Evening star., 1951-01-21
NPA 10 Set Up Office
For Needs Of Civilians
In Defense Production
By Francis P. DouqIos

Despite the demands for defense
production. the National Produc-
tion Authority is not forgetting
the military population and
is setting up an Office of Civilian
Requirements.
1t was indicated yesterday that
the office will be in operation as
soon as the agency gets more
pressing problems out of the way
to make sure defense production
schedules are met promptly.
The Office is being organized by
Stanley L. Kedzierski. It's basis is
the former marketing division of
the Commerce Departments Of
fice of Industry and Commerce
which was taken over by NPA.
Follin Quits NPA Post.
There were also these other de-
velopments in the production setup
yesterday:
l. 1t was disclosed that J. w.
Follln has quit as acting head of
the NPA construction controls
division as the result of a dis
agreement over when the licensing
of buildings under the NPA curb
on new controls would begin.
Pending the licensing new COM
mercial building is frozen except
IN emergency cases. Mr.. Follin has
resumed his job as special assist
ant to Jess Larson, General Serv-
ices Administrator. He had been
loaned to NPA to set up it's con-
ktruction controls.
Tin Curbs Expected Soon.
2. An order cutting down on the
use of tin for civilian requirements
is expected to be issued this week.
There will be substantially less
tin available during the first half
OF this year. One result of the
coming order will be a lighter
coating of tin on steel for cans in
which food and other products
are sold.
3. The rubber industry is facing
shutdowns of two or three days
during the rest of this month as
the result of II per cent cut
ordered in the use of synthetic |
ruboer for civilian products. No
shortage of tires is expected.
The rubber cut was made nee
essary by the production of the
synthetic product falling short of
expectations this month. The Re-
construction Finance Corp, which |
operates the Government .
synthetic rubber plants, said me-
chanical difficulties and bad
weather had been encountered in
reopening standby plants.
VIII Assure Fair Distribution.
NPA's Office of Civilian Re-
quirements will take measures to
assure fair civilian distribution
OF goods in short supply. 1t will
determine what goods are essen
tial for maintaining civilian sup
plies and endeavor to see that
they are provided. An example
would be to assure supplies of |
equipment to food professors SO
that the civilian supply lines of
their products can be kept full.
The total effect would be to
cushion to the civilian consumer
the impact of conditions which
make him fifth in the priorities
list for scarce supplies. At the |
top Of the list, of course, is de-
fense, followed by the military
stockpile. Next come activities
which support arms production
and, fourth. the measures for in
creasoing productive capacity. |
AS the program of expanding
production is met the scarce ma
terials would be shared by civilian
consumers and they would also
share in the increased output.
Follin Opposed Early Curbs.
In the dispute within NPA, it
was learned that originally Mr.. |
Follin wanted the licensing to
begin April l. New structures
would be licensed if needed in the
defense program and for COM
munity health and welfare.
Mr.. Follin was reported to have
maintained that it would take
until April to set up administra-
tive machinery. The date was
advanced to March l, however,
and he is reported to have as
sented. But when 1t was put for