The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-01-22
Bv STAFF CORRESPONDENT

the major problems with which
government heads are now trying
to cope.
It is generally felt here that the
people do not yet fully realize
the inroens'+y OF the war effort
which the President has set for
us. The registration of all men
from 18 to 81 is expected to i'm
press the nation with the need
for about aid, but a lot must
still be done to make those who
are exempt from actual military
service realize that they are not
exempt from other tasks neces-
sary to the accomplishment of our
war program goals.
How large the actual armed
force will eventually be is still a
matter of conjecture, but it may
we'll: be the the number in uni
form may run as high as 10000
600 before we are through. Even
if the army and navy are built to
that size, they will be made up
largely of men between the ages
of 20: and 81, the most desirable
group for military service.
At the present time there are
about 17,5OO,O00 men between the
ages of 211a who are registered.
On February 16-the next regist-
ration day about 100000 men
between the ages of 20 and A will
be added to those available for
duty. Later, bout 100000 young
men of 10 and 10 will register for
non-military service but will be
available for military service as
soon as they REACH their TWEEN
tieth birthday. Thus the total
available for military service IN
the next two years will be
around 100000.
According to Gen. Lewis B.
Hershey, director of selectlve SER
vice, efforts will be continue to
try to preserve the family unit IN
this country by deferring married
men with dependents from active
service, but these deferred men
may be called upon to take civil
ian defense jobs as will the older
men, from As to ga, who will also
have to register later on.
Men qualified for military SER
vice who are engaged in vital de-
Tense work also will be deferred
until older men or women are
located who can perform their du-
ties. One of the greatest problems
is that millions of young men de-
sired for military service also are
needed for our huge arms produc-
ton program and for our increas-
ed food production effort.
It is evident that many phy-
cal1v able men and women, who
are not called to military service
will be assigned to defense JOBS
to replace men who are called tc
service.
Bv the end of this year 1t is
expected that at least 100000
men and women will be directly
employed in producing materials
for war and that practically all
commercial activity in this coun-
trv will be confined to war prod
uction and the production of goods
essential to the welfare of the
people. Luxuries of all kinds will
quickly be eliminated, both be-
cause of shortages of materials
and the need for all skilled work
ers in necessary industry.
In spite of the gigantic effort
which is being planned there will
still be major unemployment
problem during this year as
workers are being shifted from
peace time activity to jobs in war
material industries. At the end OF
1871 unemployment had dropped
to a total of slightly under 4,OOO,-
900, but during the transition per-
iod it is estimated that perhaps e.
100000 additional workers will be
temporarily unemployed during
the wear. For that reason. al
though 1912 will break all rec
ords for national income, the
President expects the bill for un-
employment relief to be over a
billion dollars during the year.
At the present time there are
2,5OO,O0O persons attending train
ing schools for defense work and
it is expected that this number
will be greatly increased during
! the year. The unemployment
problem may be somewhat allie
waited by a plan now under seri-
Gus consideration for the govern
ment to place all men in such
training schools on the govern
ment payroll.
The past week here has been
one of little legislative activity
but of feverish planning activity.
The draft and employment prob
law :. ana ~ %ha TooSf difficult