Milford chronicle., 1942-07-31
Milford, Friday, July 81, 1s4s

Bortant news from the arme
forces, from the field of transpor
tation and from the vital field o
materials and supply, which servel
70 underline the grim, hard tasl
before US all. The Office of Wa
Information released the total cas-
ualties suffered by our armed
forces since hostilities. broke out.
These casualties shame the petit
ness of those who complain of re.
strictions on our normal lives al
home. Here at home our one con-
cern must be to see that every bit
of material we can spare goes to
make weapons for our troops, and
that there are enough trains,
trucks, and ships to take these
weapons where they are needed.
This great task may be subdi-
yided into three main jobs-the
Job of supplying materials for our
factories, the job of production,
and the job of transportation. Last
week we made progress in each.
The War Production Board last
week moved once more to assist
the flow of critical war materials
to those points in our industry sys-
tenn where they are most needed.
WPB has so changed the priority
system that from now on it will
know the supply and require
ment situation in such detail that
the most important needs of our
lighting men may be met as they
develop.
Production itself booms along to
record heights. From the great
steel centers of the Eastern indus
trial triangle, from the Middle
West. and from the Pacific coast,
labor-management committees send
in production reports which a few
short months ago would have
seemed unbelievable. =, ,.,
This pace will win the war, too,
but it cannot be maintained unless
we keep scrap iron and steel flow
ing back to the mills. An indica-
ton of how much scrap iron and |
steel we need was WPB's statement |
last week that it would require
more than 100000 freight car loads
Of scrap to keep our steel furnaces
going at capacity this year. And
hat much of this load must be
moved by trucks to rail points.
WPB Chairman Nelson has asked
State and local governments to
end trucks and manpower to sal
rage committees to help get this
Icrap to the railroads. Some steel
Mills are operating with less than
! weeks supply of scrap metal in
Salvage is one way of saving ma
erials for war and another is re-
ltricting the unnecessary use of
var materials in civilian products.
last week brought further curbs:
~ WPB ordered all hand tools
to save iron and steel
md .other materials and decreed
hat after the end of August alloy
Iteel may not be used in any SHOW
lis except those used in mining.
I'D WPB decreed that sole leather
# military quality and weight may
low be used only in shoe or repair
Gather bought for military pur-
,oses. (3) WPB issued more dras-
ic restrictions on the use of rub
yer for long list of civilian pro-
lucts, including rubber footwear
md variety of farming and in
lustrial equipment. az WPB an
iounced that way had been found
o make powder bags and other
military articles out of used silk
hosiery and prohibited-with min
,r exceptions-sale of used silk
hosiery, in the hands of dealers.
80 WPB also prohibited the use of
copper in building construction.
The transportation problem
yrows steadily more serious as the
wheels Of war industry turn fas-
er and faster.
The Office of Defense Transpor-
alton is pressing a drive to have
peal transit companies reduce the
number of stops on bus and trolley
.outes, so that schedules may be
with fewer vehicles.
rhis releases bus and trolleys for
he necessary transportation of war
workers.. .--
) The rubber situation is as critical
Is ever, and from now on only
rncks performing services neces-
Iary to the war effort or to putHic
lealth and safety are entitled to
or new tires.