The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-11
Substitutes No. | Headache
For American Housewives
Materials, Accessories Indicted Into War Serv-
ices - Stacks, Zppers, Brooms, Mops,
Vacuum Cleaners, etc. Now Serving
in Clobal War Effort.

As long as fighting men Of the
United Nations are welding guns,
rolling tanks over far-flung battle
areas, and hopping up the Axis,
the American housewife, welding
brush and broom, vacuum cleaner,
and mop in her own private battle
against dust and dirt, will find
housekeeping somewhat different.
Many raw materials formerly
readily available for various types
Of housekeeping equipment are now
becoming scarce because they are
needed In such huge quantities for
military purposes and production Of
war goods. Others, formerly i'm
ported from the far corners Of the
earth, are becoming scarce because
Of shipping space shortages.
Even the wartime Stacks or dress
the housewife wears for scrubbing
and cleaning are affected by ma
terials scarcity. Zippers are out,
buttons Of non -critical materials are
in. All the clippers now being pro-
duced are for parachutist and SKI
trooper uniforms.
Nor can metal be spared for such
everyday household items as dust
pans or clothes line pulleys and
reels. Paper board and nodded fiber
dust pans, on the market even when
metal dust pans were still being
made, will probably find their way
to most kitchens soon. Now pulleys
and reels will be made Of wood or
other non-critical substance.
The wooden scrub bucket Of the
pioneer woman may also appear on
the housekeeping scene. GalvaTl-
lied scrub pals and wash tubs now
in the home will have to be handled
with care, mended when they spring
leaks. When dealers stocks OF
nev metal pals, buckets, and tubs
are exhausted, no more will be avail
able for the general public. Manu-
facturers may sell these items only
to government war agencies and es-
sential industries.
Paoils, buckets, and tubs have
been enrolled 100 per cent in a new
type Of bucket brigade. They are
on active duty as receptacles for oily
rags or paper, for mixing gunpow-
ders In munitions plants, for hold
ing cement or rivets on construction
projects, and other war purposes.
There will, however, probably be
enough soap for all practical pur-
poses. That goes for plain bar soap,
floating, naptha, and yellow soaps,
! and soap fakes, chips, and beads.
| Housewives thinking Of making
their own soap during this war will
do better by themselves and their
country by turning waste fats In for
salvage.
The fats can then be sent to soap
factories, where vital glycerin for
explosives. paints, and other essen
tial war goods can be recovered
something no housewife could do
and the soap she needs will be no
farther away than the corner gro
Gerry.
For softening hard water. the
housewife viii have pretty much
the same choices-borax. washing
soda, sal soda-as before. Only
household ammonia Is short. Pro-
QHStAou WIS htVppeu Suay - AVIS
and there Is very little on the mar
ket for cleaning purposes. Except
that ammonia cannot be used rs an
ingredient, metal polishes are be.
Ing produced as freely as ever.
Ammonia Is one OF the most
fundamental materials required for
production Of explosives. Generally
speaking. Il takes about q pound OF
explosives every day for every man
n aetlve service IN an army-and
this Is probably entirely too low an
estimate IN view Of present large
scale bombing. Ammonia not need.
ed for military purposes must go
into fertilizer 10 produce next years
crops.
steel wool Is no longer being
made for civilian consumption.
securing powders, readily available,
Win have 10 Be used Instead.
Hpon8oa ere scarce. supply 81
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