Evening star., 1944-07-07
Significant Issue

1t is not altogether clear why six
OF the eight vice chairmen OF the
War Production Board, led by Exec
utive Vice Chairman Charles E. Will
son, are blocking action on Chair
man Donald M. Nelson's decision to
relax restrictions on certain mate
rails in order to permit industries
to begin preparing for reconversion.
The development comes as a sur
prise, because when Mr.. Nelson an
noMced the plan three weeks ago,
there was no hint Of split and it
could be presumed that the board
as a whole was in agreement.
The suspended plan involves three
measures-f1rst, to permit any man.
ufacturer to acquire enough equip
ment to make a single working
model of any product designed for
postwar output; second, to allow pro-
ducers to fabricate magnesium and
aluminium into civilian goods, and
third, to let all industries buy ma
chinery, tools and dies for the manu-
facture OF nonwar articles. The
War Department, 1t is true, has ap-
parently been opposed to it from the
start, but Mr.. Nelson has given
strong assurances that the relaxa-
ton would operate only in cases
where there could be no possible
interference with military produc-
ton or with the supply OF manpower
needed to fill essential jobs.
In the circumstances. it seems a
reasonable assumption that the dis
pute within the WPB revolves. at
least In part. around the fact that
Mr.. Nelson's plan would tend to give
new and old nonwar enterprises a
competitive advantage over estab-
lished manufacturers whose war
contracts keep them from resuming
peacetime production. If this is the
real basis of the split, it raises a
highly important issue. and one
which must be settled without delay
If we are to have an intelligent ap-
proach to the problem of reconver-
sion. Mr.. Nelson has made his own
position unequivocal:
The country cannot afford to delay
the return to civilian production until
all manufacturers in each industry
have terminated their essential war
work and are in a position to re-
sumo production at the same time.
II, without interference with
the war effort, we can give a manu-
facturer in a noncritical manpower
area materials and parts to resume
the production of things the civilian
economy needs, it Is to the public
Interest that we do so without watt
ing. I see no other way In
which large-scale unemployment can
be averted. The progressive lifting
OF WPB restrictions may also result
in the production of civilian items bv
concerns which did not produce such
Items before the war . If the
Government were to attempt to pre-
vent new competition, there would
clearly be grave danger of shackling
the country with regimented econ
omy for a long while to come.
do not believe democracy can long
exist or that the traditional liberties
OF America can long be maintained
II new competition is forbidden.
Mr.. Nelson's point of view is much
the same as that contained in the
Baruch-Hancock report on demobi-
lization. 1t is powerful argument
against any delay, for any reason,
apart from the war, in preparing for
the gigantic task of reconversion.
Whether his opposition has an effec-
tive answer remains to be seen. In
any event, the issue involved is of
sufficient significance to require
prompt Qualification and settlement