The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-11-10

70 the point OF lOO per cent tlght-
ness.
Wen, Bill Knudsen's Office OF
Production Management and other
defense agencies have served no.
tice that this isn't permissible
II the non-defense concerns per-
sist in it. the government will grab
such Of their supplies as 1t needs.
whenever II requires EN-. II will
pay for EN-. but at no such figures
as the civilian commodities manu-
facturers presumably expect to get
fer their finished output later.
From many Of these companies
representatives now comes the
howl that the government itself is
doing exactly what it's warning
them not TO do it's accommodating
stores vastly in excess of its ne
cessities Of today and far on into
the future. Steel's one Of the items
mentioned. Uncle Sam has enough
Of il, it's asserted, to last him for
at least a year and half, while
they're threatened with the un-
avoidability of immediate shut
downs due to the absolute lack
Of il.
II was estimated some time ago
that 10000 civilian goods factories
would be forced into suspension in
the face Of the situation then. To-
days estimates run as high as
twice that number.
All, say the governments spokes-
men. but look at the prodigious
increase in demands from the anti
AXIS powers we're helping.
Demands Much Greater
IHitiaily It vas reckoned that 1t
would be up to US to double our
plants production for their benefit
and our own defense. Present cal
culations run as ,:igh as a multipli-
cation Of their capacities about ten
times.
Priority seekers from little nom
defense corporations simply swarm
II Washington, and get nowhere.
Their applications total around
5000 weekly. II they definitely
were turned down, they at least
would be disposed Of, but, in gen.
eral, they never get to the right
officials desk. but simply are
shunted from one functionary to
another, each protesting to be the
wrong chap TO consider the matter.
With a view to Strengthening out
some Of the confusion the COM
merce department is advocating
contact between the emergency
agencies and the country's trade
assoc atoms rather than with indi-
viduals. As a matter Of fact, the
Office Of Production Management
and newer setups are in communi-
cation with about 500 Of these as
sociations, but they total approx
mately 5000, so that not much
more than beginnings being
made.
Civilian consurferdom, It's rec
ognized, scarcely has begun to feel
the pinch yet, but it's 'oreseen that
the uproar Will be something awe
inspiring as the famine in all sorts
OF ordinary conveniences ard even
necessities intensifes itself.
Not alone the consumers and
small manufacturers and the lat
ters' employees are due to catch It,
but retail merchandising will do so
also, it's predicted. as shelves are
left bare Of most Of the articles
that customers are in the habit
Of buying
National Price Fixer Leon Hen
derson is quite aware that his wor.
ries will multiply then. too, I the
sar1e ratio that defense and lease
lend production does, with civilian
production shrinking correspond.
ingly.
Checking Buyers Difficult
It's agreed that perhaps a mer-
chant can be prevented from hik-
ing his price tags but how can
would-be buyers be prevented from
bidding against one another, re-
CARELESS Of what the tags say?