Evening star., 1943-01-01

changes OF plan, eiauoe -. Jasser.
beginning with first moves toward
defense when war broke three years
ago, through the early months after
Pearl Harbor, even engendered
doubts in some minds as to the abil-
ity ofsa democracy to organize for
war
But here we are, after one year
at war Hitler began welding his
war machine 10 years ago.:
You have the word of Production
Chief Donald Nelson for it that
the United States alone is produc-
ing arms-actual combat weapons
in as great volume as all the
Axis powers combined, while the
output of weapons by all the United
Nations is almost twice that of
their enemies.
1912 Relatively Easy.
For 1943 it will be work and fight.
This past year has been relatively
easy. True, we motor mad Ameri-
cans, or so others consider us, have
given up driving, except to get to
work and back; are a little short of
coffee and sugar, find meat scarce
and high, have trouble finding a
doctor when we need one
But just think of this: More of
us are at work than ever before
and wages are higher. Average
weekly wages of factory workers
are up nearly 65 per cent since
August, 1889, United States Bureau
of Labor figures show, while whole
sale prices of farm products are up
IS per cent. Total cost of living
for wage earners, meanwhile, has
risen little more than 20 per cent
on the average, the USBLS calcu-
iates.
We are better paid, better fed,
better clothed. better housed than
any other people. We have begun
to make sacrifices, and before we
attain victory they will be big. 1t
should be easier to do with less,
when we have had so much by any
standards the world knows.
1t has been a year Of organiza-
ton, tooling up. laboriously decid-
ing upon workable regulations,
building factories. converting ex-
isting factories. But we are coming
out of that phase. We are no longer
contracting for additional plant ca
pacity. Some contracts are being
Cancelled.
Fighting Phase Starts.
The production and fighting
phase is beginning. Now the prob
lens are manpower, womanpower
and materials.
Already, the average work week
per wage Garner is close to so hours
in machinery. But for durable goods
plants generally it is about 441a
and for non-durable goods not
quite 40.
Whole industries have been con-
verted. Automobile production
the output of the industry credited
with the main spark of fabulous
American prosperity in the years
between the wars--was stopped a
year ago. Now that industry is en-
ploying more workers than before
to turn out weapons of war.
Textiles. chemicals, food-most
major industries are overwhelmed
with war business. To keep essen
tial civilian supplies flowing plans
are developing for shutting down
some plants not useful for war pro-
duction, concentrating civilian out
put in a few plants.
With unemployment reduced close
| to the practicable minimum man.
power has become the basic prob
lem. War industries, employing less
than 100000 last year, now have
some 17,500,000 at work, will need
to boost that total to 100000 OF
more in the coming year. Armed
forces, now something over $500 900
will rise to some 100000 year
from now, maybe more.
Miracles Not Enough.
Employment in civilian industries
already cut from 100000 a yeal
ago to about 21,100,000, will have
to be reduced further. Farm work
ers are estimated at about 8,100 900
of 100000 from last year.
Miracles are being wrought ir
production of essential materials
but they are still short.
/ Every ounce of copper is vita
and substitute is even being de.
vised for copper pennies. Steel pro.
duction this year rose to 5000 ,OO(
tons and present expanded capacit;
is some 100000 above that. Fol
all Axis countries and the land.
they control it is only about 61,.
100000 tons. Output of aluminium
metal of flying-already increased
several times, will be more than sis
times that of 1899 in the coming
year.
One of the biggets problems has
been controlling the flow of ma.
terials. First, priority ratings were
issued, until there were more tor
ratings than could be filled. Ther
came the more detailed production
requirements plan, known as PRF
or "purp," only to be succeeded
by the drastic GIMP, controlled ma.
terials plan, coming in effect nexl
year.
Inevitably. more attention i1a.
been given to getting the job don,
| (sss JAEGER, Page C-i5.5