Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-04
SIGNS POINT 70
POSTWAR SET-UPS

POSTWAR SET-UPS
Under a WPB order issued last week
the government has brought about a par
tial shutdown of two large aluminium
manufacturing plants and at the same
time limited that further curtailment OF
this product could be expected shortly.
Since the first of last November several
huge arms manufacturing plants have
been closed down completely. Three IN
the middle and Atlantic seaboard areas
ard one in the west. Upwards of $4,000
Jobs went out Of existence with the clos
imp of these plants. And while thou
sands of employees thus thrown out of
Jobs have been transferred to other Fed
eral projects, the communities where
these plants operated have felt the eff
feet. One of the large ship-building con-
Germs on the west coast is denying that
curtailments are in sight together with
runors of housing projects now under
construction being halted.
when the arms plants were closed
the government frankly disclosed the
fact that the closings were because Of
a Sufficient surplus of the particular
type of munitions these plants turned
out.
Two reactions are pertinent, it would
seem, in view of these industrial non
activities. One, of course, is that the
war is running into its last lap and that
the wherewithal to crush the AXIS is on
hand. On that phase one will think
with caution and reservations.
But another thought is wide open and
is very much the public's concern. 1t
simply means that the time for conver-
sion of war industries to private enter
prises is drawing nearer and that no
time should be lost by industrial leaders
and others to speed up any postwar in
dustrial program that might be Matching.
It rs time for communities, cities, coun
ties, states and the nation to bring round
ing out their programs and make ready
to take over. Some large cities, notably
Portland. Oregon, have their blueprlnts
completed, fully okehed by the communi-
ty 3nd the capital in sight to get going.
Portland spent 100000 to map out and
adopt its program. 1t hired one OF the
nations best, if not its foremost, planner
to draw up the plans. AS viewed by ex-
pegs it is a 100 per cent program and
wiz make it possible for Portland to
move out of the war industrial boom unto
a long-time program of industrial prog
resS and tranquility. Only essentials are
included in the program and nothing
wiz be undertaken that does not contri-
bute to ten to fifty-year plan. They
have been getting ready over long
pef3od of months. There is nothing OF
the-"emergency" to it; it has no relation
to Blooms and, while all-Portland, its
benefits will spread far beyond the con-
fines of that city To the extent that 1t
looks after Portland's interests directly,
it might be called selfish. But that pro-
gram was built around the needs pecu-
liar to Portland. And that is just why
il = good and will work. 1t serves as
pattern, however, that all cities may
follow.
knd it is high time this pattern is be-
ing used 1t is adaptable to large and
small cities alike.
Unless the new organization which we
are going to erect after this war attends
sufficiently we'll to the economic condl-
tions among mankind. we shall again
get into the troubles which ruined world
recovery after the last war.-Prime Min
ister Jan Christian Smuts, Union of S.
Africa.
ANY rocket weapon likely to be used
by the Germans may well be lll-almed,
and will in any case produce only the
kind of damage that we are already fam
iliar with and can take shelter against
The real answer to all the enemy's weap-
ons S, defeat him as quickly as possible
Prof. ]. Desmond Bernal, British Com
bined Operations adviser.