The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-03-29
"Delay And Indecision"

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The Presidents political friends are again
telling him the facts about one OF the Ao-
ninistration's acutest shortcomings.
They are telling him that the Adm1nis'1a-
tion's persistent weakness-delay, ndeci-
sion and overlapping authority-H storing
nm a terrific problem for the Government
in surplus-property disposal
This is the expression OF the OPINION OIL 'iie
Senate War Investigating Committee, as quot
ed by Roscoe Drummond OF the Chrlsuah
Science Monitor Washington staff. Mr.. Drum
mond adds that the report OF the conlml'tee
in which this view is expressed was written
NV Senator Carl Hatch, democrat OF new
MEXICO. land can, therefore, be taken as the
considered finding of a friend, not as an ex-
aogerated charge of a political enemy
Although the specific reference is to the
administrations attitude toward surplus prop
erty disposal, the same thing might well be
said of its attitude toward many other major
nroblems From the beginning Of the present
dvnastv there has been irrefutahe evidence
of delav indecision and overlapping authorl-
ty.
Returning 10 Cle 11otSiA 1SPoAt, ~ PoAAAts
out that much time was wasted after passage
of the Surplus Property Act before the Sur
plus Property Board was appointed, and the
s'board is still in the process OF organizing"
ITO date the report states, 1t has not
announced either a statement OF policies or
2 plan of organization Such delay may result
in as chaotic situation as we had at the end
of the last world war"
Because there was unlimited bungling then,
the committee is trying, it would seem, to
help the administration avoid a similar situa
ton when this war is ended. 1t offers four
for guiding the disposal pro-
gram, which will affect billions OF dollars OF
taxpayers money, They are:
l. Speed, because large quantities Of
surplus goods are a constant threat to
existing markets. This does not neceSsarl-
ly mean that SURPRISES must be dumped
on the market with disastrous results, but
it does mean that definite policy OF dis
posal on which the public can rely in the
future must be announced and be put
into effect at once
2. Simplicity of organization so that the
very multiplicity of agencies will not
make it easier for insiders and others
with special privileges to operate.
8. Extreme care in selection Of person
mel to prevent leakage of information.
T. Immediate and wide publicity for i'm
pending and concluded sales.
The committee has been at work for the
better part of two years. Its findings cannot
be considered as the product of snap judg-
mant. Rather they are the result of pains
taking inquiry, and are not to be shrugged
off the administrators shoulders. The COM
mittee says that it visited various depots
and warehouses and learned that while
considerable thought was being given by
individual officers and officials to the
problems of surplus disposal, tn various
groups were by no means in accord and
were wholly without the benefit Of any guild
ance through correlating central agency.
They were unable to take action to move
surplus inventories because they lacked in.
structons from their superiors
Mine war agencies were in possession OF
SURPRISES. These included the War Depart
ment, the Navy Department, the Reconstruct
ton Finance Corporation and its subsidiaries,
the Treasury Department Procurement Dlvi-
sion the Maritime Commission, the Foreign
Economic Administration, the Federal Works
Agency, the National Housing Agency, and
War Food Administration. In addition, a great
number of war plants were in possession OF
surplus accruing under cost-plus contracts,
and they were disposing of this in one way
or another. major problem concerned the
deterioration of many spoiage items, either
through failure to warehouse these properly
or, in the case of more durable items, through
neglect to potect these from the weather.
1.-THE committee found a number Of cases
of toodstuffs which had been permitted to
spoil and Of machinery and materials left
out in the open to rust over a long period
Of time
Because several Of the agencies enumerat-
e.. in the report tried to make direct disposal
OF surplus materials, it is obvious that there
should be an overall policy and a central
administration for handling surplus property,
the report says.
The senators who participated in the work
of the committee are to be commended for
their plain speaking. That the report will eff
feet reform IF administration methods is
almost too much to hope for. But surely the
White House would improve its standing