Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-15
Ration LIVING
Proposed by
Henderson
Protect Yoursel { First
Is Real Patriotism
BY PAUL MALLON

~
W complete rationcd living
schedule covering food, cloth
inS cverythin~-ls being studied
NY Leor HcnderSon'S experts
who seem 10 think II will be
necessary before the end of this
year.
The necessity is a little diff
cult TO grasp because II IS based
on what they see coming IN the
near future. Primarily the idea
is that the price freezing can
not alone hold, without a strong
wage freezing, farm freezing,
which Henderson wants, but
which is considered dangerous
by the higher political forces in
a congressional campaign year.
The present loose refrigera-
ton policy they say will encour-
age boarding, unfairness in dis
trlbution and defeat anti-infla-
tionary purposes.
ZACH citizen would be al
IL lowed a certain number of
units for an overcoat, for shoes,
shirts, socks, underwear, beef,
milk. bread, gas, sugar, every
commodity which goes into daily
living (omitting only refrigera-
tors and such goods, the manu-
facture of which has been
Stopped).
Citizens would be allowed 10
trade units among themselves
and perhaps at a bank. If you
want two oVercoatS and no
shirts. you could trade your
shirt units TO a man for his
overcoat units.
You would have 10 get one
of these cards perhaps every 30
or so days. The government
wants to make the turnover
time short. figuring that this
in itself will hold down pHF-
chaseS.
1t would fix the value Of each
unit chat is how many points
you would need for an overcoat,
for a hat. etc. from time 10
time depending on the supply in
each line of food or goods.
OBVIOUSLY there is no
" ground for anything like
this yet. There is no scarcity
of food. Egg production was 10
per cent higher in April than
any time in history (6,000,000,-
900 eggs laid. Milk production
is up. Ten million more hogs
will go to market this year
than ever before.
The meat supply is shorter by
a small amount because of the
large shipments TO Russia. Off
more are the raw materials
that 60 into clothing-wool. all
textiles except cotton. leather.
No real scarcity is foreScen
by any one before next year.
Then a shortage of farm labor.
or requirements available for
farm machinery, of fertilizers and
insecticides, may be expected to
bring a decline in available sup
plies.
THEY foreSee also a shortage
Il of transportation for fresh
food under gas and railroad ra-
tioning and the tire shortage.
A far simpler solution would
be what Henderson suggested
to Congress, freezing wages and
farm prices. Another way would
be compulsory savings if the
volunteer democratic subscrip-
ton way does not work.
But apparently there is less
political dynamite in soaking all
the people with rationing than
proceeding to bring these highly
organized groups into line. You
will read the answer in coming
events.
4 READER. Mrs. 1lena Gore
"A Dunn of Portland, Ore, has
written me questioning the
patriotism of publishing my re-
cent new information that Sta
lin had used the position of the
United States in his own in
terest automatically TO keep
Japan from attacking him.
A few other readers have
asked if the purpose of such a
story is to stop our aid 10 Rus
STA These must be new readers.
The purpose was TO show that
Stain is fighting primarily in
the interest of Russians he
should The comment l offered
was that he was thereby set
ting a good example to the
United States.
THE incident was offered as a
Il contrast Of actual facts 10
the theories. now cNpounded by
some of our visionary leaders,
who want the United States 10
play big brother 10 the world
on great new moral plane.
which SuppoSeS that men and
nations have lost their old nat
ural heritage of Self-intercSt and
will assume SelfleSS angelic
attitude similar TO the one they
want us 10 adopt.
II is TO our interest 10 give
utmost aid 10 Russia. il is 10
our interest 10 protect Austria
liza. the British Empire. But
we should measure every step
on that same basis.
w, slDalI -. H.. l..-.-