The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-26

| interim, organi- zation is disrupted, manpower drifts to other jobs. And when the new contract is received, this company has to build up its organization again.
 It is Mir. Wilson's theory that in these between-c contract periods, manufacturers should be permitted to "chink-in" production of civil ian goods-subject only to man. power shortages in the area and other military requirements - SO that when new military orders are placed, contractors vii have their working forces together and be able to swing in on new war production with greater facility. wilson's fur ther argument is that the "chinked- in" civilian production thus obtain ed will help llfl the pipeline of sup ply and enable business to avoid the three-to-six months delay which will inevitably result if every one is forced to wait and convert at the same time.
 DRAMATIC SESSION
 Wilson presented his ideas before a special session of the Senate,s Truman committee Investigating the war effort. In many ways 1t was a dramatic session. War Production Chairman Donald M. Nelson was first to testify, explaining steps his organization had taken to deal with cancellation of war production re- strictions and reconversion in the aluminium and magnesium industry. Nelson reduced the issue to the sim pie example of prohibiting the pro- duction of non essential items like aluminium cocktail shakers as long as there was a shortage of more essential aluminium pots and pans
 After Nelson came Wilson and Vice President George R. Gibbons of Aluminium Company, and finally R. s. Reynolds, president of Reyn- olds Metals, who in 1889 entered the aluminium production field in competition to Alcoa. What the Truman committee was driving at was the earliest possible relaxing of controls over the aluminium and magnesium industries, so that pri- vate business might take the initia- tive in reconversion and show what postwar use coul abe made of the light metals. now in surplus pro- duction and facing further heavy cutbacks. Before the three-hour hearing hearing was over Reynolds and the Aluminium company off, cials, facing each other as competi- tors. had gfiven fantastic picture of what the long-predicted light metals revolution might mean for American industry.
 DIVISION OF INDUSTRY
 SOUGHT
 MT. Reynolds main point, how ever, was with regard to peace- time utilization of government own ed magnesium and aluminium plants ] Reynolds made the plea for gov- ernment leasing of these plants to private business. and for the crea- ton of a third major producing company to share the business which his company and the Alu- minum company now hold ex- clusively. Reynolds suggested that a major user of light metals-such as Henry Ford or the entire auto- mobile industry-become the third producer. His reason for seeking division of the industry was so that there could be no possible postwar danger of a monopolistic price increase.
 This was bold proposal to make in public before Senate commit tee. and the Truman group was ob- viously impressed. It is. however, a long-range program requiring a major decision in domestic economy policy. Before 1t can be settled there is the more immediate prob- lem of making sure this revolution in light metal usage is not defeated by government war restrictions kept on so long and so tight that they delay reconversion. or released so soon they cause war production to break down.
 WIPE Chairman Nelson is inclined to move slowly, fearing new war de- mands and lack of manpower to permit even "chink-in" production | too soon,