[Victory : Official Weekly Bulletin of the Office of War Information. V. 3, No. 43]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
VICTORY
OFFICIAL WEEKLY BULLETIN OF THE OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION
WASHINGTON, D. C.
OCTOBER 27, 1942
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 43
WMC drafting national service bill for President to use if necessary
A national service act Is now being prepared by the War Manpower Commission at President Roosevelt’s request, Paul V. McNutt, WMC chairman, disclosed last week in testifying before the Senate Military Affairs Committee.
A draft of such a measure is being drawn up by a WMC labor-management subcommittee. The committee is opposed to compulsory workmen’s service at this time, Mr. McNutt said, but is preparing the bill so that the President will have it available whenever he thinks such a measure is necessary.
McNutt’s specifications for law
“I am assured,” he said, “that within a period of not to exceed 2 weeks I can present a draft bill on this subject to the President.”
Mr. McNutt told the Senate committee that n3he of the four proposals now being considered by it meet what he believes to be the basic requirements of a national service law. Such a law, he declared, should empower the administering agency to:
1. “Require employers in any area to hire all workers through a central agency.”
2. “Control methods of utilization.” The administering agency should have the power to insure that workers were used “most effectively,” McNutt said, emphasizing that the agency should have a staff
{Continued on page 24}
THE VANISHING CIVILIAN
WPB is preparing a program to schedule the output of civilian goods. This was the major revelation last week in a series of developments pointing to the welding of all American effort into a single economy—a war economy.
Everything is for war
The scheduling program is being prepared by WPB’s division of civilian supply at the request of WPB Chairman Nel-son, who said at his October 22 press conference that “the things for the civilian in the wartime economy will be programmed and scheduled just like the Army and the Navy.”
The term “civilian program” is a misnomer, Mr. Nelson said, for “it is part of our whole picture and must be considered definitely a part of the picture. I don’t think you can consider an Army or Navy program without at one and the same time thinking of—I don’t like to call it ‘civilian’ because it isn’t; it is really part of the war program . . i Everything today is for a war economy.”
Civilian goods down to a trickle
In answer to a question about eliminating civilian goods, he replied that “there aren’t many more to be eliminated.”
This statement was underlined by a WPB report that as early as the end of July, 91 percent of all unfilled orders on the books of 3,021 metal-working plants were war orders. Production of civilian durable goods, the report noted, is down to a trickle—and that chiefly for repair parts to keep essential services operating. (Summary on page 4.)
„At the same time, WPB was drafting an order to enforce “normal” limits on manufacturers’, wholesalers’ and retail-
ers’ stocks and so help fair distribution of the consumer goods which now will dwindle fast from the shelves. Less drastic steps envisioned earlier cannot achieve the desired control of inventories, Mr. Nelson was quoted as saying. (Page 5.)
Further explanation of the projected program is contained in these questions and answers from Mr. Nelson’s press conference:
Action on a positive basis
Q. Now, that (scheduling of civilian production) would be done on a positive basis rather than through limitation orders?
A. It would be done on a positive basis; yes.
Q. Has any time limit been set on the reports?
A. Yes. They will be in very shortly.
Q. Does that mean that we would just slough off things that weren’t listed as essential, just by not allocating materials to them?
A. That is what it would mean, in effect, because we will allocate materials on a schedule basis.
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THE RATIONING PICTURE
Meat, tires, and fuel oil occupy attention in the rationing field this week. News in rationing and related subjects:
Must register tires____________ 13
Giving up tires above five______ 14
How to get maximum heat________ 15
U. S. gets the most meat_____16, 17
Farmers asked to raise more hogs_______________________ 18
New pork ceilings for even distribution__________________ 19
490418°—42
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October 27, 1942
VICTORY
OFFICIAL BULLETIN of the Office of War Information, Published weekly by the Office of War Information. Printed at the United States Government Printing Office.
Subscription rates by mail: 750 for 52 issues; 250 for 13 issues; single copies 50, payable in advance. Remit money order payable directly to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.
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In this issue
PRODUCTION
WPB drafts program to schedule output
of civilian goods------------------ I
The progress of conversion------------- 4
New order will enforce “normal” consumer
goods stocks_______________________ 5
Planes bringing strategic materials into
United States________________-■______ 7
Reorganized Production Drive staff discusses
policies_____________________________ 8
Contract renegotiation sped by changes in rules_____________________________ 9
MANPOWER
WMC preparing national service bill for use if needed_________________________ 1
Selective Service lists 92 “critical” communications jobs_________________ 24
TRANSPORTATION
U. S. may seek use of warehouses cleared of civilian goods---------------- 12
RATIONING
Tire registration is the key to continued use of gasoline______________________ 13
Why we must sell all tires over 5 to the
Government _________________________ 14
How to get the most heat out of your oil
allotment___________.______________—— 15
Americans get more meat than their friends
or foes._____________________________ 16'
AGRICULTURE
Wickard asks for 10 -percent more spring hogs_____________________________ 18
PRICE ADMINISTRATION
OPA and Agriculture move to keep down price of bread___________________ 18
Pork ceilings pegged to encourage even distribution over U. S___________ 19
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MATS FOR PUBLICATION
One-column mats of the illustrations appearing in VICTORY are made available to newspapers or other publications who wish to reprint them. Glossy proofs also are available if preferred. Address Distribution Section, Office of War Information, Washington, D. C., and refer to V-number.
HANGING IN THE VICTORY BALANCE !
OPA acts to increase dealers’ stocks of -tires to meet new consumer demand
Steps to enable dealers to increase their stocks of passenger-car tires so as to be ready to make consumer sales when the new mileage rationing program becomes effective November 22, were announced October 22 by the OPA.
Under the new regulations which are a part of the Government’s rubber conservation program, dealers may acquire stocks of new tires made of reclaimed rubber, and recapped and used tires for sale to motorists who have received ra-
tion certificates from their local boards.
Many dealers do not now have adequate stocks of tires of this kind—defined as Grade III tires in the rationing regulations. Under the plan to get these Grade III tires into dealers’ stocks, only establishments which have filed September 30 inventory reports on OPA Form R-17, in compliance with the rationing regulations, will be eligible for allotments, excepting establishments set up since October 1, 1942, by OPA authorization.
October 27, 1942
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On the Home Front
Since the first Nazi hordes spilled across the German border in 1939, Europe has been the scene of vast migrations, some caused by the actual impact of war, when millions fled before the invaders, and others by Hitler’s ruthless policy of shifting whole populations or classes to meet nefarious Nazi ends. If to these millions of unfortunates are added those other millions who withdrew into the Chinese interior to elude the ravaging Jap, the spectacle of mass displacements is one without historic parallel.
Migration taxes war-boom cities
The war has brought migration in this country, too, although on a happier plane. Under the spur of wartime employment, of better wages in war industries, countless families or their working members have change base. Too often, however, these people have found that the increase in their buying power was more than offset in war-boom communities by housing congestion, reduced facilities for health, recreation, and schooling, and overtaxed public services of all kinds, in-' eluding transportation. Under normal conditions large increases in population would call for expansion in all these fields but with wartime scarcities ranging from telephone equipment to building materials, our means of caring for even essential workers have become steadily more limited. Yet the well-being of war workers is vital to our whole war program.
Half a million homes provided
During the past 28 months about half a million “living units" of war housing have been provided, through private and Government building. But 12 million workers must go to new jobs in the coming year, and more than a million and a quarter additional living units will be needed. About half of these will come from new housing, the rest must be found in existing structures, which means, among other things, that more workers must be quartered in private homes. Meanwhile, all nonessential construction—even that of the Government—has been halted.
Not only housing, but transportation to war plants must be assured the 20 million war workers we’ll have by next year—5 million more than at present. Since 86 percent of all travel is by passenger automobiles, we must keep the cars of war workers and those engaged in essential civilian services on the road at
any cost. That’s where the “idle" tire program conies in. The millions of “idle” tires being sold to Uncle Sam between now and November 22 will form a tire and rubber pool that can be tapped to supply tires and recaps to those who must drive to work.
But this program will not alter the necessity to keep autos within the 35-mile-an-hour maximum speed limit. In
REPRINTING PERMISSIBLE
Requests have been received fur permission to reprint “On the Home Front" in whole or in part. This column, like all other material in VICTORY, may be reprinted without special permission. If excerpts are used, the editor asks only that they be taken in such a way that their original meaning is preserved.
fact, we’ll be more than ever obligated to take the best possible care of the five tires we keep, give them periodic inspection, check their inflation, drive as little as possible, share our cars with others. And we must give up for the duration all thought of driving from one vacation spot to another.
Manpower and civilian goods
The call for a third more workers in direct war production for 1943 and a total of 9 million in the armed services—several million of whom must come from our present reservoir of labor—means that the production of nonessential civilian goods and services will be cut to the bone, and into the bone. Next year we’ll have about 15 million fewer people to carry on all civilian work and services than were employed for all purposes in 1940. Already production of civilian durable goods made mainly or entirely of metal has been halted and the plants are turning out war products.
The drive to save metals, to find new sources of metals, grows more intense. To save tin, we are returning to the “kraut barrel era”—there’ll be no more tinned sauerkraut. The tin-plate coating on cans for apples and applesauce has been reduced. The Government has acquired more than 30 million pounds of copper from owners in this country, and in addition, the United States will see that operators of South American copper mines get the mining equipment they need. Manganese, an important metal used in making alloy steel, came almost entirely from abroad. With foreign sources cut off, United States scien-
tists have developed new methods of recovering manganese from deposits of low-grade ore in this country. Tungsten, another precious alloy metal, is being brought from China in limited quantities by our Army and Navy ferry planes.
More food in soup
The necessities of wartime economy have resulted in improvements in packaging and in the quality of many products. The new types of canned soups, for example, are higher in food value than the old-style soups—one reason why most of them cost a few cents more. But if we pay more, we should see that the labels bear the words “new and improved style” or “new recipe.”
Under the voluntary share-the-meat program there will be some changes in family diets, especially for heavy meat eaters, but dieticians stand ready to assist the housewife in balancing the family nutrition as consumption of chops, steaks, and roasts is reduced. The U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Home Economics offers suggestions along this line. Proprietors of public eating places will have to apply tact and intelligence to their problem of rationing patrons. They’ll need to provide half portions at reduced prices for meat savers, play down the restricted meats on menus and boost the “variety meats”—liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, pigs’ knuckles, and the like. And they’ll get cooperation from customers by displaying printed explanations of the whole program as it affects diners out.
Feeding our Allies
By contrast with conquered Europe, Americans feast every day. Except for potatoes, this year’s European harvest is below even last year’s subnormal crops. Our Allies, thanks to Lend-Lease, will fare better. Foreseeing the increased needs of Allied soldiers for food and clothing throughout the coming winter, the Government stepped up its September purchases of agricultural commodities to 115 million dollars, an increase of 38 percent over August. During the last 18 months farm products amounting to $1,750,-000,000 have been purchased under the Lend-Lease program, and nearly two-thirds of these products have been delivered for shipment to Allied countries.
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INELIGIBLE ALIENS—Attorney General Francis Biddle October 22 advised the Secretaries of War and Navy that manufacturers who mistakenly employ ineligible aliens on aeronautical or confidential war contracts are not liable to prosecution if the employment was given in good faith.
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October 27, 1942
Civilian durable goods down to a trickle; 91 percent of orders in 3,021 metal plants devoted to war materials at end of July
August reports by 3,021 manufacturing plants in 74 metals-working industries show that production of durable goods for civilian use had ceased almost completely at the end of the summer, WPB announced last week. Of unfilled orders held by these plants, amounting to over 26 billion dollars, 91.2 percent was for war goods. The surviving trickle of nonmilitary pioduction was chiefly of repair and replacement parts needed to keep essential civilian services in operation.
Peak war output not reached yet
In many of these plants full conversion has been achieved; employment is back to normal, or higher, and from them flows a swelling stream of war goods. In others, the wcrk of conversion still is in progress, and peak war output will not be reached for some time.
AUTOMOBILES
The oiggest consumers’ durable goods industry was the automobile industry. In the “model” year of 1941, it turned out 5 million vehicles, which sold at the factory for just over 4 billion dollars. Employment was around 500,000 wage earners.
During this prosperous year, when the industry reached its all-time high, it already was heavily leaded with orders for war goods f to be produced in new plants. But when production of automobiles ceased in February, conversion of the automobile plants was begun. Production lines were torn up, plant layout changed, machines adapted to new uses.
At the end of July, the automobile, industry reported unfilled war orders amounting to over 13 billion dollars. This was over 98 percent of all orders on the books. Shipments for July were 533 million.
REFRIGERATORS
Next to automobiles, the domestic mechanical refrigerator industry was the largest producer of consumers’ durable goods. In 1941 this Industry produced 3,700,000 domestic refrigerators, valued at $500,000,000. It employed 36,000 wage earners. Here, as in the automobile industry, important wan contracts were held which were to be executed in new plants. ,
But when production of domestic refrigerators ceased at the end of April the industry turned to conversion. At present, employment is back to normal, and early next year, it is estimated, will be almost doubled. The industry is producing a great variety of munitions items including parts for aircraft (notably propellers), parts for tanks and guns, parts and equipment for marine vessels, communication equipment, machine guns, ammunition and small arms. One plant will produce Vought-Sikorsky flying boats. At the end of July the industry held unfilled war orders valued at 450 million dollars.
In the combined domestic and,commercial refrigeration industry, unfilled war orders amounted to over 800 million dollars at the end of July. War shipments in July were 37 million dollars, about half of which was of munitions.
WASHING MACHINES
This industry; which made washing machines, and ironers for household use, employed 13,000 wage earners in 1941 and produced 112 million dollars’ worth of goods.
Curtailment began a year ago and production was stopped completely by the middle of June this year. The industry was highly organized for mass production, hence the change-over to the manufacture of munitions necessitated complete conversion. '
War shipments in March were $321,000; in July $3,839,000. Unfilled orders at the end of July totaled close to 80 million dollars, of which 99.5 percent was for war goods.
SEWING MACHINES
This industry, like the refrigeration industry, produces machines both for household and industrial use. In the Industrial field there has been no curtailment because industrial sewing machines are needed to make a great variety of articles for the military forces.
But the military had no use for household sewing machines and production in this field came to an end on July 15.
War shipments for both household and industrial machines have risen steadily since March. In July they were $4,343,000 but 70 percent consisted of Industrial sewing machines or replacement parts. Munitions shipments were rising rapidly as plants formerly making household machines began to get into production on war orders. Unfilled war orders in this branch of the industry were over 91 million dollars at the end of July.
The cabinet shops are now beginning to get into the manufacture of wooden airplane parts.
HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
In this industry were made all those intriguing household gadgets such as fans, fiat irons, mixers, percolators.
Production was curtailed by an order issued on March 30. It was stopped completely, except for high-rated orders, at the end of May.
Almost complete conversion was necessary. Normal products found no military use. During the summer, employment fell off sharply but is now near normal. Shipments of war goods increased from $3,644,000 in May to almost 10 million dollars in July. Unfilled war orders in 32 plants at the end of July amounted to $204,068,000, of which 99.7 percent was for war goods—chiefly munitions.
MOTORCYCLES AND BICYCLES
Twelve firms in the bicycle industry made about 1,800,000 bicycles in 1941. Two firms in the motorcycle industry made 28,000 motorcycles. A limitation order was issued in March which cut production of bicycles to 42 percent of the 1941 date, and prescribed specifications for a standard model popularly known as the “Victory” model.
Additional orders further curtailed production until on September 1 a new order limited it to 10,000 per month and concentrated manufacturing in two plants.
With the creation of the standard model and curtailment of output, the larger manufacturers began to take on war work and in July were reported to be producing parts for aircraft, small arms and marine vessels; ammunition, and sighting and fire-control equipment.
In the motorcycle end of the industry no conversion has been necessary; on the con-
PROGRESS OF CONVERSION TO WAR MANUFACTURE
At the end of July 1942, unfilled war order* on the books of 7 major metal-working industries were a* follows:
AUTOMOBILE: Over 13 billion dollar* for
war—more than 98 percent of all order*.
REFRIGERATOR: Over 800 million dollars.
WASHING MACHINE: Close to 80 million
dollars, or 99.5 percent of all orders.
SEWING MACHINE: Over 91 million dollar*.
HOUSEHOLD ELECTRIC APPLIANCES:
Over 204 million dollars in 32 plant* (mostly for munitions) or 99.7 percent of all orders.
MOTORCYCLE AND BICYCLE: Sixty-four million dollars.
RADIO: Over 4 billion dollars.
Other reports showed that the industrial and domestic oil burner industry shipped 2 million dollars’ worth of war goods in August. This industry shipped 1 million dollars’ worth for war in March, or 65 percent of its total shipments in that month.
trary it has been necessary to increase as rapidly as possible the production of motorcycles to meet the demands of the services, chiefly of the Army.
No motorcycles are being made except Army models, a somewhat lighter model than the standard machine formerly produced.
At the end of July this industry group had unfilled war orders amounting to $64 million, but the bulk of these were for motorcyles.
OIL BURNERS
The manufacture of residential oil burners was cut off at the end of May 1942 and industrial oil burners were restricted to high-rated orders.
As early as last March this industry shipped a million dollars’ worth of war goods, and the fact that this was 65 percent of total shipments indicates that the industry was already heavily engaged in war work. It may be assumed, however, that these war goods shipped last spring consisted chiefly of oil burners for Army use, industrial oil burners for war industry, oil burners in ships, and not of munitions from converted plants.
War shipments increased steadily, as did the ratio of munitions to total war goods. In August, when war goods shipments amounted to practically $2 million, munitions shipments were 30 percent. Conversion of the plants producing residential oil burners will ’be largely completed by the end of the year.
RADIOS
In a broad sense, conversion has not been necessary in the radio industry since military demands are extremely heavy for many kinds of radio communication equipment and other applications of radio technique. The radio industry, which last year was doing a business of about 20 million dollars a month, is now well over 100 million dollars a month. Unfilled war orders are in excess of 4 billion dollars and the bulk is for radio equipment.
Although the radio industry is almost completely devoted to war production, there is a surprising amount of essential civilian work. However, important as ft is, it represents less than 1 percent of the present output of the inHiiet.rv
October 27, 1942
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Production and sale of X-ray equipment limited to war needs
Strict control over the production and sale of X-ray equipment has been established by the director general for operations, with issuance of Limitation Order L-206.
Certain sales permitted
The order prohibits the manufacture of any models or types of X-ray equipment other than those listed in Schedule A, principally models required by the Army and Navy.
Under the order, the sale, transfer, or delivery of X-ray equipment is prohibited except to the Army, Navy, Maritime Commission, and the War Shipping Administration, or to other persons who establish their need on Form PD-556 and are specifically authorized by the director general for operations to receive X-ray equipment. This restriction applies to all persons, such as manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, who offer new X-ray equipment for sale.
Parts, used equipment excluded
X-ray tubes, accessories, parts for maintenance and repair, and X-ray consumable supplies are excluded from the terms of the order, which likewise does not apply to the sale or transfer of used and rebuilt equipment.
The simplified list does not include certain types of industrial equipment, but where the need is established, permission to produce such industrial equipment may be obtained under WPB’s appeals procedure.
