The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-12-10
s-- The Tacoma Times Editorial and Feature Pages =
> Clapper

~t3T
Nsxf Thing Is 70
Prepare for Peace
Testing Tine VII Be
When War Ends
Soldiers Returning
VIII Have Ideas
ny RAYMOND CLAPPER
WAsHINGroN--Last January.
when was In Detroit At the time
The automobile industry was con-
verting to war work. Paul Hoff-
man. president Of studebaker.
told me that a. he saw II the test
Of whether private enterprise was
20 survive in America would be.
% some degree. the performance
Of the automobile industry In war
production.
His point. N I Understood II.
~As that II private industry fell
down on the war assignment.
state control would be inevitable
But II private enterprise did the
Job. IL would have justified itself.
Leaders Of the automobile indus
Try felt that they were on the spot
because they had become the
focus Of the whole struggle TO
get industry fully into war work.
a year later Il II obvious that
TIE industry not only has met the
test. but has met II beyond ex-
pectationa- The capacity of our
American industry to produce
quickly what In needed has been
fully demonstrated.
Yet In the course Of that very
onccess. industry has produced
for itself = new challenge. which
II 70 produce for peacetime use in
sufficient volume to give work TO
those who are willing and able to
work.
Whether that 10 the proper re-
sponsihility Of industry need not
b argued. bscause II industry
aees not find ways 10 produce in
such volume ~ 70 use the work.
ing force of the nation. there will
probably Be = strong political
demand that industry b subsi-
dixed and directed BY the govern
ment. We win have some 10
million men In the armed forces
and probably 20 million people
IN war industry who must be alb
sorbed back into peacetime ac-
tivity. They either must have
work or 80 on the dole
That II why Henry J. Kaiser.
enc Of the most daring and mag
NATIVE Of all our industrialists.
told members Of the National
Association Of Manufacturer last
Woek that they faced . challenge
70 forestail . superstate by their
ewn initiative and planning.
Mr.. Kaiser places immediate
war production ~ the first prob
lem. but he 10 finding time to
think about thu future and he
urges his fellow manufacturers
70 DO the same II they want TO
keep industry In private hands.
He puts first the ESSENTIAL Of
employment for all who want to
work. -Four fields for Develop
ment suggest themselves to Mr..
Kaiser. First. houses. He sees .
postwar demand for nine million
units Of housing. Second. prep
arations to satisfy the pent-up
demand for automobiles. Third.
. vast. unified. modern. audacious
highway system-like the Penn
sylvania turnpike. Fourth. build
ing Of medical centers In every
Industrial community.
In his address Mr.. Kaiser
elxotchsd challenging ideas In all
thsse directions. Mainly he en-
phasised first the need of think
IND. planning. and some engi-
nesrinx now. and secondly ar
rnngements for beginning custo-
mar savings now. with prepay
ment In the case Of automobiles
and homes against deliveries soon
after the end Of the war.
n raising such questions there
= some risk that attention will
- distracted from the more inn
me6iately urgent job Of produc-
ing for the war which must be
won before anything else can
happen Yet there Il also grave
rish In not preparing at all for
ths day when ths war machine
hogins to be dismantied and mil
Hons Of men win come home from
fhe war while other millions win
ftnd their war jobs wiped out
n II not too early. Republic
cans are preparing for the pres
1dantial election. which IL two
years away. Why should not In
1ustry begin preparing for day
that may Be no further away!
4 manufacturer plans his next
models while producing his pres
ent ones. In the same way in
dustry must produce for the war
While planning for what comes