The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1941-08-21
Small Towns Ask
Decentralization
of War Industries
Protest present plan of
establishing all activi-
ties in Western Areas

CONTAMINATION OF the defenSe &C
tivity is becoming such a serious
threat to the smaller communities
that steps are being taken to re-
heve the situation. Fifteen towns in
Eastern Washington sent represent
atives to meeting at Coulee Dam
Monday to consider measures to be
undertaken. Larry Havstad and R.
E. Reed were the delegates from
Kennewick.
Young men are being taken from
the small towns for the armed forces.
Skilled workmen and laborerS are
being attracted to the larger CEN
tiers where the factories are absorb
ing them at relatively high wages.
The centers are troubled with hous-
ing, policing, schooling and other
problems for the sudden influx,
while the smaller districts are hav-
ing vacant houses, school registra-
tions are falling below normal, and
a shortage of labor threatens pro-
duction in all lines.
These are the anxieties of the
present. The outlook for the read
justment period following the war
activity is even worse, with read
justments causing untold harm to
all concerned.
The meeting Monday was for the
purpose of formulating some plan
to counteract these threats to the
life of the smaller communities. De-
GENERALIZATION of encampments and
defense activities appeared to be
the only answer. The meeting pro-
posed a resolution of protest to
government officials for immediate
action and plan to educate the
residents of the injured commune
ties to include their protests to the
powers that be. ID. -.
Because Secretary Ickes was to
he visitor at the dam the follow
ing day, the meeting drew up a res
olution to be presented to the sec
rotary. Copies of the resolution were
also telegraphed to the secretaries
of war and navy, the OPM and the
quartermaster general as we'll as to
President Roosevelt. "
Because of his interest and activ-
ity in the building of the Coulee
Dam, Rufus Woods, publisher of the
Wenatchee Daily World, was select
ed to read the resolution to Secre-
tary Ickes the following day.
The resolution was as follows:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
and noted economists everywhere
have announced themselves in favor
of decentralization of industries
throughout the United States. This
view comedies with that of great in
dustrialists like Henry Ford and the
heads of General Motors, u. S. Steel
and others. ~.
This view has met a hearty re-
Spouse from the people throughout
the country who recognize the dam
ger of too much Capitalization. 1t
applies from an economic and social
standpoint in peace time, and from
a defense standpoint in war time.
Even Germany and Japan recognized
the danger of this kind of situa-
ton and through years past has
put into effect policies toward elm
mating it.
Yet we in the United States in
this period of preparation for ma
tional defense have permitted the
very opposite program to go into eff
feet. Virtually all the small COM
munitise of our state, and other
states as well, are being depleted
of man power, while the metropol-
itan centers are taking, not only the
armies, but the big defense prof.
ects and then the social projects as
well, especially those centers in
coast areas admittedly vulnerable
to enemy attack.
Mr.. Secretary, we submit to you
that this Capitalization is going on
at scale never before witnessed In
the hisbor of any nation. We sub
init further that it means disaster,
if not rectified. To throw back
great bodies of men when the war
closes, into their former homes, or
to leave them in those metropolitan
centers means a relief problem here
tofore little dreamed of.
Three classeS-men from the
armies, men from the factories, and
men from among the social workers
are being drawn from the smaller
places to these metropolitan CEN
tiers. And OUR own government is the
agency which is making this pos
sible. It can be stopped now, but
after all the damage is done, it will
be too late.
MIR. Secretary, we as group rep
resenting communities in Eastern
Washington submit to you that this
is all wrong. It should be rectified
and it can be rectified by an i'm
mediate recognition of the dangers
involved and a program dating from
now, looking toward change. We
ask YOU to recommend and support
this statement to the President Of
the United States, Secretary Of War,
Secretary of the Navy, Quartermas-
ter General and Office of Produc-
ton Management for definite and
positive action.
We offer the cooperation of this
group to any committee or agency
that you recommend.
Respectively submitted,