The Wilmington morning star., 1944-07-30
Wilmington's Future

w 141ll1416 WILL - Il aCA4S
| Now that the news Of the proposed closing
of Camp Davis has been announced by the
War department. Wilmingtonians are wonder
ing if the citys wartime peak has not been
achieved and passed. They are wondering if
the coming months will not be marked by
decrease in trade and industry, and a gen.
eral decline in the accelerated pace of the
last three years.
Some store men have reported that their
sales are off as much as 30 per cent of late.
Restaurants appear to be much less crowded
today than they were in the winter and early
spring. Policemen are saying that there are
fewer cars on the streets in the early morn
ing. The City Of Wilmington has announced
that it is expecting a lower income in the
current fiscal period than it received in the
last one.
Perhaps these are slight indicators that the
community is to forego its breathlessness in
coming months. They do not, however, con-
stitute cause for alarm or concern about the
citys financial and economic health. Bank
clearings remain at high and stable level;
the shipyard is as busy as ever; other sur
rounding military installations show no indi-
cation of departure; the problem of sufficient
labor here remains acute.
How are the citizens accepting the idea of
relieved pressure in the future? Some who
turbed Wilmington, devoid of rush and newly
acquired crowds; they admit to a desire to
return to things -they-were. Others worry
about what the city will do if the good pay
rolls are subtracted, if the great war-heighten-
ed industrial stimulus is removed and the
community is left limp with too few jobs
and too few opportunities.
The sanguine are wrong to want to sink
into selfish community lethargy. The wor-
riers are wrong to wrinkle their brows and
adopt an attitude Of hopelessness.
1t is the constructive community thinkers
who are right.
| Wilmington is profiting much by the war
production impetus. The city has risen again
by virtue OF it, to the top of the State nu.
nicipal heap, a position she held throughout
| 1872 S~ANSAJ
century but lost when the thriving Piedmont
and rival ports afforded too much competition
| Wilnlington's role in the war drama has
brought much financial assistance from the
government, and by that token the commu
nitys facilities have been increased in mum.
Der and value: witness the vast new water.
works system, the new schools, the new air
port, the new fire station, the housing prof.
ects-all additions OF permanence.
| Returning servicemen are going to descend
on Wilmington in search of jobs, as they
are going to descend on all communities
Those jobs should be waiting
Thus, as an obligation to a proud and mean
ingful past; as an obligation to a government
that has invested so much; and as an obi.
CATION to those who have worked diligently
here during war years and those who want te
work here after. the war, Wilmington must
not, because the city is tired. drop its ambi
ton for action new industry, and fuller de-
velopment.
The men who pore over charts and map.
and statistics in their postwar planning ses
sions can do much toward helping Wilmington
Into continued brisk, progressive commu
nifty life.
! But by and large it will be the imagination
the determination, and the unselfish ambition.
OF Wilmington citizens in homes, offices, From
street stores, factories, civic clubs and place,
of government which will order the con,uou
nifty to 60 ahead.