The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-07-29


its execution will be just that. Me
Those with key Jobs IN essen
tai industries will also be free
OF selection. Local boards, com
posed OF older citizens, are all.
set 10 pass on the exemptions.
For the most part, the men
called Will be between Fl and 81.
The army high command does
not seek men over 30 for COM
bat service. The older men are
wanted for posts at headquar-
tiers and elsewhere in Jobs for
which youngsters are less fitted.
Here is the army schedule not
vet announced All males from
Is to 65 will register. Twenty
one to IS are subject to army
service. the others to home de-.
Tense services.) Three hundred
thousand men will be called in
October. In November. $4,000.
Perhaps 10000 in December and
then 5000 a month until April,
when 100000 will be called.
From then on. just a few each
month until October. 1871. when
500. 900 will be called.
This schedule is based on a
training period Of Is to Is
months. That will require an
amendment to the Burke-Wads-
worth measure. II provides for
eight months. Brass hats say
that is insufficient. Observers
say they will get the longer
period. The peace societies OPP
posing the compulsory registra-
ton and selective draft will be
squelched. The generals will
have their day-and it is expect
ed to last for several years, as
r. d. RS plans now stand.
Wall Street is inclined to hand
II to Mr.. Roosevelt and associ-
ates for the smooth appeasement
of big business at every turn of
the re-armament program. A
long list of big-time doubts. ac-
cusations and objections have
been Modified to the point where
banking and industry can make
a left-handed claim to having
written much OF the program.
Prior to the appointments of
Stimson and Knox, Stettinius
and Knudsen, the financial COM
munity, aided and abetted by
sympathetic Republican leaders,
was preparing a whitening in
dictment of Wsshington's meth
DDS of building an army. The
investment bankers were mouth
ing rotund phrases deploring the
shutout of private capital from
the re-armament job. A raft of
manufacturers predicted the gov
eminent would confiscate their
plants via RFC loans. Other
producers walled over govern
ment competition in industries
where private establishments
could fill the bill The biggest
howl was directed at the first
report of the excess profits law
whose loose wording threatened
to substitute the billion dollar
plants while Gripping the small
operator.
It's amusing, therefore, to see
Republicans do political Polly
anna and admit the Roosevelt
methods have met the enemy's
bill of particulars. Pieced to-
gether, the Washington program
handles big business with cleo
ton year adroitness. W r e
banks were timid over financing
arms contracts because of dan
gerous expansion programs, the
objection was removed by per-
hitting a write-off of the cost
in tax exemptions. If the money
houses are still timorous about
getting the needful out of the
vaults. the army steps in with
a 500 advance on the contract
price. Thereafter nearly any
bank will come in for safe
60 or 100. Only after all banks
have SHE'D away from contrac'
tor will RFC do the financing
which is hardly government com.
petition.
The government will finance
and build at least 20 new arms
factories, but management vii
be in the hands of private lessees
The inevitable touch of pork j!
less Objectionable to business
than is government operation
Finally, the first reports of az
Outrageous" profits tax bill
have given way to inside re
ports at the other extreme-tha
the thing ia harsh hut master