The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-03-16
Struggle To Coordinate
The New York Mmes.)
By ARTHUR KROCK

WASHINGTON March IA recurring oen-
dencv of the huge and sprawling organization
Of the American war program has been to
develop independent commitments by nu1ner-
Gus agencies commitments which IN sum
more often than not were either in excess
If slpply or beyond safe reserve Tor 90
mestic consumption. Administrators a
boards, deriving overlapping authorizes from
a criss-cross of executive orders and statues,
have made conflicting pledges and sometimes
on the very point Of dangerous shortages.
It was in recognition of this persistent ten
dency of the Government that Mr.. Byrnes,
director of OWMR, used the powers granted
him by Congress to appoint the new board,
headed by Administrator Crowley OF FEA.
This board, placed at the top OF all agencies
which make commitments for foreign SHIP
ment was ordered by Mr.. Byrnes to balance
the task of promoting military and related
war activities, to the height Of our national
powers, with the needs of our domestic econ
omy Serious food shortages, the consequence
of military requisition and other demands OF
elobal war. were Immediately responsible for
this latest effort to apportion our resources
in accordance with a more orderly plan that,
while denying nothing essential to the Army
and the Navy, will take into account basic
requirements Of the population at home.
Such moves as this always seem extraor-
binary for two reasons: they usually are made
long after the necessity for making them has
been stressed by many; and they follow the
same pattern OF a super-board over previous
super-boards The war administration from the
beginning has been built on the model of
Pelion- on-Ossa, and now the pyramid of ov-
erlaying authorities reaches to the sky.
On cause for this type OF structure IS to
be found in government by executive order,
and only today the Senate heard a request
for funds to investigate the legality OF many
of these. Another cause is the Presidents
predilection-in the words of one of his friend
Hest associates long ago ito appoint four
men to do the work Of one or one man to
do the work of four But part of the reason
can be laid to the door of Congress, which
has sanctioned in numerous war statutes Ian
guage loose enough to be construed conflict
ingly by many of the administrators it has
created.
Before the American delegation went to the
recent conference at Mexico City the problem
Of overlapping foreign commitments was
brought up by Mr.. Crowley. In a meeting
that included some officials who would be ex-
pected by the Latin-American nations to make
definite statements about postwar econom-
ic program for this hemisphere Mr.. Crowley
pointed out the limitations on pledges in the
functions assigned to FEA and urged that
these be needed. The result can be seen in
some of the speeches made by tn American
dlgates at Mexico City in which reserva-
tons were made which otherwise might not
have been. But this effort was in only one
sector, and Mr.. Byrnes still found it neces-
| sary to try out another coordinating plan for
| tn whole confused economic front.
Complaints of shortages in consumption
| goods essential to civilian production for war
have been coming to Washington for some
time. But the disposition of administrators in
tent on supplying the armed forces was to
dismiss these as grumbling and selfishness
unworthy Of the great task to which the ma
ton has bound itself in the war against Ger
many and Japan. Lately, however, this scorn-
ful analysis was put on the defensive by very
grim statistics, and these in turn were proved
to be out OF line with foreign commitments
that were being piled up by the numerous
officials who have been making them. And
another discovery was the unbalanced use of
shipping, in which shortages have been noted
for many months.
| So Mr.. Byrnes now as Donald M Nelson
several times in the past, has put greater
accent on basic civilian supplies with view
to keeping these above the danger line In
some categorleS this has been ATTEMPTED by
boards to which forecasts of requirements
were submitted, and then balanced to produc-
ton and obvious military priorities But on
food this budgeting has grown steadily more
aIu Hlo1e out Oh line anQ after the War Food
Administration appealed to Mr.. Byrnes to in
stltute more orderly system in this supply,
ne decided to try a general remedy
AT the bottom of the muddle however, a
new policy is emerging Its basis is the grow
ing realization by officials here that Q) if
sound civilian economy is sacrificed during
the war to foreign commitments, the war pro-
gram will be seriously damaged; and q if
our postwar economy is not prosperous the
various security and rehabilitation plans may
soon thereafter be but scraps of paper One
after another, representatives OF the Govern
ment have returned from abroad Win this
second opinion their lips as warning.
{ And now, much more than ever peIore' 1t
seems to be getting earnest consideration;
Today, when he was being congratulated
on his appointment as the American mem.
Der Of the reparations commission wnlcn VIII
, sit in Moscow, DR.. Isador Lubin re1iec'eo tnis
growing belief. He said that, While ne iecog-
Z nizes the Importance and interest Oh ms as.
signment, he would rather be here TO 90 wnat
he could to produce a healthy postwar econ
omy in the United States IT we oon nave
it," he said, Breton Woods ana Oui'""1' oi'
Oaks will fail in their purposes.