Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-10

any OF our real problems. They
will not give us increased manpower.
They will not give US increased pro-
duction. They are advantageous to
the groups that get them only so
long as other groups can be kept
from getting them. The apparent
advantages obtained by the groups
benefited will prove short lived and
illusory during the war and will
bring retribution even on those
groups when the war is over. Those
who demand them are only demand
ing another depression.
Instrumentation.
No man hates RECOMMENDATION more
than l do But would be less than
honest If told you that the stresses
and strains on our civilian economy
could be met without a high degree
of RECOMMENDATION in our civilian as
we'll as our military life. With the
proper spirit and understanding
among our people that regimenta-
ton may be largely self-regimenta-
ton. But whatever you call it, each
one of us will have to take his place
and play his part on our team.
When we are drafting men and
youths into the armed forces at $500
a year, we cannot let other men and
women work where they please,
when they please-or allow them or
persuade them to jump from one
job or business to another because
it pays more. No businessman. no
farmer and no worker has a right
to look upon this war as an oppor-
tuniJy for personal profit.
We must all serve and I am sure
that we want to serve where we are
best fitted and most needed. Last
week Mr.. McNutt, the chairman of
the Manpower Commission took &C
ton to control the hiring of workers
in critical labor shortage areas. In
the future, workers may be guided
to employment where they are most
urgently needed. In the future, they
must not leave essential employment
whether in the factory or on the
farm without good cause.
Last year many workers on farms
and in diaries went to industrial
plants to get higher wages. They
were splendid farm workers; they
are Indifferent mechanics. AS we
have urged men to volunteer for
military service, we should urge
these men to return to the farms
where they are needed. even If the
compensation is less. If they refuse
to go, their draft deferments should
be Cancelled. If some men can be
drafted and sent abroad at $50 per
month, every civilian must 60 where
he can render the greatest service,
even If 1t means less money.
Purpose of Rationing.
Rationing can equalize some
hardships, but it cannot blot out
shortages. Nobody likes complicated
rationing, but it is important for
all of us to remember that the
purpose of rationing Is not to take
goods away from us, but to see that
the goods we have are equitably
shared II we evade the rationing
rules, we are not playing a trick on
some bureaucrat. We are taking
something that belongs to our
neighbor or something that our boys
across the sea should have. Every
man who buys on the black market
is stealing from his fellowman.
We in the East are forbidden to
drive for pleasure not because some
bureaucrat at Washington enjoys
our discomfort. but because the tank
cars are needed to carry fuel oil to
keep our homes above so degrees
and to protect our children from
pneumonia; and because our tank
ers are needed to carry high-octane
gas to our. boys who are bombing
Berlin and Bizerte. Who but the
Stacker could begrudge this sacrifice?
AS shortages grow, shopping for
the average man and woman be-
comes more difficult. We do not
find the things we customarily buy
and we don't always know what else
to buy. We are all working row to
devise simplified and standardized
utility articles so that while we may
have less fashion and variety, We
shall be able to get more readily the
simple things We really need
But in this field I do not think We
should rely exclusively on Govern
ment. Within the limits of wartime
restrictions there is still room for
manufacturers and professors to
sense the need of the times and to
take an active part in the develop
ment of utility articles which give
the people what they need at the
lowest possible price and in form
which makes the most effective use
of critical foods and materials.
We cannot evade the hard and
grim realities of the war. We can
take pride and even pleasure in
simple living-or we can grumble
about our deprivations and make
ourselves and those about us miser-
able. AS fathers and brothers, wives
and sisters of our fighting men let
us show that we too have what 1t
takes to win total war for freedom.
Taxes Must Close Gap.
But even If our manpower Is
l,eed rpoet offocfivol1, o~d INV .,,r