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NO MORE TELEPHONES TO BE
MADE AFTER NOVEMBER 17
Manufacture of telephone sets, except some of special combat design, will be stopped in 30 days under the terms of Limitation Order L-204, issued October 17 by the director general for operations. The order limits manufacture of the sets to decreasing percentages for a 30-day period. For the first 15 days following _ issuance of the order, production"is limited to 4 percent of total factory sales value of telephone sets manufactured in the calendar year 1941. During the second 15-day period immediately following, production is limited to 2 percent of the output for the same year.
WPB to enforce “normal” consumer goods stocks by new order coming soon
An order establishing a system of control over inventories of finished consumers’ goods of wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers throughout the country will be issued in the near future, WPB Chairman Nelson announced October 20.
To achieve more equitable distribution
Information reaching WPB through voluntary sources and through various Government agencies has indicated that great pressure is being exerted on markets as a result of over buying of consumers’ goods. Mr. Nelson stated that as a result of this information the special wholesale and retail inventory policy committee of the office of civilian supply had unanimously recommended to him the prompt issuance of an order establishing a control of inventories as the only effective means of achieving more equitable distribution of inventories throughout the country and of protecting the many merchants who have been complying with previous WPB recommendations relating to the maintenance of “normal” inventories.
“Normal” inventories sought
The first step of the original plan, calling for a study of quarterly inventory and sales reports, cannot achieve the desired results, Mr. Nelson said. Therefore, WPB will proceed directly to the second step—a program for formal control and enforcement of “normal” inventories.
The order now being drafted to put the system into effect, Mr. Nelson said, will require the achievement of normal inventories by the early part of 1943. The basis of the control system will be the one recommended by the committee and approved by Mr. Nelson September-5. This system requires each merchant to maintain the same relationship of his stock to his sales which he had on the average in comparable quarters of 1939-40-41. In this way sales increases or decreases would result in proportionate increases or decreases in allowable inventories. Forms indicating details for arriving at “normal” inventories will be made available as soon as possible.
Mr. Nelson pointed out that the committee had consulted with hundreds of businessmen on the questions of policy involved and added that it would consult further with representative merchants and manufacturers on the details of the order.
The special inventory committee is headed by Eaton V. W. Read and includes Irwin D. Wolf, vice president of Kauffmann’s, Pittsburgh, and John A. Donaldson,' vice president and treasurer of Butler Brothers, Chicago.
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Nonmetallic reflectors ordered to save steel
Substitution of nonmetallic materials in the manufacture of reflectors for fluorescent lighting fixtures, as a means to conserve steel, will be required throughout the industry beginning October 31.
Restrictions applied to reflectors are incorporated in a single amended order, Limitation Order L-78, issued October 19 by the director general for operations.
Changeover to the use of nonmetallic substitutes, it is expected, will be accomplished with a minimum of inconvenience to the industry under a program developed through the efforts of the building materials branch in cooperation with the representatives of the industry.
“Frozen” parts diverted to war
Diversion to war use of fixtures and parts now “frozen” in the stock rooms of manufacturers under the “blocked inventory” regulation already in effect is also required by the amendment.
The order as amended authorized release of small inventories in the hand of retailers upon application to the WPB and approval by the director general for operations. Form 556, which can be obtained at any WPB field office, must be submitted by the retailer.
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MATTHIESSEN RESIGNS
The resignation of C. H. Matthiessen, Jr., assistant director general for operations, was accepted October 17 by WPB Chairman Nelson, to become effective November 1. Mr. Matthiesen has resigned for personal reasons which make it necessary for him to return to his home in Pasadena, Calif.
A NAZI NEWSPAPER deplores “quarrels and unpleasant scenes” created by Westphalian housewives pushing and shoving to get rationed vegetables.
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October 27, 1942
OWI seeks to end alternating extremes of joy and despair over U. S. warplanes
t In a frank discussion of America’s combat aircraft, their strength and weaknesses, the OWI last week warned the public against taking extreme views in evaluating our fighting planes. A great deal of confusion has marked the discussion of our aircraft, said OWI, because “it has not been fully realized that the test of battle is the only valid one for an Army or Navy plane, whatever its type.”
Truth is between the two extremes
“Failure of the public to appreciate this fact,” said OWI, “and the additional one that there is no all-purpose plane, has bred doubt and discouragement. From believing their warplanes the best in the world some people have swung to a conviction that British, German, and Japanese planes are superior. Then, their hopes brightened by accounts of American air victories, they have gone back to their original optimism. The truth lies between the two extremes.”
Explaining that United States aircraft, previous to the-outbreak of the present war, were built primarily to protect our own territories, the 32-page report- em- -phasized the difficulties our fighters encountered in adapting their ships and tactics to the types of warfare in which they have been forced to engage in all parts of the world.
Some are badly designed
“Some American warplanes are badly designed or ill-matched against the equipment of the enemy. Some planes now in action have definite deficiencies, even within the purposes for which they were designed, but even such aircraft often have fought admirably, because of their positive virtues and inherent soundness . . .”
Among other subjects, the report discusses at length our difficulties with the liquid-cooled engine and our deficiencies in high-altitude fighters.
As against these disadvantages, OWI states that the Curtiss P-40, outclassed in the high skies of Europe, is slugging it out on even terms with the Messerschmitt 109 in the in-fighting for Egypt.
The report notes, moreover, that the test of battle has completely disproved the contention of critics that the Flying
FLYING FORTRESS: Debut over Europe astounded observers, confounded critics
Fortress was. unfit for combat over Europe. “It has shown that the B-17 is capable of high-altitude day bombing of such precision that it astounded Allied observers.” To illustrate the Fortress’ toughness, OWI recounts the recent battles in which a flight of them knocked down 10 to 18 Focke-Wulfs without loss, and a fleet of 115 Fortresses and Liberators destroyed or damaged over 100 of the latest German fighters at a cost of 4 bombers in completing their mission.
OWI also put in the record the fact that for months the aerial score in China and the South Pacific has been favorable to our fighter planes, but warns that a new type of enemy plane or a shift in enemy tactics could change this picture.
For the benefit of laymen, the OWI lists the principal warcraft now in service, with a brief description of each. They are as follows:
FIGHTERS
Curtis P-40. Single-engine, liquid-cooled. Most discussed of all United States combat aircraft, this fighter has gone through six major type changes (from P-40A to P-40F). Types now in wide use are the “E” (Kitty-hawk) and “F” (Warhawk). Substantially Improved through each change, it has the virtues of heavy hitting power, excellent armor, high diving speed, and leakproof tanks common to all United States aircraft. Against the Japanese Zero it has proved on an average to be superior. But pilots want more altitude.
Bell P-39 (Airacobra). Single-engine, liquid-cooled. It has approximately the same limitations and the same positive virtues as the P-40. Armed with a cannon as well as machine guns, it is a powerful ground-strafing crafty
NortH-American P-51 (Mustang). Singleengine, liquid-cooled. Newest of the Allison-powered United States pursuits, the P-51 has been quietly developed. It did not come prominently into public notice until the British used it in the Dieppe raid. It is one of the fastest fighters in the world. Changes promise sensational improvement in altitude performance.
Lockheed P-38 (Lightning). A two-engine, liquid-cooled pursuit plane, the P-38 has so far had only limited tests of action, notably in the Aleutians. Its performance has been excellent. Turbo-supercharged, it has excellent high altitude performance. At its best
altitude it is one of the world’s fastest fighting aircraft.
Republic P-47 (Thunderbolt). Powered by one of the largest United States air-cooled engines, the P-47 has been thoroughly tested, is in service and in production. It is turbosupercharged, heavily armed, and has a greater speed than the P-38 at extreme altitudes.
Grumman F-4-F (Wildcat). This is the Navy’s standard fighter and is unquestionably the best carrier fighter now in battle service. Powered with an air-cooled engine, with two-speed supercharger, it has shown altitude performance that comes close to the Zero.
HEAVY BOMBERS
Boeing B-17 (Flying Fortress). A tried and thoroughly tested model with an unequalled combat record (four engines, aircooled turbo-supercharged), the B-17 is essentially a high-altitude, long-range bomber designed for precision destruction of restricted targets at great ranges. It is one of the most heavily armed bombers in the world. It has indicated by its work in the Pacific and over Europe that it can carry out high-altitude day-bombing missions under the protection of its own guns and without fighter escort.
Consolidated B-24 (Liberator). A four-motored, air-cooled bomber, turbo-supercharged, the B-24 is capable of operation at high altitudes and over great ranges for high-accuracy bombing missions. It has shown itself a topflight performer over the Pacific, in Northern Africa, Europe, and thé Aleutians.
MEDIUM AND LIGHT BOMBERS
North American B-25 (Mitchell). A battle-tested two-engine air-cooled aircraft of speed, long range and good load carrying characteristics, unequaled by any enemy craft in the same class. This craft was used in the raid on Tokyo.
Martin B-26 (Martian). Two engines, aircooled. No nation but the United States, so far as is known, has so efficient plane in its class.
Douglas A-20 (Boston or Havoc). A light, two-engine, air-cooled bomber used by the British in the European and Egyptian theatre. One of the best of its class.
Douglas SBD (Dauntless). (Army Counterpart A-24.) The Navy’s carrier-based standard dive bomber (single-engine, aircooled); this'craft is the best in the world in its category. As a land-based plane it may find its equal or superior in the German’s latest.
Douglas TBD (Devastator). Single-engine, air-cooled aircraft, has given good service, but.is being replaced by the:
Grumman TBF (Avenger). A bigger, more powerful, and in all respects more advanced airplane, the TBF is the best carrier-based torpedo plane so far seen in action in this war.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
7
Army, Navy planes fly strategic materials to U. S. in world-wide freight service
Army and Navy ferry planes now are bringing strategic materials to America, the Office of War Information reported October 19.
The materials are carried in the planes of the Army Air Force Command, the Army Air Force Service Command, and the Naval Air Transport Service, returning after delivering personnel and material to fighting fronts.
None lost to date
Block mica has been flown from India. It is essential to the manufacture of some aircraft parts. Bristles the Navy needed and silk for parachutes has come by air from the heart of China. Beetles were transported from the Fiji Islands to Honduras to check a root weevil attacking hemp in an experimental plantation.
Not a pound of cargo has been re-ported loskto date.
The Board of Economic Warfare and Army and Navy authorities worked out the plans for this world-wide air freight service.
Silk, tin, tungsten flown
The BEW learned there was available • space on returning planes of the China National Aviation Corporation. Contracts were quickly modified to provide for the delivery of bristles, tungsten, silk, and tin to airports in China, whence the materials were flown out in that order of priority. In eight weeks, 32 tons of bristles, 70 tons of silk, 47 tons of tin, and 70 tons of tungsten were moved from China to India. Later, 98 tons of tungsten were flown out in 10 days.
American planes brought $475,000 worth of platinum from points on the Persian Gulf to the United States.
Other materials that have been moved or for which plans are being made to move are:
Balsa wood from Central America, needed for American glider and British mosquito boats.
Tantalite, beryl ore, quartz crystals, industrial diamonds, and mica from South Africa.
Crude rubber from Brazil.
Twenty tons of rubber seeds from Liberia for planting in the western hemisphere.
Agencies cooperate
This air freight service is being developed by Philip W. Amran, chief of the International Air Transport Division, BEW; Col. Robert H. Smith, of the Army Air Transport Command; Col. R. W. Ireland, in charge of air priorities, and other Army and Navy officers. Cooperating are
the State Department, the Metals Reserve Company, the Defense Supplies Corporation, and the War Production Board.
★ ★ ★
No lead shortage;
stock pile building to meet uncertain future
Sustained domestic production of lead, plus imports substantially greater than normal, are supplying all war needs and building a Government stock pile, Erwin Vogelsang, chief, WPB tin and lead branch, revealed October 21.
“Lead is practically unique among metals today,” he said, “for it is the one important metal in which a shortage does not exist at the present time. However, it is impossible to predict what future demands may be, so. control must be maintained to assure an adequate supply for any unforeseen requirements. Every effort must be. made to keep mine production at peak levels. Our use of lead for all purposes has increased enormously—from 633,000 tons in 1936 to over a million tons in 1941. We are still using it in very large quantities.”
SHOVEL MANUFACTURERS who had in their possession before August 10, 1942, inventories of raw and partly processed steel in shapes and sizes not usable under Schedule I of Limitation Order L-157 are'permitted to continue fabrication of this material under an amendment issued October 20 by the director general for operations.
♦ ♦ ♦
AN EXTENSION of 30 days for filing of production schedules under Limitation Order L-193, establishing control of conveying machinery and mechanical power transmission equipment, was provided in an amendment to the order announced October 17 by the director general for operations. The amendment contains other provisions to facilitate operation.
* * *
STEEL BRANCH—Appointment of Edwin H. Brown of Milwaukee, Wis., as assistant chief of the WPB iron and steel branch in charge of the plant facilities section was announced October 17.
Sponge iron plant approved to make substitute for scrap needed in steel production
A program for the development of sponge iron, undertaken as an experimental step in increasing the Nation’s supply of steel-making metallics, was announced October 22 by WPB Chairman Nelson.
The program involves two parts:
1. The proposal ofx the Republic Steel Corporation to build a $450,-000 sponge iron plant at Youngstown, Ohio, with a capacity of 100 tons a day, has been approved.
2. A committee of individuals with broad, practical, and technical experience to be known as the Steel-Using Industry Advisory Committee, is being established by Iron and Steel Branch Chief H. G. Batch-eller. It will consider ways and means to cope with the shortage of scrap» and advise him on the practicability of other individual sponge iron projects which have been submitted to WPB.
Proponents of sponge iron have asserted for some time that it is a satisfactory substitute for scrap iron, which along with pig iron, is one of the two important metallics needed to make steel. Such sponge iron plants, it has been urged, should be built instead of adding to the pig iron capacity as a means of combating the scrap shortage. Those differing with this suggestion assert that sponge iron is not a satisfactory substitute.
Wide-scale adoption of the process has not been possible because of technical problems involved, Mr. Nelson said.
The Republic proposal contemplates the use of high-grade concentrates from magnetite ores mined in the Adiron-dacks, in upper New York State, as contrasted with the low-grade ores generally available for iron-making. It is. hoped that this specialized use of the sponge iron process will result in actual operating experience which can be applied, if successful, to other suitable ores where gas is available.
The sponge iron process involves the reduction of iron ore to a spongy mass of iron by heating the ore at a temperature below the fusing point of iron. The oxygen content is removed at the same time, either by mixing the iron ore with pulverized coal, or passing a reducing gas through it.
It is expected that the plant will be in operation in about 4 to 6 months.
8
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
Companies operating under PRP may apply for extra material
Manufacturers working under the Production Requirements Plan who have urgent need of material over and above the amounts authorized for fourthquarter use may apply for additional quantities on Form PD-25F, but are warned that only applications covering material necessary to the war effort or for essential civilian uses can be considered, according to instructions announced October 20 by the WPB.
Must explain use
The instructions for filling out the application forms for supplemental authorizations direct that a separate PD-25F be filed for each class of product covered by the authorization on PD-25A. Applicants must submit a covering letter explaining in detail the purpose for which additional material is being requested, indicating whether it is for use or receipt, as indicated on the PD-25A authorization, and whether an appeal is being made for permission to divert quantities already authorized for use in one product to the production of another.
★ ★ ★
New items under import control
Several additions to and shifts in the lists of materials covered by the General Imports Order, M-63, became effective on October 21 under the terms of Amendment No. 7, announced October 19 by the director general for operations.
Red squill, pyrethrum and insect flowers have been added to List I (materials which _ may not be imported by persons other than " Government agencies without special WPB authorization: imports may continue under existing contracts, but special authorization to process or move the commodities, once imported, must be secured.)
Red squill, pyrethrum and insect flowers are rare, valuable insecticides which are in short supply.
Wool, silk affected
Wools finer than 44s are transferred from List I to List II, since Conservation Order M-73 adequately controls the processing of such wools, once they are imported.
Private importation of silk waste, cocoons, partially manufactured silk, and raw silk in skeins, without special WPB authorization, is prohibited by the addition of these items to List II of the order.
Several commodities.are added to List III (specific authorization for permission to import must be obtained regardless of existing contracts.) The commodities added to List III are:
Canned meats, including mutton; gum arabic; gum tragacanth; coconuts; carpets and carpeting; pile mats and floor coverings of either cocoa fiber or rattan; floor coverings of grass or rice straw and textile floor coverings other than wool, cotton, silk, and rayon.
All these items were placed on List III in order to preserve shipping space for more essential commodities.
Production Drive policy group and staff hold first meeting, discuss methods
First meeting of top executive personnel of the War Production Drive Headquarters since WPB Chairman Nelson’s appointment of the new five-man policy committee was held in Washington October 19.
Policies of the organization, which through 1,650 labor-management committees covering 3,200,000 workers seeks to sustain and increase war production, were discussed at the meeting in terms -of the new administrative order, made public that day, under which the organization will operate.
The administrative order, signed by WPB Vice Chairman Batt, states that the chairman of the War Production Drive Policy Committee, subject to the direction of Chairman Nelson and after consultation with the Committee, shall determine the policies of the War Production Drive Headquarters.
Mr. Nelson previously had announced the appointment of W. G. Marshall as director of War Production Drive Headquarters and chairman of the policy committee. Other members of the committee are:
John Green, president of the Industrial Union of Marine and Ship-
Acetic anhydride placed under allocation control
Because demand for acetic anhydride exceeds current production, the chemical has been placed under a system of allocations, it was announced October 21 by the director general for operations.
General Preference Order M-243, effective October 20, prohibits delivery or use of the chemical except as directed by WPB. The standard chemical allocations forms, PD-600 and PD-601, will be used by persons seeking authorization to make and accept deliveries.
Deliveries and'use of 54 gallons or less in any one month to any one person are exempted from the restrictions of the order.
* * *
EXPORTERS and export manufacturers were notified October 22 by the Office of Exports, Board of Economic Warfare, that shipments of related commodities hereafter may be grouped under a single application for an export license.
building Workers of America, CIO. A Frank Fenton, director of organiza-
tion, AFL. (Mr. Fenton was represented at the meeting by Joseph S. McDonagh, his alternate.)
Harry C. Beaver, president, the Worthington Pump & Machinery Corporation, New York City, nominated by the National Association of Manufacturers.
Otto A. Seyferth, president, the Western Michigan Steel Foundry Co., Muskegon, Mich., nominated by the United States Chamber of Commerce.
The administrative order charges War Production Drive Headquarters with responsibility for determining policies under which labor-management committees can best contribute to war production and instructs it to implement those policies by contact with the committees and with the Army, Navy, Maritime Commission, and other agencies.
Other members of the Production Drive staff are Fred W. Climer, personnel director of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., who will serve as deputy director, and William E. Warne, who will serve as chief of staff.
Higher ratings set to speed parts for telegraph companies
Blanket ratings for maintenance, repair, and operating supplies and for operating construction of telegraph and cable companies were established October 17 under a preference rating order issued by the director general for operations.
The new order (P-132) incorporates provisions relating to telegraph and cable companies contained in P-129, as amended July 28, which expired September 30. It expedites the obtaining of materials necessary to maintain and protect the services formerly permitted under P-129, by raising their rating from A-3 and A-l-j to A-l-a.
The order also provides for deliveries of material required for the construction of facilities necessary to serve, defense projects bearing a rating of A-l-c or better.
