Evening star., 1942-05-11
Public Is Beginning
10 Feel Impact Of
War Economy
Steady Disappearance
Of Ordinary Consumer
Goods Cited
BY the Associated Press.

American citizens now are begin
ming to feel the full impact of a
war economy.
Tire rationing seemed hard, but
not too hard on the man with four
pretty good ones; millions of con-
sumers are just beginning to un-
derstand the implications of sugar
rationing.
On Friday, however, ten million
Eastern motorists accustomed to
travelling on wheels will find out
how it feels to be short of gasoline.
And, from now on, caught between
broader and broader extension of
rationing and a steady disappear
ance of ordinary consumer goods,
citizens will find the war at their
doorsteps.
OF instant effect were War Pro-
duction Board orders curtailing de-
liveries of pepper and spices-cut-
ting black pepper back to 1941 levels,
reducing various imported spices by
half.
A so per cent reduction in fuel
oil, for home heating. becomes effec-
tive Saturday-the same day gaso-
line supplies to service stations are
halved.
OF major Importance, but more
gradual in effect, were w. P. B. Or
ders virtually eliminating articles
containing iron, steel and copper
from civilian use. More than 400
common items were affected by the
stoppage of iron and steel consump-
tion, while a hundred-odd addi-
tional articles were listed under the
copper ban.
Factories to Close.
The effect will be to compel the
shut down Of thousands of plants
and factories unable to find sub
stitutes for the prohibited metals.
Other developments important to
business and industry:
PrioritieS:
No brass mill, wire mill or foun-
dry copper products may be shipped
on orders not rated A-1-K or higher.
Use of copper or copper base al
loys in the manufacture OF all but
essential operating parts of motor
vehicles is prohibited, and shorp
cut was ordered for May Is in the
production of replacement parts for
passenger cars and light trucks.
Strict control was established over
the production and distribution of
all types of rubber-tired construc-
tion equipment.
Manufacturers were warned that
they cannot escape responsibility
for scheduling deliveries in accord
ance with preference ratings by
leasing their plants or making their
products under a toll agreement, in
an official Interpretation of priori-
ties regulation No. /.
All new critical machine tools
were placed under stricter control,
while rigid ALLEGATION was ordered
in the case of naphthenates and
their source material, naphthenic
acid. Naphthalene goes under the
same type of control on June /.
Clearing House Formed.
Distributors, retailers and opera
tors of service establishments were
affected by w. P. B. actions during
the week. Organization of a serv-
ices branch to act as a clearing
house for the problems confront
ing the more than 1900, 900 service
institutions in the country was an
nounced.
Beneficiaries of the assistance to
be provided by this new branch will
include banks, insurance companies.
commercial laundries, barber and
beauty shops, hotels, Office buildings,
retail stores, wholesale houses, re-
pair shops and theaters and other
amusement enterprises. In addition
to serving as the focal point to which
all businesses classified as service
institutions may take their problems,
the branch has supervision of the
Office and service machinery indus
tries.
All domestic electric ranges in the
hands of manufacturers, distributors
and retailers were frozen in an
order which provides for increased
production during the month of MAY
and prohibits it after June /, except
to fill orders bearing a preference
rating of ak or higher.
An amendment to the suppliers'
inventory limitation order is de-
signed to allow suppliers who are
subject to the order to replenish
stocks of specific items in which
they are short" even when their
total inventory exceeds the maxi
mum permitted by the order.
Sizes and styles of womens and
chlldren's lingerie were restricted
In order to conserve material.
Motorists to Register.
Motorists register May II. 13 and
IA for gasoline rationing. The re-
Str1ctionS will applv most serio,1sIv