The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-09-24

National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare


Inseparable from Local Welfare
! Great changes have taken place in
this country since Pearl Harbor. New
and unprecedented economic controls
have been imposed. 4 considerable pro-
portion of the nations manpower has
either entered military service or left
peace industry for war industry. Very
heavy increases in taxation have been
applied to industries and individuals.
In short, we have definitely moved in
1.-THE direction of "total war economy
But, as many authorities are now
pointing out, this is only the beginning
and comparatively small beginning
at that. Inside the next year, unless the
world military situation changes radi-
cally and unexpectedly, the adjust
ments that will take place in American
life will be absolutely revolutionary.
| The manpower situation is case
in point. High selectve service officials
have recently said fatty that within
about year, the great ma ajOrity of
able-bodied men under 45 and over is
will be in the Army, the Navy, the
Coast Guard or the Marines. Already
the nations reserve of la men is about
Exhausted and in many areas draft
boards are calling married men with
out children into service. BY the first
of the year, many boards will prob
ably begin calling married men with
children. Men who were previously
classified as 1-B (that is, handicapped
| by minor physical disabilities) are be-
ing reclassfied into IA and inducted
1t is believed certain that, directly
after the elections, if not before, the
draft law will be extended to include
IS and 10 year oldS. That, however,
| ly as might be anticipated, for the rea-
son that a considerable percentage of
the youngsters have enlisted with the
consent of their parents.
War industry has been told to start
training draft-eXempt people to take
the place of physically-fit technicians
now employed. That means that a big
share of war production will fall in
the future on the Shoulders of women,
of men physically unfit for military
service, and on men past draft age.
THAT will require great readjustments,
Iand an immense expansion of voca-
itional training facilities. War industry
executives, in this connection, say that
women have done surprisingly well in
! jobs that were once considered the
exclusive prerogatives of men, such
as welding, wiring, pipe-fitting, ETC.
The new and strict "anti-inflation"
controls which the President an
nounced on Labor Day have long been
expected. Initiation comes when con
sumer purchasing power exceeds the
volume of goods available-and that
lis precisely what has been happening
ITO an ever-increaSing extent in this
country. Past OPA price policy was
not adequate because many commOdi
ties We're exempt from control, and be-
cause wages, farm prices and other
costs continued to rise merrily. Excess
purchasing power led to the estab-
!liShment of Il growing "black market"
(which bootlegged prescribed or scarce
goods to the highest bidder. Many econ
omiStS are convinced that imitation
lcannot be prevented unless the most
stringent kind of restraints are placed
upon wages and ries-and, in addi-
! ition, wage-earnerS in the low-income
as we'll as the higher-income brackets
are taxed to the limit
soon after the first of the year, wide
|spread commodity ratiOning is to be
expected. In most warning countries,
IA food or clothing ration coupon is far
more desirable than mere money, and
THAT may come to pass here
The future of what is called mon
essential business is shrOuded in mys-
ltcry. The official list of "crtcaI and
l'essential' industries is brief, and in
wolves only businesses which produce
war materials or basic civilian sup
IpIieS and services. The worst blow is
failing upon small businesses which
were unable for one reason or another
To adapt themselves to war business or
secure war orders. Thousands of busi-
IneSSeS have closed their doors, and il
looks like Il great many more will have
to follow suit in the future. The small
industry problem is one of the worst
that war has produced, and no one,
despite all the talk has appeared with
ia solution.
How far taxation Will 90 is any
mans guess. Some influential members
|of Congress are alarmed at what pend
ing taxes may do 10 the American IN
|duStrial structure - the proposed eX
IceSS-protitS taxes, for instance, might
make it impossible or next to impos.
|Sible for some biz war industries to
keep on operating as private enter
|prises. There is no question but what
more and more legislators are reluc-
family turning to The sales tax as one
way out. And the enforced savings idea
is also gaining headway.
These are but n few of the rpVOlll-