Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-01-13
.WLb Plans New
Order Curbinq
Reconversion
Will Bor Machinery
For Peucetime
Manufacturing
BY the Associated Press.

The War Production Board
proposes shortly to emasculate
it's reconversion order allowing
advance production of machin-
cry and plant equipment for
peacetime manufacturing.
The action, expected within five or
six days, would wipe out the author
ity now granted machinery builders
to fill orders which lack military or
other priority standing.
Responsible officials revealed to-
day that the only equipment which
could be produced for peacetime use
would be printing trades machinery,
If the order is signed as now writ
| ten.
Second Gripping Blow.
This would deliver the second
Gripping blow to WPB's three-point
reconversion program, pushed to
adoption by former Chairman Dom
aid M. Nelson last summer after
bitter Army and Navy opposition.
The spot" plan for civilian goods
manufacture, another key element
OF Mr.. Nelson's program, was vir-
tually shelved yesterday when off,
Gals revealed that new curbs on
materials will permit only a COM
parative "driblet" of consumer out.
put through the spot" machinery.
While civilian production is un-
dergoing drastic trimming, WPB
and the armed forces now are
scheduling about s2,500O00, 900
worth of new weapons and supplies,
which will bring total 1945 arma-
ment output to about S65, 500 900 900,
WPB Chairman Krug revealed yes
terday.
Further bad news is in prospect
for manufacturers holding spot
authorizations, it was learned also,
WPB's industry divisions have been
asked to review authorizations al
ready granted and to cancel them
where relocation would not mean
hardship to the producing company.
Yesterdays clampdown on ma
terials did not cancel authorizations
previously made. Such revocations
as may hereafter come, it was pre-
dicted, could not be ordered within
the next 30 days.
The new machinery order will bar
producers until further notice from
, fitting into their production sched-
ules any orders which lack priority
ratings.
n This will mean that manufac-
, turers of automobiles, refrigerators
and other consumer goods who
hoped to lay out their plants and
i production lines in advance in
r preparation for quick reconversion
when Germany collapses will be
, unable for the present to go ahead.
Machinery Affected.
The machinery affected includes
general industrial equipment, cleo
trio motors and generators. plants,
elevators and escalators. conveying
machinery, mechanical power trans
mission equipment. electric motor
controllers, resistance welding equip
ment, and logging, lumber and wood
products machinery and equipment.
1t will not apply to machine tools,
however, since war orders must be
filled ahead of nonpriority orders.
Machine tool makers probably won't
be able to deliver many tools until
the needs of the Army's expanded
she'll program and other munitions
; requirements are met" one official
T said.
; The order undergoing revision
) originally was popularity called the
machine tool order" but control over
machine tools was transferred to
another regulation permitting the
placement and delivery of nonpri-
ority orders.
They will still be able to place
orders for delivery on when pos