Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-28
GirdIe
Necessities,
Or Are They?
Priorities Board Tangled
BY Rubber Content
BY PAUL MALLON


new wartime mode Of life was
never moro clearly presented
than in the case Of the girdle.
which is presumably some ar
ticle or other of female apparel,
devoted apparently to some
vague but lofty purpose.
What purpose this is the gov
eminent has not yet officially
announced, but the question
which arose was whether the
glrdle is a national necessity. II
II is. thread rubber will be al
lowed for its manufacture. If
not, females WI Just have 10
make whatever sacrifice its loss
may Individually require.
The War Production Board
(prlOrities diviSion) announced
last Friday a list of national
necessities for which meaGcr
rubber supplies would be re-
leased. No glrdles.
0N THE list were hot water
~ bottles. fire hose, nipples,
raincoats for police and firemen,
health goods no girdleS
Twenty-four hours later, WPB
changed its mind A special
amendment was issued 10 the
list, almost in a tone of apology.
II ad de- 10 the Friday an
nouncement. not only girdles but
corsetS. an article Of long-stand-
ing use and concerning which
every one has his own idea as
TO its necessity, both from an
individual and national view
point.
That made il final. The ques-
ton was solved Both are--no
matter what YOU may think
national necessities.
The decision, or rather both
decisions. were made by J. $.
knowlson, acting director of the
priorltleS division. WPB. Mr..
knowlSOn does not plead igno-
rance of the unitarian value Of
all, or, thingamabobs for his
omission, Nor does he claim
oversight. He found out they
were national necessities by de-
Gliding they were not.
MANUFACTURERS leaped to
Nl telephones IN all sections Of
the country. A terrific excite
ment was created around the
rubber and rubber products di-
vision of WPB. The manufac-
turerS claimed they only needed
a little bit OF rubber anyway 10
continue in business. but if cut
off entirely. they would have 10
abandon one of their national
features.
Britain, they said, had tried
10 eliminate such mysterious IN
dcsCribable garments AT the be-
ginning Of this war. under the
deluSion that they were not OF
vital consequence. but British
womanhood soon spoke, and the
untutored male officials lmme-
diatcly corrected their mistake.
Mr. KnoWlson reweighed his
decision in the light of employ
mcnt and business mot exclude
ing feminine INTEREST," and saw
the what-you-may-call-lts would |
not use much rubber anyhow
The impression was subsequently |
spread in WPB that Mr.. knoWl-
son is a wise man.
THE confusion on sugar was
i little different. Practically /
all Official voices, including Mrs.
RooSevclt's. had agreed rationlng I
would not be necessary the first
six months of this year.
Jesse Jones. the commerce
secretary, had bought the entire |
Cuban crop But Russia and
Britain made larger demands |
than expected upon Jones. and
foolish citizens began boarding.
Even so. the shortage is not |
great The deficiency seems TO
be about 10 per cent. Jones has
about 100000 tons. Gle paid |
a good price for It, 81 cents, at
a time when the market was 30
CentSD Consumption last year
was only 100000 tons and
that figure represented AT least
500 coo tons of industrial stock
lnE-up for use this year.
If individual boarding could
be stopped there would he no
need for rationnC, but appar-
entity there are too many people
IN tho country who want TO get
more than their share.
4 NGRIEST soto voCo con-
a grcS>Ional com ment on
the Pearl Harhor report con-
Germs The still prevailing world
Vldc tendency Of the army and
navy 10 avoid consultation and
cooperation
Senator Brewster Of Maine
tcIlS -ol his experience IN Trini-
dad, where the army and navy
insisted on building separate
air fields 80 or 10 miles apart.
unconnected by roads through
the jungle. although the army
is responsible for defending the
naval base. The governor there
expressed surprise 10 Brewster
saying il was the first time he
knew that the army and navy
weren't on speaking terms
In Puerto Rico. SAYS Brew