The materials and equipment covered by the present order include critical materials, such as copper, steel, nickel, tin, rubber, etc.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
9
Companies under over-all profits review relieved of action on individual contracts
Manufacturers whose over-all profits are under review by governmental price adjustment agencies will not be subject to simultaneous review of individual contracts by contracting officers, according to a joint statement issued October 17 by the Price Adjustment Boards of the Army, Navy and Maritime Commission.
This policy is designed to eliminate duplication by permitting companies to consolidate all their individual contracts for review, on an over-all basis, by the price adjustment agency assigned to them, instead of having each individual contract reviewed by contracting officers.
Contracting officers will be informed when over-all review has been started in order that companies will have only one group with which to deal. Contracting officers also will be notified when review has been concluded and an agreement reached with a company by any price adjustment board, section or branch. Thereafter, while contracting officers may enter into new contracts, they will not seek price reductions on existing contracts except on deliveries to be made after the expiration of the period covered by the agreement. However, should the company find that profits for the balance of the period covered by the agreement are proving higher than contemplated at the time of the agreement, it may volunteer further price reductions.
The three Price Adjustment Boards announced that they regard voluntary renegotiation of contract prices as part of the normal procedure of orderly and economical procurement, irrespective of statutory provisions. Periodical review of production costs and contract prices, and adjustment thereof by agreement, is inherent in any contracting situation, they stated.
* * *
LIQUIDATION SALES—WPB orders controlling the delivery and acceptance of scarce materials apply to liquidation sales of all kinds, it is made clear in Interpretation No. 1 to Priorities Regulation No. 1, issued October 20 by the director general for operations. “Special sales,” as defined in Prioriti s Regulation No. 13, may be made in liquidation proceedings, but only in accordance with the conditions established by that regulation.
Renegotiation of war contracts sped by far-reaching changes in governing law
Important changes in the law relating to the authority of the War and Navy Departments and the United States Maritime Commission to renegotiate war contracts in order to eliminate “ excess profits are contained in the Revenue Act of 1942 signed by the President on October 21. „
These changes were enacted as amendments to Section 403 of the Sixth National Defense Appropriation Act and clarify procedures under which the negotiations are proceeding.
To clarify procedures
Some of the amendments represent a codification of practices which the Price Adjustment Boards of the three services have been following in recent months. Others are of a basic nature, intended to clarify practices and speed negotiations.
Procedures dealt with under the amendments include contracts with the Treasury Department, final agreements with contractors and subcontractors, modifications in the statute of limitations, over-all renegotiations, elimination of excess profits, offsetting taxes paid by the contractor, and statutory exemptions from renegotiations.
Contracts with the Treasury Department, which makes many of the Lend-Lease contracts and subcontracts thereunder, also are made subject to renegotiation.
Final clearance for liability for excessive profits is fixed in the amendments. This assures the contractor or subcontractor, who has renegotiated in good -faith and agreed to eliminate excessive, profits during a specified period, that the matter will not be . reopened during that period.
Two provisions affect the statute of limitations, one prohibiting renegotiation after one year from the close of the fiscal year in which the contract was terminated, the other authorizing a contractor to file financial cost statements for a former fiscal period and obtain clearance unless the Secretary begins renegotiations within one year thereafter. Provides for over-all renegotiation
The amendments provide for an overall renegotiation of contracts, when a contractor holds several contracts, rather than dealing with each contract singly. Excessive profits are determined by an over-all study of a company’s financial position and the profits from its contracts
are taken as a whole rather than analyzing each individual contract. Only war contracts are dealt with in this statute, which provides that a renegotiation clause shall be inserted in every war contract of $100,000 or more.
A provision of the amendments permits the elimination of excessive profits by either a reduction in contract price or a revision in contract terms, or a combination of both methods.
The statute also allows the contractor credit for Federal income and excess profits taxes paid or payable on the profits being refunded.
Some statutory exemptions
The law provides certain statutory exemptions from renegotiations, among them being contracts at firm prices for specified periods whose provisions are adequate to prevent excessive profits; • contracts and subcontracts made with local governmental agencies or foreign governments ; contracts where the profit can be determined with reasonable certainty when the original price is agreed upon; a contract for the product of a mine, oil or gas well, or other mineral or natural deposit, or timber, which has not been processed beyond the first form suited for industrial use; and contractors whose aggregate sales for war purposes are less than $100,000 in a fiscal year.
★ ★ ★
WPB distressed stocks unit transferred to Pittsburgh
Distressed stocks unit of the WPB iron and steel branch has been transferred to Pittsburgh, where it will work with representatives of the steel recovery corporation and the materials redistribution branch in speeding the purchase and allocation of millions of tons of frozen, idle, or excess stocks of iron and steel.
The distressed stocks unit will direct the allocation of material which the Government decides to purchase. Responsibility for locating idle iron and steel, for establishing prices at which it will be purchased by the Government, and for requisitioning where necessary, is assigned to the materials redistribution branch.
Headquarters of the WPB Pittsburgh unit will be at 5835 Baum Boulevard. Steel Recovery Corporation and materials distribution branch representatives are also located at this address.
10
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
October over-all allocation of chemicals for other than direct military need shifts from priority to end-use pattern
Tn one of the most complete allocation programs yet announced by WPB, the chemicals branch October 21 set aside the October allocations of chemicals for other than direct military uses.
On basis of specific end use
It was explained that allocations are made on the basis of specific end use, so far as possible, rather than on priority ratings. The purpose of this list is to provide industry with a pattern for which October requests were granted in full, granted in part, or denied. While the program will change from month to month, the pattern will serve as a guide to the areas in which chemicals are most likely to be available.
It is pointed out that allocation requests do not indicate actual requirements for a given material as industry has reduced its requests in fields where a known shortage exists.
Examples cited
Typical of the allocations of chemicals listed in the release are the following examples.
Naphthenic Acid and Naphthenates: granted in lull to rubber plasticizers and softeners, in part for semi-important paint driers, denied all non-essential protective coatings.
Capryl Alcohol: in full for manufacture of dicapryl phthalate, in part (10 percent) for can-lining, denied for alkyd resin manufacture.
Anhydrous Ammonia: in full for use in activated carbon, dry cell batteries, etc.; in part for use in cellulose, denied for use in fertilizer.
Aqua Ammonia: in full for use in copper extraction, denied for use in manufacture of fertilizer.
Ammonium Sulphate: in full for use in making alcohol, dyes, etc.; in part for fertilizer bn basis of over-all nitrogen quota as established by the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Aromatic Petroleum Products: in full for essential medicinal preparations, in part for textile finishing, denied for use in furniture and cabinet finishing.
Arsenic: in full for metallurgical uses, gas purification, etc.;, in part for cacodylates, denied for use in weed killers.
Benzol: in full for manufacture of phenol, in part for dyes and intermediates, denied for use in paint and varnish removers.
Caffeine: in full for medicine, in part for beverage uses. -
High Test Calcium Hyperchlorate : in full for sugar refining, denied for uses for which sodium hypochloride or chloride of lime could be substituted.
Sodium Chlorate : granted for weed killing, allocated to recommendations of Department of Agriculture.
Potassium Chlorate: Match industry cut to 90 percent of 1940-41 consumption.
Perchloric Acid: All requests, chiefly for metallurgical analysis, filled in full.
Di-Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Gly-
col: granted for all except tobacco humectant. #
Ethyl Cellulose : granted for experimental uses, denied for shatterproof window glass coating.
Ethylene Glycol: in full for chemical manufacture, in part for civilian anti-freeze.
Furfural: in full for petroleum refining, in part for shellac substitute.
Naphthalene: in full for chemical compounds, in part for moth prevention.
Nitrocellulose: in full for shoe manufacture cement, in part for luggage, denied for plastics under Order M-154.
- Sperm Oil: in full for tool cutting oil, denied for leather tanning.
Phenol: in full for plastics, AA; in part for plastics A-l-a to A-l-k; denied for plastics lower than A-l-k. " '
Phosphate Plasticizers: in full to none, in part for oil additives, denied for lacquers.
Phthalic Anhydride: in full for food and drugs, in part, for resins.
Shellac: in full for ship paints, in part for phonograph records, denied for coat finishings.
Sodium Nitrate: in full for chemical salts, in part for fertilizer.
Theobromine: in full for medicináis.
Tuolene 1: for medicináis.
Tuolene 2: in full for electrical equipment, in part for protective coatings, denied for solvents.
Vinal Chloride, Polymers and Co-Polymers: in full for substitute for rubber cable and wire insulation for essential industrial use; denied for name plates.
Pyridine: in full for rubber accelerators.
Copper Chemicals : uses allowed in full, consumers’ inventories reduced.
Chemical Cotton Pulp: uses allowed in full, inventories reduced.
Lithium Compounds : in full for none, in part for storage batteries.
★ ★ ★
Criminal prosecution faces violators of construction order
Willful violators of the provisions of Conservation Order L-41—rigidly controlling all civilian construction—will be summarily turned over to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution, it was announced October 21.
★ ★ ★
Clauss named to steel branch
Hiland G. Batcheller, chief of the iron and steel branch, announced October 22 that he had appointed Julius Clauss, of Detroit, as his assistant on production problems.
* * *
SCRAP BALSA WOOD consumers, chiefly specialty manufacturers, are permitted to purchase and process the scrap product by an amendment (No. 1) to General Conservation Order M-177, issued by WPB.
Construction of house trailers cut to save critical metals
Production and sale of house trailers were placed under drastic restrictions by Limitation Order L-205, issued October 20 by the director general for operations.
The order restricts the number of “mobile housing units” (trailers) which may be produced by any one manufacturer to a maximum of 150 in any calendar month beginning November 1, and also restricts production during the remainder-of October to the same number.
Effective October 27, house trailers may be produced only to fill orders placed or authorized by the National Housing Agency.
★ ★ ★
Tinplate containers banned for pyrethrum, rotenone
Use of tin plate in packing pyrethrum and rotenone base insecticides is prohibited by an amendment to the tin conservation order (M-81) issued October 20 by the director general for operations.
★ ★ ★
Steatite talc restricted
To provide adequate supplies of steatite talc for military use and prevent its dissipation into uses for which suitable substitutes are available, Conservation Order M-239 has been issued by the director general for operations to forbid the use, sale, and delivery of steatite talc for any purpose except four specific uses listed in the order.
* * *
DOUGLAS FIR LUMBER produced from timber grown on the western side of the Cascade Range was placed under tight control October 22 by the director general for operations with the issuance of Limitation Order L-218.
* * * \
“ANTIGAS DEVICE” definition is extended to cover any equipment purporting to protect civilians against enemy gas attacks in Amendment No. 1 to Limitation Order L-57, announced by the WPB director general for operations.
* * *
CHEMICAL COTTON PULP—Military exemption from the restrictions on deliveries of chemical cotton pulp has been eliminated by amendment of Conservation Order M-157.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
11
All stocks of canned sauerkraut frozen in move to save large 1942 supply of bulk
In a move intended primarily to promote distribution and consumption of the large 1942 supply of bulk sauerkraut, the WPB October 23 froze all stocks of canned sauerkraut in the hands of canners, wholesalers, jobbers, brokers, and chainstore warehouses. Stocks held by any other persons except retailers in excess of 50 or more cases are also frozen.
Government agencies excepted
The canned sauerkraut will remain frozen until April 1, 1943, except for sale or delivery to specified persons or Government agencies.
The sauerkraut affected by Order M-245 is the supply carried over from the 1941 pack
No metal is available for canning sauerkraut for civilian consumption. Consumers are returning to the “kraut barrel era” to save tin for war materials and to prevent waste of low-priced food rich in vitamins A, B, and C.
Since no more canned sauerkraut, other than the stocks already canned, will be available for the duration, it is believed desirable to encourage consumption of bulk sauerkraut during the winter and reserve the existing supply of canned sauerkraut for summer. Unless consumption of the large 1942 supply of bulk sauerkraut is encouraged, some of it may go to waste.
Pennies come out of hiding, pleads U. S.
The United States Mint, seeking to conserve vital war metal, has curtailed production of 1-cent pieces by 50 percent in recent months, according to a report made to Secretary Morgenthau October 13.
However, demand for coins, arising from the high level of business, continues at an unprecedented rate, seriously threatening this conservation program.
Production of pennies in September was 59 million pieces, a moderate rise over August, but only about half the production level of the early summer.
10 pennies from each family
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross, Director of the Mint, renewed her plea that all coins, but especially 1-cent pieces, now “hiding” in children’s banks and other receptacles
ARSENIC CONTROL TIGHTENED
Control over the use of arsenic was tightened by the WPB October 21. As used in the order, “arsenic” means arsenious acid.
A revision of General Preference Order M-152 prohibits the use of arsenic except as authorized by the director general for operations and requires all those holding 650 pounds or more to report their inventories to WPB.
In addition to controlling end-use on future allocations, the revised order will control the use of existing inventories.
* ★ ★
Restrictions tightened on softwood lumber uses
Two amendments to Conservation Order M-208 covering softwood lumber were announced October 20 by the director general for operations.
Amendment No. 3 tightens restrictions on use of the higher stress grades of softwood lumber by raising the minimum rating required for class 2 orders from AA-5 to AA-4. _
Amendment Ño. 4 also announced October 20, defines a softwood lumber “producer” as “any plant which processes, by sawing, edging, planing or other comparable method, 25 percent or more of the total volume of logs and lumber purchased or received by it, and which sells as lumber the product of such processing.”
be returned to circulation. She pointed out that if each of an estimated 33 million American families should discover and return to use just 10 1-cent pieces, and these should stay in circulation, the Nation’s supply would be increased by an amount equal to one-third of the record 1941 production of the coin. More than 1,000 tons of copper might be saved thus for manufactures, she said.
Simple plan for buying industrial stokers expected to aid oil-to-coal conversion
In a move to facilitate conversion of industrial heating and power plants from oil to coal, production and delivery of industrial-type stokers have been placed under a simplified scheduling program.
The program, in effect, does away with the previous requirement of an A-10 or higher rating for production of industrial stokers.
The new procedure, instituted through Order L-75 as amended, establishes these requirements:
1. Persons desiring to purchase an industrial-type stoker, having a grate area of 36 square feet or less and handling boilers from 300 H. P. down, must file application for WPB authorization on Form PD-668. When authorization is granted, such orders will be considered "rated orders” as defined by Priorities Regulation No. 1. This provision is effective immediately.
2. On or before November 4, every manufacturer must file a production and delivery schedule with the plumbing and heating branch, WPB.
★ ★ ★
Write, don’t phone about certificates, operators asked
With more than 200 long-distance telephone calls a day flooding its central mailing office at Detroit, Mich., the ODT issued an urgent request October 19 that commercial vehicle operators make all inquiries concerning the Certificate of War Necessity program in writing.
Questions about the mechanics of obtaining applications for certificates should be mailed to Detroit, Mr. Rogers said, but any problems dealing with the general operation of the program should be sent to Washington.
♦ * *
CARRIERS who wish to photostat, or otherwise reproduce, for the purpose of their own record, their applications for Certificates of War Necessity, may do so ODT has announced. The certificate itself, however, may .not be photostated, as it is unlawful to reproduce or alter a Certificate of War Necessity.
♦ * *
AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT, such as hoists, cranes, winches, tanks, bodies, etc., are considered “parts” for the purpose of General Order ODT No. 21, Jack Garrett Scott, ODT general counsel, said in an interpretation.
12
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
TRANSPORTATION...
Government may seek warehouse space made vacant by lessening of civilian goods
Warehousemen of the Nation were told October 23 by Samuel G. Spear of the ODT that they “may be asked to lease portions or possibly entire buildings to the Government for the duration.”
Significant changes predicted
Speaking at a convention of the Missouri State Warehousemen’s Association in Kansas City, Mo., Mr. Spear, assistant director of ODT’s storage division, in charge of merchandise warehousing, predicted significant changes in the warehousing industry.
“Nobody knows,” he said, “how much, and when, the stopping of production of civilian goods will empty your warehouse space. Government-owned goods will no doubt seek the space made vacant by the lessening of civilian goods. There may be some specialized equipment and technical materials which are not suitable for handling by public warehouse personnel.”
26 new district offices established
Names of managers and addresses of 26 additional district offices of the 142 to be set up by the ODT division of motor transport, were announced October 17. Names and addresses of 107 were announced October 6. The remaining nine will be announced shortly. -
As mailing of application forms for Certificates of War Necessity is completed for a given area, the counties covered and the district offices serving those counties are announced, so that carriers who have not received applications can apply to the correct district office for the necessary forms.
Locations of the 26 additional district offices follow:
Bangor, Me., 15 Columbia Street; Baton Rouge, La., Room 304, Triad Building; Binghamton, N. Y., 64 Henry Street, 5th Floor, New York Telephone Building; Birmingham, Ala., 618 Chamber of Commerce Building; Butte, Mont., Old School Building, Park and Idaho Streets; Cadillac, Mich., 602 North Mitchell; Canton, Ohio, Brant Building, 116 Cleveland Avenue, N. W.
Cheyenne Wyo., 104 School Administration Building, 218 Central; Dayton, Ohio, Commercial Building, Fourth and Ludlow Streets; Dover, Del., 31 Lockerman Street; Green Bay, Wis., Columbus Building; Jeffer-
In these cases, the ODT official said, the Government may be forced to lease large blocks of storage space from warehousemen.
Emergency program stressed
Mr. Spear urged warehousemen who want to make their maximum contribution to the war effort to participate in the Federal Emergency Warehousing Program. The program, organized by the ODT, calls for the formation of some 40 local warehousing associations at central points over the country.
War procurement agencies seeking storage space, frequently in greater blocks than any one of two warehouses are able to provide, contract with the association for the necessary space. If requirements exceed the aggregate facilities of all Warehouses in a local association, additional space may be leased through the emergency program.
son City, Mo., Room 205, P. O. Federal Building; La Crosse, Wis., 602 Exchange Building; Lexington, Ky., Security Trust Building; New Haven, Conn., 152 Temple Street; North Platte, Neb., 601 Jeffers Street.
Peekskill, N. Y., Masonic Temple; Peoria, Ill., 1100 Alumn Life Building; Quincy, Ill., W. C. U. Building; South Bend, Ind., Tower Building; Springfield, Ill., 817 Meyer Building; Springfield, Mo., 810 Woodruff Building; Topeka, Kan., Liberty Building, 214 West Sixth Street; Wilmington, N. C., 610 Murchison Building; Youngstown, Ohio, Union National Bank Building; Zanesville, Ohio, Citizen’s National Bank Building, 14 North Fourth Street.
★ ★ ★
TRAFFIC BARRIER REMOVED—The recent action of the Virginia legislature in enacting emergency legislation to re-"^ move a State traffic barrier was praised by ODT Director Eastman. Meeting in emergency session, the Commonwealth’s General Assembly amended a law in order to permit a motor vehicle drawing one other vehicle by tow bar to move within or across the State. Trucks belonging to the' armed forces and other war agencies had frequently been delayed in their movement through the State.
Industry advised to make personnel inventory to meet labor shortage
American business and industrial firms were advised October 20 by Otto S. Beyer,, director of the ODT division of transport personnel, to initiate at once a personnel inventory so as to be better able to meet the tightening labor situation.
