The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-12

more than two years cf European war, and as c result of months Of studying tho problem, the nations lawmakers ere getting ready to seek means of preventing it.
 Tho trouble can be summed up in ono word: ''prloxitles." This word has become us important to the American business man as '.panzer division" 0r 'blitxkrieg" to the snlli4 tagy experts devising stfategies to
 prioritles entered the business PrloFitles entered th ebusiness vocabulary in June, ie40, when the kail of France wns complete. Great Britain was in imminent peril, end llae United gtaes embarked on an Nll@Out armament program. Com vreGa enacted law giving the de- knse program first call on every- hing 1t neded to produce tanks, huns, and planes. Civilian industry Iould take what was left over.
 Progress Made
 It immediately developed that nnere were shortages--in this rich- hst os al the worlds nations mot bniy of materials wanted by civil- hn industry but Of vltally neces- bary goods for defense production. Government agencies promptly sought to meet that problem, and while it has not been completely solved, great progress has been made in getting the materials need- cd by defense industry,
 The needs of civilian industry were another story. The effect of She shortages there were not as readily apparent, since they were scattered over tho country in rela- lively small amounts. But 1t worked out this way:
 An aiumlnum ware industry In Mantiowoc, Wis. discovered that it could get no more aluminium for pots and pans, since it ail was needed for alrplanes. This meant that all the workers would Do thrown out of employment--and it was no comfort to the citiyeflS Of Manltowoc that other idle workers were getting jobs in tho airplane factories Of Los Angeles
 when enough instances like that ct Manitowoc had piled up, the OPM got to work in an attempt to correct the situation. In the Wlscon. sin community the problem was solved by arranging for the mdus- try to get order sfrom the army tor cRnaeens, meat cans, cups ana similar articles.
 Gasoline "sh0rtage"
 what really brought the attention og tho public to the economic as" iocations created by the war, how- over. was tho Atlantic seaboardS \ RasniIne ''shortage," Petroleum Co- 0rdInAtors Harold l.. fckes an. fotinced that tho transfer to Great Britain of tankers which had been bringing gasoline and fuel OH rom tho Gulf states 10 the East coast would make those commodities scarce during the winter.
 Ffis ofiiee asked cooperation m Q conservation campaign. The pubic N'as warned that houses warmed by oii burners might have to maintain Iower. .thansnorma heat, nling stations were closed betwen the hours of ' ?. M. and V A. N. ID m effort to cut down sales of gaso- line to motorists.
 The effect of this program, ac' cordlng to . special senate coLlHlsa .a tee which investigated at, was 70 create ''a mild form of hysteEia ,; anger, confusion, and uncertalnSy.e The committee ahsolved IckeS oL .maRnlfyiag" the shortage to create A "war scare,D but it said:
 "There Is no shortage Of petro" ieun nroducts, nor Q Ahortage. ..: . os transporkatlon facilities, but the whola frlehtanlng picture, from tne standnolnt Of the coordinaors omee, seems to lie In the fact that tne Shortaee is really shortage in a iaree slsrpius which is desired"
 smhseuuentiy Britain returned some of the tankers ana 4ckeS a,s IF scInded the order which closeu III fng stations at night. But tne sn- eldenk brought home to every Eestern Elaotorist just what the ce- mands If about war could mean 70 him personally under different CIT CuAiS'Iss1i nIT Company Get sO%
 Rnk what was happening m tne h,,sinesg world was slower m us-
 Ths arFsly and navy, which tne- oreticaily had surveyed sie sa aa' t,,,,, industry and vas Eesoy 1 ,,sa.;s sS.a clvillan production to defense nesus @ on M-pay, wanted planes gum and tanks iI a hurry. .,...
 The quickest way 70 set uls.ll was to deal with the biz coEpOrA- t,cns and when Congress meoe its Grst checkup through speelhi sa,,ata defense committee 1t leaTneo tI,et 0e uer cent of the dollar, value ne the hilliong of contracts aWarueu z had haen concentrated in 00 plg Concerns. m Small manufactureIs throuchOrt the country were pro- testing that they would haSe 1T nO out of business. .,.....
 The Senate Defense investgains committee, headed by sen. ha,ry G 5; Trunan. D., Mo, called in FAOyu p Hai,sn. head of the OPMB con +ract distribution service, wnlcn hed heen set np to see what coulu Ss done about making the big com ,,srsee farm out some of their WorK % %s,,sconstrctors and so spread the ,gosr This is the picture he pre- sr There are about ls4.OoO American manufacturing companies. 1nsy ns. of fonr kinds-(D Plants alreaay busy on defense work: tz) snose -. Aa- Secfed by raw materials snoLsasss, a,a.. = but which could not be convekteu x, ~ defense work; and eal es u ,sr M civilian production not AAeS's0 Y priorltles. ssa ana
 of the total, Odlun said lsONvg manufacturers are in Group an0 emnIoy less than 20 persons eacn. 'iIk Groin 2, he pointed out, could praduaily be taken care or py u.s Siversion of special defense oEaeEs to them, as vas done at haan'so voc. wis. ..,,. v.,v