Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-19
Arms Speed
To JOLT Nation
Violently
Little Man May Crash;
Luxuries TO Fade
BY PAUL MALLON

business and public for the ter
rife shock of throwing the pro-
gram into high gear.
Expenditures, running now
about 81 .000,000.000 a month,
are 10 be trebled within year.
That may sound like simple ac-
cclcration The business man
and citizen have been 50 re-
garding il. But in reality it
Will be such a violent accelera-
ton that it will tear off a few
tenders and flood The carburetor
if, indeed, il does not break the
car apart.
a lot of small manufacturers
viii have 10 90 out Of business.
ef-lafge- manufacturer
will have 10 forget their bust
ness entirely until the emer-
gency is over.
The first symptoms have al
ready appeared. These were
confessed frankly by Donald
Nelson. OPM purchasing di-
rector, in scarcely noticed
Pittsburgh speech Monday. Mr..
Nelson said small manufacturers
in New Jersey probably kitch-
cnWare. hardware garbage can
makers) were already shutting
down.
THEN there is the unreported
L case of a large manufac-
turer of air conditioncrS. The
managers. fOreseeing shortages
which would cause them TO stop
operations soon, came 10 Wash
ington last week seeking defense
contracts which would enable
Them 10 edge over INTO some
other producing line.
The war department happens
10 be interested in equipping an
army of 100000 men and $780,
900 reserves. and naturally is
not interested in saving individ-
ual businesses.
IT SOUNDS wild TO report to-
L day automobiles may be prac-
tically unobtainable within
year and that ordinary living
and luxury goods are likely TO
be shut down 50 10 rs per cent.
A defense expenditure pro-
spectus prepared by one OPM
authority shows a 50 per cent
increase coming July and
further expansion each quarter
until the goal rate of $4,000
100000 A quarter $40, 100000
600 a year - may be reached
within II months.
II does no good 10 doubt the
government can spend such
colossal yearly sum Of money.
as great as the feared govern
ment debt at the beginning of
the third term. OPM men Mel
son, Stacy May, Bait and others
are agreed it must be done be-
cause Germany alone will spend
S25. 600. 000,0 600 on armament in
the next i months military au-
thoritieS estimate even higher)
and victory can only be acquired
by. Britain and the United States
exceeding Hitler'S efforts.
TWO steps 10 lessen the ef-
i fcctS of the blow arc al
ready being taken. Skeleton Of
a plant conversion section is
being set UP in the defense con-
tract service. and may shortly
he announced. The old SEC
New Dealer, Peter Nehemkis,
is making arrangements.
The theory behind this step is
that a few manufacturers of
say toothpastc, radios. automo-
bilcS or clothing materials tthese
products are being mentioned
could produce enough for the
whole industry and tho rest Of
the manufacturers could 60 into
defense production. After tho
emergency the other manufac-
turcrS would be returned their
businesses
Secondly (although this step
will come frSO the OPM is
getting ready 10 offer its Serv-
ices 10 help the crowded-out
small manufactures to use sub
Stitute materials and plaSticS,
or get small supplemental de-
Tense business.
TlIE chipping of lckc> about
L taking over aluminium oil
and power may not hc lmpOr-
tant The government already
runs these now rs far rs pro-