General inventory
Mr. Beyer, who is also a member of the War Manpower Commission, suggested these steps as the general outline for such an inventory:
1. Such a personnel inventory should permit a classification of all the employees of the company, according to occupation, sex, age, dependency, and any other factors which would assist in determining the potential Selective Service classification of employees.
2. This personnel inventory should include a record of turn-over by occupation for at least the last 3 to 6 months. This turn-over record should cover separations from your ' service by occupation and date and cause of separation, and should also include a record of new employees by occupation, date of employment and source from which they were obtained.
3. Such an inventory should include a list of the occupations in which women are employed, together with an estimate of the number that can be employed in such occupations, and a listing of occupations suitable for women in which you are now not employing them.
4. Your inventory should include a list of occupations in which a greater number of men with minor disabilities or a greater number of older men can be employed.
5. It should include a list of occupations in which the employment of Negroes and other non-whites can be increased.
6. Your personnel inventory should include an analysis of the training facilities you now have, the number of persons in training and th'' maximum cap'acity of these training facilities. Finally, let me suggest that you include in your training inventory an “under-s+udy analysis”—make a list of the key positions in your company, and then determine, tentatively, at least, who might be promoted or transferred to fill each of these positions if a vacancy should occur.
Short- and long-term programs
From the facts disclosed by a personnel inventory, Mr. Beyer said, companies should be able to plan both a short-term and a long-term personnel program.
“The inventory will enable you to determine the men that you can release to the Army without being too greatly hurt. It will give you a better basis for asking deferment for the others, together with an indication of the length of time for which deferment should be requested. In light of present Selective Service policy the fact that deferment can be for 6 months only does not mean that you cannot obtain deferment for an additional period, providing you can make a good case for it. . . .”
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
13
RATIONING
Henderson urges motorists to begin now to save rubber; suggests specific steps
The country’s 27,000,000 motorists can perform a patriotic service by beginning at once their individual roles In the mileage control program to save rubber, OPA Administrator Henderson pointed out October 18, adding:
"There is no need to wait until -November 22, the date when the program goes into effect. In fact motorists can save millions of pounds of rubber by doing voluntarily now, what they will be required to do after the mileage rationing program is instituted.”
Anyone with more than five tires for each private passenger car that he owns should dispose of those excess tires as soon as he can make arrangements with his local Railway Express Agency to call for them. This can be done now.
Anyone who drives his car to and from work should get a car sharing club into operation immediately.
Every motorist should have his tires inspected to make sure he is not ruining his tire carcass before another tire or recap will be available to him.
Above all, every driver should stay under 35 miles an hour.
6 things motorists must do
In addition to these voluntary steps, motorists will need to do specific things soon to get ready for the Nation-wide mileage rationing plan. These preliminary steps were outlined in chronological order by OPA:
1. Get rid of excess tires. If you have more than five tires for each passenger car that you own, pick out the best five, and sell or give the rest to the Government through your local Railway Express Agency. If this is not done before you apply for a mileage ration, your application will be denied.
2. Note the serial numbers on the five tires you are keeping. These numbers will be requirec' on your application for a mileage ration.
(OPA cautioned motorists to make sure they get the right numbers. Serial numbers on all tires are indented in the tire wall. They are never raised. If the indented serial numbers have been worn off, or for any reason obliterated, the brand name of the tire is to be substituted.)
3. Pick up a mileage ration blank from a nearby service station, tire shop or garage. Watch local newspapers and radio announcements for exact dates and places.
4. Fill out the application for a ration as well as the tire inspection record sheet which will be part of the application form.
8. If you live outside the eastern area where gasoline is now being rationed take
the filled-out application to a schoolhouse on registration dates to begin on November 9. If you live inside the eastern rationed area, fill out the application blank as soon as it is available and mall or take it immediately'to your local War Price and Rationing Board. Your failure to do this may mean suspension of your ration books until you have complied.
6. Keep the tire inspection record which the registrar, or the local rationing board
will detach from your mileage ration application. You will need this sheet when you > get ..the periodic tire inspections required under the rationing plan.
In the Eastern rationed area applications and tire inspection records mailed in by motorists will be examined by local rationing boards to make sure the serial numbers have been listed properly, and that the car owner certified that he has no more than five tires.
If more than five tires have been listed the Board will keep the tire record sheet, and mail a card to the car owner asking him to surrender the ration book he already holds. If he fails to do this he will be subject to investigation and penalties and meanwhile he will be ineligible to purchase gasoline or to receive tire rations.
All of the East’s, 7,200,000 motorists who now hold gasoline rations will be expected to file new applications which include the serial numbers of their tires before the Nation-wide rationing plan goes into effect. Local Boards will check their files on November 22 to determine any ration holders who have failed to turn in new applications.
“Idle” tires rolling to Government warehouses under Tire Purchase Plan
The big green trucks of the Railway Express Agency are rolling in toward 23,000 reception points with the first of the “idle” tires which the Office of Price Administration hopes to add to the national rubber reserve under the Idle Tire Purchase Plan.
Railway Express has schooled 50,000 employees in the details of collecting the tires but they emphasize that none of them is equipped to answer the most frequently asked question: “What are my tires worth?” There are thousands of sizes, brands, and grades of new casings and the proper value can be determined only by recourse to a voluminous trade register. ' For used tires, OPA has established the following table of ceiling prices from which the appraisers will work:
TREAD DEPTH MEASURED AT SHALLOWEST POINT—
Tire size %2" or more Less than Ms*, more than ^2" %2" or less Smooth tread
7.00x16 $10.90 $8.90 $5.96 $4.55
5.50 x 16 7.26 5.90 3.95 3.20
6.00 x 16... 8.10 6.65 4.45 3.50
6.26 x 16. 9.15 7.45 5.00 4.00
6.50 x 16 9.85 8.05 5.36 4.00
7.00 x 16— 11.15 9.15 6.10 4.55
7.50 x 16 14.16 11.60 7.75 6.25
6.25/5.50 x 17. 7.45 6.10 4.05 3.20
6.25 x 18 6.80 5.55 3.70 3.20
4.75 x 19 6.10 4.95 3.30 3.20
If tires obviously are not usable, the Government wants them turned over to scrap dealers.
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Ceilings adjusted for sales of damaged tires to DSC
Clearing the way for sale of unrepaired tires to the Government under-—, the idle tire purchase plan, the OPA, October 22, issued an order providing that the price ceiling which governs ordinary transactions in damaged used tires will not apply to sales to Defense Supplies Corporation.
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MATS OR PROOFS of the illustration on this page are available on request to Distribution Section, OWI, Washington, D. C.
14
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October 27, 1942
Idle tires must be sold to Government— and here’s why
Questions that motorists have asked about the Idle Tire Purchase Plan are answered in the following list of questions and answers by the Office of Price Administration, in accordance with the national rubber conservation program:
Q. Why is it necessary to sell my idle tires?
A. The rubber shortage is serious. Your Government must have tires right now—today—to ration for essential use.
What happens if I don’t do it?
Q. What happens if I don’t sell my idle tires?
A. National gasoline rationing starts November 22. If you or any member of your household, related to you by blood,. marriage, or adoption, has more than five tires per passenger car after November 22, you will be denied the privilege of using gasoline in any passenger car you own.
Q. I have only 4 tires and a spare. Must I turn in my spare?
A. No. The Government wants only your idle tires.
Q. What is an idle tire?
A. An idle tire is any new or used passenger type tire (even if it needs repairs) in excess of tires mounted on running wheels plus one spare per motor vehicle. Tires that are beyond repair also are idle tires, but should be sold to a scrap dealer.
Q. What will happen in the already rationed area if I do not file a Tire Record Form?
A. Your local Rationing Board will demand that you surrender your ration book.
Object is to keep cars running
Q. Does this mean that I cannot drive a car after November 22 if there are more than five tires for each passenger automobile in my household?
A. It means exactly that. By Government order, it will be illegal to use gasoline in your passenger car.
Q. What will I do when my own tires wear out—put up my car?
A. No. Automobiles are essential. The purpose of this plan is not to take cars off—the road—but to keep all cars on the road—yours included, for essential driving.
Q. What about fleets of passenger cars?
A. If you own or lease three or more passenger automobiles and use them principally in the same or related occupations, you are a fleet operator. In order to get gasoline for any passenger car in the fleet, you must sell or give to the Government all your idle passenger type tires. Passenger type tires owned by members of your household may be excluded in determining whether you, as a fleet operator, have idle tires.
Tubes wanted, not demanded
Q. What about tubes?
A. You will not be refused gasoline because you possess idle tubes but they are urgently needed. The Government will buy all usable tubes that are offered.
Q. Must truck tires be turned in?
A. The gasoline refusal does not apply to idle truck-type tires, or tubes, but
the Government will welcome thé patriotic action of truck owners who offer idle truck tires or tubes. However, idle passenger type tires must be turned in, even if set aside for use on trucks, if the owner applies for a passenger car gas ration.
Usable tires can’t be given away
Q. Can I sell or give my idle tires to a neighbor?
A. No. All usable tires are now “frozen.” Usable idle tires held by a consumer can be sold or given only to the Government under the Idle Tire Purchase Plan.
Q. What about trailers?
A. You may keep tires actually mounted on the running wheels of trailers and similar equipment. You are not entitled to any spare tires for such equipment.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY *
15
FUEL OIL FORMS
MADE PUBLIC
The application blank covering fuel oil rations for all domestic, agricultural and institutional uses, excepting heating and hot water but including domestic and institutional cooking and lighting equipment and farm machinery, was made public October 21 by the OPA.
On 3-months basis
The form (R-1103) also is to be used in applying for a ration for washing machines, refrigerators and pewer plants and similar equipment as well as for supplies for cleaning tools, for insecticides and other miscellaneous purposes. The fuel oil allotments granted for purposes covered by the form will be on a 3-months basis, the first quarterly period beginning October 1 if application is made before November 1. In instances where application is made after November 1 the 3-months period begins on the day the ration is required.
Applicants for a ration for farm trucks and other farm vehicles which are commercial motor vehicles as defined by Office of Defense Transportation Order No. 21 must state estimated gallonage needs between date the ration is required (or from October 1, 1942, if application is made after October 31, 1942) and December 31, 1942, as well as the gallons used in the corresponding period of last year. In general, OPA will issue a ration sufficient for the operation of the vehicle, but the allotment will not be larger than the amount used in the same period of 1941 unless applicant shows satisfactory cause for the increased requirements. For rations after December 31, the allotment will be the same as the gallonage approved by the ODT Certificate of War Necessity for the Vehicle.
Other provisions
A separate space is provided for farm machinery and equipment not covered by ODT Order No. 21. Fuel oil rations for this category also will be issued on a 3-months basis, with applicant required to state estimated gallonage requirements for the 3 months beginning on date ration is required, and fuel oil consumed in the same quarter of the previous year will not be issued unless applicant can furnish satisfactory proof of the need for the increased allotment.
Fuel oil for domestic cooking and lighting also will be rationed on a definite gallonage basis, with applicant required to state 'average number of persons served by the equipment.- The cooking and lighting ration for domestic purposes will be issued on the basis of need, with a maximum depending upon the number of persons using the equipment, institutional allotments will be made on the basis of consumption in the same quarterly periods of the previous year as well as number of persons using the equipment.
The ration for miscellaneous equipment and miscellaneous uses also will be based on need.
* ♦ ♦ ^
FUEL SERVICE CHARGES. Maximum charges which solid fuel dealers who deliver direct from production fa-. cilities may make for services in connection with fuel sales were established October 23 by the OPA, at levels prevailing between December 15 and 31, 1941.
The action was effective October 28.
HOW TO GET THE MOST HEAT OUT OF YOUR FUEL RATION
The following suggestions to home owners in the eastern and midwestern rationing areas for getting maximum heat from their fuel oil ration were offered October 25 by the Office of War Information:
CONVERT FROM OIL to coal, if you possibly can. If the grates or lugs (grate supports) of your old coal-burning "plant are missing, you may need the help of an expert. If you have the equipment, ask a coal dealer for specific instructions and tackle the job yourself. But first make sure the oil is turned off and the oil lines and electric wires to the burner are disconnected.
CLEAN YOUR CHIMNEY. Drop a rock padded with burlap bags down the chimney on the end of a rope, and rattle it around Inside until the large cakes of soot have fallen to the bottom.
CLEAN THE FLUE passages with a flue brush. Take down the smokepipe and give it a thorough cleaning. Afterwards, fit the .smokepipe tightly into position and repair leaks with furnace cement.
SEAL AIRLEAKS IN YOUR FURNACE OR BOILER. Pass a candle around the doors and outside surfaces while the plant is running to see if the candle flame is sucked inward at any point. If it is, smear the leak with furnace cement until you can get somebody to do a permanent job.
HAVE YOUR OIL BURNER TUNED up SO it won’t waste oil. Make sure the service man gives it a combustion checkup with the proper instruments and adjusts the draft regulator with a gauge.
FRESH WATER WILL RUST a steam or hot-water radiator system. The water should be changed only if it is thick with rust. If it’s time to change the water, turn on the drain cock at the bottom of the boiler and let water out of the. tank into pails or the cellar drain.
MAKE SURE RADIATORS ARE HEATING WELL in the room where the thermostat is located and in adjoining rooms. This is what you can do if you have one-pipe radiators—that is, steam radiators with a pipe at one end and a vent valve at the other: Remove the vent valve from a radiator that is not heating well and swap it for another on a good radiator located in a less essential room.
CLEAN THE DIRT out from between radiator tubes and remove drapes, coverings, or nonperforated radiator covers which may block off heat. If you have built-in radiators, you will need help to remove the covers.
CUT DOWN HEAT LOSS BY INSULATING your unfinished attic floor. Get explicit direction from the company that sells you the insulating material—whether it is loose fill, blanket, batt type, or insulating board. Pour or lay the material between the beams, and pack properly, leaving no' air spaces. Don’t forget the ends of the beams over the eaves, and gaps that appear where the beams are uneven. Insulation of a finished attic floor, sidewalls, or top-floor ceiling should be done, of course, by an insulating contractor.
STORM WINDOWS AND DOORS will do much to keep the heat inside your home. You can buy them unfinished, and paint and trim them yourself. If you can’t buy storm windows for all rooms, be sure they go outside rooms that face the prevailing wind and rooms you heat most. If the windows steam over, bore small airholes in the bottom of the sash.
TACK WEATHER STRIPPING around badly fitting windows. Felt or wood is easiest for the amateur. The weather stripping should fit tightly between the window frame and
along the top of the lower sash. Don’t forget to weatherstrip outside doors as well.
MAKE A COMBINATION STORM WINDOW AND BLACK-OUT CURTAIN. Tack insulating board over the upper half of your windows on the outside. Make a frame of insulating board which you can fit over the lower half of your windows on the inside at night. The board should be weatherproofed with paint. Blanket-type insulation can be used also.
OR IMPROVISE A STORM DOOR OUT OF YOUR SCREEN DOOR. Nall insulating board or plywood to the screened sections and weatherstrip both the screen door and inner door. Always attach weather stripping to the bottom of a door—not to the sill, where somebody can trip over it.
SEAL CRACKS BETWEEN DOOR OR WIN-'DOW FRAMES and walls with calking materials, which you can buy in a hardware store. You’ll also need a calking gun, which the store probably will rent to you. \
CLOSE OFF ROOMS you don’t absolutely need—sun porches, spare bedrooms, extra downstairs rooms, even the entire second floor provided you keep bathroom and hall warm. See that doors to unheated rooms fit tightly so that heat from other rooms won’t be wasted in them. Use weather stripping, or mats beneath the doors, if necessary* It’s a good idea to hang a heavy rug or blanket over the door inside a closed-off room.
TAKE CARE NOT TO FREEZE RADIATORS when you close off rooms. You may have to . call in your serviceman to close off and drain radiators and pipes.
PLACE PADDING OR NEWSPAPERS under your ground-floor carpets, to reduce chill from the cold basement.
CLOSE DAMPERS when the fireplace is not in use. If it has no dampers, screen the front of the fireplace with insulating board or cardboard.
SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A COAL OR WOOD STOVE, and attach the flue to your fireplace chimney. On mild days, you can turn off your oil burner and use the fireplace or stove.
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More heavy oil must be saved through conversions, Ickes says
Concern over the sharp drop in the number of industrial fuel oil conversions being made on the Atlantic seaboard was expressed October 19 by the Office of Petroleum Coordinator for War Ickes.
40,000,000 barrel goal
“More heavy oil must be saved through conversions,” Coordinator Ickes said. Our present conversion goal for the saving of heavy fuel oil on the Atlantic seaboard is 40,000,000 barrels annually. The 40,000,000 barrel goal is not an arbitrary one. It is based on a survey made by OPC of all residual fuel oil consumers in the East Coast area.
“Only 25,000,000 barrels of this volume has been converted to date, and most of these conversions were completed last summer and early this fall. Very few conversions have been made during recent weeks.”
16
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
CHILDREN’S MEAT QUOTA
The food requirements committee October 16 suggested weekly meat allotments for children under the Government’s voluntary Share-the-Meat program. Children under 6 years of age may receive weekly % pound of beef, pork, veal, lamb, or mutton. For each child between the age of 6 and 12, an allotment of 1^ pounds weekly of the same meats was approved by the committee.
The committee also announced that sausages and canned meats are to be included in the 2% pounds of meat to which every adult is asked to limit himself. Poultry, liver, tongue, sweetbreads, kidneys, brains, tripe, hearts, knuckles, and fish are not included.
* * *
NEW TYPES of canned soups which are beginning to appear on grocers’ shelves are higher in food value than the old-style soups—one reason why most of them cost a few cents more, the OPA, October 22, told consumers.
We feast bv contrast with friend or foe
The average American under the voluntary meat sharing plan feasts on meat by contrast with the strict rationing of meat products overseas—in both friendly and enemy countries.
“Variety” meats, fish, poultry excluded
The adult American, under the meat sharing program, is asked to consume no more than 2^ pounds weekly of the retail cuts and canned meats made from beef, pork, veal, lamb, and mutton carcasses. The 234 pounds do not include the “variety” meats—hearts, kidneys, livers, sweetbreads; the meats made from the heads, the tails and the feet, and scrapple and souse made from carcass trimmings and other materials. Nor do the voluntary restrictions apply to fish and poultry.
The individual British consumer gets a basic ration of meat which varies according .to his need and is able to supplement this to a limited degree by various means. However, the average adult Briton, at present, gets slightly under 2 pounds weekly of the meats limited in the United States—31 ounces as against the 40 ounces called for in our voluntary meat sharing program.
“Joker” in Briton’s quota
But the joker in the 31-ounce figure is that this amount constitutes just about all the meat—of any sort whatever— that the average Briton can buy. The so-called “variety” meats—liver, sweetbreads, etc.—unrestricted in the United States—are not available in Britain for these reasons:
(1) the low rate of animal slaughter in the British isles, where practically all meats must be imported, and (2) thé fact that the meats which are not restricted in the United States do not ship well and consequently are not exported to Britain.
While Americans are free to supplement their consumption of the limited meats with fish and poultry, these products are highly limited in Britain.
Alternate foods also limited
Moreover the supply of important alternate foods for meat is also limited in Britain. Inasmuch as Britain’s former substantial imports of shell eggs have disappeared entirely and with home products one-third below peacetime levels, the average Briton is expected to receive only one egg a month this winter. The supply of cheese, however, is somewhat above the pre-war level.
