Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-24
us WON'T NAME
:. NONESSENTIALS
Washington Decides Such a
Plan Would Be
Harmful
TO GET OTHER WORK

Il
No list Of nonessential industries will
be prepared and announced from WASH
ington during the war.
Such a step, It is argued by officials.
would create injurious industrial and
financial unsettlement.
Another equally important reason
why nonessential industry list will not
he made Zip and plants In that class
closed down during the war Is the strong
desire OF tho Administration to keep
every American industry on a sound
production and financial basis, with their
organizations intact, 30 as to be pre-
pared to take vigorous part In the con-
test for worlds trade after the war.
For the last six or eight months nu-
merous industries not engaged in work
directly connected with the conduct Of
the war have had continually before
them the bugaboo of being declared by
| the Government to be nonessentials and
stripped Of their employees, fuel and
materials
Thousands OF able business men have
visited Washington In the last six
months convinced that they could pre-
sent to the Administration a sound list
Of r,onessential industries that could be
cloed down for the period Of the war
without harmful effect to give added
strength to purely war industries.
For the first few months after the
discussion began they were listened to
alphabetically by various Washington
officials. But after any number of rep
rescntative men had devoted much time
to the question in cooperation with the
officials and had failed to arrive az a
satisfactory conclusion the idea was
dropped
called with Ono Another
Numerous efforts to draw up nones-
sential industry lists ended with the
discovery that almost every industry is
In some way allied with other indutries
in such way that to shut down one
would work injury to some essential in
dustry.
Those who go to Washington now to
discuss nonessential industry lists are
firmly told that extensive investigation
of the subject has proved that to close
down nonessentials would do much more
harm than good, and that no material
step in that direction is to be taken.
The nearest approach Washington has
made to declaring some industries nom
essential was the action of the fuel ad-
ministration in allowing certain plants
only certain percentage of their normal
fuel supply. and this plan has not pro-
gressed far.
The most notable step In this d.
rection was the announcement served on
the automobile industry by the fuel ad-
ministration some weeks ago that only
25 per cent of a normal fuel supply
would be allowed next season for the
manufacture of pleasure cars. .r.
Other industries whose coal supply has
been curtailed are the breweries. whose
coal supply has been cut 25 per cent
and Is to be cut another 25 per cent
factories manufacturing pianos. who
have been given a substantial cut: maxi
ers of clay products and sanitary ware
window glass manufacturers and box
board makers.
The fuel administration, facing an ap-
parent estimated shortage of S0,000.000
tons in the coal supply needed for 1918,
found upon investigation that nonessen-
tial industries were using about 1O0,-
| 100000 tons year. After thorough
consideration Of the whole situation by
experts 1t was decided not to cut off
coal supplies to the nonessential en-
| tirely. saving 100. .000, 900 tons, but in
stead of paralyzing few industries to
conduct an intensive campaign among all
the industries for the conservation of
fuel In an effort to effect the saving in
that way.
Thousands Of inquiries have come to
the war industries board and fuel ad-
mnistration from anxious business men
all over the country as to what steps
are contemplated in regard to shutting
down certain industries. but no abso-
lutely definite reply has been obtainable
Many industries that appear to have
no part in the prosecution of the war
are found upon investigate to be either
so tied up with essential plants or
financed in such a way that to close
them down would bring about Industrial
injury.
The piano industry offers a striking
instance The general belief is that no
harm could come frorn closing down the
plano business immediately But an in.
cials proved that the piano Industry.
whose backbone Is the purchaser on a
weekly or monthly payment plan. has
about l,250,000, 900 In negotiable paper
In the banks of the country and that
to close down the PIANO business would
ruin or cripple large number Of banks
carrying the promissory notes.
Given Other Work
A better plan has peen adopted, that
of putting a portion Of many OF these
plants on production of war materials,
and today a large number of piano fac
tories are making important parts for
airplanes.
A look into the future has convinced
Washington officials that in order to be
in an advantageous position to bid fer
the worlds trade after the war every
Industry, both essential and nonessential,
must maintain its organization on edge
prepared to meet greatly increased pro-
duction after peace Is declared when
| many OF the nations must for several
years be buyers from the United States
because of inability to manufacture and
| produce materials for their own needs.