The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-05-08
Michigan in
Washington
BY Esther Van WAGNER Tufty

'e""b' oh' NAY o-DeSplte inc
strong presentation, documented
with facts and figures. OF Governor =,
Harry +. Kelly to Washington Of ,
ncials for relief to the tourist in-s
dustry through intelligent planning
or vacations for war workers, the .
prospects OF sweeping lifting of
wartime restrictions OF Transports
ton are still bleak. ~ =
That Governor Kelly made q 4
stronger case than Washington OF. 3
ficials anticipated is a recognized
fact. His conference with ODF
Joseph Eastman and OPA Prent:as
Brown stirred up no little desire
for deeper exploration OF ways and 4.
means to accomplish two.foid
purpose-to give the war worker
the vacation he has earned and 2
needs to continue TO give his best :
to the war effort. and to utilize
the vast resort facilities, located
temptingly close from the congest.. 4.
ed war swollen cities. ~
After talks with Washington Of .
lcials and members OF the Michk .
gan delegation. a certain balance
can be made, based on the scarcity
OF present day conditions Of gaso- :
line and rubber and the over taxsdr
transportation facilities. 4.
On the bright side are:
/. Local gasoline supplies are
adequate.
2. Michigan's unusual division -
OF congested war areas within a.
short travel distance OF vacation
spots.
g. Existing instruments to en- N
force sane transportation ratlon-
ing to war workers. tFor example.
a war worker would be allowed to
90 to his summer cottage and be
allotted Just enough gasoline TO
4 get there and back, without any .
luxury gas extras.)
i 4. War morale would be stepped
up II vacations are made possible
when a plant Is temporarily shut
down because OF some Wartime
reason. For example, a tank plant
may close down for lack OF steel, %
which at the moment Is more cruci- .
ally needed for airplane manufac-
| ture.) s
5. The outlook for the equipments
and manpower necessary to operate
a tourist season is bright this sum.
mer.
6. Action should be taken now 90
because the season Is Just open.
ing. Therefore there Is no guess.
work about determining factors
based on future guesswork. ~"
Z. Prentiss Brown, who better
than Eastman, knew the peculart-
ties OF the Michigan set-up. would
| like nothing better than to find
workable plan that would not en- --
danger any war supply. Given
plan that is feasible, either based
on gas or mileage zones, and Brown
would undoubtedly use his authors
| ty to translate desire into action)
But II he does. It's likely TO be not
only for Michigan but for the en-. /,
tire Midwest. Or more SPECIFIC
ally in regions where the situation
is similar.
ON the gloomy side;
/. It's possible to give war work.
ers needed furloughs from the in
| dustrial front without including =,
travel. For weeks, OPT Eastman
has urged Americans to make va
cation plans In their own backyard
preferable, with a spade In their
hand to dig In their own victory
garden. "
2. The U-Boat menace Is de-
stroying so many tankers that no
one can estimate the gasoline. war
tima need therefore. why
run the risk OF running short while
Americans, more or less, vacation
as usual. -
2. Vacation habits, involving. -
long travel by train, bus, boat or
private car, smack OF unpatriotic
enjoyment.
1. special exception Is made
for Michigan, or even the Middle
West, IL is threat to national
unity. 80
s. Eastman Is most pessimistic
as far as resuming tourist tram
schedules. The facilities are need if
ed for the movement OF troops. -'
While Michigan may have gaso-
line within her own borders, the
rubber shortage IL still acute. Syn :
thetic rubber prospects. while,
bright. will not be realized In time
for this summer 81
But over and above all OF these
considerations is the heavily doeu-
mented belief of the war lords, who !,
are responsible for distributing
what resources we have, that any
real relaxation on transportation .
restrictions, is taking too great q
chance, when America Is hghting