| Show I Committees for Economic Development Plan to Maintain Employment After Alter War I I Surveys Being Made In More Marc IVI rc Than 2000 2 U. U S S. Communities Hy By 11 y AL JEDLICKA JEI by Western Newspaper Union In over 2000 communities throughout the United States people are laying their own for a return to a peace- peace time c e economy when the war erdi erd and the country's gigan gigan- gigantic tic armament at production Although these people are arc being guided by the Commit Commit- Committee tee for or Economic Develop Develop- Development Development Development ment they arc are no trained I technicians nor market ana ana- analysts anaI analysts I nor economists is them them- themselves selves but just plain Mr and Mrs America familiarizing themselves with the condi condi- conditions conditions conditions peculiar to their com com- communities communities communities and anxious to pro pro- provide provide provide vide opportunities for or its prosperity pros pros- prosperity I in the critical postwar world Citizens In towns and cities rang rong- ranging ing log from hundreds hundred to thousands in population have grouped to under under- undertake undertake take toke a problem that otherwise might I Ibe be cast cust solely upon the shoulders of 01 the government rind thus they have j sought nought to apply democratic principles f pIes ples directly through themselves rather than through distant public officials Recognizing the great grent business possibilities In the postwar world and seeking to acquaint the people the country over with them so they I might relieve any distress nt a attend attend- attending tend tending i ing demobilization of ot the military I II establishments nand arid Industry the I Committee for tor Economic Develop Develop- I meal ment or CED was organized in 12 10 and began Its operations in 1043 13 with the intention of ot assist assisting ing log in the creation of postwar plan plan- planning planning ning groups In communities of ot more than thun Dut But with the realization realization tion that only through h a widespread i organization affecting every Ivery ceo ceo- economic nomie segment of the country could any movement be bC effective the CED extended its activities to smaller cities ns os well we where the limited fields older offer nn In even more thorough application of the plan Mended and supported by the nations nation's biggest businessmen the CED makes no bones about Its ob ob- objective objective of ot stimulating Individual Ini 1 h L I Q ti t y 1 A student from lie Dickin Dickinson son sill junior college Interviews II the Ihl lo 10 local cud cal II hardware ha and paint dealer on his postwar u t nr plans and amts amt's 1111 expectations e The lime college stu stu- students students dents 15 did the work 11 In aunty cration with lIh time the Bergen County aunt N. N N 1 J J. J Committee for rill Devel tI to 10 assist In the solution of the grave C problems which demobilization ton tion n will present But Dut in pursuing Its goal 1001 CED's organisers welcome the thC backlog backing of every Cly economic group within a II community the Ole business business- businessmen businessmen men the farmers labor public offs clans and ond any other persons who might be bc Interested Each Endl City Makes 1 Own n lI lInsIn In proceeding with their theil work CED's organizers insist upon each community lI developing Its lis own plans on the principle that its members are ole more familiar with the city's circumstances than anybody outside of it might be ba CED actively en en- enters enters 11 tel's the picture through its guid guid- guidance guidance ance onte in organization the distribution distribution distribution tion of findings of ut its expert research departments and Its lis establishment as ns a n clearing house for the exchange of information gathered through its wide countrywide operations op As an nn Indication of ot the Ole roots grassroots character of the communal post post- postwar postwar war Will planning CED's records show that thai 35 per cent t of the thC cities organ OIlIn organized Iud are under population and andin andin in the typically t rural ruml state of South Dakota for Instance out of communities engaged In the pro pro- program gram have hO less than 1300 people p i I I t ij a ai i I I A Hergen Bergen County N. N N J J. J house house- housewife wife tells tell a college girl 1111 what she In Intends In- In Intends tends to buy after the war wor In the line of home hornC furnishings and what the fondly plans ore are for lor remodeling or repairing the life house purchasing an automobile traveling and ond so on The working of ot the program may maybe maybe be best explained by a study of Its actual ll operation in one of the small cities ns os described by Mr Hermann C. C CED's regional man man- tiger nger for tor the Ninth Federal Reserve i district embracing the Northwest I In helping to organize a n town Mr I said CED representatives contact some representative mem mem- member member ber of ot the community who then as- as as aerobics other active citizens to dis discuss I cuss the program Expenses lire are I negligible since the local chamber cham I cham-I ber of commerce etc tc furnish the headquarters and financial outlay is limited to stationery and postage stumps To get an nn Idea of the possible post- post postwar postwar war conditions in the community various surveys are conducted Mr Weymann continued with local in industries In- In Industries industries canvassed ns os to the num nurn- number numb ber b r of employees they expect they will be able to hire and residents polled ns as to the different kinds of at merchandise they plan to purchase Businessmen then figure tJ ure on how many people they will need to service servIce service ice the demand demond Surveys also es cs- establish es- es establish plans for postwar public works to take toke up any ony employment slack To provide a n solid basis for tor the business community to figure on residents polled lulled also are nrc asked to 10 rc revea other bother they Intend to pur pur- purchase purchase chase goods out of current Income installment credit savings or bank deposits or war bonds i n Through banks bonks building and loan loon loanI I associations postal savings and ond war wor bond band sales financial assets of the I I community are tabulated to de- de determine determine termine the extent to which post post- postwar war activities might be supported Albert lea Ira Minn 1 Survey SUI I Typical of the consumer surveys upon which