The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-09-26
TWO YEARS OF WAR
BY ]. E. Jones

Washington, Sept. 22--TwO years
ago the National Government stood
for neutrality, the Importance OF
which was an apparent determine
ton to stay out and away from Old
World wars, and definitely: Lend
no money to European nations.
In twety-four months we have
reversed our position. The admin
istration and Congress, and the
American people are agreed upon
policies to back England with all
out aid, and loans, food armament,
ships, and blockade against the
Axis forces. We are in everything
except the shooting.
Our Government took over con-
troll of an airplane factory lines of
production in order to increase the
output of defense materials for our
own Nation, and as aid to England
and others.
Scarcities of materials include
steel, aluminium, and other articles
| in long lists called "priorities". Ad-
ministration activities have been
halted on many antitrust and
monopoly inquiries. legislative &C.
ton has paused in laying down hard
and fast rules over such matters as
currency control, and imitation.
Taxation, installment buying, ra-
ioning of oil, proceeding and con-
.rol of costs of food, agricultural
| ,Cds nj
automobile and refrigerator ma
chinery are new puzzles, to which
are added fresh responsibilities
concerning health, welfare, and
thousands of unfamiliar new prob
lens.
Those periods between the Civil
War, Spanish War, the
World War, did not create such ire
mendous changes as have taken
place in the past two years.
If we actually keep out of this
war and as long as we keep oul
heads COOL, and refrain from join
ing in Old World tragedies of shoot
ling, we stand excellent chances OF
preserving the Democracies of the
Western Hemisphere and returning
in due time to our peacetime habits
and responsibilities.
And there you have the substance
md the summary of a thousand
editorials from newspapers all over
our broad land, plus the interpre-
ations of past events and future
expectations, by the ablest column
SITS and commentators from coast tC
coast.
What's "Oil Shortages All About
Representatives of American rail
roads have told Senate committee
that there are 10000 surplus or idle
ank cars that could move between
Is million and million barrels Of
oil a month from Texas to the At
lantic seaboard. Railroad officials
nave been shouting similar declara
tons from the housetops for severa
weeks. In the meantime the claim
that there is an oil shortage has
been abandoned.
Apparently the use of railroad
tank cars and other available trans
portation by highways and water
would entirely wipe out the claim Of
a shortage of transportation.
| The railroad chiefs deny thai
they have ever had any request
from the Defense Oil CoordinatOl
for "any information.
The American people are always
ready to john and stand behind any
Igenuine efforts that support broad
plan, such as national defense. The
same American public resents Cam.
paigns like "oil shortages" when the
demands for conservation are
not proved.
Closed Shop Issue
More strikes are expected because
of the unsettled issues of union Sc
curity". The National Defense Med
iation Board recommendation in the
bodybuilding strike at Kearny, New
Jersey, placed the Government in
the position of siding with the
union. The Board held that any en-
ploye must remain a member Of the
union and that if he failed to pay
union dues that the fee should be
deducted from his pay check SO as
to keep the member in good stand
ing. This theory has not been &C.
cepted heretofore, in such broad
way. Industries have submitted to
the unions in the past, but In prac-
tically every case have opposed the
so-called CLOSED shop.
Climate Makers
The Department of Agriculture
explains how air conditions and 9TH