Evening star., 1942-04-26
The Travellers S Notebook
'CniIion FurIoughs' for Army at Home
Receive Strong Support os Aid
In AII-Out Victory Drive

Vacations and recreation in war
time have received the green light"
from the Nations leaders. answering
a public who after Pearl Harbor was
puzzled over the propriety of taking
respites from tasks which contrib
ute to the war effort. Recreation not
only is consistent with the prosecu-
ton Of the war but fitS the worker
for increased production. in the
opinion of President Roosevelt and
a number OF high Government off,
cials in statements made since the
declaration OF war. But they sternly
warn that nothing should slow the
titanic victory job.
In the expression of their views
toward precautions. these points are
emphasized: Travel as usual" Is out
OF the picture; vacations should be
spread out over a longer summer
period. not concentrated In July and
August: resorts close at hand are
recommended to ease the load on
transportation.
Latest official to add his reassur-
ance to the vacation policy is Donald
Nelson, chairman of the War Pro-
duction Board, whose powers are
vast enough to choke OF such in
dustries as he feels retard Americas
chances of winning the war. In a
formal statement Mr.. Nelson said, In
part:
Experience here and abroad is in
dicating that the worker, even when
stimulated by the urgency Of the
Allied war situation, cannot work
long hours and maintain peak out
put indefinitely. We know that he
benefits In peacetime from an an
nual vacation. After the extensive
overtime and the added emotional
strain of the war effort, we can be
sure some rest period this year is
going to prove doubly effective in
the restoration of his energy and
determination.
Tn planning the vacation pro-
gram in 1912 1t is particularly
necessary in each plant that Amer
ican industry show its ingenuity in
securing the vacation benefits with
out paying a counterbalancing cost
in production hours lost. This can
be accomplished by doing work
ahead in the departments affected,
by further overtime of the workers
not on vacation, by a special pro-
gram of training substitutes for
those workers scheduled to go on
vacation, by the spreading of the
vacations over the whole year in
those sections where this is possible
and spreading them evenly over the
full May-through-Sept period
in those sections where the greatest
vacation benefits are secured in
summer.
Under no circumstances can the
desire or need for vacations be per-
mitted to excuse any shutdown Of
any department of any war pro-
duction plant"
President Roosevelt declared: "The
war effort is the primary task Of
everybody In the Nation. At the
same time it has been proven be-
yond doubt that human beings can
not sustain continued and pro-
longed work for very long without
obtaining a proper balance between
work on the bne hand ana vacation
and recreation on the other. Within
reasonable limits, I believe that the
war effort viii not be hampered but
actually improved by sensible par
ticipation In healthy recreational
pursuits. Recreation under present
conditions can be undertaken solely
with the purpose of building up body
and mind, and with the chief
thought that this will help win the
war"
y -
After pointing out that the de-
mand on public transportation
facilities was nearing q critical point,
Joseph B. Eastman, director of de-
fense transportation, said: From
now March 15a on, therefore, self
imposed restrictions on non-essential
travel will be In order. Conven-
tions, pleasure trips, vacations or
other activities involving non-essen-
tial travel should not be planned
without consulting railroad or bus
companies.
THE Office of Defense Transpor-
tation has been advised by some
recreational interests that they are
encouraging vacations at places close
to home, so that travel is confined
to a minimum. In present circum-
stances, this approach seems to be
sensible and realistic.
"This office is highly sympathetic
with the growing practice of stag
eering vacations over the entire
year. The old custom Of combining
vacations to the months of July and
August causes travel peak which,
under present conditions, the car
riers could not satisfactorily meet.
Staggered vacations and voluntary
curtailment Of travel will be helpful
in spreading the load without over
taxing transportation facilities. We
believe that a word of warning is
necessary at this time In order to
encourage advance planning Of rec
reational activities and to prevent
disappointment. Voluntary restric-
tions on travel may serve to post
pone the need for more drastic
measures which might be taken If
facilities become overtaxed."