Evening star., 1945-01-02
Text of War Mobilization Report
Director Bnes Says Country Can Be Proud of
But Warns Thot Greater Effort Is Required

| Dur 0rnS ] n0t
Following is the tert of letter
By War Mobilization Director
Byrnes concerning his first re-
| port on Uar mobilization and
reconUersion:
AS director of War Mobilization
and Reconversion, I hereby submi
my first report, required under th'
War Mobilization and Reconversiol
Act of 1914, as of January /, 1945
1t is essential to an understand
ing of the problems confronting thi
country in all-out mobilization TO
war and in the later transition from
war to peace to review the major &C
complishments of our war effort il
comparison with our achievement
in normal times. Therefore, in thi
report have tried to sum up thes,
accomplishments and in this sum.
msng up compare the accomplish.
ments with our peacetime attain
ments. I believe that in this way
we can see clearly the problems
which still lie ahead.
I think also that such a sum.
mary might clear up some of oul
present doubts and uncertainties
Much has been said about confusing
and conflicting war statements
This is inevitable in the pressure
of accomplishment. Victories lead
to optimism. Setbacks, which ap-
parently prolong the war, lead to
fear, anxiety over loved ones, ano
pessimism
The truth is that our soldiers at
the front today are not short OF
ammunition and supplies as a re-
suit of any production failures
However, they may be short a few
weeks hence if we fail. If they are
to freely use what they now have in
order to save human lives, they
must know that more, in abundance
is on the way.
Proud of Accomplishments.
This Nation can be proud of what
it has accomplished to date with
the cooperation of industry, labor
and agriculture of all the people
under vigorous Government leader.
ship.
We have reached a rate of mu.
nitions production in excess o.
s64 900 900 900 per year while main.
tanning standard of living higher
than that which we enjoyed in 1929
We have attained this rate of wal
production without any overall re,
duction in the consumer supple!
availble to our public at large. Tt
accomplish this, we have invested
more than $4,000 900 900 in new Of
expanded industrial plants.
We have added 18,O00,O 900 person.
to war activities. We have armee
and equipped the most powerful
naval and air forces in the world
We have armed and equipped one o.
the largest and one of the bes
armies that the world has ever seen
We have exported to our Allie.
goods and services valued in excess
of $4,000, 100000. This aid con.
sisted not only of munitions but O.
materials and equipment to increas,
their industrial output and food tt
replace their losses in production OF
in other food sources.
We have had two years of almos
unparalleled success in our military
operations against strong and pow.
erful adversaries. These adverse.
ries are still dangerous. And thus
in spite of all that we have accom-.
pllShed to date, we still have more
to do. Our forces in the field neec
more guns, more ammunition, more
trucks, more tires, more ships, more
alrplanes, more. rockets and more
men to finish the job which they
have done so well to date.
Warns Against COMPETENCY.
We cannot be complacent vet
we must man our war plants to the
fullest extent necessary to meet the
requirements of our military leaders
We must do this in the face of a
further withdrawal from our avail
able manpower supply to provide re-
placements for the Army and to
build the Navy up to the strength
which 1t requires to man its ships.
Recently, therefore. have taken
action to tighten selective service
regulations, to deny priority and
ALLEGATION rights when necessary to
maintain manpower ceiling estab-
lished by the War Manpower Com
mission for nonwar plants in order
to I'LL the demands for manpower
in war plants
The War Production Board has
deferred for period of 80 days new
spot authorizations in critical labor
areas and has frozen civilian pro-
duction at not to exceed the fourth
quarter levels of 1914.
l have requested racing manage
ment to suspend all race meets, thus
reducing that drain on manpower,
transportation, communication IA
|cilities and other services.
I hope that these actions will
suffice. However, it may be neces-
sary for Congress to consider legis-
lation to strengthen the authority
of the War Manpower Commission
I am convinced that considera-
ton should be given by Congress to
some control over those found ply
sically disqualified for military serv-
ice, so that they may render their
war service in essential war actiyi-
ties.
Wants More WLB Power.
Although labor and management
have in most cases complied volun-
tarily with the orders OF the War
Labor Board, the authority OF the
board should be strengthened to
enable 1t to enforce its decisions in
the courts without resort to seizure.
! Will not predict how long the