Evening star., 1951-08-13
A Matter of Common Sense

There is little justification for the cries of
indignation raised by number of congressman
notably from New England-over the Presi-
dents order directing all Federal departments
and agencies to give active support to the admin
stration's policy on industrial dispersion
The policy-as worked out by the National
Security Resources Board, the Office of Defense
Mobilization and the Munitions Board-has only
one objective, which is simply this: To do every
thing that can be done now, within the limits of
hard-headed practically, to minimize what could
happen to our gigantic productive capacity
should the day ever come-aS it may-When an
all-out atomic attack is launched against US.
1t is because of that very real possibility that
the dispersal policy has been formulated. What
the policy emissions is the use of special tax
Write-offS, priority ALLEGATION of materials and
other incentives designed to encourage new in
dustries and expanding old industries to build
their plant facilities as far from the heart of
cities is feasible in terms of cost and operating
efficiency AS matters stand, our country is pc
cuiarly vulnerable to atomic attack because our
great producing areas are concentrated in rel
atively compact geographical complex. From the
standpoint of practicality we cannot break up
and scatter this complex, or put it underground.
But what we can do-and what we certainly
ought to do-is take sensible action to keep it
from increasing its present density wherever
such an increase can be avoided
Thus, by way of example If an old industry
in Pittsburgh or Detroit undertakes to expand
itself, or if investing group decides to estab-
lish new industry in either of those cities, why
should the plant facilities be erected right next
door to facilities already existing? If they be
built farther out without seriously impairing eff
fciency or adding unreasonably to COSTS why not
build them farther out? BY means of such decen-
limited n location
struction of factories and mills still in the plan
ming or blueprint stage-a good part of our pro-
ductive capacity would be given an excellent
chance to survive atomic attack. That is what
the Presidents dispersal order is all about. It
adds up to nothing more or less than simple COM
mon sense in an age when our Nation must think
of itself as highly concentrated and inviting
target.
The congressional opposition to the order ap-
parently is based on the fear that it would take
industries out Of regions like New England and
shift them to desert spots or isolated wheat
fields. But this is mSconception For the dis
perSion polcy-which at best can be regarded
merely as palliating preparedness measure-is
aimed chiefly at promoting the construction of
new plant facilities at points only 20, ten or even
fewer miles from present concentrations. There is
certainly nothing spectacular or revolutionary
about that
In the event of an atomic attack however,
these relatively short decentralizing distances
could spell the difference between full and par
tial stoppage of the productive capacity of any
target city. We ought to act accordingly. To ar
que otherwise is to take a shortSighted view of
the nature of the dangers confronting us in this
epoch of Red aggression, intercontinental
bombers, supersonic flight, A-weapons and
kindred instruments of mass destruction