businessmen con can pro- pro project 1 their potential needs Mr 11 Weh- Weh mann said was tens the one conducted In the town of Albert Len Lea with Its population tion of In Freeborn county with over people In Minnesota t M The survey showed that residents of ot the town expected to buy 1156 automobiles at nt and farm farmers ers era of ot the county 1140 cars at 1 I People In the town hoped to buy bu new houses at an average cost I of while farmers looked for forward ward wo Id I'd to the construction of homes nt lit lIch each I Repairs averaging were wel planned for houses In Albert I Lea Leo while similar work averaging I 00 was anticipated ted on farm tarm I homes in the county In addition II farmers Indicated they would build barns nt lit nn rat average crole cost of ot 1473 and O silos at nt nn on average I price of Farmers also expected to pur pur- purchase chase tractors averaging o each prefabricated small build build- buildings buildings ings averaging and electric services averaging a With businessmen thus thu able to fig fig- figure figure ure we upon their possible employment needs ne-eds and with surveys SUf of local in In- industries Industries industries determining their future op op- operating op- op crating prospects communities can cnn partly visualize their postwar con condition New iI Industries Towns that may moy be faced with n a i surplus of can be en en- encouraged encouraged to explore the possibility of ot developing a n new Industry after con con- consultation with economic experts at nt their state universities In cases where such development dr may ma be de de- desirable de- de desirable consideration may mar be bl given to some Industry which might ml ht be he based upon a 0 local agricultural crop After Arler extensive field work Mr has set up a n chart of the employment ment prospects of towns which have hove undertaken communal planning within his region and as evidence of the value of tile the survey consultations with Governor Thye of Minnesota have resulted in the states state's consideration to locate public works projects within those areas where labor surpluses may develop d In organizing communal planning the country over th the CED does not hold that such preparation win will willbe be a n sure fire cure for tor the employ employ- employment employment ment and business problems that will develop upon military and In In- Industrial demobilization after the war The CED does not overlook the Importance of Industry quickly re re- reconverting reconverting re- re reconverting converting to civilian production to absorb the mass of nor does doeR It Ignore the fact that any solid stability can be expected un un- unless unless less agriculture Is assured an ade ode adequate adequate quate quote market at a fair fall price On the question of CED stands for the swift settlement I of cancelled war contracts to pro pro- provide provide provide vide industry with funds with which to finance finance- the switch back to civilian goods At the end of ot the war CED figures that about 10 billion dollars rs of 01 claims will be entered against the government of ot which probably II 2 billion dollars will be subject to I dispute I Government Surplus Sales Besides CED also advocates the orderly disposal of surplus war material so as ns not to I repeat the mistakes that followed marketing of such goods after otter the thelast thelast last lost conflict with the subsequent disturbance d of normal normol channels of production and distribution In this respect the government already has hns established nn an agency for handling surplus goods with emphasis placed I I a maximum for tor upon return any material j I In a recent address Paul G. G G Hod Holl Hodman I Iman I man chairman of the board of trus trus- trustees trustees tees of CED I I declared Private business cannot by any means do the entire Job of provid provid- providing providIng providing ing postwar employment But it Is aware of ol Its obligation to make its maximum contribution to that end With labor loboI and agriculture It hopes to see reestablished after this war wara a tree free and growing American econ econ- economy economy economy omy What Is Americas America's postwar goal for civilian employment The Committee Com Com- Committee Committee for tor Economic Development places that figure at from 53 to 56 million Jobs That is 7 to 10 mil mil- million million million lion more than in 1040 IDola the banner bonner year In nil all our prewar history It Is in clear that private busi busi- business ness ness ness-In in which I 1 Include agriculture and the professions prote professions must must must provide employment for tor the overwhelming proportion of those Americans who after this war will be seeking see Jobs No governmental employment yet planned let planned let alone DIone blueprinted can blueprinted can take up more than a fraction of the unemployment slack that would exist If private employment were not able to go full steam ahead when the war ends Opportunity for Profit Meanwhile the Committee for Economic Development is com com- committed committed milted to these beliefs The American economy after this war must be predominantly one of private enterprise in which the opportunity for n a fair fall profit will en en- encourage encourage encourage courage businessmen to expand present operations and to undertake I new ventures The American economy after this war nJ must be an nn expanding econ econ- I The president of the bank in Ruth Ruth- Rutherford erford N. N N J. J J gives pertinent finan finan- financial financial financial cial data dala to a college girl inter Inter- interviewer viewer lr The figures on savings and demand deposits war lar bond sales salts personal loans and sales salts on credit help the Committee for lor Economic Development In forecasting the pur pur- purchasing purchasing chasing power po that will be bt available a to buy huy hu goods when peace returns omy om in which more wealth will be created and consumed year Car after year jear ear and in which the American standard of living will steadily rise The American economy econom after this war must be such as to give every encouragement to the small busi- busi businessman for small business and particularly new enterprise pro pro- promotes promotes motes moles competition and flexibility in lour our economy and thus furnishes pro pro- protection protection tel lion against monopolistic practices practices practice's tices tice's which maintain prices and re re- restrict restrict re- re restrict strict production |
