Executive Order 9443—Authorizing the Secretary of War to Take Possession of and to Operate the Plants and Facilities of Hummer Manufacturing Division of Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., Located at Springfield, Illinois

Whereas , after investigation I find and proclaim that the plants and facilities of Hummer Manufacturing Division of Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., located at Springfield, Illinois, are equipped for the manufacture and production of articles and materials that are required for the war effort or that are useful in connection therewith; that there are existing and threatened interruptions of the operation of the said plants and facilities as a result of a labor disturbance caused by the failure of Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., to comply with a directive order of the National War Labor Board dated April 14, 1944; that the war effort will be unduly impeded or delayed by these interruptions; and that the exercise, as hereinafter specified, of the powers vested in me is necessary to insure, in the interests of the war effort, the operation of these plants and facilities: Now, Therefore , by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including section 9 of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended, as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, it is hereby directed as follows: 1. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed, through and with the aid of any persons or instrumentalities that he may designate, to take possession of the plants and facilities of Hummer Manufacturing Division of Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., located at Springfield, Illinois, and, to the extent that he may deem necessary, of any real or personal property, and other assets wherever situated, used in connection with the operation thereof; to operate or to arrange for the operation of the plants and facilities in any manner that he deems necessary for the successful prosecution of the war; to exercise any contractual or other rights of Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., and to continue the employment of, or to employ, any persons, and to do any other thing, that he may deem necessary for, or incidental to, the operation of the said plants and facilities and the production, sale, and distribution of the products thereof; and to take any other steps that he deems necessary to carry out the provisions and purposes of this order. 2. The Secretary of War shall operate the said plants and facilities under the terms and conditions of employment which are in effect at the time the possession of the plants and facilities mentioned herein is taken, and during his operation.of the plants and facilities shall observe the terms and conditions of the directive order of the National War Labor Board, dated April 14, 1944. 3. The Secretary of War is authorized to take such action, if any, as he may deem necessary or desirable to provide protection for the plants and all persons employed or seeking employment therein. 4. Possession, control, and operation of any plant or facility, or part thereof, taken under this order, shall be terminated by the Secretary of War within sixty days after he determines that the productive efficiency of the plant, facility, or part thereof prevailing prior to the existing and threatened interruptions of production, referred to in the recitals of this order, has been restored. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, May 20, 1944.