Evening star., 1945-04-28
|WpB 70 Clear Way
For Civilian Output
by Easing IS Controls

i d = Il
To clear the decks for In
creased output Of civilian goods.
the War Production Board today
prepared to lift shout 65 Of its
500 controls on industry within
the next week or 10 days.
The orders will be revoked at the
rate Of perhaps 10 = day, WIPE
spokesmen said, 10 keep up with
armament cutbacks already an
nounced and others expected before
We day.
This disclosure followed the Ma
tion-wide restoration last night Of
the "spot" plan for civilian goods
manufacture by order Of WPBl
Chairman j. A. Krug.
The spot plAn--under which
plants may resume civilian manfac-
ture by proving they have men and
machines not needed Tor war-has
been suspended for months In 1877
major industrial centers where Ia
Dor scarcities prevailed.
Drops waiting Period"
Mr., Krug's action win enable ad-
ditional manufacturers to make
consumer items Is soon as materials
and manpower are freed by the can
collation. Of Army and Navy orders
for weapons and supplies.
Some $700, ,0o0. 600 worth of spot"
civilian production already has been
authorized, although the program
was curtailed for nanpower reasons
1T the time of last winters mill
tary reyerses.
Resumption OF "spot" manufac-
turing and the planned revocation
Of industrial controls are WIPES
first major moves In its announced
effort to get partial reconversion
program In motion. timed with the
gradual curtailment of military pro-
duction to q one-front war basis. 4
In its anxiety to forestaH plant
shutdowns and unemployment when
war contracts are Cancelled, WPB
has suspended its rule requiring a
72-hour waiting period" before
orders are wiped OF the books.
Retain Some Restrictions.
Ofncials refused to disclose which
of the controls on civilian production
are to be scrapped In the next few
days, but stated they are mot among
the most important" orders on the
books.
This made it clear that such re-
strictions as those prohibiting auto
mobile and refrigerator production
will not be dropped until materials
and parts are in more plentiful
supply.
Not until three or four months
after We day, it was estimated, will
WPB rid industry Of all the 350-odd
orders which are to be revoked q
the country settles into the produc-
ton pace needed for lighting Japan
alone. t..-
The remaining $50 orders OF the
500 now In effect viii be retained
possibly until vi day, it was pre-
dicted. They restrict production Of
articles made Of paper, lumber,
chemicals, textiles. rubber and some
other materials which will be scarce
until final victory Is won.
Aluminium Amendment.
For the time being, moreover. pro-
duction Of consumer goods viii be
limited by WIPES rationins OF ma
terials. The dropping OF produoV
ton bans win therefore not be felt
appreciahly until this allecAtinn ma
chinery-w1ich governs steel, cop
per and aluminum-is relaxed.
The relaxation will be accom-
plished by permitting steel, copper
and aluminium producers to Ill non-
priority civilian order1 after they
have met their oblig4taons to the
Army and the Navy.
The controlled mateyialaplars the
machinery under which theoe eaefals
now are rationed among military
and civilian users. viii be 50 amend
ed for aluminium within . few days.
it was predicted. Copper may follow
in q matter, Of weeks and steel mills
will be similarly released sometime
after We day.
This will create q free" supply Of
basic metals, enabling manufactur.
ers to 60 ahead with the civilian
goods production authorized either
under the spot" plan or by the
lifting Of the control orders.
Until that time, civilian producers
will have to use such idle and sur
plus materials as they find available.