While meats are not rationed in Canada, the supply is limited through re-
striction of the supplies for domestic use. Canada is shipping large quantities of food to Britain, including its entire supply of canned salmon and canned beef while a 2-year voluntary rationing program is being carried out on ham and bacon.
Germany—In Germany, which largely is feeding herself by theft of supplies from conquered territory, the normal consumer is limited to 12^ ounces per week of the types of meats restricted in the United States.
France—In urban centers of unoccupied France the average adult is limited to 8.8 ounces weekly, while peasants in the rural districts are restricted to 6.3 ounces—less than a half-pound. Occupied France is believed to have a slightly higher meat ration than the unoccupied territory but definite figures are not available.
Italy—The ration in Italy varies from 3^ to 5^ ounces weekly, plus 1% ounces of sausage.
8.8 ounces per week in Russia
Russia—In Russia, meat is rationed in the cities but not in the villages. The ration in Moscow is 8.8 ounces per week, a standard believed similar to the ration in other Russian cities.
Norway—The ration for Norway is listed at 7.1 ounces a week, but actually, in view of the meat shortage, the Nor? wegian considers himself lucky if he gets half that. The same is true in other German-conquered lands. In the Netherlands, to cite another instance, the weekly ration is posted at 10.6 ounces, but if a Hollander gets a third of that in any one week he is fortunate. The . ration for Belgium is 4.9 ounces a week.
“Black market” in Greece
Greece—Greece has no regular distribution of meat. While meat sale officially is regulated to one day weekly, reports from Greece indicate that the only meat available is what can be obtained in the “black market.”
Japan—The Japanese normally consume little meat.
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EDITORS: Mats or reproduction proofs of the illustration on the opposite page, complete with text, are available from Distribution Section, Office of War Information, Washington, D. C. Mats or proofs of the small chart on this page may be had from the same address
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
17
Z^W/2^ ¿WiZ
AMERICANS GET THE MOST MEAT
Two and a half pounds a week, permitted each adult under U. S. Government’s program of voluntary meat sharing, makes American diet relatively a feast. Compared to our 40 ounces, shares of our friends and foes overseas range from England’s 31 downward to Italy’s 6 and captive * Belgium’s maximum of 4.9.'
Gap between American meat diet and British is widened further by the fact that unrestricted liver, kidneys, and similar products are plentiful in U. S., scarce in Britain where little meat is slaughtered.
U. S. will produce record 24 billion < pounds of the restricted meats (beef, veal, pork, mutton, and lamb, exclusive of such “delicacy” parts as livers, kidneys, feet, thils) in 1942-43 marketing season. Some 672 billion pounds must go to Army, Navy, and our allies.
Civilians’ expected share of 17% billion pounds actually is greater than 1931-40 average, short only of the 21 billion pounds civilians would buy now with their increased income. Without control, some would get a great deal, others none. Until formal rationing, can be organized, Americans must cooperate.
18
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
AGRICULTURE...
Wickard asks hog farmers to increase pigs 10 percent over 1942 record crop
The Nation’s hog farmers are being called upon to plan for a 10 percent increase in their 1943 spring farrowings, compared with this year’s record crop, and also to market their hogs 10 pounds heavier than they are this year. This call has been issued by Secretary of Agriculture Wickard, Chairman of the Foods Requirements Committee.
The estimated farrowings for 1942 of 105,000,000 head are nearly 24 percent larger than the 1941 crop and by far the largest on record. These increased Tarrowings will result in an estimated 1943 slaughter of pork amounting to 13.4 billion pounds dressed weight, compared with slightly more than 11 billion pounds of slaughter this year.
Special emphasis was laid on obtaining Increases in 1943 farrowings in the West-
Agriculture, OPA act jointly to forestall price rise in bread and flour
The OPA and the Department of Agriculture announced October 23 the completion of a program to prevent increases in the prices of bread and flour to the American consumer. Bread prices have been fixed at the March levels since May 1942, and flour was recently frozen at the levels prevailing September 28 to October 2.
CCC to release loan wheat
The program announced October 23 provides for making wheat available to flour millers at prices approximating the levels which prevailed from September 28 to October 2. This will be accomplished by the release of loan wheat back to producers by Commodity Credit Corporation for sale in the market.. The release price per bushel on such loan wheat will be less than the amount of the loan per bushel plus accumulated carrying charges by a sufficient amount to enable producers to sell the wheat at prices in line with the ceiling prices on flour.
By this operation, any possibility that flour millers will be “squeezed” between advancing wheat prices and a flour ceiling is removed. Any possibility of a sim-
ern Corn Belt and the Eastern Great Plains States, where record yields of feed grains have resulted in larger feed supplies than have been on hand for several years. InAthose areas increases ranging up to 40 percent will be called for.
Hog producers were urged by the Secretary to plan their 1943 farrowings so that their marketings would avoid the normal marketing peaks, thereby relieving transportation and processing congestion. Particular emphasis was placed upon their earlier-than-usual farrowings, which might result in heavier marketings during the normal late-summer “bare spot.” The Secretary urged farmers to breed as many sows for February litters as their facilities will permit them to handle.
ilar “squeeze” developing between flour and bread is likewise averted.
The release prices of loan wheat will be announced by Commodity Credit Corporation at such time as the marketing of loan wheat becomes necessary to accomplish the purposes of this program. {
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Slaughterers told how to compute meat quotas
Procedure for slaughterers to compute civilian meat quotas was further simplified October 20 by the food rationing division, OPA.
Procedure
In Amendment No. 2 to Restriction Order No. 1, OPA directs slaughterers to list their purchases of meat from other slaughterers during 1941, and to notify the sellers of the purchases claimed.
Since the transactions listed by the purchaser increase his quota and restrict the quota of the seller, the latter is given an opportunity to protest if his records do not verify the claims of the purchaser.
SHARE-THE-MEAT PROGRAM
FOR PUBLIC EATING HOUSES
The Foods Requirements Committee, October 20, announced the provisions of a national voluntary Share-the-Meat program for public eating houses.
The program was developed in cooperation with the American Hotel Association and the National Restaurant Association.
The Share-the-Meat program for public eating houses calls for the following actions by operators of such establishments:
1. Maintain the standard sizes of meat portions at present prices, except in cases where the price of meat to eating houses increases.
2. Make available half portions at reduced prices in order to help patrons who wish to cut down on the amount of meat eaten at one meal.
3. Display on table cards, menu stickers, or fliers, or wall placards a summary of the Share-the-Meat program, soliciting cooperation of each patron in staying within his share.
4. Indicate to patrons the approximate uncooked weight of restricted meat (all beef, veal, pork, lamb, and mutton, except the variety meats) in each standard meat dish in order to help them stay within their individual shares.
5. Reduce the number of dishes of restricted meats served each day.
6. Do not emphasize dishes of restricted meat on menus.
7. Serve no more than one restricted meat to a customer at one meal.^
8. Provide in the daily menus more dishes prepared from the variety meats, poultry, fish (where available), and meat alternates such as cheese and beans.
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Price formula for Canadian West Coast fishmeal issued
New methods for computing ceiling prices for Canadian West Coast fishmeal were announced October 22 by the OPA. ' The new arrangement permits the buyer in this country to pay for fishmeal f. o. b. Seattle. The maximum price will be that established at Seattle for domestic fishmeal, plus as a freight allowance either (1) $5.10 per short ton or (2) actual transportation from Canadian production plant to Seattle f. o. b. less $2.10 per ton, whichever is the lower.
License regulations
This is effected in Amendment No. 1 to Revised Price Schedule No. 73 as amended (Fish Meal and Fish Scrap), effective October 28.
Wholesale sellers of fish meal and fish scrap are licensed and registered under the new order in the same manner as established in the general maximum price regulation. These provisions became effective at wholesale on May 11, 1942.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
19
New farm equipment rules are designed to fit needs of industry
A new regulation designed to fit the pricing needs of the farm equipment industry was announced October 23 by OPA.
The measure—titled Maximum Price Regulation No. 246 (Manufacturers’ and Wholesale Prices for Farm Equipment), becomes effective November 15. Retail farm equipment prices were established May 11, 1942. in Maximum Price Regulation No. 133 (Retail Prices for Farm Equipment).
March 31, 1942 base
The new regulation provides that maximum prices for all items of farm equipment, except new items, shall be those in effect March 31, 1942. These prices reflect those prevailing since the fall of 1941, because farm equipment prices'had been held stable since that time under an informal price control program inaugurated in April 1941.
In the farm equipment industry, manufacturers and jobbers operate from price lists predominantly. The new regulation provides that maximum prices shall be those appearing in Price lists which were actually issued and became effective on or before March 31, 1942. Prices thus arrived at are generally the same as were those provided under the base period of the general maximum price regulation.
In addition the regulation permits adjustments of prices of items which have been changed in'design, specification or equipment since March 31.
Pricing new items
For entirely new items, unlike anything the manufacturer made before March 31,1942, the manufacturer may determine his maximum price on the basis of labor rates and materials prices in effect on October 1,1941, using the price-determining method he had in effect on that date. Where freight rates are a factor, freight rates of March 31, 1942, are to be used. This formula is like the one established for machines and parts in Maximum P/ice Regulation No. 136 (Machines and Parts and Machinery Services).
Contract prices
In contracts for sale of farm equipment to other manufacturers, mail-order companies or Government agencies, contract prices remain maximum prices during the life of the contract. Upon renewal, however, no upward price adjust-
Retail pork prices stabilized by ceilings in dollars and cents at wholesale;
better distribution expected to result
Assurance that retail prices of pork, one of the most important items in the American family’s food budget, will be effectively controlled was given October 22 by Price Administrator Henderson in the form of dollars-and-cents wholesale ceiling prices on all common cuts and types. x
The new ceilings apply to pork packers and wholesalers and cover more than 90 varieties of wholesale cuts in three base zones over the country. Replaced by the new order are ceilings that were based on individual seller’s prices during the period March 3-7, 1942.
Importance to consumers
Two effects of major importance to the consuming public will result from the new regulation, according to Mr. Henderson.
(1) Available pork supplies will be distributed mere equitably in all parts of the country;
(2) Severe pressure for higher retail prices will be relieved.
The maximum prices established by the revised regulation become effective November 2. Deliveries after that date to the Federal. Surplus Commodities Corporation for Lend-Lease shipment may be made at contract prices if the contracts were made prior to October 17, 1942. If the contracts were made on or after October 17, deliveries under them after November 2 must be made at or below the new maximum prices.
Because many of the inequalities existing in the original regulation on wholesale pork cuts did not exist with respect to dressed hogs, no change is made in the previous method of pricing
ment may be made without assurance to OPA by the buyer that he will not, increase his resale price.
For wholesale distributors, maximum prices are those in effect on March 31, 1942, with the proviso that in no event may a distributor sell to the retail dealer at more than 82 percent of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, plus actual freight. The proviso is not applicable to wholesale prices of items for which no manufacturers’ suggested list prices -have been issued.
For any items of farm equipment for which the wholesale distributer had no
dressed hogs on the basis of individual sellers’ highest prices during March 3-7, 1942.
Zone prices
Under the revised regulation, the highest ceiling on pork loins delivered to buyers in the central price zone, including Iowa, will be 27 J4 cents per pound. In the Chicago price zone, pork loin maximums will be ^-cent per pound higher. Ceiling prices on pork loins in the third zone, at all points outside of the central and Chicago areas, will be the central zone price, plus a specified-freight differential. Under the original regulation, individuabceilings on pork loins ranged from 2572 to as high as 34 cents per pound in isolated instances, OPA studies revealed.
Ceilings on unusual cuts may be priced by the seller by reference to the most closely related cut from the same primal cut, with adjustments for cost differences. All such “unusual cut” prices, however, must be reported to OPA and are subject to adjustment if not in accordance with standards set for estab-» . lishing them.
Aid to packers
By dissipating the advantage that pork packers with abnormally high base period ceilings had in being able to pay more for their live hogs, the new order, known as Revised Maximum Price Regulation No. 148 (Dressed Hogs and Wholesale Pork Cuts), should aid the general run of packers in buying live animals.
The revised regulation will affect the selling prices of 2,600 packers and processors of pork and 700 wholesalers and jobbers.
price in effect on March 31,1942, a maximum price is to be determined by applying the mark-up realized on the last sale of the item during the year ended March 31, 1942.
Provision also is made for automatic adjustment of a wholesale distributor’s price where the manufacturer -is allowed an adjustment under the regulation, or where the manufacturer had increased his prices prior to March 31, 1942, but the distributor had not on that date raised his in turn. An adjustment proportionate to the increase in the manufacturer’s price is allowed.
20
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October 27, 1942
PRICE ADMINISTRATION ...
OPA warns dealers against paying inflated prices for rayon hosiery; may fix ceilings
Retailers and wholesalers buying women’s sheer rayon full-fashioned hosiery cannot be compelled to buy heavier styles in order to obtain delivery of the finer goods, the OPA announced October 18.
At the same time, OPA officials advised trade buyers of rayon hosiery to scan carefully the prices they are now paying for women’s rayon hose and to compare such levels with those prevailing last March. \
Nylon stockings cut to $1.65
Price Administrator Henderson, October 21, ordered retail prices of women’s nylon hose sharply reduced from the inflated levels that prevail in almost every store in the country.
To check inflationary tendency
Instead of $2.50 and $2.95 a pair (and even more in some cases) American women will not have to pay more than $1.65 a pair for the most commonly sold full-fashioned stockings of first quality construction (48-gauge or lower with nylon leg in all deniers). For “irregulars” of tills construction, which have been selling as high as $2.50 a pair, Mr. Henderson is setting a top price of $1.60. “Seconds” of this grade may not be sold for more than $1.25 a pair, under the Administrator’s order.
Cotton goods order modified for Army'
Two actions on cotton goods, one applying to transportation charges on purchases by war procurement agencies and the other involving premiums for sheetings and print cloths used in products made to meet certain United States Army specifications, were announced October 23 by the OPA.
Premiums for certain fabrics
Amendment No. 9 to Revised Price Schedule No. 35—Carded Grey and Colored-Yarn Cotton Goods—provides
“The OPA now has under consideration the establishment- of specific ceiling prices for rayon hosiery,” OPA stated. “Any dealer who may be tempted to pay inflated prices for hosiery is now given fair warning that he need not look to OPA for relief if he has been unwise in his buying. When the rayon hosiery regulation is issued, values prevailing in March will be considered and any unjustifiably high prices which exist will be leveled off.”
“There are considerable stocks of nylon hosiery held by wholesalers and retailers for the holiday trade,” Mr. Henderson stated. “In the absence of action by my office these would be disposed of to women at fantastic prices, prices that would be inflationary and would yield unreasonable profits to the sellers.”
The Administrator wasted no sympathy on sellers who may have purchased nylon hosiery at unjustifiably high prices in the so-called “black market.”
Maximum Price Regulation 95—Women’s Nylon Hosiery—applies not only to retail sales, but also to wholesalers and manufacturers. Effective October 22, it replaces the other orders which applied to nylon hosiery.
that war procurement agencies of the Government, in purchasing cotton goods covered by the schedule from a nonmill seller, may reimburse the seller for. transportation costs incurred in bringing the cotton goods from mill points.
The amendment also allows purchasers to pay a previously authorized premium for certain fabrics which are to be coated with synthetic resin, already contracted for but on which they had not taken delivery up to September 15, 1942.
The amendment becomes effective October 28.
OPA clarifies Fair Trade price regulation
The Office of Price Administration October 18 warned manufacturers, producers, and wholesalers against suggesting retail prices in any manner, even under a State Fair Trade contract, without putting the retailer on clear notice that the suggested or Fair Trade prices may be charged only if they do not exceed the retailer’s ceiling price as determined under OPA regulations.
It was emphasized that the retailer’s primary duty is to observe his ceiling prices, and that if, relying" upon a suggested retail price or Fair Trade price, he breaches the ceiling, he is guilty of violation regardless of good faith. In such a case, the manufacturer, too, will be regarded as a violator.
Manufacturer should protect himself
OPA stated, however, that the manufacturer could and should protect himself when suggesting retail prices or Fair Trading a product by using a notice substantially like the following:
The suggested retail price (or Fair Trade price) may be charged only by anyone reselling this article (or for any article listed in this catalogue, or price list or Fair Trade contract for which a retail price is suggested or minimum price established), if the maximum price for that article, as established by the person so reselling under the appropriate OPA regulation, is at least equal to the suggested retail (or Fair Trade) price.
This statement of policy does not apply to those few cases where OPA regulations provide for pricing at distributive selling levels by reference to the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices, e. g., Maximum Price Regulation No. 133, which deals with retail prices for farm equipment. Nor does it apply to cases where OPA has authorized an adjustment of the retail ceiling price for a particular item and requires the manufacturer or wholesaler to notify the retailer of this adjustment. Furthermore, OPA does not expect manufacturers or others with outstanding catalogues, price lists, or prices already printed on a product or its container, to take immediate steps to put the retailer on notice as to his primary duty in the circumstances. Such a notice should be issued, however, the next time that a flyer is sent out on a catalogue or suggested prices set forth in a price list are changed. Where retail prices are printed in the future on a product or its container, the notice should be added immediately.
October 27, 1942
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21
70.9 million pounds of frozen vegetables needed for U. S. armed forces in 1943
Frozen vegetable requirements of all the United States,armed forces in 1943 are estimated at 70.9 million pounds, the WPB announced October 17.
Estimated total requirements by commodities follow:
Commodity: _ Pounds
Beans (lima)__________________ 13,400,000
Beans (snap)___________________ 8,000,000
Corn (sweet)___________________ 5,400,000
Peas_______________'___________ 30,700,000
Spinach____________________,--- 13,400, 000
Total___________________________ 70,900,000
Frozen vegetables other than those listed will be considered by the armed forces if available in sufficient quantities. If such quantities are obtained, they may be substituted for some of the listed items, thereby reducing the requirements for those items.
* * *
CORN OIL, cottonseed oil, peanut oil and sunflower seed' oil have been added to the list of fats, oils and oil-bearing materials which the Commodity Credit Corporation will consider for purchase under provisions of WPB General Imports Order M-63. This announcement, made jointly October 20 by the BEW, the CCC, and the WPB supplements the list announced September 18, 1942 (OWI release T-889).
* * *
SNOW FENCING and four kinds of corn cribbing October 23 were brought under the OPA maximum price regulation covering wholesale and retail prices for fall and winter seasonal commodities.
* * *
SECOND-HAND SNOW PLOWS to the United States Army have been excluded from all price control, the OPA announced October 19. Plows are needed to remove snow from airfields this winter, and it is impossible to obtain new plows with sufficient speed.
* * *
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY to ration fuel oil has been conveyed to the OPA in Supplementary Directive 1-0, announced* October 19 by the director general for operations.
* * *
DEHYDRATED DOG FOOD, dog biscuits and dry mixed dog foods have been assigned to the WPB dehydrated food section. Questions with respect to production of dog food should be addressed to R. Harry Amenta, chief of the section.
Ceiling formulas provided for food products not under “freeze” order
Additional methods by which sellers of certain essential food products may ascertain their maximum prices in contingencies not covered by the 60-day temporary “freeze” order are provided October 22 by the OPA.
The new amendment, No. 4 to Temporary Maximum Price Regulation No. 22 (Certain Essential Food Products), is effective October 22.
