The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-03-27
(By Staff Writer)

ness men and military leaders
who are awaiting orders and as
sisting in plans for carrying out
the Presidents program for max
ing the United States an arsenal
for democracy" Hotels are crowd
ed, rents are skyrocketing and the
daily transient population OF this
city is higher than at any time
in history.
The position of the United
States now has been crystalllzed
bv the President, who said IN his
recent speech broadcast all over
the world: "The great task OF this
day, the deep duty which rests
upon us is to move products from
the assembly lines of our factor
les to the battle lines of democrat
cy-now!"
Since the Presidents speech
there has been a noticeable de-
cline in speculation as to VINE
Their we will become an active
participant in the war. The whole
tenor of thought here is that we
are pledged to perform miracle
of production and that all future
events will be Influenced by how
well that job is done. 1t is the
common opinion that we may get
into the war but that the only
possibility of staying out IS by
sending a steady stream OF equip
ment to Great Britain.
So A Huge Program
Although there is no clear line
drawn as to what equipment Will
be sent to England. out OF the ad-
ditional S7,OOO,OOO,OO0 worth OF
war materials for which the Pres
ident has asked, that program IS
expected to get all of the produc-
tion facilities of the country 60
ing at top speed. 1t calls for:
One billion three hundred ana
fortv-three million dollars Tor
ordnance and stores; $2,O54, OOO,-
600 for aircraft and engines; $685.
O0O 600 for tanks, armored cars,
etc: 1929 900, 900 for vessels, SHIPS
boats and accessories; $26O,OOO,-
600 for miscellaneous military
equipment; $752,OOO,OOO for facill-
ties and manufacturing equip
ment; $1,35O,OOO,000 for agrlcul-
tura1 industrial and other COM
modities: 100000 for repairs
to defense articles leased or
loaned; S4O,OOO,OOO for unforeseen
CONTINGENCIES; and $10,OOO,OOO for
administrative expenses.
The major activity here during
the next few months will be cen
tered upon turning that S7,OOO,-
100000 appropriation into seven
billion dollars worth of equip
ment.
Unemployment Will Dwindle
IT is expected that the carrying
out of this program will practl-
cally end unemployment in this
country. It is estimated by the
bureau of labor statistics that by
the time the program is gong
full-speed, nearly million jobs
will be added in the shlpbulldlng
and aviation fields alone, and that
even ''white collar" jobs will in
crease in large numbers as more
factory labor is put to work.
When the production program is
fully under way, it is predicted
here that any unemployed, ply
sically-fit man will be able to get
a job.
Strikes in essential industries
continue to interfere with de-
tense production over S75,OOO,-
600 worth of defense orders being
tied up last week. But there is no
question that the President will
take action to see that this doesn't
continue. A labor mediation board
similar to the one which worked
so successfully in the World war
will handle disputes between la
Dor and employers.
Big Part for Agriculture
Agriculture is expected to play
an important part in the defense
program for supplying food and
materials to the democracies. Be-
cause the President expects farm
conditions to be improved by an
increased demand for farm pro-
ducts, he has been cool to the
idea of full parity prices as asked
by farm leaders. Full parity
would mean that farm products
would be priced to have the same
purchasing power in relation to
other commodities that they had
from 1909 to 1914. The present
appropriation of $212,O0O,0O0 is
aimed at rs per cent parity and
that is expected to stand.
Economics Report
If it weren't for the defense
program, the report expected to-
be made soon by the temporary