Evening Star Newspaper, January 8, 1942, Page 15

Part Control By Workers llptoO.P. M. C. 1. O. Seeks Joint Labor and Industry Unit on Conversion By DAVID LAWRENCE. The issue of whether the com- munistic idea of workers’ committees | to control management and produc- | tion shall be introduced into the defense program has come square- ly before the O. By GOULD LINCOLN. President Roosevelt has told the country and the world what his plans are for knocking out the Axis powers, in two messages to Congress. In his budget proposals he has outlined the huge expendi- tures which are to be made dur- ing the next year—and given some indication of tae plans to finance thesc expenditures. Un- doubtedly the President’s ad- dress to Congress on Tuesday gave encouragement to the Brit- | Ish,the Russians, the Chinese, the | Dutch and the other peoples who ‘ o P.M | are fighting Hitler and his allies. The C. I. O. It was a definite announcement has ralsed the | that this country was not only issue by de- preparing to produce more war- manding that planes, more tanks and more ships than all three of the Axis powers could produce or hope to Joint labor and industry ~ com- mittees be form- obtain. It was a definite an- ed to take over nouncement that American sol- the problem of diers and sailors would be sent to converting plant Great Britain, and into the coun- facilities, This tries of the Far East, to carry the was the real mo- David Lawrence. tive behind the so-called Reuther plan. The auto industry has refused to accept it because it means turn- ing over the responsibility for man- aging America’s vast auto plants to men who have never had that re- sponsibility and taking it away from the men who have heretofore made | & success of management. Somehow or other the C. I. O. and A. F. L. members of a conference which was called to discuss the problem came to an agreement on this demand. Up to now the A. L. L.’s record on communistic programs ficht to the enemy. It was in- terpreted in England as meaning that another huge A. E. F. would £0 to Europe or to Africa to help invade Germany. It could not help be cheering news. The people of the United States have been told what is expected of them, what they must do and what they may expect, The peo- ple are firmly back of the Presi- dent. He has outlined a tre- mendous armament production for the coming year. The only way in which it can be obtained is for capital and labor to stop has been free from any taint. But now its representative, presumably with the knowledge of its executive council, has joined in the C. I. O. demand. The demand is so impractical that even Sidney Hillman, labor co- scrapping about who is to control the automobile industry and get to work. To read the newspapers, including advertisements put for- ward by both sides, any one would come to the conclusion that the big war today is who shall con- chairman of the O. P. M., concurred with William Knudsen in rejecting it. When the auto industry repre- sentatives and the O. P. M. chairmen agreed on a proposal for handling the problem, it was the labor group which threw the first monkey | wrench into the harmony that has been expected to develop ever since the President recently receded from | his request for anti-strike legisla- tion. It appears now that labor is | asking & high price—a voice in | management. Demand Stuns Industry. ‘The first plan agreed on by the auto industry and O. P. M. execu- tives provided that any suggestions for conversion of peace-time facili- | ties would be received by the new Joint committee of labor and in- dustry, which in turn would “recom- mend” them to the O. P, M.. The | labor representatives came in with a counter demand. They struck out | the word “recommend” and insisted | that the joint labor-industry com- | mittee should be empowered “to determine and put into efleczl methods, etc.” for conversion of | plants and their operation. Industry’s representatives were | ttunned by this demand. Lawyers| his, with his plan to spend $56,- for the O, P. M. were summoned, | 000,000,000 for defense and war and they stated that such a plan| In the next year. They are hop- trol industry—not who is going to control the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The American people right now are far more interested in what is happening to Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philip- pines, what is happening to Ha- waii and to Singapore, than they are in what any labor leader or capitalist in this country has to say. Must Have Team Work. ‘When the President announced that the goal would be the pro- duction of 60,000 war planes, 45,- 000 tanks, 10.000,000 tons of