Evening star., 1941-08-17

problem in arithmetic that has the
gravest implications for practically every
citizen. In its simplest terms it is this:
Given so much steel, so much rubber
SO much manganese, SO much alumni
num-limited amounts of all the vital
commodities-how can these be divided
up so as to work the least possible hard
ship on the work and well-being of
people everywhere? 1t is the old school,
book problem of dividing the four
apples among five or six or more persons.
Final responsibility rests on the Divi-
sion of Priorities of the Office of Pro-
duction Management which is just now
feeling the full weight of that burden.
Flooding in on the 400 employees of the
priorities division are 1000 pieces Of mail
day. This includes more than 5000
priority applications a week from big
and little business men in every corner
of the United States.
A small cotton manufacturer in North
Carolina has a broken spindle on one
of his looms. He goes to o. P. M.
priorities TO get defense rating so that
he can obtain the steel spindle A
manufacturer of radio tubes in New
Jersey is threatened with a complete
shutdown because he cannot obtain
materials and he appeals to priorities
for defense rating and not getting far
there, he goes to o. P Ms Defense
Contract Service for help in obtaining
Government orders These are typical
OF the thousands of requests coming in
each day.
What is obvious now is that the pic
there is any improvement Responsible
officials have estimated that up to
1000 900 men may be thrown out of
jobs this fall as a result Of material
shortages. What happened in the silk
industry. where l75000 workers were
thrown out Of employment almost over
night, will happen in other industries.
Impact on Civilian Life.
The impact on civilian life in the COM
ing months is likely to be severe. Leon
Henderson and William s. Knudsen may
debate about whether automobile pro-
duction should be cut 20 per cent or so
per cent. But the harsh fact is that
shortages of steel, copper. aluminium are
likely TO make deeper cuts in production
than any one contemplated.
The tragedy is that the severity of
the blow might have been greatly tenn
pered if there had been overall plan
ming coupled with overall authority.
A year ago high Government officials
talked a great deal about accumulating
stock piles of essential materials and
Of limiting and rationing civilian use of
such commodities But the past 12
months have seen little progress in that
direction.
Responsibility was divided Political
considerations entered in. From time
to time optimistic statements were is
sued which led the public to believe
that nothing would interfere with busi-
ness as usual during the defense crisis.
Now in the cold light of reality the
Army, the Navy, Jesse Jones of the r.
F. c.. the o. P. M. are disputing where
the blame lies
What happened with silk illustrates
the tragic blunders that have marked
the defense program during the past
year. The Navy and the Army have
known all along that silk would be
necessary for parachutes and powder
charges. The heads of our military
establishment have preached for years
the necessity for stockpile of silk. At
the outset of the defense effort nearly a
year ago procedure was laid down where
by the military acting through the
Treasury. the R. F. c. and the defense
organization would purchase silk for a
two-year reserve.
Responsibility Scattered.
Occasional inquiry about the progress
of the stockpiles of silk, rubber and
other commodities brought the brusque
reply that this was military information
and nothing could be said about it.
When commercial relations with Japan
were abruptly severed, it was discovered
that almost nothing had been done
about it. Immediately it became neces-
sary, Of course, to requisition every scrap
of silk in the whole country, including