Evening star., 1940-12-08
j. Labor Officials
Look Ahead 10 End
OF Defense Boom
Plans Already Started
For Cushionin9 Shift
From Arms Economy
D. the Associated Press.

AlUcT OllClC Odul lAno S11oA6AA
planes, guns and battleships. what
then for the factory worker, the
landlord, the grocer, the merchant?
This problem-how to prevent an
other depression when armament
pay rolls dwindle-has the attention
of President Roosevelt, the Labor
Department, the National Resources
Planning Board and other govern
mental agencies.
Secretary Perkins will introduce
the subject at the seventh annual
National Conference on Labor Legis-
lation starting tomorrow, as the ad-
ministration's first effort to cushion
the shift. when it comes, from an
armament economy to peacetime
economy.
"If we are to avoid the demoraliZa-
ton that comes with change from
defense production to normal pro-
duction, We should plan now the
Secretary of Labor said in disclosing
that she intends to appoint a COM
mittee to work on such plan.
ut is essential that we have a
program for gradual rehabilitation,
for bringing the men who have been
in the armed forces back into private
industry"
Other Projects Planned.
At the conference will be repre-
sentatives of the Governors of near
ly all States. State commissioners OF
labor, representatives of labor groups
and others interested in labor legis-
lation.
Miss Perkins said in an interview
that in the present world confusion
there was no way to tell how long
Uncle Sam would have to stay armed
to the teeth. Five-l0 years-maybe
longer
Strengthening the national de-
fenseS is the primary problem now,
she said. The next problem, sec
ondary nov but of great future i'm
portance, is what to do when the
armament saturation point has been
reached-and when peace does come
again.
Miss Perkins was a member of the
New York Industrial Commission in
the post-World War period and she
saw the effects of the recession that
set in when huge military contracts
we're abruptly ended. Speaking from
this experience, she said:
1--WE should be prepared with the
needed public works of peacetime,
to replace those of defense pre-
paredness-with plans for needed
homes, public power projects,
schools and hospitals, and conserva-
ton projects on farm and forest.
Setting Up Back Shelf"
Along this same line it was
learned that the National Resources
Planning Board is already at work
setting up a back shelf" of public
works projects.
President Roosevelt in discussing
his budget requests for the coming
fiscal year said small sums will be
set aside to finance engineering
plans for such projects as are al
ready approved
These plans would be put on that
"back shelf" to be taken down when
employment in defense industries
slackens, the President said. BY
this method. he declared, a serious
depression would be avoided.
Secretary Perkins said forward
vision should also include plans for
peacetime use of industries estab-
lished for defense purposes. An ex-
ample of this is the munitions in
dustry turning to the manufacture
Of artificial silk.
I'VE should increase our consumer
demands to take the place of de-
fenSe demands so that our fac
tories can be kept open" Miss Per-
klns continued She added that if
it were made possible for every one
who needed a cotton mattress to
purchase one, the cotton surplus
would be dented.
Urges Private Thrift.
The Secretary also said it would
be good idea for individuals to
practice private thrift" That is,
save now toward the purchase of
certain things-a new car, furniture,
a home-in the future when the de-
fense slack sets in.
HRV fhpco rpoorc orL 40,
panslon of our social security pro-
grams, by an increase in the services
schools, medical care, recreational
facilities-Which are needed for
healthy citizenship, we can main
tain purchasing power even when
armament pay rolls dwindle."
I'VE can aid them in this transi-
tlonal period to maintain their eco
nomlc balance and to improve the
standard of living of their peoples.
and thereby aid ourselves to keep
alive and increase our trade with
them, and our markets for the prod
ucts Of American industries and
American farms.
The labor standards applicable to
the postwar period-in particular
should be carefully developed for
the largest possible utilization of la
Dor and the widest distribution of
purchasing power.
ITO do all this requires careful
planning in advance" she said.
Optimistic About EMPLOYMENT
President Roosevelt predicted that
by spring and summer the defense
program would be using virtually all
OF those people out of work who
wanted to work. The Labor De-
partment's last report showed total
non-agricultural employment in Oc-
tober exceeding all levels since 1929.
Anticipating further increases.
MISS Perkins not only regards the
employment picture for the immedi-
ate future as cheering, but she is
optimistic about that of several
years hence.
She spoke of the possibilities of
new inventions, advances in science
Increased mass production of the
automobile at the close of the World
War helped give employment to