The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-07
Observations
How Rapidly Can
Car Industry be
Reconverted?
BY Helen Essary


may require from six to nine
months.
There is a suspicion among these
officials that the auto makers are
purposely making such gloomy
forecasts in order 10 pressure WPB
into relaxing certain controls and
enable the industry TO get going
now on reconversion.
WPB experts point out that in
1912 the auto industry cried for
gradual shifting TO war production,
asserting that abrupt termination
OF car making would mean long un.
unemployment and idleness OF IA.
cilities while the industry was be-
ing fooled for war.
However, once the cutoff was
announced the industry converted
TO war production with a breath
taking burst of speed and its IA
cilities were in operation agian be-
fore the unemployment problem
became serious.
WPB officials believe the same
thing will happen on reconversion.
One car maker is expected TO be
on the market with new cars in
three months.
HOLD! HOLD. HOLD,
That was the order given the
House document room recently
when the Postwar Economic Poll
cy Committee mixed its signals on
the release of its comprehensive
report on ''reconversion."
The committee headed by Repre-
sentative Colmer Cd pr Missis-
sippi, originally informed news.
men the report would be released
for publication on Thursday
morning.
A last.minute change in plans
shifted the release time TO the fol-
lowing Monday but the report was
given reporters on Thursday so
they could prepare their stories.
Then. Colmer proceeded to file
the report with the House clerk.
where il technically" vas avail
able to press and public by Satur.
day.
To prevent any advance leaks
the document room was asked TO
hold" the report over the week
end. Newsmen who knew OF the
mix.up didn't embarrass the COM
mittee by demanding copies from
the official files.
Vice President Henry A. Wallace
faces a crossroads In the November
election, even thought he is not the
fourth.term running mate OF Mr.
Roosevelt.
II the President is reelected, po-
litical observers are certain that
the man Mr.. Roosevelt cast aside
At Chicago 70 make way for Sena-
tor Harry S. Truman Of Missouri,
will remain in the government sery-
ice.
II Gov. Thomas E. Dewey enters
the White House 1t is obvious that
Wallace's national political lie IS
over. In that case, he may accept
a post on the faculty OF some uni
yersity 90 back TO editing and pub
fishing farm newspapers or merely
retire TO his farm.
However, with the President IN
the saddle for four more years,
Wallace will have a wide range OF
choices-likelies OF which will be
his pick OF an ambassadorial post.
The Vice President would be ac-
ceptab BILE as envoy TO either Russia
or China-both OF which countries
he has visited on presidential mis-
sions.
Mr.. Roosevelt might send him
south Of the Rio Grande as amoas-
sador TO Mexico or some South Am.
erican good ro'~h hor."
Fast on the heels Of Allied sue
cesses in France the Army postal
service has made plans for setting
up a large V.mail station in that
liberated nation very soon 10 speed
the delivery OF those letters TO Am
erican troops on the continent.
Just now, V-mail letters are flown
to England for re.routing to Italy
and mobile offices in Frances. The
new system will eliminate the need
for having the letters stop in Eng
land.
Since Army V.mail was started In
June. 1912, the Army postal service
has moved almost 700 million let.
tiers to and from the United States,
and the Navy mail service has ham
died more than 1000 million let
tiers.
The peak month was April, 1914,
when about rs million pieces OF
Army and Navy V.mail were ham