ship- ping during the coming year, he set a tremendous mark. Un- doubtedly the President had in- formation at hand showing that these colossal flgures were pos- sible, if all parties worked to- gether. American industry, American labor and American Government have aH their parts to play. They must play to- gether. Any attempt now to play for purely personal gain would be fatal. The job can be done. Members of Congress are en- tirely willing to go along with the President in this new budget of THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1942. This Changing World Red Tape and Peacetime Methods Continue To Hold Up Supplies for Fighting Forces ‘The Political Mill Labor, Capital and Government Must Pull Together to Put Across War Program ing he will be able to spend this amount. They will demand that the country get its money's worth; get what it has paid for. ‘This goes for both Democrats and Republicans. Both are eager to do all their part. They know that the mere act of appropriating money, however, is the smallest. part of the job ahead. They know that the use' to which the money is put, the prices which are paid, and the facility with which orders for materials are issued and the speed with which they are filled, are the really im- portant factors in getting this program through. Representative Joseph W. Mar- tin, jr., of Massachusetts, chair- man of the Republican National Committee and Republican leader of the House, is probably better able to speak for the Republican party today than any other men —not even’ accepting Wendell L. Willkie, the titular leader of the party. For it is in the halls of Congress that elected Republi- cans are playing their part in this war effort. Mr. Martin said: “The Republicans will give the President whatever he asks to win the war. But we reserve the right to check up on what is done with the money appropriated. We intend to see, as far as we are able, that the country gets what it pavs for and that there is a minimum of waste.” Mr. Martin has expressed the view of the great mass of Republicans. Unfortunate Expenditures. They want 60,000 war planes just as much as the President does. They want to see the Navy built up. But what can they think when from the Navy De- partment, under the date of Jan- uary 5, 1942, there comes a six- page release to the editors of women'’s pages of hundreds of newspapers, given over entirely to “Favorite Recipes of Naval Officers’ Wives.” Among them “rum bumble pudding.” This may seem a very minor item to take up,| but this bit of fancy work probably cost the Govern- ment several hundreds of dollars. It took the time of naval officers who had to give it an OK. No one believes that rum bumble puddings are going to play any part in winning this war, even if the Navy starts throwing them at the Japs. This use of money is far too typical of other ex- penditures which are being made by the Government today. Members of Congress, as they talk over the budget and the President’s production plans, are expressing & hope that he will sélect the best possible men to carry on the program. Men of tried metal, rather than theor- ists. They want very much to see the Fresident put in places of authority men whom the peo- ple already respect, men who have had experience in the tasks of production. And they want further to see them given a free hand, and not tied to the will of some bureaucrat. would be & violation of anti-trust laws. Indeed, from the very be- ginning the O. P. M. has been care | INGVY Pushes Campaign ful to point out that any restriction of output or fixing of prices must ;TO D|scourage GOSSIP be done by & Government agency | By the Associated Press. and not by any council or committee N:;/?Sis :fig_‘fil‘fi' %.1;:& with si of prod Y i = : The lgat obtacies may have been| L2087 CAmBSiEn. detigned to di- the reason but later it was reported | COUTARE BSSED .nbout s oyl that the labor representatives would | 4k Corors Tl iniscent of Gre Pre agree to a plan whereby all sug-| bt ";" nm L;arA nreele:"}{agrbog gestions and plans would be chan- | LR g LT Peg”iecd through some committee as | ‘advice”. This issue is important to | i . the future of the American war pro- cul:nzefi!. s“;h(;s' lip may sink a gram today but the public has| A, SUIP of the lip may hardly grasped what has been go-| ° :ng ;m. Even the Tolan Commit- | ee in Congress, which deals with . | migration of labor in defense, went| , | CAR you keep a sereiio k- on record January 5 in a letter to| Ke¢P it- the O. P. M. favoring a joint in-| dustry-labor council with full pows i g e ot vitn i power 28 Persons Are Killed 'In Storm in Rio Area There are many persons here who have no partcular or general sym- | By the Associated Press. RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 8.