St. Paul recorder., 1943-01-01

ASSN'
Ingenious substitutes-some bet
ter than the originals-will help
fill the gap at the retail counter,
and a nation of enthusiastic shop
pers has already accepted the fact
that expanding war production in
evitably means some shrinkage OF
ordinary merchandise for civilians.
In 1912 America has cheerfully
given up dozens of items, familiar
in peace-time. ...
A.
New automobiles were wiped out
in 1912. Scrap aluminium from the
kitchen followed new aluminium to
the front. Alcohol is increasingly
needed for war use, and the supply
of some drinks is limited. War
needs af alcohol take precedence
over wOmen's favOrite lotions, or
perfumes, or both.
B -
Bristles for household brushes
have enlisted. So have bobby pins.
Belts on dresses are narrower.
Bicycle production has been sharp
ly limited. That American inven-
ton, the banana split, has been
nearly destroyed by the shipping
shortage. Everybody knows about
that recent war delicacy, frozen
butter.
C
Chocolate, coffee, cream are no
longer served with a lavish hand.
There is no copper for civilians.
Corsets are re-designed to use less
rubber. Cellophane, universal gla-
mour wrapping, is restricted to es-
sential protective needs. No clocks
are being made. Cosmetics are Civ
ing up their fantastic containers.
There's less chlorine for cleaning
and bleaching. New cameras are
scarce. Cuffs, on women's dresses,
can no longer fold back in fiatter-
ing French style. Vitamin C is
controlled.
D
Dye ingredients needed for war
tighten the tones of available
colors. Dog foods have received
government attention. Even the
dentists drills have yielded to war
time necessity and been limited to
a few standardized sizes.
E
Electrical appliances have all
gone to war-refrigerators and
monographs and sewing machines,
stoves and stokers, tOasters and
curling irons. Most lamented of
household curtailments, their con-
version importance is in proportion
to their domestic usefulness.
F
Feathers, fine goose and duck
grades, are needed for military
goods. Flaps have disappeared
from pockets. Restriction of flash
bulbs to the more essential uses is
another dim-out for the amateur
photographer. Fishing tackle, for
fun, is under orders. Fish, especial
ly sardines, salmon and mackerel,
are swimming off to war in cans.
Furniture is sans metal.
C.
Gasoline rationing gave the aver
age American his most troublesome
purchase pinch to date. Golf, re-
quiring rubber for balls and metal
for clubs, was one of the first large
scale national hobbies to reflect the
necessities of war.
IL
Houses are limited to essential
maintenance and repair, no more
doing things over to crafty an i'm
pulse or impress the neighbOrs.
Hens, IN dresses, can't be more
than two inches deep. Over a year
ago. women learned that hosiery
would be different for the duration.
i
Severely cut for domestic use,
iron will make no more barbecue
gadgets and few kitchen utensils.
Ice cream, having achieved as
tomshing variety, now moves to-
ward simp1ifcation. No new ice
cream molds will shape that newt
able climax of a children's party.
~
A jacket can't be sold as part Of
a dress, and separate jackets are
limited in length. Jars, like other
containers, are being standardized.
The mason jar, with its zinc clamp,
will not line preserve closets in this
war as it did in the last. Jute, the
imported fiber that makes string
tough, will tie few civilian pack
ages.
K
Knives, like all cutlery, are re-
stricted, some non-essential types
are out. Kapok, the silk-ike fibre
from tropical plants, now makes
life preservers instead of chair or
mattress stuffing.
l.
Lawn mowers are finished until
the war is. Lamps reflect the Sc
uaro ro1k-SokSo-. -.