Evening star., 1942-10-01
Conditions Confuse
Small Businessman
Davis Tells Senators
Even Breuk for Ar
Will Keep Morale Up,
owl CHIEF Suys

Elmer Davis, director OF the
Office of War Information, today
told Senators investigating the
plight of War-distressed small
businessmen that national mo-
rale would take care of itself "if
everybody gets an even break"
Further, he told the Senate Small
Business Committee, the people
should be told, within the limitations
Of military security. where we are
going. how We are doing in this war
and the general objectives of the
struggle
The American public, he noted,
was vitally interested in seeing that
sacrifices ARE distributed equita bly,"
ano knowing why sacrifices are nee
essary.
Complaints Analysed.
Small businessmen seem ready to
make their share of sacrifices, but
are critical of the Government
methods involved in the imposition
upon them of those sacrifices" Mr..
Davis testified. 1T is the mode of
application of Government policies
requiring sacrifice rather than the
implied sacrifice itself which causes
complaint among many small busi-
neSsmen."
The small manufacturer has been
slow to adjust himself to war condi-
tions, disinclined to give up civilian
trade for war production. confused
and, lin his confusion he has pre-
ferred to let the other fellow do it,"
Mr.. Davis continued.
Such attempts as he has made to
obtain war contracts have fire.
quently been uninformed and
sporadic Mr.. Davis declared.
Mr.. Davis presented details of
comprehensive survey of small busi-
ness in war prepared by Owl
through studies in the field, and with
the cooperation of a number of
Government agencies and the staff
of the Senate Committee.
Hits OPA. 8
Mr.. Davis raped the Office of
Price Administration, stating that
the retail merchant while believing
that price control is necessary in
many instances had not been
sufficiently informed of the regu-
lations. He quoted a retail associ-
ition official on the subject as
follows:
THE difficulty Immediately is the
natural confusion that exists when
you throw so many rules at any one.
Every one wants an opinion, but
OPA is largely devoid of opinion
because regulation is in the en-
bryonic stage"
The retailer" Mr.. Davis con-
cluded, ''like the small manufact-
urer, Is, in short, confused"
The War Information chief said
lack OF information was prevalent
particularly in rural areas. He said
many retailers have been unequal
to bookkeeping required by COM
plete compliance with new regula-
tlons, many have no exact figures of
what they were charging in March.
He quoted Commerce Department
report from st. Louis, which stated:
AT least three grocers have been
scared to death by this phase of the
order. They had never kept rec
ords and the prospect of having to
start at this late date and keep it
up indefinitely was so appalling
that they closed their doors and
found employment elsewhere"
"Willing, but Confused"
Mr.. Davis said small wholesalers,
brokers and service establishments
generally have the same opinion
and feeling as small retailers and
manufacturers The same
eagerness to cooperate. the same
misunderstanding of the rules, the
same rnwillingness to believe so
many rules are necessary, prevails
among members of these groups"
There is little doubt of the desire
of the majority of retailers to
comply with price fixing, rationing
and other regulations necessitated
by the war;" Mr.. Davis continued;
many, however, are bewildered by
the complexity and apparent con-
tradictions Of these regulations.
They are still uncertain as to which
of the several operational policies
they are expected to pursue. Many
small retailers in outlying districts
still remain partially informed or
misinformed because they misunder-
stand authoritative statements or
tsee BUSINESS, Page A-20.)
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