| Show I NEWS NEW 5 B BEHIND E H I N D' D THE NEWS NEW 5 I I By S. S Burton Heath 5 Telegrams Telegram's New York Correspondent NEW YORK YORK YORK-A A New York executive who has spent the last two months jn n Canada reports that considerable backstage pressure pressure pressure pres pres- sure was exerted in 0 Ottawa t t taw a w a against the closing of gas stations stations stations sta sta- sta- sta between 7 p. p m. m and 7 a. a m. m After extended and acrimonious acrimonious acrimonious bickering the decree was finally put through two weeks ahead of Americas America's regulations on the eastern seaboard The highly significant angle in this is however that the opposition in Canada was silenced with the promise that the eastern United States would institute identical moves within the early future Every informed person in this metropolis appears to be exceedingly exceedingly exceedingly exceed exceed- apprehensive of the problems problems problems lems which will present themselves themselves themselves them them- selves in the war post-war period Aside from the turn from a war warto warto warto to a peace economy which promises promises promises promises' prom prom- to be impossible of accomplishment accomplishment accomplishment without serious dislo dislo- dislocations unless cushioned by enormous government spending continued deficits etc the re reconstruction reconstruction reconstruction re- re construction of Great Britain and Europe looms as a large factor In fact some some long-headed long people believe that if satisfactory tory fin financial a n cia I arrangements could be e made the task might turn out to be a source of handsome handsome handsome hand hand- some profits An approximate idea of the extent of war damages which will have to be repaired overseas overseas overseas over over- seas is furnished by a study in destruction replacement requirements requirements requirements require require- ments compiled by Stephen de deRopp deRopp deRopp Ropp a Polish professor of eco eco- eco eco- According to official a a daily average of tons of bombs is dropped by the belligerents on industrial and residential areas Each ton tonof tonof tonof of explosives flying through the theair theair theair air with the greatest of ease produces about worth of damage to usable property In 4 other words word about destruction is achieved in the I average 24 hours of warfare conducted conducted conducted con con- ducted above cities The war has lasted for about I days so far but during about days very little happened Hence bombings during some days more days more or less less of of conflict have piled up damages of probably probably probably ably not not less than 24 billion dollars The rebuilding of Warsaw alone de Ropp points out according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to conservative estimates estimates estimates esti esti- mates would run to nearly half halfa a billion dollars which is about 20 times the annual budget of the city The professor concludes s that the capitalist profit system will willbe willbe willbe be wholly incapable pf providing sufficient funds labor and materials materials materials ma ma- to swing the problems thus envisioned This emphasizes the doubt that private business in this country would greatly benefit from the reconstruction work since t the h e governments concerned will will probably have to take over over operations on both sides of the water with drastic restrictions surrounding all aU phases of the astronomically sized task Following months of dispute and accusations on the subject of whether we I h have ve enough or or lack enough steel teel capacity in inthe inthe the United States to validate our defense program the fact is established authoritatively that the inadequacy of manufacturing ing facilities will fall faU many million mil lion tons below our 1941 re requirements re- re This settles the debate between between between be be- tween the industry and the gov gay The steel companies which now operate under complete complete com corn government supervision have submitted plans for expanding expanding expanding ex ex- ex- ex ingot capacity by more than 12 million tons at an estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated cost of a billion and a half dollars Executives understand understand under under- stand that a final decision will willbe willbe willbe be made within 10 days and that capacity may be enlarged to meet the newly enumerated requirements re- re qu of army and navy which are likely to raise our I needs to 15 million tons in this this- calendar year Any increase of demand for shipments to Britain China Russia Russia Russia Rus Rus- sia and other countries will be something else again Copyright 1941 McClure Syndicate |
