Executive Order 9475-A—Authorizing the Secretary of War to Take Possession of and Operate Certain Plants and Facilities of the Hughes Tool Company Located at Houston, Texas

Whereas, after an investigation, I find and proclaim that the main plant of Hughes Tool Company, located at 400 Hughes Street, Houston, Texas, and the Aircraft Strut Plant of the Hughes Tool Company, located at 7790 Wallaceville Road, Houston, Texas, are plants and facilities that 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 threatened interruptions of the operation of said plants and facilities as a result of a labor disturbance; that the war effort will be unduly impeded or delayed by such 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 following plants and facilities:

The Main Plant of the Hughes Tool Company located at 400 Hughes Street, Houston, Texas and,

The Aircraft Strut Plant of the Hughes Tool Company located at 7790 Wallacevllle Road, Houston, Texas;

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 operations 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 the Hughes Tool Company 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 pursuant to the provisions of the War Labor Disputes Act, 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 June 16, 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 60 days after he determines that the productive efficiency of the plant, facility, or part thereof prevailing prior to the threatened interruptions of production, referred to in the recitals of this order, has been restored.

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

The White House,
September 2, 1944.