The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-02-03
Michigan in
" aShlngton
BY Esther Van Wagner fluffy

The shortage Of loggers and pulp
wood cutters in the Great Lakes
area is estimated az 4.2S5. 4 ser
ious threat to Uncle Sans need
for lumber-for-war which the WPB
s.ys will total 81 billion feet this
year with only so billion in sight
If they can keep the men in the
woods Unfortunately. there is no
high stockpile to help in the emery
ency. It's below what in normal
times is called the "unreducible
minimum
That's what behind the efforts
in Congress TO defer from military
draft men engaged in the timber
and pulpwood logging operations.
1t is now before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee.
The demand for lumber climbs.
More than Is billion feet are es-
sential just for the boxing and
Grating of war materials Enough
must be found TO ship abroad for
the building of barracks. repair
shops, sheds. More logs are essen
tial for PIT boats. invasion barges
While Michigan and other lake
states are by no means the princi-
pal area affected 1T so happens that
from the Midwest comes the war
important birch veneer that goes
into British and American planes
The shortage in Michigan would
/ be more acute but for the coopera-
ton of local draft boards. Season
/ al farm workers have been allowed
to help harvest timber without los
| ing their draft status as farm work
ers.
The deferment OF woods workers
calls for an amendment to the Sc
lective Service Act. The House
bill was INTRODUCED by Congressman
Philip J. Philbin of Massachus etts
Paul Shafer. of Battle Creek who
is in sympathy with the legislation
helped draft the Philbin bill Both
are mgplbers Of the Military Affairs
Committee. which is awaiting rec.
concentrations for Selective Ser
vice before holding hearings.
Congressman George Sadowsk Is
backing efforts to make it easier
for discharged seryicemen 70 pur-
chase necessary household goods
even IL they haven't the ready
cash.
To do this means seeking an e1-
empton from Regulation " OF the
Federal Reserve System. This re
| quirement is one-fifth to one.third
in down payments and that FIJI
payments for goods be made within
a year.
That's all right for those clvi
lans who have been enjoying hish
wages says the Detroit Democrat,
/ but not fair to the returning sold
/ Ter or sailor. Some liberation OF
credit would help him more quick
~ to rehabilitate him and his fam
/ lily
Incidentally, this Is the proposal
II the Retail Credit Institute Of
America.
Democrat Senator Lucas OF HI.
nois says the most forceful plea
made in the Senate for federal vote
for tho armed forces overseas vas
made by senator Arthur II. Van
denberg
Certainly his sane remarks, made
without rancor. we're welcome after
days Of wranglng debate that
seemed TO get nowhere in either
house. II must have been right
confusing TO tho Americans sitting
in the Xlsitors galleries With
every member OF tho Congress
agreeing "of course the soldier
should be able 10. vote more than
any other American it's short OF
amazing how acrimonious the mepl.
bers are over the details Of setting
up the machinery
Early in the debate. the NIcni.
gan senator had made staIhch
night 10 make state ballots as avail
able ~ federal ballots Bat reccz.
nizing the probability that MARI 4
these heavier ballots MAY me-, 10
delivered. despite best efforts Of
the Army anI Navy. he didn & yet
50 annoyed that he reversed HIP de-
cision on the ACCESSIBILITY % Isim
pie uniform federal ballot
aid Nandenherg Even states
which perfect their state absentee
voting la1s as ms own state OF
Michigan will do, may confront un
syoidable eKigencies o. time and
tr9 sportation which will leopard
izs II they do not nullifyl their
Vorthiest intentions
But the senator made a fnal et
fort IN en- amendment 10 the bill
10 raise the importance Of state
ballot to aisaity- comparable 10 that
OF the federal ballot
Senator Lucas. with whom the
senator discussed the amendment
will probably accept II.