The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-07-31
NOW PLEASED AND PROUD
BY j. E. Jones

mcud VI contemporary Ahoi iN1ii
history is the rapid change in public
attitude toward war industry since
Pearl Harbor, particularly toward
the automobile industry since it is
the big gun of American war pro-
duction.
When the Japanese upset the Sun
day calm of Pearl Harbor with their
sneak raid they also upset the calm
of the American people. One of the
by-products of this upset was sud-
den demand that war industry
achieve the miraculous. For some
time after Dec. criticism was level
ed at industry for being too slow.
In reality the producers of Ameri-
can war materials were not being
slow. They were quietly achieving
the miracles demanded of them. AS
Paul Garrett, vice president of Cen
eral Motors and chairman of the
public relations committee of the
Automobile Council for War Pro-
duction declared at a recent meet
ing of the council: Actually it was
not a case of slow conversion. 1t
was case of changed psychology"
Suddenly, like quickly bloom
ing flower, the massive proportions
of the automotive industry's war
production were very evident and a
hypercritical public became pleas
ed and proud instead. To quote Mr..
Garrett, ga Gallup poll on this
industry that was in the doghouse
only last January would show an
amazing reversal in public opinion. -
He revealed that the automotive
industry is now turning out military
equipment at the rate of $12,0OO,-
900 day, new feat in military
history. That is reason No. 1 for the
changed American attitude. There
are other sound reasons for this
attitude: the manner in which the
industry achieved the conversion to
war production with relatively
small drop in employment; the man.
ner in which it has utilized sub
contracting to get the job done,
the manner in which normally
competitive industry buried its
competitive spirit, except in quaint
ity and quality of production, with
out government control, the man.
ner in which it subordinated all
normal industrial interests to the
needs of a nation at war, and, finally
the manner in which the industry
has told it's war production story
without complaint when criticism
was rife and without now saying 1--WE
told you So" In short, the automo-
tive industry well deserves the high
regard in which it is held.
''In The Good Old Summer Time
The summer days are here and to
quote from the Book of Job a lot of
oven-heated Washingtonians might
observe: my skin is black upon me,
and my bones are burned with
heat" But that doesn't get Gov
eminent worker traditional 30
day vacation. Besides most Govern
ment emloyes worked on the Fourth
of July, which for the first time in
history was declared to be not a
holiday.
It's a hundred miles or more from
all these Eastern cities to the real
country and that is about as far
as anyone can get away from home
and be sure of enough gas.
In past years thousands of sum-
mer vacationists have driven their
cars from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific, and vice versa. This year the
folks from the East have found il
impossible to go to the National
Parks, particularly West of the
Mississippi. New England has al
ways been a favorite resort because
of climate, mountains and sea shore
The whole Atlantic coast, includ.
| ing Atlantic City, Virginia Beach
the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida
resorts, aren't doing as well as
usual. Reports reaching Washing
ton indicate similar conditions along
the Pacific Coast from the Canadian
border to Southernmost California.
| So, it all adds up to show thai
millions of people are staying a
home, and spending their vacation
in the old-fashioned way will
friends and neighbors. The good ole
summer time was always that way
before automobiles were made ant
flying machines invented. But, VIII!
bring that UP!
| Battle Fronts
| Senator lodge of Massachusetts
has told Washington newsmel
thrilling adventures and bravery o
american air men and soldiers OIL
foreign battle fields with the Brit
fish, whom he saw when he was a
Tobruk and in the African Desert.
4 The western Front" remains Il
L. III a~L