Show ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS National and International Probe Problems Problems lems Inseparable from Local Welfare Big Bi news new for a long time has been the vast amount of new em em- employment created by bil bil billion lion dollar national defense and aid to the programs pro rams Now con con- considerable publicity and thought is being bein given gi en to the unemployment which these same programs arc creating As everyone knows we have fin fin- finally finally finally ally reached the point where de de- defense defense needs arc dislocating our time peace The period of business as usual is definitely over The dislocations will grow greater as time moves on and more and more of our resources are turn cd Into the instruments of war Way time the wind blows is indicated by the fact that automobile production production production tion for December will be cut 48 per der er cent below that of the same month last year And most economists economists mists believe that it will swill be sary to make substantially greater cuts in the future The result is that tens of of- thou thou- thousands thousands thousands sands of men arc are being bein discharged by factories which have a low prior prior- priority priority obtain sup sup- supplies supplies ity it rating and cannot plies for the reason rea on that they arc are not engaged en aged in defense work Some of these men of course find jobs elsewhere But a very high hi h proportion proportion proportion tion of them cannot And as a consequence con con- consequence sequence this tl is war unemployment is a serious problem The bulk of the business affected in this instance arc are relatively small Big BiR businesses for the most part are able to more readily turn to de de- defense defense dc- dc work and naturally arc are in a better position to obtain favorable attention from the that powers be bein Jin Washington in So a definite move move- movement movement ment has started on the part of lit lit- tIe lit to put up a fight for Its Cs survival and survival and the survival of the thes jb s of its A short time ego o a conference of unemployment Due to Priorities was held in Chi Chi- cago Delegates came from eleven midwestern states and included mayors manufacturers members of congress con ress labor leaders etc Ac Ac- Action Action Action tion taken consisted of requesting that a larger lar er proportion of defense work be allotted to small business and that a new system of priority allotment be established with a aview view to maintaining employment in peace industries until they the could change chan e over oyer to a war basis defense heads So far government seem to have done little to solve the problems of small business and its workers According to News News- Newsweek Newsweek week top defense executives Don Don- Donald Donald Donald ald Nelson Leon Henderson and Floyd Odium rejected bids to the Chicago Chica o meeting It If ms is apparently the Washington view that maxi maxi- maximum maxi maxi- maximum maximum mum time can be obtained by b allo allo- allocating cating eating defense production primarily to large lar e industry which is geared to top production and which has i ithe the machines the plants the skilled workmen and the engineering tal tal- talent talent tal- tal talent ent necessary There is is obviously a great deal of logic in this point of view At Atthe Atthe the time same time tinge it is' is is also obvious that our American economy cannot be perpetuated if this vast defense effort results in the death of little business And in some informed quarters there is a strong belief that the priorities system can under undergo go o considerable c overhauling with with- without without without out slowing or endangering the arms drive It is clear that there has been excessive overbuying in some quarters Quarters and and overbuying i is only one step short of hoarding Some companies according to au au- authorities authorities aut t surveys surreys have been allowed ved to make purchases of strategic materials ma ma- materials materials in quantities which they cannot can can- cannot cannot not use up for years In the mean mean- meantime meantime time other businesses must go without In short there has been S Slack lack of equitability in the time distribution distribution distribution tion of supplies The Time tremendous haste that has bas characterized the development of the defense program is of course I partly for this There has Imas been waste and there has been i much confusion Also many think there cannot be maximum effi effi- efficiency efficiency efficiency until there is a consolidation of the multitudinous defense boards and until real power is placed in inthe inthe the time hands of one man In the mean meant I. I time there is a fast growing rowing de demand mand and that something be done to keep war priorities from completely disrupting the American industrial system The Time head of a musical in instrument in- in instrument instrument strument company recently declared ed that his industry could run on the flue scap soap the time industries inthis in inthis inthis this state throw way waY but I cant can't even get g-et that Many an observer believes it is time stern corrective I measures were applied i The growing number of imprison imprisonments merits comments and executions execl t ons in France is grim evidence of the size and scope of the underground Nazi anti-Nazi move movement movement ment in occupied Europe The Allies believe this movement will continue to expand and they frankly place great hopes on it as asne one C ne of the weapons which may help defeat Hitler Sabotage in factories slows production Assassination of Germans makes it necessary for Hitler to toIse use Ise more and more more troops for police duty Britain is is doing everything in her power to make this third front a major factor in inthe inthe inthe the war |