— pathy with Communism, but who be- lieve that workers’ committees Twenty-eight persons were counted | dead today as the result of a torren- should be organized to handle de- fense problems even to the point of awarding contracts jointly with | tial storm which hit the vicinity of Rio de Janejro Tueesday night, | causing damage estimated at a mil- — e manufacturers. Management of | American industry resents any sug- gestion that responsibility for op- eration shall be divided. If the managers of the auto industry were incompetent it would*be a different story but they constitute the No. 1 executives in the record of American | industrial efficiency. If they have not curtailed production sooner, it is not because of their lack of knowl- | edge of what had to be done but! lack oM instructions from the Gov- | ernment agencies ordering such a | step to be taken. Board Drift Foreseen. Meanwhile, the new War Labor Board personnel has not yet been President Roosevelt's executive order last sumrher. All such issues, to- gether with questions arising out of closed shops or union shops or main- | tenance of membership, will be part of a general policy of the new board. | Hence there was no justification for continuing to penalize the Federal | Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. and | Mr. Roosevelt made amends by re- | turning the plant to its owners. | Incidentally, Admiral H. G. Bowen and his staff did a splendid job in managing the plant at Kearny, N.| J., during the time the Navy Depart- | announced but the drift is toward | ment has been in charge, and it is| the appointment of individuals | worth noting also that the executives known to be friendly to the main- | of the company who were left on the ‘ tenance - of - membership idea of |job co-operated wholeheartedly | unions. This is one reason why the | with the temporary management in Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock | attaining new high records of pro- Co., has just received back the plant | duction. g which had been taken from it by' (Reproduction Rights Reserved.) EMPLOYERS ATTENTION!! E HAVE six salesmen who, through no fault of their own, must find new employment. If you need one or more good salesmen we recommend these men to you. They are hon- ost and reliable and their sales ability has been proven. THESE men and this firm thoroughly under- stand and heartily approve of the Govern- ment’s recent action in this emergency. TOWN & COUNTRY MOTORS, INC. 2424 18th St. N.W. Michigan 6900 M. M. MARSTON WM. N. STURTEVANT President Vice Pres.-Treasurer 8.—The | Catch phrases also are being cir- | “That friendly chap may tell a lion dollars. Scores were injured and a hundred houses were de- stroyed. Many businesses in the capital were closed because employes were kept from their jobs by crippled transport services. Most of the per- sons killed died in the collapse of houses. v DI. 8250 1 FOR OQUR PATRONS COGOA i b 9° pkg. POR BEANS FRESH FRUITS FRESH RIPE STRAW- »%: BERRIES 9D PINT ggzudéz IMPORTERS, GROCERS AND WINE MERCHANTS SINCE. 1875 ¢ FREE PARKING ° & MAGRUDER’'S BONELESS 29° BEEF & VEGETABLES 19¢| g 2 15¢ CRISP, CALIFORNIA Large Bunch 6cr HE opinions of the writers on this page are their own, not necessarily The Star’s. Such opinions are presented in The Star’s effort to give all sides of questions of interest to its readers, although such opinions may be contradictory among themselves and directly opposed to The Star’s. Supply Lines Worry Japs Eliot Says British Malay Troops, Supported From Air, Could Cut Rail and Road Links By MAJ. GEORGE FIELDING ELIOT. There is no disguising the fact that the Japanese arg increasing their pressure in Malaya and are gaining ground. They are as. well |aware as any | one of the time factors which govern their suc- cess or failure and they are quite clearly prepared to? make any sacri- fice in the way of casualties in order to take Singapore before the Allies can re- inforce it. 3 The desperateMal. G. Fielding Etlot. | measure of the Japanese determina- | tion to advance is indicated by their use of junks and sampans to carry | landing parties down the coast be- | hind the British flank. While such |landing forces cannot be properly | | supported and may well be wiped {out one after the other, they | create diversions behind the Brit- | ish lines and tend to weak¥n the British ability to carry out counter- | attacks on the main front. It may be added that it is a little difficult to understand how it is possible | that the Japanese do this sort of | thing successfully for they