Evening star., 1945-08-14
U.S.. Held Unprepored
For Reconversion Job

For Reconversion Job
Even Army, Navy Have No Plans
for Demobilization, Says Writer
BY David Lauvence
Despite all the talk and conferences
about postwar planning and reconver-
sion, the fact is that VI day will catch
the Nations policy makers in the Gov
ernment unprepared.
Even the Army and Navy do not have
specific plans worked out as to demobi-
lization and nobody should be criticized
for failing to have such a program
ready-neither management nor labor
nor the Government. For the fact is
that there has been psychological bar
rier to plan-making for long time.
Until the war actually approached an
end, the problems of rehabilitation, for
instance, did not really become con-
crete.
Ihus, assuming the government in
Tokyo signs all the armistice agree
ments this week, will this mean acuui-
escence by the japanese to our rule in
the by-passed islands? There are many
Japanese troops in various Pacific is
lands. They have had to be self-sutfl-
cient for many months because they
have been cut off from the mainland.
What will be the price of their acqui-
escence? They know that they can
continue resistance for a long time to
come. viii they demand the opportu-
nifty to live on in the by-passed islands.
where so many of them have married
natives and begun to farm the soil?
Or will the United States Government
insist on roofing out all japanese from
these strategic islands even at the cost
OF considerable number of American
lives?
What About Army's Size.
Meanwhile, what should the Army
and Navy do about their size? Will
they need forces to clean up the Caro-
line Islands. including such places ~
Iruk? Or will all japanese armies sur
render along with Tokyo? These mop
pingup operations are giving some con-
Germ here and they interfere with the
planning for immediate demobilizat tion
of all forces.
Also what will Congress do? II the
selective service law is repealed SO
that no more inductions of 18-year-
olds are required, then how will re-
placements be secured for our armies
occupying japanese and German terri
tory? How can the Army be sure of
the number of troops it will get if the
system is to be on a volunteer basis
only, and how long must our veterans
wait in Japan and Germany for the
training which the volunteers must
undergo and for their transshipment
to the areas of occupation?
The industrial problems are some
what analogous. The War and Navy
departments have consistently empha-
sized war production up to the last min
ute and have not allowed themselves to
become too much concerned with re-
conversion plans in the last year or
more. The availability of raw materials
has been a central factor in recon-
version planning, but until it could be
known what the military services would
release and when their stock piles could
be utilized, it has been difficult to give
the go-ahead signal for reconversion.
Now the whole subject becomes spe-
ciflc and immediate. The military serv-
ices are willing to release their excess
of supplies and to make no further
materials. But it cannot be overlooked
that their need for certain commodi-
ties and supplies will continue. Large
shipments of food will have to go out
to our overseas forces. The feeding of
millions of men enNoute as we'll as on
station will require enormous quanti-
ties OF canned goods and containers as
we'll as shoes and clothing. Armed forces
Of nearly 100000 men are not dis
banded overnight and this Is a rather
large population to keep fed and clothed.
Problems of Transport.
The problems of transportation alone
are staggering. Not only must every
available merchant ship be utilized but
even aircraft carriers may have to be-
come transports temporarily so as to
bring back tens of thousands OF men
gested for some time to come. Fortu-
nately, the freight loads of ammuni-
ton and weapons will come down in
number very quickly so that civilian
goods can be shipped in larger and
larger amounts. The transformation OF
war plants to civilian uses, however.
will not be as quick as many people
imagine.
Thus the Congress has tied industry
into knots by complicated law gov
erning disposal of surplus property that
means endless delay and red tape.
Until the war plants can get their floor
space cleared of Government owned
machines and tools, they cannot readily
convert to civilian production. Some
companies may even find it more eco
nomical to build new plants and let the
war plants stagnate for years to come
while somebody in Washington makes
up his mind on how to sell the war
stuff and at what price.
Conversion from wartime economy to
peacetime manufacture of goods will
take many months-possibly the better
part Of two years. Unemployment num-
bers will fiuctuate but within the next
year most of the idle ought to be
absorbed in work, though some persons
who worked in war plants probably will
not work again and the wives of service.