The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-16

The mills are now manufacturing underwear of all kinds for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, the wome.ls auxiliary corps of the various ser vices, the British, Russian and other Allied Armies, the Red Cross, Lend Lease, and for the relief of destitute foreign populations. Thirty five to forty-five per cent of the underwear mills entire production is for the government.
 What about the home front? While your red flannels are march, ing militantly away to aid the all lies, just where do you stand? Well, the situation looks little bit more hopeful, according to recent inform ation received from officials of the Underwear Institute.
 ! In line with new policy, govern ment agencies have recognized the exigency of providing for civilian needs for the winter, and due to the efforts of Arthur D. Whiteside, Chairman of the Office for Civil ian Requirements of WIPE, re- cent allocation of yarn has been given the underwear mills in an attempt to allay threatened short- age.
 Despite this timely aid, there is no guarantee that the shortage will be met, particularly in infants and children's lines, which may be hard to find, in spite of everything the mills are trying to do to prevent it. Even this extra allocation will not insure the civilian population against the possibility of shortage, especially If the difficult manpower situation that of transitory work ers--continues.
 "In the industry, although we are hopeful, and believe that we will be able to deliver to our distributors sufficient heavyweight underwear to take care of the real needs of the consumer, we can promise nothing. It will be touch and go; although we are working day and night--so far as our supply of help will per- mit--to take care of these needs" said Roy A. Cheney, President of the Underwear Industry, in review ing the situation.
 In addition to its regular lines of stock for civilian use, the underwear mills are manufacturing fifty items for the government. The list in- cludes the following: For the wo- mems auxiliary services alone vests, pants, shirts, pajamas; and for war aid--part wool shirts and drawers, khaki bush shirts, mems outer woven jackets, wool union suits, caps, comforters and gloves. More spectacularly. the mills are manu- featuring bomb chutes, medical tubing, parachuteS, flare chutes, hammocks and camouflage shrimp nets.
 If you can't find those sheer pan ties, which add so much to any wo- mans wardrobe, you may be con- soled to learn that the mills which made them have converted their machinery to produce mosquito net ting and that because of this, sold iers in the jungles of New Guinea are being well protected from hordes of vicious insects by the netting.
 Reasons for threatened shortage in underwear are many. The pro- duction of both yarn and underwear taken over by the government and the evils of the present manpower situation which results in the cut ting of production and the increase in costs.
 Remember when doing your buy ing this fall, select only what you and your family actually need at the time. This will give the other fellow a chance. Remember coal and oil are scarce too. and somebody else besides you and your family may be shivering this winter