Encouraging Picture Of U.S. Production

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 95, 23 April 1942, Page 5

Encouraging Picture Of U.S. Production

SEIZURE OF ENEMY-CONTROLLED PATENTS B-eceived Wednesday, 7.40 p.m. WASHINGTON, April 21. An encouraging picture of American war production was given by Mr. Donald Nelson in evidence before the Senate Investigation Committee. He declared that America, England and Russia were producing much greater essen- | tial war material than the Axis. He admitted that the Axis reserves were considerable but even there would soon be overtaken. “I believe we are over the hump on production.” Mr. Nelson complained that Congressional criticism of the “dollar a year man” was handicapping the War Production Board in obtaining the services of trained business executives. It was increasingly difficult to get good men in the face of the continued criticism of the honesty of their intentions, conseI quently the Government might have to draft production executives. He added that it had got to the point where if you knew something about a business you were a suspect. President Roosevelt announced at a Press conference that he had directed the Government seizure of all patents ; controlled directly or indirectly by alien enemies required for war as well as civilian purposes. Asked whether j patents ostensibly owned by Americans ■ but transferred to them to hide alien , control would be seized, the President said: “Yes. Everything needed will be taken no matter what the technicalities are. The seized patents will be retained after the war.” The House adopted and sent to the Senate the 19,000,000,000 dollars war fund appropriation including provision for 31,070 additional planes. This is the sixth supplementary war appropriation and it also contained a clause designed to empower the Army and Navy to prevent excessive profits on | war contracts. i Presidents William Green (American I Feberation of Labour) and Philip Murray (Congress of Industrial Organisation) in a joint statement to-day referred to the recent advertisement of the National Association of Manufacturers which said “America wants victory not the closed shop.” Messrs. Green and Murray said that a more honest statement of the National Asso-

ciation of Manufacturers’ position would be “We want the open shop even at the expense of victory.” They accused the National Association of Manufacturers of running out on industry and Labour’s joint understanding with President Roosevelt when it agreed by resolution that the union securing the issue was a proper matter for consideration by the War Labour Board.' They asserted that the National Association of Manufacturers was trying to slip over a fast one by ‘ having Congress freeze injustices by law and they expressed the opinion I that the National Association speaks only for a minority of employers and does not express the views of Americar business as a whole.