have no naval strength in the Strait of Malacca and a few well-handled costal motorboats or other light| naval craft should be able to make | mincemeat of any flotilla of troop- | carrying junks. | The main Japanese pressure con- tinues to be down the west coast along the only good highway lead- ing to Singapore. There is, how- ever, & Japanese threat developing at Kuantan on the east coast. From Kuantan the only transverse road crossing the peninsula to the main | highway begins. It is along this road that the British defenders of Kuantan are retiring westward. | This transverse road 4oins the main | highway at Kuala Kubu; it does | not appear that the Japanese main advance southward has as yet the Burmese airports at Victoria Point and Bokpyin. Nevertheless, they must now be watching with Increasing anxiety the gathering of | British and Chinese forces along the | Burma-Thal frontier. It is true that this frontier is a | very difficult one, with bad com- | munications. The only highway from Burma into Thailand lies in the far north, running from Man- dalay through very mountainous country to reach the northern | branch of the Thai state railways at Lampang, about 300 miles north of | Bangkok. From Moulmein, an im- portant military and air station in Burma, there is a mountain trail which leads across into the valley of the Meping River and reaches the railway about 200 miles from Bangkok. Still farther south another trail leads from Tavoy, in Burma, | to the end of a road in Thailand | | which goes direct to Bangkok itself. British Troops Excellent, These trails, however, are not practical for large forces of all arms. The Japanese, however, cannot afford to courit on the terrain as a | sufficient protection to their rear. They have to keep in mind that the British have excellent battalions of | native troops, the Kachins, who are thoroughly familiar with the country nd its conditions and are likely to be far more formidable hili and Jjungle fighters than the Japanese. There are points at which a com- paratively minor advance would cut the railway and highway and leave the Japanese in Malaya dependent on sea-borne supplies reaching ports on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, Should the British- Chinese armies establish themselves firmly astride this line of communi- cations, they might even be able to advance southward and attack the | Japanese in Malaya from the rear, Fighting Against Time. ‘The mere threat of such an attack must constitute a serious diversion | for the Japanese, since it compels | them to keep strong forces in Thai- | land to guard against it, and their | raids on Rangoon and other Burmese | points are undoubtedly intended to | reached this point. If, however, the feel out this situation and discover | two Japanese forces, the principal | Whether the British and Chinese are | | one coming down the main road really preparing to move forward.| and the landing force from Kuantan, | All these things, however, take | can effect a junction at Kuala | time and it is against time that the | | Kubu, they will have gained some- iJapsnese are fighting now. We | thing which the Japanese have not | should recognize that the situation hitherto enjoyed—direct communi- | is one of the utmost urgency, for if cations between their east and west Singapore is lost the difficulties of forces and a lateral line of com- | defeating Japan are enormously in- | munications by which sea-borne sup- | creased and the war in the Pacific plies can be brought directly to the /may be vastly and bloodily pro- main fighting front instead of hav- | longed. ing to come down the long road (Copyright. 1942. New York Tribune. Ine.) | from Thailand. 1} . the Japanese their principal anx- % | ieties at the moment. As long as -§ | their main effort is entirely depend- | ent on the railway and road through fthe narrow Malay Peninsula, they | must always be worried lest this line | 2 |be cut by an advance of British :‘- troops from Burma. It is to protect this line, undoubtedly, that they | & | have taken the trouble to occupy . & net’ [/ 138 CONN. AVE. N.W. Causing Japs Anxiety. It is indeed this problem of supply and communications that is causing G mm‘@mm»@sfiwwmm R AT REAR OF STORE FRESH SMOKED TONGUES 99 3 FANCY CALIFORNIA CALAVOS | CARROTS .. Seventh ) Street Come in at once and save! By CONSTANTINE BROWN. With the war In full swing and the United States fighting the greatest battle in its history, the red tape which stified its military preparations in peacetime is being eliminated. But much still remains, in spite of the efforts of authorities to slash through it. From the fighting services in the field