The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-13
Observations
Predictions For
Invasion Losses
Not Accurate
BY Helen EsSsry

All predictions ABOUT Alleu loes'
Is in the invasion OF the European
continent should be taken with a
grain OF salt. Some so-called eV-
psrts have warned we must expect
upwards OF 30 per cent casualties
in the initial landing forces. Others
say the losses will be light.
The truth is that even the highest
ranking American and British lead.
ers have no way OF estimating loss
es with any accuracy. The best
they can do Is plan for the worst
and have enough reserves TO fill
all gaps.
When Allied forces invaded Sicily
heavy losses were expected, and re-
serves were standing by 10 replace
casualties Actually. our losses in
that operation were very light,
much less than expected by United
States and British leaders.
One thing is certain: The Allied
forces will have plenty Of air cover
when they move against the cohtin-
emit. That should help cut losses
greatly.
This does not mean that the Al
lies can land without suffering
comparatively heavy casualties, but
Il is pure guesswork to warn that
so per cent or more OF the initial
force will be killed or wounded.
There can be no answer to that
question-and none should be at.
tempted-until actual count is made
after the beachhead 10 established.
War Production Board Chairman
Donald NJ. Nelson Is convinced that
issuance OF the "freeZe" on civilian
production In tight labor areas dur.
ing his absence recently in Florida
for a brief rest came as result OF
intense pressure by the military.
The Army has been fearful that
WPB would let the bars down too
soon, despite established policy to
the contrary. and sought to erect
an iron-clad barrier against any
appreciable revival OF civilian out
put until success OF the European
invasion Is established.
Issuance OF the ill.conceived
freeze" however. brought the
wrath OF Congress down upon Mel.
sons head. 1t was too inflexible and
would virtually have forestalled any
boost in civilian production even
where it would not interfere with
the war effort. Idle facilities and
man-power were in prospect.
Nelson sees eye-to-eye with the
military on the need for keeping
war production at a high pitch. and
agrees that civilian production must
be soft-pedaled until the invasion's
fate is decided. However. he will
seek TO accomplish the same end
by more palatAble directives.
Mai. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, ma.
tional draft director, Is one OF the
important Washington officials who
insist on writing their own speech.
es instead OF using ghost" writer's.
Hershey's position Is that what
he says in official statements az
tects the lives of so many men and
their families that he must get his
ideas stated. exactly as he wants
them.
His assistants say he has found
no one who can do the writing Job
10 his satisfaction, and, anyway,
the general does a highly credit
able piece OF writing himself.
That Hershey must be careful in
his statements is illustrated by the
fact that members OF local draft
boards read accounts OF his speech
ss-'and have a habit OF interpret
ing them as official pronounce
ments. putting them into effect
without awaiting further directions
from Washington.
In the welter Of plans for post
war reconversion, the little business
man is coming in for his share OF
I attention and. according to present
plans, will be in the front row when
the signal is given for the big
push TO civilian production.
A definite movement is under way
in the Senate to divorce the Small.
sr War Plants Corporation from its
parent body, the War Production
Board.
Several senators who plan TO
sponsor such action contend that
WPB is prejudiced against allocat.
ing sufficient war contracts to
small business in production essen.
tial to the war effort. Moreover.
they maintain that WPB is also lax
In according favored treatment to
small firms in industries now being
converted to partial civilian produc
ton.
They are adamant in holding that
small business should be given pref.
erential treatment because OF the
lack Of large resources and their
limited capital. Big business, they
say, can hold its own, and they cite
figures showing that 10 per cent OF
war production is controlled by ap-
proximately 100 large firms.