Evening star., 1951-02-04
Condemns Politics
In Sterilization
Writer Says Portisonism
lmperiIs Whole Effort
By Frank R. Kent

. II at time such as this the head OF
the Nation is not personally equal to
formulating his own policies it is almost
as good-sometimes better-to have a
President who surrounds himself with
hlgh-grade, able men from whom his
policies come. Conceding that he does
not do the first. the complaint often has
been made that Mr. Truman does not
do the second either.
To certain extent the weight of this
allegation was diminished not only when
he named Charles E. Wilson as chairman
OF defense mobilization but gave him
complete authority over all other mobi-
lizers, stabilizers and organizers. With
great wisdom Mr. Wilson made it clear
he would not take the job under any
other conditions. He had to be, he said,
the boss, and Mr.. Truman said yes. In
this respect at least Mr. Truman mark
edly improved over his predecessor, Mr..
Roosevelt, who in World War II func-
toned in just the opposite way.
Certainly, Mr.. Truman deserves COM
mendation for picking Mr. Wilson and
giving him full power. But, while Mr..
Wilson unquestionably is a first-rate
man this does not mean he can do 1t
all; that without the Presidents full sup
por clear down the line a good many
things are bound to go wrong and some
OF Mr. Wilson's policies be enfeebled.
Needless waste and inefficiency will re-
suit. For example, it is hard to conceive
OF anything that would do the whole
defense effort greater harm than that
1t should become saturated with partisan
politics. The effect would be to lower the
public morale, destroy confidence in the
integrity of the administration and
sicken the whole effort Certainly, Mr..
Truman does not want this and just as
certainly Mr.. Wilson would hate it.
Yet, just as certainly, unless steps are
taken now before the organizations to
enforce the price and wage freezes that
have been ordered by Mr.. Wilson are
fully formed, devastating and deplor-
able political saturation will take place.
Already, plain warnings of this have
come from within the Office of price
stabilization. Just a week ago Vice
Admiral John H. Hoover, U. S. N.
retireD, resigned as price-control en-
forcement chief. He quit, he said, in dis
gust at what he called the use by some
Democratic Senators" of the price-con-
troll machinery as channel for political
patronage. Michael Disable, Admiral
Hoovers chief. minimized this charge.
and said that while he is negotiating for
successor to Admiral Hoover, he hoped
Ito get chance to talk things over
with him. but admitted that lists Of
nominees" were coming in from Inter
eSted Senator'S"
Mr.. Wilson is Mr.. DiSalles chief,
but Mr.. Disable. who is a Democratic
politician from Ohio, was appointed by
Mr.. Truman before he appointed Mr..
Wilson. The question now is whether
despite Mr.. Wilson's known desire to
keep his machinery wholly free of poll
tics. will not the politicians. under Mr..
Disable, be able to do exactly the thing
that caused Admiral Hoover to quit in
disgust?
OF course. the time to make sure
politics does not blight the defense
effort is now. Mr.. Wilson ought to leI
Mr.. DiSalle-and every one else under
him who is building an organization
know that he insists on rigid non
partisanship in all appointments; that
he wants no one named because he is
either Democrat or Republican; that
If recommendations are to be asked
from Democratic Senators and the
Democratic National Committee, they
must be asked also from Republican
Senators and the Republican commit
tee-and given equal weight. Any other
policy woodland should be-resented
3s against the national ipferestS