maury
Maverick, armed with a series of
charts. had appeared before a con-
gressional committee and said:
Concentration of production in
the hands Of big business has grown
by leaps and bounds since 1885,"
Using the metal trades as an ex-
ample, he said:
Since the war started, the proper
tionate share Of little business in
metal products industries has rough
ly been cut in half"
Still later, just before the bees Cor
whatever it was) stung the govern
ment to action, Mr.. Maverick be-
came more pessimistic. He told
congress:
THE mobilization of small bust
ness has reached the critical stage
the civilian economy is short
Of civilian goods and getting short
er dangerous inHationary pres
sures cutbacks in war contracts
are causing unemployment"
1t was a gloomy picture MI. Nav
erick painted. His office had worked
hard. the congressional committees
on small business had worked hard,
but the War Production board turned
a deaf ear to all demands on the
basis that any resumption of civil
ian production might interfere with
the war effort.
Mavericks Work Rewarded
Then at last the leaven began to
work-the whole argument of the de-
tenders of little business, based on
the assertion that certain industries
could De resumed without interior
ing with the war effort, touched the
iron heart Of Donald Nelson, head
Of the WPB (of which Maury is a
vice chairman). Nelson arose and
announced 1.-The first of a series of
moves" and suddenly the whole tide
turned and an entirely different at
titude was evident on the part of
the other members Of the War Pro-
duction board.
This first of a series of moves
takes away some of the restrictions
on the use Of aluminium and mag.
nesium.
But do not visualize a fountain of
pots and pans, skillets and coffee
pots sp%ringing into being overnight.
Something is cooking but it is on a
slow fire.
More important is the not-yet-pro-
claimed raising of restrictions which
have been keeping idle and excess
inventories Of SURPRISES Of steel" ly-
ing dormant, impotent and useless,
while small plants have the yearn-
ing facilities and willing manpower
equally idle and capable of convert
ing these "surpluses" into thousands
Of gadgets the consumer badly
needs. Perhaps by the time this
appears in print. the WPB will have
issued an order raising some of the
restrictions on this vital product.
But all this takes time. Meetings
have been taking place for the past
weeks and the WPB is gradually
coming around to the Smaller War
Plants corporations views and the
insistent hammer on their doors by
conscientious congressman.
As to the aluminium situation,
as this is written, the present
order is yet to be clarified. Stems