Administrative Control Techniques of the War Production Board

omy. It should therefore prove fruitful to examine the administrative techniques utilized by the War Production Board during the past two years in placing this country on a war footing and to project these techniques, if possible, into the postwar period. The priorities powers of the WPB are derived from Section 120 of the National Defense Act, approved by Congress on June 3, 1916, and were extended by Title III of the Second War Powers Act, approved by Congress on March 27, 1942. This latter Act provides that "the President may exercise any power, authority, or discretion conferred on him . . through such department, agency, or officer of the Government as he may direct and in conformity with any rules or regulations which he may prescribe." Pursuant to his authority, the President first vested the priorities powers in the Office of Production Management by Executive Order No. 8629 (January 7, 1941). These powers were reassigned, however, to the chairman of the War Production Board by Executive Order No. 9024 (January 16, 1942), Executive