Evening star., 1949-07-24


for World Wars I and II.
in chief of the armed services,
effective plan for the swiftest pos
sible mobilization of our resources
to insure reaching our Allies In
time.
"At the close of the war, Con-
gress created an agency to draw
up and recommend mobilization
plans. When this agency attempt
ed to act, it was, as you know,
prevented from doing so. 1t has
still to be heard from.
What needs to be done is well
known. The mobilization expert
ence of the last two wars should be
embodied in the best possible plan
that can be devised as of today
and promptly enacted into law,
ready to put into effect on procla-
nation of the President, with con-
currence of Congress.
What is lacking is will to de-
cision. The Congress and the
American people are entitled to a
full report on the status OF these
mobilization plans"
Cabinet Approval Denied
After the Baruch speech. the
White House denied that the Hill
report had been approved by the
cabinet officers. 1t was. Press Sec
retary Charles Ross asserted,
merely a program worked up by
the NSRB staff.
1t was learned from admins
tration sources this week that the
Hill plan had caused a contro-
versy in the board and that the
board merely approved Mr.. Hills
proposal to submit it to the Presi-
dent. At least two cabinet Of
ficers, it was said, told the Presi-
dent that while they agreed to
let Mr.. Hill submit the report
they were bitterly opposed to its
major parts and hoped he would
kill it.
Mr.. Hill, reached by telephone
at his home in Lewisburg, w. Va,
declined to give his version Of the
circumstances attending his re-
port and the Truman letter, speci-
fically to tell whether the report
itself had the approval of the
cabinet members comprising the
board. He said that he had de-
clined to comment on this situa-
ton from the start and could not
do so now.
Whatever occurred. Mr.. Tru-
man cracked down on the Hill
Baruch blueprint program in a
letter to Mr.. Hill dated May "a.
1948, after discussion with the
appropriate" cabinet officers.
Whatever new program was agreed
upon, the President said it must
not be one of mobilization for
war" but rather one Of general
preparedness. The war scare had
subsided. .s. ..1..1s. D..
''I do not intend" Mr.. Truman
wrote, "to vest in the National
Security Resources Board any re-
sponsibility for coordination of
the national security programs of
the Government which require the
exercise of directive authority
over any department or agency, or
which imply that the proper role
of the board is to exercise its
statutory duty to advise the Presi-
dent"
Functions Changed
MIR. Truman also told Mr.. Hill
that the maximum use should be
made of the staff and information
available in existing departments
and agencies. This, he said, would
avoid duplication of effort, keep
the boards staff to a minimum
and give the other groups greater
familiarity with security matters
so they could act promptly should
the occasion demand.
This presidential letter changed
the whole previous concept OF the
boards functions. The NSRB was
to advise the President about de-
sirable plans and leave their exc
cution to other departments and
agencies.
Nevertheless, in the transition
period, Mr.. Hill and his staff con-
tinued working on modified
blueprint. Mr.. Eberstadt, in his
Hoover Commission Task Force
Committee report on the National
Security Organization said in q
footnote:
1.-The committee has been ad-
vised that the National Security
Resources Board expects to COM
plete by December 1, 1948, and
to publish by the end of the year,
preliminary program for eco
nomic mobilization"
This preliminary program was
completed before Mr.. Hill resigned
on December Is, but 1t is top
secret document, UNDERSTANDABLE
so because it would be Of tremen-
dous value to a potential enemy,
particularly for sabotage purposes.
For American popular interest,
publication would only show its
existence and perhaps its short
comings. 1t has been studied by
the present staff for its alleged
inadequacies.
Mr.. Steelman and his staff,
while claiming progress since De-
cember Is, admit they are not sat-
isf1ed. For example, there was a
detailed study of how the toy in
dustry could be converted to war
use but there is no similar study
of the steel industry.
Priorities Studied
Current studies are being made
on top priorities. This includes
the making of a gigantic balance
sheet of present and prospective
capacities of industry, such as