Base period ceilings
Two new paragraphs have been added to the “freeze” regulation. The first provides that a seller may determine his ceiling by taking the maximum price of the same or similar listed food product most nearly like it, which he charged a different class of purchaser during such base period. The seller then must adjust such price to reflect the customary differential between the two classes of purchasers.
Where the seller himself has made no sale to a different class of purchaser, he may take the top price charged by his most closely competitive seller of the
Adjustable pricing permitted on Sitka spruce lumber sales
To prevent price uncertainty from delaying deliveries of critically needed Sitka spruce lumber, the OPA October 23 permitted adjustable pricing on deliveries of this kind of lumber which are made between now and the issuance of a proposed regulation specifically applying to Sitka spruce.
Aircraft spruce lumber is specifically excepted from this amendment, since it is already covered by dollars-and-cents ceiling prices in Maximum Price Regulation No. 109.
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Civilians to get some prunes, raisins from 1942 pack
The WPB has released 20 to 40 percent of various varieties of dried prunes and 40 to 100 percent of raisins for civilian consumption.
Telegrams recently sent by the director general for operations authorized processors and packers of dried fruit to sell certain percentages of their prunes and raisins for civilian use.
same class. He then, must make his adjustment to reflect the customary differential between the two classes of purchasers.
No deliveries during base period
The second paragraph covers the contingency where neither the seller nor any of his competitors delivered or offered for delivery the same or a similar listed food product during the base period. In this case, the seller may determine his ceiling by taking the top price for the most nearly similar commodity that he has delivered or offered for delivery during the base period. He then adjusts the price to reflect the customary differential between the two commodities.
Where the seller has made no sale of any food product that could be defined as the most nearly similar commodity, he may take the’ceiling price charged by his competitor during the base period for a food product that could be so defined. He then adjusts this price to reflect the customary differential between the two commodities.
Bonus system extended to 47 more West Coast loggers
Adjustment of maximum prices for 47 more West Coast logging firms because of additional hours worked over the 48-hours week under a bonus system established in Maximum Price Regulation 161 was announced October 23 by the OPA.
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Pitted, macerated dates get dollars-and-cents ceilings
Specific dollars and cents price ceilings have been set for pitted and macerated dates and domestic date products, the OPA announced October 20. These new ceiling prices reflect somewhat higher prices paid for fresh dates, which are not under price control.
* * *
COFFEE ROASTERS and wholesalers, jobbers, and other wholesale receivers now may anticipate only one-fifth of their quotas for November and subsequent months by making or accepting advance deliveries 10 days before the beginning of the particular month
22
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October 27, 1942
OPA simplifies financial reporting forms used by 25,000 companies
Simplification in the reporting forms by which 25,000 companies voluntarily file financial reports quarterly with the OPA was announced October 21.
The most important change eliminates the requirement that a company report individual salaries for its officers and for employes receiving $20,000 a year or over. Instead there are substituted simple tabulation of these salaries, showing the range and number of persons in this class but omitting reports on salaries of particular individuals.
Another change in the financial report forms, which will take effect on January 1, 1943, will be a provision in the profit and loss schedule for reporting separately charges which are set up to provide wartime reserves. The instruction book which accompanies the forms will carry instructions for adapting the corporate-type statements to use for reporting sole proprietorships and partnerships. In addition, the instruction book will be simplified and clarified in a number of respects in order to make the filing of financial reports easier.
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SWEEPING COMPOUNDS —Because substitution of plywood drums for customary steel containers has resulted in an increase in packaging costs to a point which causes substantial hardship, OPA has authorized temporary adjustment of the maximum prices for sweeping compounds sold by four producers: Cot-to-Waxo Company and Sweep-O Company, both of St. Louis, Mo; Cotto-Waxo Company of Wichita, Kans., and No-Dust-O Company of Kansas City, Mo.
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Gas to be banned for motoring between summer, winter homes
Motoring between summer and winter vacation homes is out for the duration of mileage rationing, the OPA announced October 22.
Regulations covering the plan that goes into effect Nation-wide on November 22, however, will provide special rations for autoists caught away from their permanent homes on the day that the plan becomes effective. Such special rations will provide enough gasoline to get the car home.
STORAGE BATTERIES TO GO UNDER FORMAL CEILINGS
Prices of electric storage batteries sold by manufacturers and wholesalers will be subjected to formal price regulation on November 7, the OPA announced October 18.
Ceilings, established under Maximum . Price Regulation No. 136 (Machines and Parts and Machinery Services), are as follows:
1. For storage batteries for replacement use in automobiles and trucks, one cent per pound of lead content above the seller’s price on October 1, 1941. In no instance, however, may the ceiling exceed the highest price charged in March 1942.
2. For all other electric storage batteries, the seller’s price on October 1, 1941.
★ ★ ★
Some oil dealers allowed to charge for burner service
Retail suppliers of fuel oil in Baltimore, Md., and five adjacent counties October 19 were authorized to make specified charges for servicing oil burners of their customers.
The OPA in Amendment No. 34 to Revised Price Schedule 88 (Petroleum and Petroleum Products), effective October 24, set up the following schedule of maximum charges:
Each call_______________________$1. 50
Vacuum cleaning Job (once in any 12
months)_________________________._ 1.50
Flue gas test by instrument (once in
any 12 months)_____________________ 1.00
★ ★ ★
GASOLINE AND FUEL OIL distributors and dealers along the eastern seaboard were assured by Price Administrator Henderson that they will be given careful consideration as to any possible inventory losses if maximum prices in the area should be changed whenever OPA terminates its participation in the petroleum transportation pool.
★ ★ ★
BRASS MILL SCRAP
Broadening of the definition of brass mill scrap for price control purposes was announced October 23 by the OPA to embrace unused sheet, rod, tube or other brass mill products sold to a brass mill for remelting.
The definition is broadened in Amendment No. 3 to Revised Price Schedule No. 12 (Brass Mill Scrap), which becomes effective October 29.
Cement sales to ^deficiency areas” put under pricing alternative
A new alternate method for pricing cement shipments to war construction jobs outside the manufacturer’s normal selling area was established October 23 by the OPA.
Use of this alternative, set forth in Amendment 1 to Maximum Price Regulation 224 (Cement) is permissible only when the pricing method is indicated on the billing, the provisions in the original order ensuring the movement of the cement to war procurement agencies are complied with, and the War Production Board certifies to. the manufacturer and to OPA that the cement should not be shipped from a Bureau of Mines District having a surplus of cement and that both point of shipment and point of destination are in a Bureau of Mines District or Districts where a deficiency of cement -exists or is imminent.
The amendment is made retroactive to September 23, the effective date of Regulation 224.
★ ★ ★
Specific maximum prices set on shellac holdings sold to DSC
Specific maximum prices at which importers and other owners of shellac may dispose of their holdings to the Defense Supplies ^ Corporation—now the sole American importer of shellac—are contained in Maximum Price Regulation No. 245 (Shellac), issued October 22 by the OPA.
★ ★ ★
Ceilings established for malleable iron castings
A regulation establishing maximum prices for malleable iron castings was announced October 17 by the OPA. It provides:
1. Maximum prices for each seller, of malleable iron castings shall be the highest prices the seller was charging for the same or substantially the same castings between October 1 and October 15, 1941, inclusive; or
2. If the castings to be priced were not sold between October 1 and October 15, 1941, maximum prices are to be computed according to the pricing method and costs and profit margins in effect for the seller on October 15, 1941 (with certain exceptions for overhead rates, costs of materials, and outside machining).
The regulation—titled Maximum Price Regulation No. 241 (Malleable Iron Castings)—is effective October 21, 1942.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
23
Maximum prices for castings adjusted under new regulation
A regulation designated to simplify the procedure for determining maximum prices for the continuously changing variety of castings sold commercially by the gray iron castings industry was announced October 22 by the OPA.
Maximum Price Regulation No. 244 (Gray Iron Castings) became effective October 26. It establishes as maximum prices for each seller:
1. The highest price at which he sold or offered for sale the same or substantially the same casting between August 1, 1941, and February 1, 1942; or
2. If he did not sell or offer for sale dur-„ ing that period the casting to be priced, he may compute the maximum price by applying the pricing formula and cost factors which he used on February 1, 1942.
Rolled back
These “base period” and “price-formula” methods of determining maximum prices are provided, OPA said, because the tailor-made nature of gray iron castings and the changes in the types being produced do not permit the establishment of a dollar-and-cents ceiling applicable to the industry as a whole.
The new regulation rolls back prices of the castings to February 1, 1942, if? priced on the price-formula method, or to the highest prices in the period August 1, 1941-February 1, 1942, if priced under the base-period provision.
★ ★ ★
OPA lifts notary rule ;
false reports illegal anyway
As a further step in simplification of the administration of price control, the OPA, October 19, removed from its price regulations any requirement that reports filed with OPA be executed under oath.
Since the Emergency Price Control Act makes submission of false statements to OPA a criminal offense regardless of whether the statement is made under oath or affirmation, notarization is unnecessary, OPA officials said.
This step was taken in Supplementary Order No. 23, effective October 24.
Adjustment pleas must be notarized
Applications for adjustment of ceiling prices and petitions for amendments or exception, however, are unaffected by the order and must be sworn to or affirmed wherever price or procedural regulations so direct.
Ceiling prices set for 24 new war model cooking and heating stoves
Eleven orders which establish ceiling prices for 24 new domestic cooking and heating stove models produced by 10 manufacturers became effective last week bringing to 34 the number of such orders issued in recent weeks, the OPA announced October 22.
Made by smaller manufacturers
Ten similar actions, to control prices for stoves which have been altered in order to conform with restrictions placed on their production by the WPB, will be announced soon. About 30 producers have as yet failed to apply to OPA for approval of prices on war model stoves, although special notice regarding reporting was sent to them August 4.
The production by larger manufac-
Wholesaler definition clarified
Only wholesalers who customarily distribute food products for resale by independent retail outlets or to commercial, industrial or institutional users, are permitted to determine their maximum prices under the new wholesale adjustment regulation, the OPA ruled October 16.
Clarification of the wholesaler definition is made in Amendment No. 1 to Maximum Price Regulation No. 237. It becomes effective retroactively to October 15, the day the regulation became a law.
★ ★ ★
Government agencies to file OPA price amendment petitions
Governmental agencies exercising regulatory power over prices subject to OPA control were authorized October 20 to file petitions for amendment of OPA regulations. The authority is contained in Amendment No. 3 to Procedural Regulation No. 1 effective- October 20. It applies both to Federal and State agencies such as the Interstate Commerce Commission and State commissions regulating transportation rates. Under the October 20 amendment, the governmental agencies are given authority to file such petitions based on findings made by the petitioning agency after public hearings.
turers of stoves for civilian use was halted on July 31, by the WPB. However, smaller producers, known as class C manufacturers, were allowed to continue production of stoves under the conditions set forth in WPB’s limitation order L-23-c, which prescribed major reductions in weight and the elimination of the use of strategic materials.
Orders to the following manufacturers
became effective October 22:
A-B Stoves Inc., Battle Creek, Mich.; Advance Stove Works, Evansville, Ind.; Boston Stove Foundry Co., Reading, Mass.; Corn-stock Castle Stove Co., Quincy, Ill.; Dixie Foundry Co., Cleveland, Tenn.; Eagle Foundry Company, Belleville, Ill.; Karr Range Company, Belleville, Ill.; Majestic Manufacturing Co., St. Louis, Mo.; Oscar G. Thomas, Taunton, Mass., and the Original Enamel Range Co., Belleville, Ill. >
Exporters may include expenses, premiums in computing prices
Declaring “it is a fundamental policy of the OPA that compensation should be allowed for export functions actually performed,” the office October 23 laid down two rules to guide the export trade in the application of this policy.
1. When the sale is the traditional direct export, the exporter is permitted by the revised maximum export price regulation to include in his price an amount to cover expenses actually incurred by him on the specific export, as well as a premium to cover general export overhead and export profit margin customary in his trade during the base period.
, 2. When the sale is made to a procurement agency of the United States of commodities intended for shipment abroad by that agency or by the Lend-Lease Administration, the matter is to be handled under the individual commodity price regulations and the general maximum price regulation. A study of the present individual regulations now is being made to determine if the maximum prices established by them are adequate to cover export expenses incurred in connection with such sales. Special provisions will be written into those regulations which are found to make an inadequate provision at the present.
★ ★ ★
Heffelfinger named
/
Appointment of F. Peavey Heffelfinger as regional director for Minneapolis was announced October 17 by Wade T. Childress, WPB deputy director general for field operations.
24
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
MANPOWER ...
WMC drafting national service bill for President to use whenever he wishes
(Continued from page 1)
with “expert knowledge of industrial processes, job qualifications, relationships among skills, training methods, and human relations on the job.”
3. “Require individuals to remain on a job, or to transfer to another job.
There must, of course, be a cor- _ responding obligation on the part of employers to retain in employment workers who are assigned to them.”
The broad authority that would be given under such a law “must be exercised within limits protecting the basic rights of workers and employers,” McNutt declared.
“The value of national service legislation would be in large part nullified if it provided simply for compulsory freezing and transfer of workers,” he said. The authority need be “invoked only in specific areas, industries and occupations, In conjunction with other measures of labor market control.”
In addition, a national service act should clearly provide “the right to appeal against any decision of the administering authority, ” Mr. McNutt said. “Workers who are required to remain on a job, or to transfer to another job should have certain minimum guarantees concerning wages, hours, and conditions of employment.
“Since experience has proved that failure on the part of employers to protect seniority rights is the most important single barrier to transfer of workers from nonessential to essential employment, National Service legislation must provide reasonable assurance to workers that seniority rights will not be lost merely because of transfer.
“This legislation should provide that workers may be released from their obligation to render service only in circumstances where gross inequities or unreasonable hardships would be imposed on them. Appropriate criteria for determining what constitutes good cause for release of workers should also be a part of the act. Similar provisions must be made enabling employers to discharge workers guilty of misconduct, or workers who otherwise fail to meet the normal obligations of an employee to an employer.
“The much discussed question whether a worker assigned to a plant should be required to join a union is to my mind not a serious issue. Representatives of both management and labor assure me that any difficulties arising on this score can be ironed out through existing machinery in a manner satisfactory to management, labor, and the Government, and in a manner which will involve no hardship or injustice to the individual worker.”
The Manpower Commission plans to bring 5 million more people into the Na-
92 communications jobs are “critical,” Selective Service informs local boards
Selective Service Headquarters last week notified local boards of 92 occupations, in the communication services, which are to be considered “critical” when classifying men for the call to arms. The list was issued in accordance with certification by the War Manpower Commission that communication services are essential to the support of the war- effort.
Draft deferment of men on this list continues to be at the discretion of the local boards, Selective Service information men emphasized. In general, deferment is determined by the answers to three questions:
1. Is the man in an essential service?
2. Is his job essential to the functioning of that service?
3. Is he irreplaceable in that job?
The new listing is designed to answer questions 1 and 2.
In classifying registrants employed in these activities, Selective Service Director Hershey said, consideration should be given to the following:
(a) The training, qualification, or skill required for the proper discharge of the duties involved in his occupation;
(b) the training, qualification, or skill of the registrant to engage in his occupation; and
(c) the availability of persons with his qualifications or skill, or who can be trained to his qualification, to replace the registrant and the time in which such replacement can be made.
Here are the communications jobs set down as “critical”:
Accountant, cost; bankman; cable engi-
tion’s labor force by the end of 1943, the WMC chairman declared, pointing out that most of the entrants will be women. He emphasized, however, that “women are not going to enter the labor market automatically. Unions must relax membership requirements and employers must plan to hire women on an unheard-of scale.”
Other steps planned to cope with the requirements of anticipated 160 labor shortage areas are the training of 13.5 million workers by the end of 1943 and the reclassification of Selective Service officials of all men who leave vital jobs. “We have even requested the Selective Service System to reclassify copper miners who left the mines to take other essential work,” McNutt disclosed.
neer; cable-lay-out man; cable splicer; cable tester; cameraman, newsreel; carpenter, maintenance; central-office installer; combination man, telephone and telegraph; composer operator; compositor; control-room man; control supervisor, junior; control supervisor, senior; cutter, newsreel; cylinderpress man.
Director, international broadcasting; editor, managing; electrician (all around) ; electroplater; electrotyper; engineer, professional and technical; engraver, lithographic; film editor, newsreel; foreign-language announcer-translator; foreign-language-news-or-script writer; foreman, composing room; foreman, electrical work; foreman, press room; foreman, Welder; imposer; Instrument maker; jackboard operator; lineman, telephone and telegraph; linotype operator; local-test deskman.
Machinist (all around); make-up man, -printing; manager, employment and personnel; manager, production; mechanic, electric maintenance; mechanic, maintenance; mechanic, mechanical tabulating equipment; mechanic, radio communication office; mono-type-keyboard operator; offset-press man; overlay cutter.
Photocomposing-machine operator; photoengraver; photolithographer; photoradio operator; platen-press operator; power-house engineer; press operator, cylinder; press-plate maker; printer (all around) ; private-branchexchange installer; private-branch-exchange repairman; production man, bilingual; program-transmission supervisor; radio operator; radio repairman, broadcasting; recording engineer; rigger, radio.
Sound engineer, newsreel; station installer; station repairman; stencil operator, photographic; stereotyper (all around); telegraph operator; telegraph-repeater installer; telephone inspector; telephone-plant powerman; telephone station installation supervisor; telephone-switchboard repairman; teletype installer; teletype repairman; tester, transmitter; testing-and-regulatlng man.
Toll-line repairman; toll-office repairman; tool maker; traffic chief, radio communications; transferrer, hand; transformer repairman; translator; transmission engineer; war ‘ correspondent; web-press man; welder (all around); wire chief.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
25
New industry advisory committees
The Division of Industry Advisory Committees, WPB, has announced the formation of the following new committees:
CHEMICAL AND ORGANIC PIGMENTS
Government presiding officer—E. H.
Bucy chemicals branch.
Members:
G. A. McCorkle, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Del.; B. M. Van Cleve, Sherwin-Williams Co., New York, N. Y.; Arthur F. Brown, Imperial Paper & Color Co., Glens Falls, N. Y.; J. D. Todd, Kentucky Color & Chem. Co., Louisville, Ky.; John Al-legaert. United Color & Pigment Co., Mc-Cellan Street, Newark, N. J.; R. M. Reed, Jr., Western Dry Color Co., Chicago, Ill.; G. W. Nieder, Hilton Davis Chemical Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; Vincent C. Vesce, Harmon Color Works, Paterson, N. J.; Lyle E. Squire, Standard Ultramarine Co., Huntington, W. Va.; E. J. Hildebrand, A. Wilhelm Co., Reading, Pa.; Thomas P. Brown, Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., 105 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.
COMMERCIAL PRINTING AND LITHOGRAPHING
Government presiding officer—E. W. Palmer, deputy chief, printing and publishing branch.
