The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-04-03
By Staff Writer


There is more and more talk here
about the importance Of the far
mer and his family to the defense
and aid-Britain program.
In the first place. the war is ex
pected to become a food war anc
the American farmer will be
called upon to supply the fooc
needs to all democracies.
In the second place, army lead
ers are showing a decided prefer
ence for healthy farm boys as sol
diers and are pushing enlistment
in the farm regions. One method
which is proving successful is the
trailer recruiting offices which CO.
yer the rural regions.
In the third place, defense in
dustries, running short of skilled
labor and mechanics, have found
that young farmers, experienced
in operating and repairing motor
lied farm equipment, have fun
damental knowledge of machines
which can be very useful. Thus
the farmers are being asked to
supply the food, provide a large
part of the army and help out on
the industrial end of the war pro-
gram.
Although there has been a big
drop in export sales of farm pro-
ducts, that drop is just temporary.
Instead of being replaced by dl-
rect export sales, however, it will
be replaced by huge purchases by
the government for export pur-
poses. The government wants to
control where food is sent and
will. at the same time, keep con-
troll over prices. It may permit
prices to rise somewhat but will
keep them from going high
enough to amount to real infla-
ton.
The largest amounts of food
will be shipped to Great Britain,
but we may eventually be called
upon to feed conquered nations
throughout Europe. A test ship
ment of grain is being made, for
the purpose of feeding the free
French. If this food is used only
for that purpose it may lead to
large shipments later, but II 1t
gets into the hands of the Ger
mans. such shipments will I'M
doubtedly be stopped.
Plan 10000 Planes
AS a result of the $1,000, 900, 900
bill to finance production which
includes two billions for planes,
plans are now being worked out
to supply Great Britain with H.
600 planes within the next Is
months. This includes planes
which have been ordered by Eng
land as we'll as those we will pro-
vide. The schedule calls for pro-
duction of over 1000 planes a
month for this purpose alone.
Because of the fear of loss OF
planes in export, if they are sent
across the Atlantic on boats, there
is talk here of establishing a safe
route for flying them over. This
involves difficulties, such as the
unwillingness of Ireland to per-
NIT England to establish bases
there, but it is understood that a
large number of bombers already
have been flown to England with
out casualties.
Plans are being made to spend
another half billion of that seven
billion dollars to build about 400
freight boats for the British. A
spokesman for the maritime COM
mission, which is behind this pro-
gram, said that by November the
commission expects to have con-
structed a million tons of ships.
In addition to the new ships
being built, it is understood that
the government is now in the
process of transferring SO Amerl-
can freighters to the British. One
reason for quick action in trans
ferring ships is to make it posi-
BILE to carry goods to England on
British ships rather than on our
own.
On the heels of the seven bill
lion dollar defense bill, the SEN
ate must now vote on four bill
lions for financing our enlarged
army and navy. This bill, al
ready approved by the house, is
known as the fifth supplemental
defense appropriation bill. Be-
cause of the increasing trend to-
ward unity of action in congress,
this measure is not expected to re-
ceive much opposition.
Strikes
Strikes in defense industries
continue to cause increasing Wor-
ry here and plans for stopping
them are breaking out like small