The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-17


 begins. Furthermore, 1t is fairel when done that way for 1t gives every purchase an equal chance al getting his share of what stock there is.
 But there are some commodities that simply can't be put under ra- tioning by a quick order. Take canned goods. A lot of preparations had to be made before processed foods could be rationed. thus giv- ing people advance warning of what was coming and making provisions for the housewife to take an in- ventory of allowable reserves on the shelf. The national distribution sys- tenn through normal trade channels had to be entirely resurveyed and in some instances supplies had to be allocated so that every area would have its fair share.
 Doing a job of that kind takes time. Consequently for the future you find that on some of the new rationing programs you will be given plenty of advance warning. Others will be sprung at you suddenly, like the shoe job.
 A NEW TECHNIQUE
 One point that will probably be regular part of future ratioDing programs is that they will be an- noumced from the White House. This was @ technique worked out by Leon Henderson and Economic Stabiltza- ton Director Jimmy Byrnes.
 The theory is that if the people know that an order for rationing comes from the commander -in -chief 1t will be recognized as a war neces- sity, instead of being put down as whim.
 What this amounts to is a lot of arte moderne facade on the old cor ner drug store. Behind the black glass and silver. trim they still sell castor oil and rat poison, and a ra- tioning order is still rationing or der, whether it's handed out through the palings of the White House fence or over a desk by the new price administrator, Prentiss M. Brown. .
 Letting the shoe rationing order appear to come from Byrnes via the White House was not an intentional nor an accidental snub for Admin istrator Brown, nor was 1t intended to save him from any public wrath which might arise as an unfavorable reaction. As a matter of fact. how ever, Administrator Brown had very little to do with this first order, ex- cept to make an announcement eX- plaining some of its inc points thought out by others.
 NOBODY KNEW BUT
 CHOSEN FEW
 Shoe rationing was kept secret as well as the invasion of North Africa. No one outside the chosen few knew 1t was coming until 1t happened. No shoe retailers, no wholesalers were told, and 1t Is pretty well established that the secret did not leak to any shoe manufacturers. There were sev- eral men from the shoe industry dollar a year men and consultants in the War Production Board-who had to be told what was up because OPA had to get its order to ration shoes from WIPE to make 1t legaE But these few shoe industry people were sworn to secrecy.
 All the work, all preparation for shoe rationing was under the super vision of a young assistant professor of economics at Yale. Richard Glenn Gettell tall, gangling, pleasant chap in his early 30's, who didn't know anything about the shoe in- dustry until he came to Washington, where he was assigned as director of miscellaneous products In the ra- tioning division of OPA, under the rationing chief. Paul M. OLeary.
 Gettell went to work on the shoe problem way last fall. Made an economic study of the industry, Army and Navy demands. civilian requirements, the whole works. to see if and when shoe rationing would be necessary. No one in the shoe industry ever caught on to what he was up to.
 Shoe rationing was originally in- tended to go into effect Feb. l4. But on Feb. it became apparent that everything was ready to go. so they moved it up to Feb. T. Just few weeks before. Gsttell quit his job Seems his draft board was about to catch up with him. He's work ing for the Army Air Force now as a civilian economic adviser, thinking up no telling what.