and at sea come shouts to get rid of every inch of red tape and to fill their needs with- out reference to peacetime rules and regulations. It is over a month since we were attacked by the Japanese. It is true that such an emergency was expected for some time in responsible quarters. But as long as our sword was sheathed peace- time rules and regulations re- mained in effect. Armament Inadequate. Furthermore, the Japanese at- tack proved that oure-prepared- ness must undergo some drastic changes. For instance, regula- tions provided before the attack on Pearl Harbor that certain auxiliary vessels should be pro- vided with a certain type of gun which proved satisfactory during the last war, when the American Navy was principally on convoy duty. At that time the airplane had not become the important war weapon it is now. Hence, such auxiliary vessels were pro- vided with the protection needed 24 years ago. Under the new fighting condi- tions it has been discovered that the armament of some of the auxiliaries is totally inadequate. But since the books provide that only a certain type and quantity of ordnance should be placed on such vessels, it takes time be- fore the authorities can study the new conditions and effect changes. Reports must be made by the proper authorities on both Pa- cific and Atlantic coasts. They are sent through routine chan- nels and finally reach the proper officials in Washington, who take the matter up with still higher authorities. In the end a change may be approved. Vexing Delays Caused. ‘The same delay has been ex- perienced in shipment of planes to certain Allied war areas. Un- til December 7 certain regula- tions had to be strictly observed. Papers were sent from one office to another. Sometimes the o T T R O Special Reductions on many fine pieces and suites of Lifetime Furniture for immediate clearance Thousands of dollars’ worth of dependable Lifetime Furniture have been specially re- duced to move out quickly and make room for new shipments. Mostly all one-of-a-kind pieces and groups at substantial savings! P uvm'unn— i MAYER & CO. Between D and E “proper authority” was out of town or was swamped with other equally important work, and there were vexing delays. Finally, after the Japs attacked, the question of transportation of the much-needed fighting craft became an acute problem. These planes, some of which have al- ready been paid for, will eventu- ally reach the theater of opera- tions—in time, it is hoped. President Roosevelt’s speech to Congress Tuesday afternoon raised the hopes of the fighting services that the remaining red tape now will be swept away. It is only natural that the men in military, naval and air units should be impatient at peacetime delays. It is difficult for the men who are in the thick of the battle or expect to be any moment, to real- ize that old rules and regulations still prevail. A delay of a few days or even hpurs may be the difference between victory or de- feat in any engagement. Desk men, however, cannot help them- selv They are tied in a mil- lion knots by “the book.” Reforms in Prospect. In most instances these men are required to take questions up with senior officers, who may have to discuss them with civil- ians, and they in their turn may have to think them over because there is a bottleneck somewhere. Authorities in Washington are doing their utmost to eliminate these bottlenecks as far as the actual fighting services are con- cerned, but they are not always successful. A matter which may appear vital several thousand miles away loses much of its im- portance on reaching Washing- ton and being placed before some high-ranking official who is deal- ing with world problems. A few new or additional anti- aircraft guns aboard a merchant ship which has been drafted into service may appear of vital im- portance to the skipper, who is responsible for the lives of his crew, but the matter becomes of only relative importance when it reaches the Capital, where pro- viding all the fronts with thou- sands of such guns is of para- mount concern. There are strong hopes that in coming months subordinate offi- cials in the field may be author- ized to deal immediately and di- rectly with many matters which now require reference to Wash- ington. s S BN 2 B R TR R B # i b A-13 McLemore— Defense Deals Biow To Southern Cooking By HENRY McLEMORE. MOBILE, Ala—The story is usu- ally one of men and maids. But | this one is in reverse. It deals with | women and maids and the terrible heart - rending blow that de- fense work has struck at house- wives of the Old South, Lawdy me, honey, it's & pity and a shame but the gals in the magnolia and honeysuckle belt