Evening star., 1947-09-21

MAJ. GEN. ROBERT M.
LITTLEJOHN.
-AP Photo.
ical plant in Texas was sold for
another s35 5,00O, 900.
The town Of DragerJown, Utah,
was sold to the Geneva Steel Co. for
81 ,533, 900, but WAA still has on its
hands a ghost town at Mouat, Mont.
The ghost town was built during the
chrome shortage, but the mines had
hardly gotten into production when
North Africa fell and it again be-
came more economical to import
chrome.
Almost every large sale has pro-
voked some sort of controversy.
WAA has disposed of virtually all
of its surplus aircraft and automo-
biles, but still has on hand more
than s4OOO0,0O0 worth of motor
trucks. On July 3, the WAA inven-
tory included $457 500, 900 worth of
machine tools, electrical equipment
which cost 1922, 10000 and clothing
and apparel valued at $s4, 100000
Many Stipulations
Under the Surplus Property Act,
WAA must not merely sell its pile
Of junk, but also must: Aid free en-
terprise, stimulate full employment,
discourage monopoly, help small
business, foster family-type housing,
discourage spectators, develop for
eign markets, avoid dislocations Of
the domestic economy, distribute
goods to consumers at fair prices,
protect free markets, prevent uncon-
trolled dumping, encourage new
business, utilize normal channels of
trade, prevent excessive profits, pro-
mote national transportation and
get a fair return.
Then Congress crowned its mas
terpiece with a system of priorities,
superseding priorities and over
riding priorities which brought
about agency regulations ad infini-
tum, freeze" directives and the like
which made many an honest citizen
give up in disgust. The provisions
were designed to benefit Federal
agencies, veterans, farmers and
farm co-operatives, state and local
governments, non-prof1t institutions,
the Federal Public Housing Author
ity, the housing expediter, ETC., but
they have not always worked out
that way. Only the sharpshooting
spectators who hired veterans
fronts for their own use remained
undismayed.
Approximately two billion dollars
worth Of surplus has been sold or
transferred to public bodies. This
includes educational, health and
housing facilities. Camp Croft, in
South Carolina, for example, which
cost $11 100000 was sold to a nom
profit organization for $1,0O0,o00 for
use as a self contained community.
Many facilities have been turned
over to public bodies for nothing
and this should be taken into con-
sideration in evaluating WAA's
overall recovery figures.
Began in February, 1914
Surplus property disposal in
World War II began on February 10,
1914, when the President signed an
order co-ordinating the activities of
IA existing agencies with the estab-
lishment of Surplus War Property
Administration in the Office of War
Mobilization. 1t was assisted by a
Surplus War Property Policy Board
composed of representatives of the
IA agencies. William Clayton, now
Undersecretary of State. was ad-
ministrator. He found the law un-
workable. and resigned.
Then the Surplus Property Act of
1914 established a Surplus Prop
erty Board of which former Senator
Guy M. Gillette was named chair
man. He left with the statement
that surplus is the inevitable by
product of progress Further exec
utive orders flowed freely and the
chairman of the board of directors
of the War Assets Corp. was finally
created.
w. Stuart Symington assumed the
administrators role but was re-
prieved in a short time by appoint
ment as Assistant Secretary of War
for Air. BY this time businessmen
willing to undertake the job were
hard to find.
- On March Is, 1916, the War Assets
Administration was established by
executive order. The first admin
istrator was Gen. Gregory, who
lasted four months.
Couldn't Shut Down
Gen. Littlejohn, who as chief
quartermaster of the European the
ater in World War II risked his Off
cial neck by pouring supplies into
the Bulge when other supply Off
GERS wanted to pull the depots back,
is South Carolinian. with the true
Southern temperament. His pic
turesque RACES and soft heart make
him feared and at the same time
loved by his associates. He was
heavyweight wrestling champion at
(see GILES, Page C-50