National Defense: Big Bill's Plan?

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Last week many a laborite, many an other citizen simply concerned for defense, boiled & roiled over the cold shoulder which Washington seemed to give ClOman Walter Reuther's plan for planes (TIME, Dec. 30). President Roosevelt gave it a polite brush-off at his press conference, indicating that Mr. Reuther's proposal to use idle automobile capacity for aircraft manufacture was just another idea. From the National Defense Advisory Commission, whence any action would have to come, there was nary a peep. Automakers in Detroit said nothing, inspired thumbs-down stories in the press.

Yet insiders in Washington last week had the impression that Walter Reuther had done very well indeed. According to these dopesters, Mr. Reuther had done his real spadework before he got any publicity. Reason for this conclusion was a certain similarity between Defense Commissioner William S. Knudsen's own, earlier plan to have automakers manufacture aircraft parts with new tools in both new and old plants, and Mr. Reuther's more vaulting proposal to have them also use old plants, tools, machinists. It was known that Big Bill Knudsen had visited his old stamping grounds in Detroit in October, where he had brusquely told reluctant motormen: "You are going to do this the way I say!" Mr. Knudsen's way was not precisely Walter Reuther's way, but both stemmed from the same belief: that the automobile industry could enormously speed up plane production. Aware that Big Bill Knudsen since his General Motors days has had a shuddering respect for Unionist Reuther, many a Washington wiseman last week guessed that Messrs. Knudsen & Reuther had long since compared notes. Some even went so far as to speak of the "Knudsen-Reuther Plan," or of "Big Bill's Plan."

In the midst of this speculation, a quiet announcement by the War Department demonstrated that somebody's plan for putting automakers to building aircraft parts is proceeding apace. Three aircraft manufacturers (Martin, North American, Consolidated) were designated to operate new assembly plants at Omaha, Kansas City (Mo.), Tulsa. Purpose: to have experienced aircraftmen assemble the parts automobile manufacturers are to make.