Montana labor news., 1950-11-30
For Women Only
By Polly Edison for L. L. P. E.
Consumer Goods

consumer OOous
VIII the defense and rcarmamcnt
program cut into the amount OF
goods you and | can buy Where
will the shortages he the SAME as
we had during World War II.
As yet. no one person knows the
complete answer 10 these questions
and a main reason nobody knows i
that the val we're in now-how long
it will last. how big II will grow
is something that can't he answered.
here are some oi the facts
which can help Us make up our OWN
minds about what to expect
Metals
All OF US know that a%irplaneS.
ships and guns take a lot OF metals.
Also, we know that metals have been
too plentiful since the other
war ended Not plentiful. that is. III
relation ior the demand ior auto
mobiles. rcfrigcrators. and such
It's certain we will feel the cut
i'll metals. How deeply we'll iecl il
not known The government. in It's
first metals cut order. said civilians
would have to get along on IS per
cent less aluminium Tor a while. This
cut may not mean fewer pots and
pans Tor a long time because supplies
Of the mare good. but il certainly
will mean less aluminium window
screening on the market next sum
And will hamper the produc-
ton of many other things.
additional cuts Tor other metals
are promised soon Copper is onc of
he scarcest oi all metals. 50 expect
hat 10 be hit hard.
Wool to Wear
The fabric iii shortest supply dur
ng the next few years promises TO
)e anything made OF wool. Why
The answer is that the world con-
sumption of wool is running ahead
II the present world supply. Also
he United States has no stockpilc
II wool now, and il did have a big
,tockpile at the beginning OF World
War II. We bought the total Aus
ralian clip that time. This time we
have it.
This shortage may eve become
20 serious you can't lind a good sup
by OF wool things i'll storcs-but
certainly are going TO have to
ray more for them. Anyone who has
.ried to buy a wool carpet this year
Knows tia. the price Of WOODEN goods
is skyrocketing The wise
housewife will take super good care
II blankets, suits and coats-ii she
wants to save money. Also, it seems
likely that the quality OF new goods
may not be up to the quality Of the
We already have
Cotton, Too
This year cotton crop - a small
one, and. unlike what was true last
var, the government does not now
rave large stocks Of cotton stored
anywhere i'll warehouses. Despite a
production Of rayon and a
production OF nylon, the coun-
rvs total textile production is Just
lot as good as il was before 50
watch those sheets and pillowcascs
md towels.
Food Is Different
We're in much better shape when
I comes to food than We we're lisii
imc. The Department Of Agriculture
,ays food will be plentiful all next
'ear.
Prices will be higher, though, the
)epartment-as well as cNcfAh d4
Use says. Red meats, like steak
md lamb will advance the most IN
,ricc, it is expected. Poultr} mlli
and possibly pork Viii So up
ess. On only one food does there
to be a chance that the prigt
nigh, go down, Irish potaloc, JUS,
night be cheaper The e~oycrmmcni
will have no support prices under
hem next year, for the first ms ~
10 years, and-unleSs farmers cni
heir production intentional l-Cen
,umcrs may get a bargain here
Houses
You already know it will be har'l
n to build or buy a new hunc
government does not want nrodN,
lion goals set at more than ar, afa
100000 new homes Tor mex ar
well over a million were built ~
,ear.) Rather than rationing house,
the government has done about 'i
thing by shutting doWu
money which can go into haI'- faa
and making the payment, iola
The building industry sa
not nearly 100000 families can
ford to buy homes on the rfe
credit terms. But the government
wait and see, that maybe Their
won't be materials enough 70 hrNlf
many anyway.
u~e,sxys
D&2At - aaHWZ .Ems ~ H