Evening star., 1942-06-14
The War Is Beginning
to Hurt
By Open L. Scott.

VI ally UuolIltSS.
The basic change starts with a de-
cision affecting the size of the American
Army. Original plans had been for an
army of 100000 by the end of 1912.
| Those plans then were altered to pro-
| vide for an army of $500 eco men, Now
the announced intent is to build an
army of between 100000 and 100000
men between now and the start of l943.
Along with these Army changes 60
changes in Navy plans to provide a
speedup in building of ships and a
| speedup in recruiting of men to man
those ships.
The effect of this situation is cumu-
lative. In millions of homes. men who
thought they would escape military serv-
ice on the basis of old draft regula-
tons now will find themselves subject
to call. 1t is probable that youths of
Is and 10 will be brought within the
service age before this year is ended.
There will be very drastic change in
the Interpretation of what constitutes
dependency of kind that will relieve
men from the duty to serve.
All of that is just the beginning a
speedup in creation of a large Ameri-
can Army calls for a speedup in pro-
duction of goods to use in equipping that
army. This means that the Army and
Navy probably will require all new wool,
so that there will be none, or next to
none, for civilians. 1t means that the
Army will take almost all available
leather for shoes. 1t means that, de-
spite this country's immense stocks of
cotton, the services will take the great
bulk of the output of mills that can
process this cotton. An army eats more
mean a heavy draft upon the country's
available supply of meats and dairy
products. Civilians will find themselves
faced with a gradually diminishing sup
ply of meats and dairy products. They
likewise will find themselves faced with
gradually diminishing supply of
manufactured goods The pinch will be
gradual because store shelves still are
loaded with goods that have been piled
up in the period when military needs
were relatively light compared with
what they now are to be.
The effect of decisions now made will
be equally important within industry.
Many non-war industries have been op-
Grating on a relatively normal basis.
They either had inventories of metals
and other raw materials upon which to
draw or they had means of obtaining
new supplies. 1t is common knowledge
that many scarce materials. supposedly
conserved for the military services. have
been available to civilian industries at
a price.
Now, however, demands of war indus
tries will soak up every pound of
broad array Of metals and other raw
materials. 1t is probable that the Army
and Navy will become hard boiled in
their attitude toward non-war indus
tries that may be using raw material
supplies for other than war purposes
The military can requisition these sup
plies. This is likely TO mean casualties
within industries not converted to war
work. Casualties to date have been few.
They may grow.
AiS NSAiioiltS VI hIl flIlIlN dllu Il NAVY
| of the size to be built by the United
States are colossal They are so great
that the general public once the present
large stock of goods is used up will go
on short rations of very many types of
goods.
A few examples Show why this is so:
Tires: The military services. until alb
solutley assured of a new and adequate
supply of rubber. cannot release safely
pound of the American stockpile for
civilian. use. Politics may force the
Army to take a different attitude but,
if so, it will be a gamble. Without new
tires and without gasoline rationing, it
is figured that the 100000 passenger
cars now on the road. will dwindly to
under 100000 by mid-l943. An Of
fetal estimate is that 10000 O0O cars are
needed to keep this country operating
efficiently.
Transport: The threatened tire short
age, at a time of rising military de.
mands, is placing a severe strain upon
railroads. AS a result, steps are having
to be taken to discourage all but es-
sential travel This in turn reacts upon
vacation plans and upon business in
many parts of the country
Fuel: There isn't enough oil available
in the East to supply both industrial
needs and home heating needs Indus
try, with war orders, gets first call.
Homes. unable to convert to coal. face
a shortage and cold winter in 1942-43
At the same time the shift from oil to
coal, where possible is throwing heavy
burden upon the coal industry and its
transport 50 that next winter may see
shortages for home owners who do not
lay in supplies this summer.
Foodstuffs: Military demands are TAX
ing ships that formerly brought coffee.
cocoa. sugar. vegetable oils and canned
meats to this country. The Army and
Navy have first call on those and other
imported foods that do come through.
This means that civilians will have pro-
gressively smaller supplies from which to
draw to fill their needs. Civilians are
caught in pincers movement, between
rising military demands and diminishing
supplies.
Clothing: The same situation applies.
Ships are not available to bring in all
of the wool and leather that is needed
to fill both military and civilian needs.
Civilians must sacrifice.
This war to date, except for the 3,00O,-
900 men in the armed services, largely
has represented boom in income and in
living standards for the general public.