Milford chronicle., 1951-07-13
can happen. It happened to me. Certainly
life is stranger than fiction.
RGNRG
OUR WAR ECONOMY


world, is living on war economy. Today's
tremendous national income and prosper
lty is to very great extent the direct re-
suit OF Wars-past, present, and potential
One year after Korea the u. S. finds itself
well along the road to the garrison state
Military buying now is the biggest single
force in the economy. Between June, 1850,
and last June, deliveries Of military goods
have doubled. In the coming year, they are
due to double again. Toward the end of 1852,
or possibly the first quarter of 1853, they
will reach the maximum demanded by pres
ent mobilization plans. By then the o. S.
will be channeling 20 per cent Of it's national
output into defense and defense-supportin
production.
The effects of rearmament naturally vary
greatly from industry TO industry In some
fields such as electrOnics devices. military
orders are taking most of the output now and
in time may take virtually all of it. The air
craft industry is 95 per cent devoted to de-
tense work And, of course, a very high per-
centage of metals-steel copper, nickel-are
going for military and allied uses, and the
proportion is due to continue to rise. Even
though military orders are fitting fairly
smoothly into the economy, they are putting
strain on manpOWer and materials sup
plies. The big complaint of defense cOntrac-
tors all over the country is We can't get an
even flow of materials, and we can't pet the
workers we need to process the materials
we do have. You can get people all right,
but not workers. They haven't any skills
they haven't any interest. They lust stand
there. This manpOwer problem, in all prob
ability, will be the toughest nut to crack in
the long run. 1t is estimated that by the
end of the current year about 100000 civil
ians will be needed in defense Jobs. A very
substantial part of them will have to leave
work in what is considered nOn-essential en-
terprise and move into the essential indus
tries.
However, few think that severe civilian
shortages will develop, save in a few spe-
callzed lines, unless a big war comes along.
The belief is that American productivity can
handle the defense load and the normal civil
ian load at the same time. Many kinds of
goods are actually in surplus supply now. as
the recent price wars in New York and
other cities demonstrated. Those wars were
largely the consequence of excessively large
ventOrles-cOnsumer buying hadn't been
as great as had been anticipated. So. when
the Supreme Court knocked the Fair Trade
laws on the head, dealers began unloading
at prices people would pay. At any rate, the |
said fact is that war is again dominating our
whole economy. Military buying is now run
ming at the rate of $26,000,00O,O0O a wear.
5000
SCRAP is WORTH MONEY ..
The steel mills and foundries need more
scrap metal than ever-and the farmers of
the nation are being asked to sell their scrap
to dealers without delay. The situation is /
urgent. The steel industry is lin the midst /
Of a big expansion program. Mills and
foundries are running at record high rate.
The Fearmament program, which is not vet
in full swing, is piling steadily-increasing
military demand for steel on top of the heavy
civilian demand. In the face of this, the
bills scrap inventories have been declining.
and In some cases have become dangerously
low. Steel cannot be made without scraD.
Each day, during the current year, some
$4,000 tons of purchased scrap are required.
Farms are one of the principal sources of
scrap. Practically every farmer has on hand
obsolete or worn out machinery and other
equipment made of iron or steel. These ma
terlals are no longer of value to him-but
they are must to the steel industry. And.
incidentally, when the farmer sells his use
less scrap ne is doing himself a financial
favor. Scrap prices are good. The proceed
ure Tor moving the scrap is simple. Farm
ers. are asked to collect it, take it to town
and sell it to local dealer If the scraD IS
so bulky and heavy as to prevent easy trans
portatlon by the farmer himself, he should /
call the dealer and make arrangements for
hauling it away. In cases where the farmer
is not certain as to the proper procedure.
local farm agents will be glad to help. More
scrap from our farms means more steel for
America-at time when every last possible |
ton OF this all-impOrtant metal is needed.
&@0NE
A REAL LUXURY
Someone once said that smoking in bed
is a luxury which should be pursued only
by people who can afford to build new homes
every so often. 1t could be added that it is
also good practice for those who are eager
to see what the next world is like as soon as
possible. It has been the cause not Only
of thousands Of home fires, but Of disasters
in hotels which have resulted in a ghastly
toll of death and injury. Moreover, this
source of fire is typical Of the fact that the
great majority of fires are completely un-
necessary. Certainly, even the chain-smozer
can put out his final cigarette before he turns
in for the night. And even the most indolent