are actually hav- { ing to wield a mop, swing a duster, and mix ® Henry MeLemore. up those hot biscuits themselves. | Chile, you just wouldn't believe it, but since the war the help prob- lem has become so acute that sube debs, debs, their mamas and their aunts, have had to bend right down over a frying pan and rustle up the hopping john, hush-puppies and | hoe-cake. There was a time (and the sighs | of the Mobile women folk for those | days sway the Spanish moss on the oaks) when bandannaed Chloes, Dinahs and Mom Cherubs could be had for little more than streetcar fare and “totin’ " privileges. In case you never had “totin’” privileges in any of the contracts with your help, this roughly is what it is: The servant has the right to tote | home the leftovers. It also carries ‘wuh it the privilege to determine what comprises leftovers, not to mention uncooked potatoes, a dozen cupcakes, and three or four bars of 08D, * % % But the Mobile Chloes and Dinahs are a-taking it easy these days, B, T | ¢ more than name only—are turning ;| out meals that have no Southern : signals be installed at Portland Their men folks are in the ship- | yards, helping build for Uncle Sam, | and mercy, how the money rolls in, | There are vegetables on the floor, | the rent is paid, the icebox is heavy | with salt pork, the geraniums are | blossoming in the coffee cans on the window sill, the hound dog’s ribs | have disappeared and the cushion iin the rockin’ chair looks powerful | inviting. A Mobile matron who hasn't done | & lick of work around her house ex- cept to brush a termite or two off the Colonial pillars, told me a most distressing story concerning her | wash. | For 20 years she had taken her | laundry to the same washwoman. For 20 years it had come back in a big wicker basket, snowy-white from just the right amount of bluing, | with never too much starch, never too little. A few days ago, she took the wash out on schedule. There was a quiet humming from inside the cabin. Mandy finally strolled out to the |car. “I ain't taking in no mo’ | washin’, Miss Martha. Them ship- | yards s paying Tom so well that { I'se sending out my washin’ now to the reglar londry. I'se giving mo’ of my time to the church and my society.” * % % % What is happening in Mobile is happening all over the South. Thers is much wringing of hands and complaining still going on, but Southern women are rallving fairly magnificently for Southern women. Some of them already have cut down their telephone gossiping to three hours a day, and reduced their trips to the corner drugstore for cokes and a chat from 10 to 9. They still ride around town in a car most of the day, but this is some- thing that won't stop until the last tire is gone and it has been proved that a car won't travel on inner tubes. Southern cooking already has suf- fered from the lack of capable help in the kitchen. Biscuits that used to float in, now come in on crutches, broken down by their own weight. The Chloes and Dinahs left no recipes when the defense work ene abled them to lay down their culie nary arms. They cooked strictly by ear. The housewives—now they have had to become housewives in accent, Aside to the Daughters of the Confederacy: My entire family is Southern. Even the puppy doesn't bark her r’s, so don’t sue. | (Dastributed by McNaught Syndicate, Ine.) Citizens Ask New School In Washington Highlands The Washington Highlands Citi- zens’ Association last night urged 2 congressional appropriation for an elementary school in the community be included in the 1943 District budget. The resolution, offered by Curtis W. Ingalls, pointed out thas | & school in the Highlands area is | needed to take care of the growth in population of the Bellevue, Boll- ing View and Washington Highlands | subdivisions. Mr. Ingalls said that children at present must travel as much as 4 | miles to attend classes in other sec- tions of the city. A desired location for the proposed building would be at Nichols avenue and Atlantio | street S.W. | The association asked that traffie | | street and Nichols avenue SE. and devoted the remainder of the meet- | ing to discussion of changes in the | association constitution and by-laws. Mr. Ingalls presided over the meeting, which was held in the Congress Heights School. Tipsy Driving Brings 'Maximum Jail Term Judge Hobart Newman of Police | Court yesterday imposed the maxi- | mum straight jail sentence of 360 days on a charge of second offense driving while drunk against Doug- | las B. Barksdale, colored, 1300 block & | of Wallach place N.W. | Emphasizing the trafic hazard of drunken driving, Judge Newman de- | clared it time to “dissuade” persons *mmm;inupmmu. ¥