Evening star., 1942-01-13

or. N. 0ffieioI Soys US.
Must Give Up Many Of
Its Comforts to Triumph
A fighting call for a return to the
door die spirit OF the pioneers
In the conversion of American In
dustry to total war production was
delivered to the Conference Of May
ors at the Mayflower Hotel today
by Donald M. Nelson, director Of
O. P. M. Priorities Division.
Mr.. Nelson declared the public
Is not yet fully awake 10 the fact
We are facing An "emcient. deter
mined and well prepared" enemy
who has won the first round. He
added that we must put forth q
Herculean effort II we are 70 come
out victorious"
Referring to pleas made at the
conference for protection of the
small businessman, Mr.. Nelson said
we want to take care OF the small
businessmen and every possible ir.di-
vidual, but We cannot lose sight of
the fact that we must have war
material and that contracts for
planes. tanks, ships and guns will
60 to manufacturers who are COM
petent to deliver them. That must
come hrst. for this Is . crucial year.
Do-or-Die Spirit Needed.
This Is the time for resourceful-
ness and Q return to the door die
spirit Of the pioneers. I mean that
literally. It's impossible for US to
do this and 60 on enjoying all the
comforts We have known in the past.
Pearl Harbor has helped to awake
the American people to this fact.
This is no romance war. but one to
be fought with vast quantities of
airplanes, tanks and guns"
Mr.. Nelson emphasized that there
has been no sign OF inferiority"
In the weapons of the enemy. As .
result. he added, I'VE have to swing
into mass production much faster
than we've ever imagined" To
accomplish this. he said, the public
must be prepared to make sacrifices.
I'VE must measure our efforts by
one standard only-are they essen
tial to winning the war and to our
national safety?"
The speaker insisted that any,
thing short Of the mass production
goal recently stated by President
Roosevelt will be . "criminap' fail.
ure
I'VE ind that some of the things
which We believed were plentiful are
very. very short" Mr.. Nelson said.
Civilians must do without them In
many cases. We've been q wasteful
Nation, but today we must conserve
II we're going to do the job We set
out to do. and can assure you the
Job will be done"
Municipal Works Should Wait.
The priority chief urged the
Mayors not to delude themselves Is
to the need for municipal improve
AAACAA1o oANAA 90 kA0AA$ buAAA4ll6S, Pldy
grounds and 50 forth. You must
ask yourselves" he said, If the i'm
provement is something you must
have or merely want. We don't
want to deprive anybody of the es-
Sentials, but we have no choice when
1t comes to the unnecessary use Of
steel. rubber. copper, tin and other
strategic material" Mr.. Nelson
asked the cooperation Of the
Mayors In carrying this message to
their various communities.
He predicted that when the war Is
over production officials may be
criticized for the mass Of war ma
terial which has been turned out bv
American factories, but added that
1t will take a great quantity Of
weapons to win the war and he was
convinced 1t was best to be on the
safe side.
He deplored the fact that pleasure
cars may be retired to garages and
the public put to Inconvenience
through the conservation of rubber
and other vital material, and closed
With the assertion that:
4 think you'll agree that the
American public will put up with
any sacrifice once they know its q
vital necessity and once they are
assured that 1t will be spread fairly
to each and every one Of US alike"
Mayor Kelly Speaks.
Mayor Edward J. Kelly Of Chicago
told the conference earlier that un-
less the Federal Government takes
immediate steps. the little business
man will be broke, back on the
streets and back on relief" He
urged that Federal agencies supply
financial aid and instruction to
small manufacturers for the con-
version of their plants 10 war pro-
ducti0n.
Mayor Kelly predicted that longer
hours of work and the seven-day
week are on the way and that the
people must become accustomed to
the idea of doing more walking and
doing without luxuries previously
enjoyed.
He predicted that the necessity for
reducing pleasure motoring viii con-
tribute to the morale and health of
the public, reduce wear and tear on
highways and bridges and increase
the efficiency Of trafnc movements
In metropolitan areas, where park
ing, Is always Q serious problem.
Mariner 8. Ecclss, chairman Of