The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-13
Capital Planners Offer Program For Post-War Jobs And Business IMMEDIATE ACTION AND SURVEYS ARE PROSPERITY NATION
BY JAMES THRAsHER 1. NEA Staff CNrreannndenE

II
 washington, Sept. lS-America's postwar industrial problems are SO vast and complex that the average citizen shies away from them with a feeling of helpless confusion, But at the same time he can't help wor- rying about them.
 He wonders about his own war born job, or his own business that is geared to wartime production. He wonders about his cornmunity's new industries and the new residents they have brought there. He wor- ries about the hundreds Of home- town boys in uniform land girls. too. will they find their old jobs waiting for them, and will there be oppor- tunities for better jobs when they come back2
 Some practical answers to these questions are found in a handbook that the Department of Commerce has just issued. It is called Com lnunity Acton for Postwar Jobs and Profits" And its purpose, as the title suggests, Is to break down this tremendous overall problem into Segments that cities and individuals can do something about.
 ] MISLEADING PHRASE
 The Commerce Departments ap- proach to the solution can best be stated by this quotation from the handbook:
 "T'he greatest single handicap to sound planning for postwar jobs and prosperity probably is the word post-war.' This word has given rise to the misconception that postwar planning is something different, is something vague. something exclus- lively for theorists and economists. It is not.
 "The greatest single aid to post war jobs will undoubtedly be the soundest possible business structure during the war. It is present towns, present business organizations, and present businessmen, who will form the base for any sound free-enter- prise system of the postwar world" |" NO PANACEAS
 The handbook Is addressed to chambers of commerce, trade asso- citations and other civic organiEa- tions. It does not offer to send an expert from Washington with a satchel of patent remedies. It hands out no panaceas for individual busi- nesses. It simply prescribes a pro- gram of self-help for an entire com munity, based an the belief that upon the business firms of the average town will fall the task M assuring jobs for our fighting men and workers at the end of the war"
 The community action program is based on five principal steps. First is the work pile' plan, which was developed by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. This is 6 survey by ell local business and pro- fessional men of work opportunities which they can offer when the war is over. These opporttunities include such things as repair and remodel" ing, as well as places on the regular payroll.
 CITY SURVEY NEEDED
 Second point is c survey oS post. war manufacturing opportunities which the community might present. Since the handbook iS aimed ct cities of moderate size, 1t urges civic leaders not to think in terms of steel mills and auto plants, but of related industries and sub-contracts to fit existing conditions. Surveys of na- tural resources, power, labor supply, transportation facilities and idle plants and machinery are suggested.
 To cope with the problem of ex- banded wartime population. the community is urged to find out about probable postwar demobiliza- ton now, and get ready for 1t. If unemployment promises to be serious when war work stops, immediate steps are recommended, such as get ting in touch with plants within the community or in nearby towns that are planning peacetime expansion Labor leaders, says the booklet, should be consulted in the discus sions, and workers should be told what is being done, and why.
 A backlog of reserves is the fourth suggestion, and includes reserves of ideas as well as money. Businesses are urged to plan with banks for credit toward conversion, expansion, replacement of inventories, new dis tributing and service outlets. and working capital. Consumers also may help, the handbook states, by curtailing present spending, getting out of debt, and saving money by buying war bonds. Finally, a survey of postwar consumer needs is rec commended.
 PROGRAM PARTLY TESTED
 The last step, the strengthening of present bIigineSS already has hAen