Evening star., 1944-08-25
WPB Intrigue BIomed
In Wilson Resignation
Writer Hits 'Socialistic Ideas
On Use of Surplus Property
By Dasid Laurence

Vii NV Va OoA PAoc
By David Laurence
Intrigue-that fostering sore which
has eaten like cancer into the Roose-
welt administration for several years
has finally upset the top men In the
War Production Board at . critical mo-
ment in the Nations history.
President Roosevelt, fohndering in
sea Of rumors and political pressures.
unable to make up his mind to clean
house in the top floor Of the War Pro-
duction Board and put 1t on an efI,ciept
basis, accepted the resignation Of
Charles e. Wilson after the latter had
pointedly referred to the dissension
inside the board
Whether Mr.. Roosevelt intends to
do anything now about the intrigue Is
not known but certainly he appears to-
have sided with the intriguers. What
it all boils down to is the fact that
certain New Dealers who Nave socialistic
ideas about using the surplus property
on production for use" basis in COM
petition with industry are finally in
control OF policy in the War Production
Board. They have schemed for months
to weaken Donald Nelson and to get
rid of Charles E. Wilson. They have
the ear Of the White House or some
body in the Presidents encourage who
has IN turn the ear of the President.
Members of Congress are frankly
amazed at the developments and, in
talking among themselves, say that for
some time they have been trying to get
at the bottom of the situation but have
not been able even in executive sessions
to get at the facts
Plot by Cabal Seen.
1t turns out now that the plot to get
Donald Nelson out of town was Matched
by some Of the ardent New Dealers
themselves and that their hope was to
get rid Of Charles E. Wilson by aggra-
waiting him into a resignation while
Donald Nelson was away in China. This
would mean the elevation Of some New
Dealer whom the cabal wanted to put
in power in the War Production Board.
The foregoing version of what has
just happened is one that Is current
among well-informed Senators on Cap
itol Hill, where there is a certain SYM
pathy with both Donald Nelson and
Charles E. Wilson, though there Is an
inclination to criticize Mr.. Nelson for
not getting rid of the intriguers long
ago.
This correspondent called attention to
the same kind of intrigue when Ferdi-
nand Eberstadt was summarily removed
last year as vice chairman by Donald
Nelson. The Government lost the serv-
ices then of one of the ablest young
men in the country. 1t was made to
appear that the friction was between
Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Eberstadt when, as
matter OF fact, the effort was to get
rid Of one executive from the business
world and then concentrate on the
other
Just what purpose is behind all the
intrigue is not clear except that vari-
Gus New Dealers have not been content
to stand idly by while such huge prop
critics as have been established In the
various war plants are available. A
controversy has been manufactured, for
instance, on the subject OF reconver-
sion and many members of Congress
have been enlisted In sort of drive
against Mr.. Wilson on the theory that
he would favor slow process Of recon-
version In which small businesses would
be denied an opportunity to get som.
OF the plants In the surplus property
pool.
Pressure by Letters.
1t Is understood that a considerable
amount of pressure on the White House
was exerted by stimulating telegram,
and letters from small businessmen
throughout the country, who were TOLD
that Mr.. Wilson was inimical to their
interests. As matter Of fact, the lat
ter was endeavoring to carry out what
he thought was the desire of the Army
and Navy to prevent disintegration OF
the war effort through too sudden a
conversion
| The success of the little group whom
Mr.. Wilson charges with provoking dis
sension and which group Mr.. Nelson
refused to dislodse-possibly because he
was afraid of them himself-seems to
be assured. They have already picked
out as Mr.. Wilson's successor a stancb
New Dealer, namely, Julius A. Krup.
who was the chief power engineer for
the Tennessee Valley Authority and has
been director general of priorities and
vice chairman in charge of WPB's pro-
gram division for the last two Years.
Mr.. Krug is one of the Wisconsin
group who believed strongly in the
IVA idea. Private utility executives.
however, speak highly of his integrity.
They think that he is the type of man
who, while possessed of a certain rad
ical philosophy, does not endeavor to
achieve its execution by unfair means,
The Army and Navy had complete
confidence in Mr.. Eberstadt and later
felt the same way about Charles E.
Wilson. They are represented as feel
ing now that Mr.. Krug can be depended
on to take care of the Army and Navy
viewpoint in the War Production
Board
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