Evening star., 1950-04-19
Industry h-Day Plan
Lists Roles OF NSRB
And Munitions Board

case of war, today made some
what clearer the lines Of RESPONSE
bility between that agency and
the National Security Resources
Board.
The report also showed increas-
ing Government attention to the
industrial mobilization program
which has been allowed to lag in
recent months because the NSRB
lacked chairman. President
Truman recently named Air Force
Secretary Symington to that post,
and he and Chairman Hubert E.
Howard of the Munitions Board
are expected soon to work out
unified plans for wartime mobili-
cation.
The Munitions Boards blue
print, called production Alloca-
tion Manual" is designed to bring
defense buying agencies and in
dustrial managers into agreement,
in advance Of any emergency. on
what and how much will be re-
quired from different plants If
war comes.
Standby Orders.
The plan provides that the
manufacturers shall accept stand
by orders indicating their willing
ness, In case of war. to enter into
contracts to make specified prod
ucts.
In addition. industrial manage
ment is asked to supply informa-
ton regarding the subcontractors
and suppliers. and the manpower
and additional equipment that
would be needed to meet the pro-
duction schedules.
The Munitions Board is charged
with the military aspects of mo-
bilization: the NSRB with the Job
Of co-ordinating civilian and mill
tary mobilization plans. For the
information of NSRB, plant man
ayers are asked by the Num-
tions Board manual to specify the
kind Of production they would
prefer for civilian needs in war
time.
The manual. which was ex-
planned yesterday to a group of
60 civilians attending the De-
fense Departments sixth joint
orientation conference, said
heavy reliance will be placed on
the considered opinion and rec
concentrations of management in
setting aside reserve of produc-
ton for civilion needs"
Experience of Last War.
1T Is desired that manage
ment's estimate be based, if ap-
propriate. on World War II ex-
perience," 1t added.
II management does not want
to make a recommendation, the
manuel said. World War II aver
age shipments to civilian con-
signees will be used as a guide for
metal fabricating facilities, and q
rule-of- thumb estimate will be
used in the absence of more accu.
rate data on which to base al, esti-
mate In the case of producers Of
nondurable manufacturers.
The standby orders would not be
full-fedged contracts, but rather
agreements that the manufacturer
would be willing, in wartime, to
enter into satisfactory contracts.
the manual said.
From time to time, defense
BUYERS will review the standby
orders in the light Of changing sre-
quirements. l'., 2 M
Already Under Way.
Although the guide was made
public only today. a spokesman
said production allocations to be
made effective in event of war
already are being made. He said
production schedules needed in
war are being developed now on
about 1900 key procurement items
representing about so per cent of
production during the last war.
The board expects schedules for
the key items to be completed
around September /. Defense
buyers and management will then
proceed to consider schedules COW
ering items Of lower priority.
The spokesman also said another
benefit of the plan would be the
elimination of most Of the war
time competition among the serv-
ices for the materials.