Truce in WPB

In its 13 months of ups & downs, of internal bickerings and external frictions, WPB last week moved into an up position.

Out was square-jawed Ferd Eberstadt (TIME, March 1); the Palace Guard that engineered his ouster was for the moment appeased. For Boss Donald Nelson war production looked 20% rosier than it did the week before. And Charles Edward Wilson, who had suffered under WPB's divided authority and mind, at last could consolidate his position.

This he did by a new scheduling order to which the Army, Navy and Maritime Commission reluctantly agreed. The order (which Charlie Wilson carefully called a mere codification of proved practices) specified the degree of control he would have over three classes of materials. It gave him kingly powers to shift war orders, make manufacturers toe his mark. But Charlie Wilson promised the armed services he would use the new powers only in an emergency and with their approval. Thus did he effect a truce with the Army & Navy.

In return the services demanded (with indications that they would get the request) that WPB show its good faith by making two new appointments: 1) tough, trusted Julius Albert ("Cap") Krug, head of the WPB power section, to run the WPB requirements committee and program adjustment; 2) Sherrod E. Skinner to be in charge of WPB's industry divisions. Skinner has been in the Army's S.O.S. four months, was an executive of General Motors' Oldsmobile.

Krug and Skinner the Army regards as men who understand the down-to-earth importance of materials in production, who can guard the flow of war goods, who will see that WPB makes no attempt to control any needed item or say when it is needed. They get along with each other and distrust WPB's "politicking termites" and "stratospheric thinkers"--i.e., the Palace Guard.

After all the fuss & feathers in and over WPB, one fact seemed finally to be dawning on its men: WPB was in no position to risk a showdown within its own organization or with the armed services--nor could it take sole responsibility for running the war.

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