The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-06-17
Stay Home

In urging Wi1mingtonians to abandon all
B. Cameron points out conditions which should
convince any reasonable person that vacation
travel in this crucial period of the war is
unjustifiable.
As summed up by the Office of Defense
Transportation, endorsed by the U. S. Con-
ference of Mayors, and emphasized by Mr..
Cameron, the situation is this:
Passenger traffic has increased $50 per
cent since 1871 and the demand is increas-
ing.
There has been virtually no additional
equipment made available for passenger
movement beyond a few troop Sleepers
and replacement of some inter city buses.
Organized troop movements already alb
sorb more than half of all Pullman cars,
and more than third of all day coaches.
Travel of service men and women on
Through, and individually on orders, take
up another third of the day coach space
and much of the inter-city bus accommo-
cations.
While travel facilities for civilians have
shrunk to less than half of the Pullman
space, and to less than third Of the day
coaches available in 1941, essential civilian
travel directly connected with promoting
the war program has increased steadily.
The American urge to travel, to get away
from home, to Ego places and do things" is
augmented by the scarcity Of things to buy
at time when large volume of funds is
in circulation, even after paying taxes and
buying war bonds.
At this time, when every bit Of slack in
the travel facilities has been absorbed, the
invasion of Europe is under way. Already the
wounded are being evacuated and troop and
equipment movements to the front are being
accelerated.
This military movement will require still
larger proportion of the transportation facili-
ties The movement of the wounded will def
initely require Pullman cars in large num-
bers, and Immediately, when the hospital
ships reach our ports.
The needs of the armed services, and the
requirements to care for the wounded, will be
met regardless. Families and vacationers,
away from home, may be stranded.
Confronted with this emergency, the neees-
sity to relieve the travel situation is beyond
question The facts placed at your disposal
are authentic; they are vouched for by the
government and by the transportation indus
try. The urgency of need is certified by the
Army
with tremendously increased military op-
erations in the European theater, the Army
is asking the railroads to pile another mir
acle on the miracle they are already per.
forming General c. P. Gross, Chief Of Trans.
portation, said recently. Invasion means
vastly increased military movement-two way
movement. We must continue to get our men
training centers and factories to the ports of
embarkation. In addition, we must now also
provide fast and comfortable TRANSPORTATION
Tor the returning soldier =. the casualty on
his way to the hospital best suited to his
needs and the nearest to his home. We GER
tainly must give that kind Of traffic the right
Of way over anything and everything else"
The only hope of meeting this situation is
to prepare for it now. That will require
concerted effort to reduce all travel; to keep
unessential travellers from making that trip:
to persuade individuals and families to make
this an "at home'' vacation.
The cooperative patriotic solution to the
travel situation is for all to contribute by re-
framing from making any unnecessary use of
public transportation facilities. Priorities and
rationing Of travel have been suggested, but
the Office Of Defense Transportation believes
that Americans everywhere are willing to go
'all OUT to promote the war effort. The ODT
is convinced that, with the proper leadership,
the Necessary conservation of vital transporta-
ton will be achieved without the need for diff
ficult governmental control. The ODT believes
that local leaders, the mayors Of cities from
coast to coast, are both the logical and the
indispensable leaders of such campaign.
-V
The Nazi Way