Members:
Everett Bierman, Charlotte Engraving Co., Charlotte, N. C.; A. H. Brewood, A. H. Bre-wood, Inc., Washington, D. C.; Oliver S. ' Bruce, Baker-Jones-Hausauer, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.; T. E. Donnelley, R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Inc; Chicago, Ill.; W. S. Forbes, Forbes Lithograph Mfg. Co., Boston, Mass.; Schell Furry, National Typesetting Corporation, St. Louis, Mo.; J. C. Hall, Hall Brothers, Inc., Kansas City, Mo.: Alfred R. Knop, Knop & Brauers, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.; Thomas B. Sheridan, American Bank Stationery Co., Baltimore, Md.; Joseph M. Siegel, The Trade Bindery, Inc., New York, N. Y.; Frank J. Spilth, John P. Smith Co., Rochester, N. Y.; Louis H. Traung, Stecher-Traung Lithograph Corporation, San Francisco, Calif.; J. Homer Winkler, Ace Electrotype Co., Cleveland, Ohio; Elmer a. Voight, Western Printing & Lithographing Co., Inc, Racine, Wis.
CONTRACTORS DEWATERING AND SUPPLY PUMPS
Government presiding officer—Ralph H. Dano, chief, construction equipment section.
Members:
R. G. Barzen, Sterling Machinery Corporation, 411 S. W. Blvd., Kansas City Mo.; B. F. Devine, Chain Belt Co., Milwaukee, Wis.; Ralph B. Carter, Ralph B. Carter Co., Hackensack, N. I.; Roy Carver, Carver Rump Co., Rock Island, Hl.; Lion Gardiner, The Jaeger Machine Co., Columbus, Ohio; J. C. Gorman, Gorman Rupp. Co., Mansfield, Ohio; John H. Hase, C. H. & E. Mfg. Co., 3849 N. Palmer Street, Milwaukee, Wis.; R. B.* Harvey, Novo Engine Co., Lansing, Mich.; L. S. Holden, Construction Machinery Co., Waterloo, Iowa; A. S. _ Marlow, Marlow Pumps, Inc., Ridgewood, N. J.;
M. H. Pryer, Barnes Mfg. Co., Mansfield, Ohio; J. E. Reisner, Domestic Engine & Pump Co., Shippensburg, Pa.
EARTH COLORS
Government presiding officer—E. H. Bucy, chief, protective coatings section, chemicals branch.
Gas Corporation, Kansas City, Mo.; Charles J. Haines, National Cylinder Gas Co., Chicago, III.; C. K. Rickel, Big Three Welding Equipment Co., Fort Worth, Tex.; R. B. Swope, Southern Oxygen Co., Arlington, Va.; Herman Van Fleet, Air Reduction Sales Co., New York, N. Y.
PUGET SOUND PULP AND PAPER
Government presiding officer—A. G. Wakeman, chief of the pulp and paper _ industry.
Members:
R. B. Wolf, Weyerhouser Timber Co., Longview, Wash.; J. C. Hayes, Everett Pulp & Paper, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.; Roy Ferguson, St. Regis Paper Co., New York, N. Y.; L. P. Turcotte, Puget Sound Pulp & Timber Co., Bellingham, Wash.; J. D. Zellerbach, Crown Zellerbach Corporation, San Francisco, Calif.; M. H. Houston, Rayonier, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.; W. S. Campbell, Anacortes Pulp Co., Anacortes, Wash.; Don Leslie, Grays Harbor Pulp & Paper Co., San Francisco, Calif.; Walter Starr, Soundview Pulp Co., San Francisco, Calif.
THERMOSETTING PLASTICS PROCESSORS
Government presiding officer—Frank H. Carman, chief, plastics and synthetic rubber section, chemicals branch.
Members:
Donald H. Dew, Diemolding Corporation, Canastota, N. Y.; George K. Scribner, Boonton Molding Co., Boonton, N. J.; William H. Milton, Jr., General Electric Co., Pittsfield, Mass.; Thomas J. McIntyre, Macklin Co., Jackson, Mich.; Milton P. Higgins, Norton Co., Worcester, Mass.; W. A. Blume, The American Braxe Shoe & Foundry Co., Detroit, Mich.; Dr. R. T. Halstead, Johns-Manville, New York, N. Y.; D. J. O’Conor-, The Formica Insulation Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; Dr. G. E. Landt, Continental-Diamond Fibre Co., Newark, Del.; M. A. Chapman, Mica Insulator Co., New York, N. Y.; John T. Ehleider, Insulating Tube Co., Inc., Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Leonard T. McCloskey, Taylor Fibre Co., Norristown, Pa.
TRUCK MIXER-AGITATOR MANUFACTURERS
Government presiding officer—Ralph H. Dano, chief of the construction equipment section.
Members:
' T. H. Fleming, Concrete Transport Mixer Co., 650 Rosedale Avenue, St. Louis, Mo.; B. F. Devine, Chain Belt Co., Milwaukee, Wis.; Lion Gardiner, vice president, Jaeger Machine Co., Columbus, Ohio; Robert T. Harris, Blaw-Knox Co., P. O. Box 1198, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Walter Muller, Ransome Machinery Co., Dunellen, N. J.; H. C. Peters, The T. L. Smith Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
WOMEN’S INDUSTRIAL GARMENTS
Government presiding officer—Jack E. Doron, chief work clothes unit, textile, clothing and leather branch.
Members:
Oscar Berman, Crown 'Headlight Overall Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; P. Z. Brooks, Betty Brooks Co., Huntington Park, Calif.; Irving Fainblatt, Lee Sportswear Co., New York, N. Y.; George L. Fitzgerald, Donnelly Garment Co., Kansas City, Mo.; A. J. Galvani, The Sterling Co., Chicago, Ill.; T. A. Hennigan, Rice Stix Dry Goods Co., St. Louis, Mo.; H. Z. Isaacs, I. C. Isaacs & Co., Baltimore, Md.; L. J. Pirkle, E. R. Partridge, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; M. C. Schrank, M. C. Schrank Co., New York, N. Y.; H. Smoler, Boris Smoler & Sons, Chicago, Hl.
Members:
Reid L. Carr, Magentic Pigment Co., Trenton, N. J.; J. W. Bossert, Reichard-Coulston, New York, N. Y.; F. B. Havens, Prince Manufacturing Co., Bowmanstown, Pa.; John Starinn, American Pigment Co., Hiwassee, Va.; Wilbur Lucking, C. K. Williams & Co., Easton, Pa.
GENERAL INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT TRANSPORTATION
Government presiding officer—R. W. Charles, Jr., assistant chief, general industrial equipment branch.
Members:
W. F. Clark, traffic manager, B. F. Sturtevant Co., Boston, Mass.; Walter E. Gregg, Jr., traffic manager, Monitor ControUer Co., Baltimore, Md.; E. H. Leahy, general traffic man-, ager, Link-Belt Co., Chicago, Hl.; Frank S. Main, Aurora Pump Co., Aurora, Ill.; Ervin Manske, general traffic manager, Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., W. Allis, Wis.; C. G. Mochrie, general traffic manager, General Electric Co./ Schenectady, N. Y.
MOLYBDENUM AND TUNGSTEN WIRE AND
RODS
Government presiding officer—Mr. M. T. Metzger, assistant chief, ferro-alloys branch.
/ Members:
Frank Bishop, manager, General Electric Co., Cleveland, Ohio; H. W. Boessenkool, sales manager, No. American Philips Co., Lewiston, Maine; H. S. Broadbent, assistant plant manager, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., Bloomfield, N. J.: A. J. Dowe, vice president, Fansteel Metallurgical Corporation, No. Chicago, Ill.; William E. Mansfield, yice president, Cleveland Tungsten Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio; D. Ruotolo, sales manager, Sirian Wire & Contact Co., Newark, N. J.; G. C. Wheeler, vice president, Calllte Corporation, Union City, N. J- -,
NAILED WOODEN BOXES
Government presiding officer—Eido F. Tomiska, chief, fibre, wood and fabric, section, containers branch.
Members:
A. M. Batchelder, Wm. P. Proctor Co., North Chelmsford, Mass.; Grant Dixon, Western Pine Mfg. Co. Ltd., Spokane, Wash.; Henry D. Dreyer, Jr., H. D. Dreyer & Co., Inc.,' Baltimore, Md.; Carl W. Hornibrook, Ewauna Box Co., Klamath Falls, Ore.; R. W. Jordan, Greensville Mfg. Co., Emporia, Va,; F. J. Nist, Seattle Box Co., Seattle, Wash.; A. M. Riley, Riley & Downer, Inc., Orange, N. J.; J. W. Rodgers, Lassen Lumber & Box Co., San Francisco, Calif.; Maurice H. Tripp, Temple Mfg. Co., Dallas, Tex.; Nathan Tufts, The New England Box Co., Greenfield, Mass.; J. H. Webb, Rochester Box & Lbr. Co., Rochester, N. Y.
OXYGEN AND ACETYLENE
Government presiding officer—Dr. Walter G. Whitman, of the chemicals branch.
Members:
V. G. Bartram, Shawinigan Chemicals Ltd., Shawinigan Falls, Quebec; Ralph R. Browning, Linde Air Products Co., New York, N. Y.; P. Coyne, Stuart Oxygen Co., San Francisco, Calif.; Parker B. Francis, Puritan Compressed
26
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
HOUSING... fl • '-f 500,000 war housing units completed since July 1, 1940, at cost of $2,000,000,000
War housing completed since July 1, 1940, now totals some 500,000 living units of all types, John B. Blandford, Jr., Administrator of the National Housing Agency, announced October 20.
355,000 units by private industry
This new housing represents a total expenditure of about $2,000,000,000 in Government and private funds.
“Private industry at a cost of approximately $1,400,000,000 has built 355,000 family units located within reasonable commuting distance of a war activity and made available at rentals or sale prices within the reach of the war workers,” Mr. Blandford said.
“Private builders also completed in war production areas during this period some 470,000 dwelling units that are not classed as war housing because of their location or cost. These structures were started before the present strict limitations on construction were imposed. All of this private construction of both kinds is estimated to (have cost about $3,750,000,000.
“In addition, private builders have under construction for war workers an estimated 76,000 dwellings, valued in excess of $300,000,000 and priority orders have been granted for 111,000 more, although work has not yet begun on these.
Public housing—141,690 units
“Public housing costing approximately $525,000,000 accounts for 141,690 units of the total completed,” Mr. Blandford continued. “This is divided into 116,169 family units of various types, 15,027 dormitory accommodations for single workers, and 152 dormitory, or war, apartments for 2-person families, as well as 10,342 trailers. Trailers are stop-gap housing only, to be used until standard accommodations can be finished. Public housing under construction or contract includes 129,086 family units, 21,248 dormitory units, 13,078 dormitory apartments, and 547 trailers.
“These figures, both as to public and private construction, do not include a substantial number of units completed during this period in communities which were not war production areas.
“The War Manpower Commission estimates that at least 12,000,000 workers will have to be placed in new jobs to take care
of increases in employment, replacements for men going into the armed forces, and to replace workers lost from the labor force through death and retirement during the period July 1, 1942, to July 1, 1943,” said Mr. Blandford.
“This employment shift calls for a minimum in-migration of 1,600,000 men and women to production centers. Because some family groups average more than one war worker per family, this inmigration will require 1,320,000 living accommodations of various sizes and types. Our immediate problem is to house these incoming workers.
Will use existing housing to fullest possible extent
“We plan to find 650,000 accommodations in existing structures, which means we must expand our present homes utilization program and institute a vigorous campaign to induce established families to take war guests into their homes for the duration. The scarcity of critical materials makes it imperative now that we use existing housing to the fullest possible extent, converting wherever possible large single-family structures to produce additional living units.
“The other 670,000 accommodations must be new housing. Private industry has been asked to build 270,000 family units, for which priority ratings are now available. Public construction, both scheduled and still to be appropriated for, must provide the remainder, which will include 205,000 family units and 195,000 dormitory and dormitory apartment accommodations. This Nation-wide program is designed to help meet the minimum housing needs of some 550 localities.”
★ ★ ★
Project amendment requests on new form after October 26
The new form PD-200B must be used after October 26 for all applications for amendments to construction projects authorized by a preference rating order of the P-19 series, the director general for operations announced October 20. The form is available at FHA and WPB field offices.
FPHA EXTENDS WORK WEEK TO SPEED WAR HOUSING
IN EMERGENCY CASES
To speed up the construction of vitally needed war housing projects. Commissioner Herbert Emmerich of the Federal Public Housing Authority, National Housing Agency, has authorized the lengthening of the 40-hour work week now called for in contracts, and contractors will be reimbursed for the amount of overtime pay involved.
In an order to FPHA regional directors, Commissioner Emmerich said:
It is essential that construction work be actively prosecuted for periods in excess of the established 40-hour straight-time, workweek, where conditions of unusual emergency exist, and where labor and materials can be obtained with requisite speed and in adequate volume.
Where such conditions exist, FPHA Regional Directors are authorized to order an increase in the number of working hours per week, and to execute change orders covering payment to the contractor for work in excess * of the 40-hour week as required by the contract.
No order for overtime work should be given in connection with lump-sum construction contract operations, unless the Regional Director has assurance that overtime work will materially advance the project completion date, and an appropriate earlier completion date is stipulated in the change order.
In cases where the completion date can be sufficiently advanced by means of overtime work on the part of one or more trades, it may be advisable to follow such procedure.
★ ★ ★
50,435 war bousing units placed under construction
More than 11,000 housing units a week were placed under construction in the public war housing program during September, Commissioner Herbert Emmerich, Federal Public Housing Authority, reported October 19 to Administrator John Blandford, Jr., of the National Housing Agency. The “total for the month was 50,435.
Housing units completed during September under the war housing program totaled 14,933, and the number of new units assigned for development during the month totaled 62,102.,
Of the 50,435 projects awarded for construction, 10,089 were family dwelling units; 793 two-person family dormitory units; 39,010 dormitory accommodations for single person^ and 543 trailer units.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
27
EVICTIONS UNDER RIGID CONTROL TO PREVENT “PHONY” HOUSE SALES
Rigid control of eviction of tenants resulting from the sale of houses is contained in an amendment to maximum rent regulations issued October 19 by Price Administrator Henderson.
Effective October 20, the amendment sets forth two requirements which must be met before the purchaser can obtain the right to occupy the property:
1. Payment of one-third of the purchase price must be made before a certificate authorizing eviction will be issued by the Area Rent Director;
2. Three months must pass after the issuance of the certificate before the present tenant can be forced to vacate. Money borrowed to make this one-third payment will not be considered as satisfying this requirement.
“Hardships” recognized
In certain cases of “special hardship,” particularly hardship to the seller, the amendment provides for the granting of a certificate of eviction waiving these two requirements.
The amendment, applicable to all Maximum Rent Regulations for Housing Accommodations other than Hotels and Rooming Houses, tightens OPA’s eviction restrictions even further. It changes the eviction section of the regulation, which formerly permitted eviction actions to be brought, without application to the area rent director, by an owner who wanted to recover possession for use by “himself, his family or dependents.” The amendment limits this right of recovery, to use by the owner alone, striking out “his family or dependents.” When an eviction is permitted on this ground, the owner must report to the Area Rent Office if he rents the house within 6 months after the eviction.
Necessary to-morale
“Necessity for this action has been growing daily,” Mr. Henderson said. “In order to maintain the morale of workers in war production industry and of the families of members of the armed forces who pay rent, it is vital that they remain free from the threat of overnight eviction for the duration of the national emergency. Eliminating the apprehension of immediate eviction will make it possible for a worker to maximize his contribution to the war.
v “This amendment not only places an effective check on evictions in that a purchaser will have to wait three months
Nelson orders priority aid revoked for much nonmilitary Government construction to make way for essential war projects
WPB Chairman Donald M. Nelson October 21 notified heads of eight governmental agencies that he has given instructions to revoke priority assistance to a large part of nonmilitary construction for the Federal Government.
To review military construction
Exceptions are made only insofar as such construction is directly essential to the war effort. At the same time a review of all military projects, of the Army, Navy and Maritime Commission, with the same end in view, is being made.
“As things now stand,” Mr. Nelson said, “facilities and construction, including many projects not related’ to the war effort, programmed for 1943, with the carry-over of uncompleted 1942 projects, will absorb between one-fifth and onefourth of the total way effort. .
Would jeopardize war projects
“As a result,” he continued, “the aggregate demand of such projects for materials, labor, transportation, manpower,* and technical and engineering services is so great as not only to jeopardize the various military and essential civilian production programs in general, but to force the most essential war projects dangerously behind schedule.
“I refer particularly to the rubber program, the high-octane gasoline program, the aluminum and steel expansion programs, the aviation program, and
before he can occupy—it will also go a long way toward stopping ‘phony’ sales of houses to evade legal rent control.”
Notification to OPA
By another amendment effective October 20, OPA will have knowledge of every eviction action started regardless of the grounds. In the past, landlords were required to notify the area rent office of all eviction actions except an action started on grounds of nonpayment of the legal rent. Under this amendment, notification must be made even when the action is on that ground.
A third amendment related to the same subject also was issued, effective
other like items of the most critical essentiality. ... *
“In this connection, I am concerned not only with civilian but with military construction as well, which, with the concurrence of the Under Secretaries of War and the Navy, is also to be reviewed * and restricted in the light of its essentiality under present conditions.
“Experience has indicated that this situation cannot be effectively controlled merely through granting low priority ratings. Unessential projects must be stopped. . . .”
Not permanently dropped
Letters to thç agency heads differed in some specific respects, but each followed the same pattern. Agencies addressed were the War Department, Navy Department, Maritime Commission, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Federal Works Agency and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
' A present reduction in Government construction to make way for war production does not mean that such projects are to be permanently dropped. On the contrary, there will be special need for-many such public works in the period following the end of the war to help take up the shock of reverting to peacetime economy. Works now deferred because of the war can with benefit be resumed at that. time.
October 20th. This amendment covers the situation where a tenant had entered into a lease with the option to buy the housing accommodations. If such an agreement had been made prior to October 20th, the tenant may make application to the Area Rent Director for au-thorization to permit rent payments in excess of the maximum rent. If the tenant does not apply for such authorization, the payments can not exceed the maximum rent even though the leaseoption agreement calls for- higher payments. A lease with option to buy entered into after October 20 can not call for payments in excess of maximum rents.
28
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
LABOR ...
Board issues order to halt pirating of workers with offers of higher pay
To stop the pirating of workers, the National War Labor Board last week issued a sixth General Order, prohibiting an employer from hiring an individual at a rate higher than that already established in his plant for workers of similar skill and ability. The Board also took drastic steps to stop the pirating of tool and die workers in the Detroit area. The Board’s first decision which required submission to James F. Byrnes, the Economic Stabilization Director, under the executive order for stabilizing the cost of living, was last week approved by Mr. Byrnes. The case was an award of $1 a day increase to 10,000 non-ferrous metal miners in the west in order to help alleviate the shortage of labor, particularly in copper mining.
General order and interpretations issued
In a move to stop the pirating of workers with promises of exorbitant wages, the National War Labor Board last week unanimously decided that the Executive Order of October 3 prohibits an employer from hiring an individual at a rate higher than the one previously established in his plant for workers of similar skill and productive ability.
The Board announced this decision in the form of General Order No. 6 which stated that to hire a worker at such a v higher rate would be a wage increase within the meaning of Executive Order No. 9250, and would, therefore, require - approval of the Board.
This General Order also provided that if no previous job classification has been established by the employer for the plant involved, “the rate shall be fixed at a level not exceeding that which prevails for similar classifications within the area • unless a higher rate is approved by the National War Labor Board.”
