SPEEDING OUTPUT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20437, 23 December 1940, Page 8

SPEEDING OUTPUT

NEW U.S.A. BOARD SCHEME OF DEFENCES CONTROL OF PRODUCTION i PURCHASING POWERS PRIORITY DECISIONS (FJee. T<4. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 23, 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.

President Roosevelt has announced the creating of a Board of Emergency Management, with full responsibility lor defence production, purchasing and priorities, comprising Mr. Win. G. Knudsen, Co-ordinator of Defence Production (director); Mr. Sidney Hillman, C. 1.0. leader (associate director) ; also Mr. H. L. Stimson, Secretary for War, and Colonel W. F. Knox. Mr. Roosevelt said the board would be above the National Defence Advisory Commission and would have all the powers that it was possible to give constitutionally. Mr. Roosevelt said the official title was “office for production manage- | ment. ’ It would operate in three [main divisions: Firstly, actual production of war munitions; secondly, an Office for defence purchasing headed by Mr. Donald Nelson; thirdly, a defence priority board—the latter group to consist of Messrs. Knudsen. Hillman, Edward Stettinius, and Leon Henderson. He said that Mr. Stettinius’ responsibility would include the cooraination of the entire steel industry, also to maintain sufficient copper stocks.

Appeasement Opposed Mr. Knudsen said that the emergency management board was “born from the consciousness of the heightened gravity of the world situation and recognition that the contest which produced the crisis is irreconcilable in character and cannot be terminated by any methods of appeasement. “Both the future security of the United States and the total defence of our democratic principles in the world-wide contest demand that every resource be ceaselessly employed,” continued Mr. Knudsen. “The sole mission of the new board is production to the maximum of the American resources in capital and labour, in management and industry, in every field which can contribute to victory. We urge the people to recognise the gravity of the crises and pull off their coats, roll up their sleeves and give concentrated, undivided attention to one thing—the swiftest possible production of means of defence.” “Czar” Not Possible

The president said that the appointment of a “czar” for the complete management of defence production was impossible on account of the complicated nature of the problem.

Mr. Roosevelt later issued a proclamation placing 15 additional materials under the export licensing system, including plans and equipment for the production of aviation and lubrication oil.

Colonel Knox announced contracts to construct 31 auxiliary vessels costing approximately £53,000,000. Shipyard expansion is estimated to cost £1,320,000.

Mr. Roosevelt said the board’s rulings would not be subject to his approval, but he would take up with it from time to time any action which it was felt might be contrary to the best interests of the country.

twenty-four Hour Basis A message from Houston states that the Federal loan administrator, Mr. ; Jesse Jones, in a speech, predicted that the United States defence establishments would soon be working on a 24-hour basis with “little quibbling regarding the cost.” He added: “I hope that war will never reach us, But whether we like to contemplate it or not, it, would be foolhardy not to realise that war is a reasonable possibility. “We have discovered that the demands are beginning to strain dur industrial machine. Industry is responding, but the output must be multiplied many times before we can feel entirely safe. It may be necessary

for us to do in one day what we ordinarily do in three or four. ‘

“This situation may not be upon us to-day, but it is easily imminent and so far there has been a lack of realisation by the majority regarding what the future may bring. . . . The psychology of war is just beginning to reach us.” The President in a message in corhmemmoration of the anniversary of the landing of the pilgrims said: "We who hold the old ideals- of freedom must keep faith even in'the fdee of a challenge to large areas of the earth. Even though the enemies of ‘ democracy achieve a temporary sdccess, \Ve must pray ceaselessly that the day will be hastened when the reign of moral force will supplant brute strength in the government of men.” Mr. Godfrey Haggard, the British Consul-General, said that the postwar world would be kept in peace by powerful democracies under a collective system in which the Germans, could participate, at least in an economic sphere. The former president, Mr. Herbert C. Hoover in a spech said that the survival of American democracy and World civilisation hinged on how America solved the problems imposed under the preparedness programme. He said it could be solved if America definitely organized the increase of her industrial productivity. A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Vobrhfs, will introduce a bill on Monday enabling ,the prosecution of saboteurs against British and other foreign defence orders.