Evening star., 1942-11-11


planned for military uses.
President Roosevelt has been CIV
Ing some attention to the manpower
question. A struggle seems to be
going on for control as between
Selective Service Headquarters and
the War Manpower Commission.
This will be settled shortly.
AS for food shortages and the
need for some system OF rationing
OF certain scarce products, very little
has been done thus far.
The major weakness, however, lies
In the failure of the administration
to develop a plan for the distribu-
ton of civilian goods. The Army
and Navy have set their goals
they know approximately how many
men they will need and, in a general
way, what materials will be required
for production of weapons and mu-
nitions. What is 70 be done with
the balance of the goods?
Question of Survival.
It has not been determined what
the civilian economy is to get out
of the total supply. 1t is one thing
to talk about removing the fat from
the civilian economy structure, but
1t Is quite another to ignore the
situations in which there has al
ready been a cut to the bone.
How much shall be made available
to repair our factories and plants?
What shall be available for the
health preservation services of the
Nation? What about the needs of
the utilities and the railroads? All
these instrumentalities of service to
the civilian economy are waiting
on the Government to tell them
what they may expect for the
months that lie ahead. 1t isn't a
question Of business usual but
whether some Of these essential
services are to survive or break
down.
The coming OF a manpoWer mud
die was forecast several weeks ago
in these dispatches and we are un-
fortunately In the midst of tangle
on that question now. But the most
serious breakdown that we may en-
counter on the home front can come
out of the lack of planning for the
civilian economy.
The decentralization of the civilian
economy not only can cause con-
fusion, but 1t can actually impair
the smooth operation of the war
program. There are certain necessi-
ties of life without which workers
cannot get along and without which
the production program itself may
be injured.
1t seems incredible, but the major
units of the civilian economy do not
know today what is going to be
allocated to them. Yet the military
program and its needs has been
fairly well defined.
We know, for instance, that all the
l00,00OO0O tons of steel we shall
produce in 1943 will not be used
Tor ships or tanks or even war plants.
Some part of it will have to be
allocated for civilian use. When
will there be a plan and when will
1t be announced to the waiting in
dustries Of the country which are
still engaged in manufacture OF
parts and tools and other items
needed to sustain the civilian econ
omy?
New Control for Materials.
All these situations involving man
power, food and articles for the
civilian supply are the result of NAL
distribution. Thus the failure to
ration and allocate raw materials
has been the chief stumbling block
to the realization OF the Presidents
roals as set forth last year for the
years 1912 and 1943.
Today, after several months OF
confusion and lack of planning. the
materials are finally being allocated
under what is known as the con-
trolled materials plan. 1t is being
worked out by the War Production
Board after many reorganization
moves. Now at last the plan Is in
process and will remedy the mall
distribution Of materials.
A reorganization of the govern
mental agencies dealing with man
power is under way. If only some
thing can be started to get the
civilian supply allocations cleared
up, there would be less anxiety on
the home front-and unless the
home front is strong the overseas