To answer a large number of inquiries which have arisen concerning the application of three of its General Orders to particular situations, the Board also unanimously decided to issue six interpretations of these orders.
In General Order No. 3 the Board October 7 tentatively approved all wage increases “put into effect on or before October 3,” the date of the Executive Order
stabilizing wages. In three interpretations, the Board decided that:
1. Wage increases to be approved under the terms of General Order No. 3 must have been included in a written agreement entered into on or before October 3 or have been communicated to the employees by formal action on or before that date. To be approved, such increases must have been applicable to work done prior to October 3, though they need not have been reflected in a pay roll on or before that date.
2. No increases resulting front the award or decision of an arbitrator or referee made after October 3 is approved under the terms of General Order No. 3, even though the agreement to arbitrate was made prior to that date.
3. No change in wage rates, unless otherwise exempted, can be made in the future without approval of the Board, even if such changes ar called for in collective bargaining agreements. Typical cases are contracts calling for automatic adjustments tied to changes in the cost of living.
In General Order No. 4 the Board exempted wage adjustments by employers of 8 or less individuals. In two interpretations of this order the Board decided that:
1. This exemption does not apply to employers who own or operate more than one plant or unit if the total number of employees in all these plants or units exceed 8. Chain stores are typical of the employers who are not exempted.
2. The exemption does not apply to employers If the wages, hours, or working conditions of their employees “have been established or negotiated on an Industry, association, area or other similar basis, whether by master contract or by separate but similar or identical contracts.” If a number of stores In a city, for Instance, all employing 8 or less persons, are covered by a master contract with a union, an individual store could not make a wage adjustment under the exemption provided in General Order No. 4. Such adjustments, If allowed, might have the effect of creating Inequalities where wages had been stabilized by a master agreement.
Can readjust piece rates
In General Order No. 5 the Board approved individual wage adjustments which fall within certain prescribed limitations. In an interpretation of this order the Board said that the readjustment of piece rates could be made without approval of the Board if the original rate was only set tentatively for trial purposes, or if it yields less than the regularly established or normal amount prevailing in the plant for that type of job.
Board acts in tool and die industry
The WLB last week took the following drastic steps to stop the pirating of tool
and die workers, which has created a “very grave situation” in the tool and die industry in five Michigan counties in the Detroit area: •
1. It ordered all employers of tool and die workers in Wayne, Oakland, McComb, Monroe, A and Washtenaw Counties, Mich, to show cause at a hearing in Detroit, October 29, why the maximum rates fixed in the Board’s order In the consolidated cases of General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, and 80 independent shops affiliated with the Automotive Tool and Die Manufacturers Association should not be applied to all other employers in the area.
~ 2. The Board prohibited any tool and die employer in the area from hiring a tool or die worker after October 23, the date of the •order, at a rate higher than that fixed in the earlier case and from increasing the rate of any present tool and die worker above the maximum fixed in that case: This prohibi-tion will stand until the Board finally determines the issues raised at the hearing.
3. The Board plugged a loop-hole through which the smaller shops might evade this order by amending its General Order No. 4 so that fhe exemption from the Executive Order of October 3 for employers of 8 or less individuals will not apply to the employment of tool and die workers.
The Board took this action, according to its order, because it had reason to believe-“that a very grave situation with fespect to tool and die workers exists in certain industrial counties of Michigan, that there is a serious shortage of such workers in that area, that .there is a great deal of pirating of such workers between the various shops with many resultant abuses, such as brokerage of workers, that wage rates of such workers are unstabilized and inflationary, and that the continuance of this situation threatens the war production effort and the economic stabilization program.”
The rates ordered by the Board on October 10 in the previous case and now extended temporarily to all tool and die shops in the area are as follows: (1) job shop maximum—$1.75; (2) captive shop maximum—$1.60.
The text of General Order No. 4-A is as follows:
By virtue of the authority vested in the National War Labor Board by Executive Order No. 9250, dated October 3, 1942, it is hereby ordered:
General Order No. 4 of the National War Labor Board, dated October 9,1942, exempting employers who employ not more than eight individuals from the provisions of said Executive Order, shall not apply to the employment of tool and die workers.
Byrnes approves metal miners’ wage increase
Wage increases provided by the WLB in its directive order in the nonferrous metals cases have been approved by James F. Byrnes,, Director of Economic Stabilization. Mr. Byrnes, in a letter to Chairman William H. Davis of the WLB, said that Price Administrator Leon Henderson had recommended approval of the order.
October 27, 1942
★ VICTORY ★
29
The decision granted 10,000 copper, lead and zinc workers in Idaho and Utah an increase of $1 a day, half of which is to be paid only to those who come up to certain continuity of work and production standards. In regard to 4,000 workers in 10 mills and smelters in 7 states, the Board granted increases ranging from 2%0 to 1%0 an hour in 7 of the plants and denied an increase in the other 3. The Board also set up a special panel to recommend plans for stabilizing labor relations throughout the nonferrous metals industry.
In his opinion, Mr. Davis said that the shortage of nonferrous metals “is by all odds the most immediately critical problem in the whole field of raw material supply” and “has already caused the restriction of production of essential munitions and is directly interfering with the war effort of the nation.” This shortage, he said, was due to a shortage of manpower, and added:
It would be foolish to say that we are not able, or that we cannot afford, to get these metals out of the ground and into the munitions factories. One might as well say that we are not able, or cannot" afford, to win the war. It is a problem that must be solved.
Mr. Davis pointed out that the Government had already taken five concerted steps to meet this manpower shortage, including such unique actions as the furloughing of miners from the Army, their release from Army arsenals and other projects, the limitations placed by the War Manpower Commission on the movement of men out of the mines, and the closing of gold mines to release miners for nonferrous mining. As part of this concerted plan, he said, the War Labor Board has been asked to approve certain wage increases.
Striking union is denied union security
The WLB unanimously rejected the request of the International Molders and Foundry Workers Union, AFL, for a union security clause in its contract with the Pettibone Mulliken Corporation, Chicago, because of two short strikes in July in violation of labor’s no-strike pledge. The Board declared, however, that the issue may be reopened upon petition from the union six months after the date of the directive order.
★ ★ ★
Small lignite mines get price aid to avert shortage
To avert a threat of fuel shortages in the Mountain West, the OPA acted October 20 to speed price adjustments on lignite from small truck mines.
Elmer Davis praises Canadians for releasing bad news of Dieppe raid
Speaking at a Victory Loan luncheon In Montreal, Canada, October 19, Director Elmer Davis of the Office of War Information, expressed the belief that “a free people will fight all the better for the fullest knowledge of what it is fighting about, what it is fighting for, and how the fight is going.” The report of the Canadian Defense Minister on the Dieppe raid, Mr. Davis commended as a “model of candor and common sense.”
A free people . . . has a right to know
Further excerpts:
We all recognize that information which would aid the enemy, and which is not already known to him, must be withheld, but in neither nation do we adtnit the pernicious doctrine that bad news should be withheld because it might discourage the people; or that it should be saved up till it can be balanced with good news. A free people wants to know and has a right to know how the battle is going, and will fight all the harder if it realizes how hard it must fight for victory.
“Faith in the . . . Canadian spirit”
Here in Canada you have lately given us a convincing demonstration of that faith in your handling of the news of the Dieppe raid. The report of your Defense Minister, Mr. Ralston, was a model of candor and common sense. In that operation the casualties were proportionately very heavy, but prompt announcement of those casualties was a proof that your government had faith in the strength of the Canadian spirit. And that incident set an example which every free people in this war should remember and can profitably follow.
Problems basically similar
I mention this because it happens to be in my own field; but this is only one of many fields in which the example and experience of the Canadian people have helped us chart our own course more wisely. Many of the problems of the two nations are basically similar; for whatever differences there may be in our structure, they are all outweighed by the basic considerations that we are both continental nations, rich in natural resources but both thinly populated by European standards—nations which have to consider the problems of two oceans and two sea frontiers; nations accordingly to which the experience of smaller, more compact and more crowded nations
in older continents seldom applies, but which have much to learn from each other.
★ ★ ★
Newspaper industry advisory committee formed
WPB Chairman Nelson announced October 21 the formation of a newspaper industry advisory committee to serve as a channel for discussion of the wartime problems of the American newspaper industry. The committee’s first meeting was to be held in Washington, D. C., on October 27.
Discussions were scheduled on man- * power and materials problems, the newsprint situation, and other questions. High on the list of subjects for consideration was the manpower shortage developing in the industry because of the de-nands of Selective Service and war industry, and the increasing effect on newspaper production of curtailed supplies of copper, zinc steel stitching wire, and several vital chemicals.
The committee appointed by Mr. Nelson was expected to include the following newspaper executives:
E. F. Abels, The Outlook, Lawrence, Kans.; O. G. Andrews, The Day, New London, Conn.; W. G. Chandler, Scripps-Howard newspapers. New York, N. Y.; Robert Choate, Herald Traveller, Boston, Mass.; Howard Davis, New York Herald Tribune, New York, N. Y.; Walter M. Dear, Jersey City Journal, Jersey City, N. J.; F. M. Flynn, New York Daily News, New York, N. Y.
J. D. Gortatowsky, Hearst Corporation, New York, N. Y.; J. S. Gray, Monroe News, Monroe, Mich.; James L. Knight, Miami Herald, Miami, Fla.;. Charles Manship, Baton Rouge Times and Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.; J. M. North, Jr., Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Tex.; John S. McCarrens, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio; Fleming Newbold, The Evening Star, Washington, D. C.; John Potter, Argus, Rock Island, Hl.; Arthur H. Sulzberger, New York Times, New York, N. Y.; Frank E. Tripp, Gannett Newspapers, Elmira, N. Y.; S. E. 'Thomason, Chicago Times, Chicago, Hl.; S. R. Winch, Journal, Portland, Oreg.
★ ★ ★
AID TO RUSSIA—Imminent fulfillment of the United States commitment to the Russian Government for tire manufacturing machinery was announced October 22 by Rubber Director William M. Jeffers. A survey now is nearing completion to locate available equipment, he said. A listing of this, together with prices, will be forwarded to U. S. Treasury Procurement for purchase and prompt shipment.
30
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
Civilians, military worked side .by side to combat Potomac River flood
A full-dress test of civilian defense organization in a metropolitan area, occasioned by the Potomac River flood at Washington, has produced “an outstanding example of cooperation between volunteer and professional workers,” according to reports submitted to Brig. Gen. U. S. Grant, 3d, chief of the civilian protection branch of the Office of Civilian Defense.
“Reports by members of the national
OCD staff, who observed the operation of civilian defense organizations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia' convey the outstanding impression of complete and willing cooperation among the organized volunteers, the military and the. municipal services,” General Grant said. “This type of organization and devotion to duty will serve any community well in the event of a bombing by our enemies.”
New rules for hotels and rooming houses
Two requirements relating to records of charges for rented rooms were announced October 20 by OPA.
One requires landlords subject to the hotel and rooming-house rent regulations to preserve and make available for examination by the Price Administrator all records showing the rent for each period of occupancy and number of occupants during the 30-day period, or the date, which was used to determine the maximum rent.
The other stipulates that, beginning October 20, every landlord of an establishment containing more than 20 rooms must keep and make available for examination records as to the rent and number, of occupants of each room, and the name and permanent address of each occupant. For establishments containing less than 20 rooms, landlords are to keep such records as they have in the past, and preserve them and make them available for examination by the Price Administrator. *
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MERCHANT SEAMEN HONORED BY SERVICE FLAG
The service flag customarily flown to indicate members of a household serving in the armed forces may also be used by families of merchant seamen. Admiral Emory S. Land, War Shipping Administrator, announced October 20.
Admiral Land stated it was both fitting and proper that members of the Merchant Marine, as well as the men of the Army and Navy, should be honored by representation on service flags.
THESE CARTOONS ^
drawn by famous artists to help the war effort, are available to newspapers in two-column mats. Write Distribution Section, Office of War information, Washington, D. C., specifying whether you want individual panels or all four each week.
★ ★ ★
WAR EFFORT INDICES
Percent
change
MANPOWER irom
September
September 1942: Number 19Jfl ,
Labor force________ 54,100,000 — 1.3
Unemployed_________- 1, 700, 000 —62.2
Employed______________ *52,400,000 + 4.2
Nonagricul-
tural_____________*42, 200,000 + 5.0 .
Male______________ 29,600,000 + 0.7
Female _ 12, 600,000 +16. 7
A g r i c u 1 -
tural_„— *10,200,000 + 1.0
Male — 8, 600,000 None
Female. 1,600,000 + 6.7
FINANCE **
Authorized war program,
July 1940-October 22,
1942________________- t$224,000, 000, 000^
Pending appropriations and contract authorizations______________- fl5, 600,000, 000
Total disbursements, July
1940-October 22, 1942.. t54,000, 000,000
PRODUCTION
Gov. commitments for war plant expansion;
2,664 projects; June
1940-Aug. 31________♦♦ *$13, 310, 000,000
Private commitments for war plant expansion;
10,239 certificates of necessity approved, June 1940-September 30__________________ $3,422, 000,000
Man-days of idleness on strikes affecting war production, September 1942 _______________._ 318,892
Percentage—time lost to estimated time worked________—-------- %oofl%
Percent
All manufacturing Indus-, from like tries— month
August: last year
Average weekly earn-
ings _____________-________f $39. 54 23.9
Average hours worked
per week________________ 42.8 4. 9
Average hourly earn-
ings _____-___.—-- 186.40 15.9
Indent
Cost of living (1935-39=100):
May 1942_____________________ 116.0 12.7
September 1942-------------— 117.8 9.0
*New series starting August 18.
♦♦Includes funds made available by Congressional legislation and by Government , corporations.
** »Revised series starting October 13.
! tPreliminary.
, ¿Revised.
* * *
, ESTABLISHMENT of a New Orleans
r* Metropolitan Civilian Defense Area was
. announced by OCD Director Landis.
Transport priorities in new division
Responsibility for all transportation priorities, domestic as well as import, have been consolidated in a new division 1 of stockpiling and transportation, it was announced October 20 by A. I. Henderson, deputy director general for industry operations.
* * *
THE WAR SHIPPING ADMINISTRATION has asked about 45 tug and barge operators engaged in offshore trades to submit their qualifications with the view of becoming general agents for War Shipping Administration craft.
GIFT KITS containing shaving cream or toothpaste tubes can be purchased for members of the armed forces without turning in an old tube, the director general for operations ruled October 22. This exemption from the WPB requirement that old tubes be turned in for the purpose of shaving cream or toothpaste tubes applies only if the gift boxes are delivered or sent direct to the man in the service by the seller of the article; The action, taken in an amendment to M-115, also specifies that the shaving cream or toothpaste comprise not over 25 percent of the total value of the gift box.
* * *
DUTY AND CUSTOM brokerage fees on imported Canadian lumber cannot be added, either directly or as transportation costs, to the maximum prices established for northern softwood lumber, the OPA announced October 23 in answer to a number of questions from the trade.
October 27, 1942 *
★ VICTORY ★
31
32
★ VICTORY ★
October 27, 1942
Kid Salvage is a character drawn for VICTORY by Steig. Editors can get mats or proofs in two-column size from Distribution Section, Office of War Information, Washington, D. C.
★ ★ ★
WHAT U. S. WANTS YOU TO DO WITH USED STOCKINGS
In reply to inquiries regarding provisions of Order M-182, which froze stocks of old silk and nylon hosiery in the hands of second-hand dealers,., the following clarification was issued October 20 by Frank L. Walton, deputy chief of the textile, clothing and leather branch.
Q. To whom does the freeze order apply?
A. The order covers only second-hand dealers holding women’s hosiery containing any silk or any nylon. It does not apply to individual consumers. Dealers can dispose of their stocks to the Defense Supplies Corporation.
Q. What kind of hosiery is covered?
A. Any women’s hosiery which contains either silk or nylon. This holds true even if the hosiery should contain other fibers besides silk or nylon.
Q. Should women save their discarded silk or nylon hosiery?
A. Yes. This hosiery should be washed and stored pending announcement of a collection campaign by the WPB conservation division. Local salvage committees will then be advised of plans for collecting this material.
Q. Does the Government want hosiery which is still usable?
A. No. New hosiery or hosiery that can be repaired or mended for further use is not being asked for by the Government. On the contrary, WPB urges women to conserve their hosiery in every way so that it will last as . long as possible.
Q. Are all types and shades of silk and nylon hosiery wanted?
A. Yes. Any color, shade or size of women’s stockings can be used if they contain any silk or nylon.
WPB orders 400 cities to collect cans on trash trucks as aid to national drive
The Nation took another forward step October 20 toward achieving its goal of recovering 1,000,000 tons of steel scrap and 10,000 tons of pure tin from old tin cans with the issuance of an amendment to Order M-72-a requiring more than 400 municipalities to enlist their regular trash-collection machinery in a systematic and continuing collection and segregation of scrap cans. All private refuse collection in these cities is also subject to this order.
Step intensifies drive
The amendment, first step in an intense national can collection program, requires that trash collection agencies in all municipalities over 25,000 population in 15 Northeastern States must collect and keep segregated all prepared cans offered in usual trash collections. Housewives are urged to “prepare” their cans and to keep them separated from other trash, as municipalities are required by this order to collect only those cans which are prepared and kept segregated. The cities must then dispose of the cans only to shredding or detinning plants, or to plants engaged in the precipitation of copper.
The territory affected includes:
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia; St. Louis, Mo., Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, Minn.
In specified counties in California, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, trash collectors must accept and keep segregated all cans, prepared or not, and must dispose of them only to detinners, shredding plants or copper precipitation plants, or to municipalities. Detinned scrap in this area may be delivered only to copper precipitation plants.
21 new plants building
The other change made by the amendment is to include terneplate cans with tin scrap which may not be sold to steel producers.
While the can salvage program is national in scope, the new order applies only to the more populous areas. Cans available for collection in this area will keep the present six major detinning plants in full operation. Four new can detinning plants and 17 subsidiary shredding plants are under construction by the Government. Used cans to fill this additional capacity, when completed, will
be attained by extending mandatory collection to the entire country. Meanwhile, citizens in areas not covered by the order are urged to prepare and save their cans, so that when the new plants come into operation, a stockpile of cans
EVERYBODY SAVE CANS—
THEY’LL BE COLLECTED
. Q. In what territories should cans be saved?
A. Everywhere.
Q. I live in a community not covered by the order. Who will collect my cans ?
A. Local salvage committees, of which there are 13,000 in the country, are arranging for collection, storage, and shipment of cans. Such local salvage will be tied into the national campaign through the committees.
Q. Where can I get information, or find out what to do with my cans?
A. Call your local salvage committee chairman.
will be available to permit them to operate. The cans used by an average family in six months can, when prepared, be stored in a small barrel, carton, or box.
Small communities urged to act
While the order makes mandatory the collection of prepared cans only in cities over 25,000, small communities in the States covered by the order are urged to set up tributary collection systems to < feed their prepared cans into the nearest city. Salvage chairmen and committees in each such community are being asked by salvage headquarters in Washington to make such collection arrangements.
“Prepared cans,” which are the kind urgently needed now, are those that have been washed, labels removed, ends cut off, flattened and the ends inserted.
SALVAGED from Lake Cayuga’s waters in up-state New York, the old steamer Frontenac has yielded 16 tons of steel, 350 pounds of brass, and 300 tons of lead for the salvage drive.