The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-04-23
BEHIND THE SCENES IN
AMERICAN BUSINESS

IN uCtDcT dues rnt
backlash Of war, into even the most
modest of the nations 100000 re-
tail stores. Thousands of things you
wouldn't think of as "war materials"
at all actually are needed in tremen-
dous quantities for some war role or
other-dainty things like window
curtains, or novelty items like play
ing cards. Storekeepers, even of
stores which haven't been hit direct
ly by auto, Or gas, or typewriter, or
bicycle, OF pots-and-pans curtail-
ments are constantly finding their
"education' broadened with respect
to the materials and machinery be-
hind such items as these, and man
others. Taken as a whole, the ma
tons retail stores face the problem
of making up for durable goods
which last year aggregated $751;
600, 600, 900 worth of their $4,000
600 900 total sales.
RE: PRODUCTION In almost
one-fourth of the plants engaged in
war production, the work week as
Of now is 1853 hours-and that's all
the hours there are in any week;
only 10 per cent Of the war plants
are holding down to a 4O-hour to-
tai General Electric company
booked $299,OOO,O 900 worth of or
ders for the first quarter 1912, one
sixth more than for the same per-
iod Of 1941 -. The War Depart
ment says that about one-fourth of
the $50 airliners flying domestic
commercial routes will be taken over
by the Army to transport military
cargoes and personnel -. President
Roosevelt urges that colder work
ers" be given places in war produc-
ton incidentally, the "know-how"
and experience of many oldsters has
proved mighty valuable in many
plants, solving problems Of mach inc
improvisation in stepping up pro-
duction) -. Steel output in March
broke all previous monthly records.
BUSINESS: USUAL cuisines
as usual" is probably farther from
the expectations Of tire retailers
than Of any others today, yet their
"spring sale" plans indicate they
are determined to make up, in vigor
and variety for the crimps that the
%rationing Of rubber has put in their
normal sales. (Rationing means on
ly 9 per cent as many new and re-
treaded passenger a tires can be
sold as in 1941.) Illustrative of the
way they are turning to diversified
merchandise in the spring catalogue
the B. F. Goodrich company has got
up for its dealers and stores, whose
selling efforts insofar as tires are
concerned must be largely concen-
trated on truck tires and service
The 48-page booklet contains an ar
ray of sporting goods and clothes,
luggage, house and auto accessories,
tools, lawn furniture, dishes and ap-
planes that would do credl to a
combination sports, hardware and
home furnishings emporium. And
the center spread is devoted to a
strong appeal and education message
| from the company on "what you can
40 to conserve rubber"-tips on tire
care, and so forth.
SELF-DEFENSE-To help mini
mize losses from bombing attacks on
war production and other plants, an
air raid safety plan which is adapt
able to any Of the 100000 industrial
and office buildings in the country
was presented by John J.. Hennessy,
civilian defense coordinator of Sch
enley Distillers corporation, to a
meeting of national, state and local
defense officials in New York. The
plan calls for a volunteer building
director to supervise afraid precau-
tons in each building, and provided
for a floor-by-floor volunteer or
ganization of wardens, first aid and
firefighting units. with suitable safe
ty n on every floor. Presentation
of the plan followed the recent APP
pear by U. S. Civilian Defense Dir
ector James NJ. Lands that industry
should assume the responsibility of
providing for defense of its plants.
X
TIP-OFFS ON THE TINES
Atlantic seaboard and Oregon-Wash-
ington h~ouseholders are advised to
re-convert their oil burners to coal,
where possible (Which should spur
the spring and summertime coal
buying the Government has been ur-
ging, for the coal transportation
crush will be that much greater
when cold weather comes around
again. Don't be surprised if
bicycles eventually become nearly as
vital in the war program as autos
to get val plant workers to and
from their jobs when car tires wear
out and buses and other h~aulers
aren't available in sufficient num-
bers. 1t may be part of the reason
for freezing bike sales Uockheed
Aircraft had bought 10000 hikas and