Evening star., 1945-10-21


war construction. Now lumber, brick and
other materials will start flowing into
thousands Of new homes throughout the
country. And back Of it all is an ener-
getic little 57-year-old Texan by the
name of Hugh Potter.
He's Americas first co-ordinator of
construction, Houston neighborhood-
developer just feet and " inch tall.
Friends like to kid him by saying his
voice is twice as big as he is. He does
have a robust voice, answers his tele-
phone like radio announcer: This is
Potter"
Those who know him, however, declare
that he's the only undersized man
they've seen who hasn't trace of a
Napoleon complex. Short, thick-set,
with businessmans mouth and
dreamer's eyes, he never has chip on
his shoulder, never acts like would-be
boss. Yet he knows how to work with
people, gets things done by the TECH
niques learned under George Pierce
Baker at Harvard.
He laughs when you ask him to
demonstrate these techniques, and the
wrinkles deepen around his blue eyes
"Well-first you analyze. Then brief
your analysis, reach an issue and get
clash Of opinion. Then you reach
decision"
There's difference between college
and governmental debate, however. I'm
Government" he observes, you debate
sitting down."
Named by Truman.
Appointed by President Truman and
Reconversion Director John w. Snyder
to move the sprawling, frozen construc-
ton industry out of cold storage and
put it to making jobs and homes, Potter
has tough job. But for the last 10
days he's been debating skillfully and
he's sure the building thaw has begun.
On August he went to work in a
three-room Washington ofiice suite. He
gave himself 80 days in which to break
the cold, death-grip of indecision in
about 10 different Government agencies.
He went about it with a minimum OF
palaver, compromise and red tape First.
he was asked how many people he
planned to hire.
Don't the regular agencies have
people I can use?" he asked.
"Yes," came the surprised answer.
"Well, then. III use them!"
Only on one point did Potter balk.
He refused to clear" speeches and press
releases as other officials were required
to do. "I'lI just have to be trusted not to
embarrass any one" he said. And he
never has
Starts Ball Rolling.
After he'd collected his information,
Hugh Potter began talking. He talked
with heads of Labor and Commerce De-
partments. He waded into the alphabet
ical agencies. Then he took on the CIO
and AFL heads, as well as leaders in
the construction industry. He also
listened.
The construction industry, he pointed
out, is second only to agriculture in this
country, holds the key to reconyersion
and Unemployment. 1t could use 6 900 900
veterans and war workers, could start
the country back to a healthy peace
economy.
Materials began moving. Nine days
after the Japs' surrender, the Army
released 900 900 900 board feet of lum-
berthe No. shortage. Then Potter
wrested slight price rises for gypsum,
lath, brick and soil pipe to make it
profitable for manufacturers to resume
production Immediately.
Has Confidence In Americans.
In addition, manpower recruitment
has begun. The Department of Com
merce is readying service to the con-
struction industry offering statistics and
price information similar to that given