Show te DR W ON Washington D D. D C. C ENDING ABSENTEEISM Undersecretary of War Pattersons Patterson Pattersons Patterson's Patter Patter- son sons son's s labor Jabor advisers have a point one program for ending absenteeism in war plants Here is the one point Communities should adjust t themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to the hours of the factories Stores b banks doctors lawyers plus other services should be available not merely for one shift of workers but for all shifts At present workers on the swing shift beginning at midnight find themselves out of gear with the life of the community The greatest absenteeism absenteeism absenteeism ab ab- is among workers on the odd shifts and can be attributed not to indifference to winning the war but to the inconvenience of trying to live and buy food and get Johnny to the doctor while the swing shift turns night into day Absenteeism is higher among women than men which may mean nothing more than trouble with the ration board A woman will take a day off oft from the factory because she has to register for canned foods or because a child Is sick in the family or because she hasn't had time to buy a new dress at the store Remedy for this is nothing less than two or three shifts on the part of the services that serve the workers work work- ers The ration board It is suggested suggest suggest- ed should come to the factory In many cases war department advisers say absenteeism Is caused not by loafing but by overwork In certain tool machine-tool areas such as New England men have been working work work- ing ng 50 and 56 hours a week weck for years They are simply exhausted Incidentally this factor is the principal cause of absenteeism in Germany where workers are worn down by unremitting labor and long hours Note There is little sympathy in Undersecretary Pattersons Patterson's office for forthe forthe the he crusade against labor abor It is regarded as useless and unsound to try to appeal to workers over their leaders NO RUSSIAN HURRAHS American observers In Russia report report re- re port ort that the public is not throwing its ts red cap in the air over current military successes The reaction is not much different in fact from the reaction to losses The mood of the Russian people people people peo peo- says one report ch changed much since last summer when they were being driven back backo to o the Volga Nor has It changed much from the years of peace It is explained that Russians have become accustomed to tumult and personal danger For 25 years they have lave lived in an atmosphere of revolution revo- revo ution lution lution purges and starvation War has las brought no sudden shock to them themas as to us Even in the f face of the terrific losses Russia has suffered in this war the losses forced upon Russia by her own government ten years ago remain almost unsurpassed When the Soviet government was imposing on the people the unwelcome unwelcome unwelcome come system of collective farming farmers were denied seed for planting planting plant plant- ing ing and a vast number of people estimated bETween two and five million million mil mil- I lion starved to death The Russians are arc stolid taking defeat defeat de de- i fe feat lt or victory in their stride SPANISH DAGGER AT U. U S S. S BACK Here is the lowdown on the visit of Francos Franco's special representative Spanish ex-Spanish Foreign Minister Beigbeder I der to this country IFranco's I IFranco's Francos Franco's regular represent representative Ambassador Juan Cardenas has been sending him what he wanted to 0 hear bear rather than the truth about I the he way the American people have put their hC hearts into the war Carden Cardenas Cardenas Car Car- den denas ls has emphasized the clash of j personalities and inefficiency of W war lr production which get into the headlines headlines headlines head head- lines but Is not the general rule When U. U S S. S officials learned of this they conceived d the idea of bringing a special Fr Franco envoy to the U. U S. S A. A to get the real picture Actually it was the war department not the state department which hatched the inspiration and which is taking him on a Q tour of war plants and army posts to drink In the real spirit of the thc war effort Note Many up high-up officials here believe Franco is an opportunist who regardless of pledges will jump whichever way he sees the war waris waris waris is going in the spring He could if he wished plunge a dagger Into the back of U. U S. S forces in North Africa has a background of friendship for the United States CAPITAL CHAFF CI C It Is said of Woodrow Wilson that he was a professor surrounded by politicians and that is a politician surrounded by professors i C q CI It is said of Madame Chiang Kai Kai- shek's huge reception that it out out- the Baruch party for Mrs Harry Hopkins C C. l Captain Eddie is making it clear to friends that he has no presidential ambitions despite despite de de- de spite the fact that Gerald K Smith Smithis is hurrahing for him Incidentally most people dont don't know it but Rick Rick- saw the writing hand-writing on the wall wail as far as isolation Is concerned concerned con can and resigned from the America America America Amer Amer- i ica First committee on January 16 16 1941 nearly one year before Pearl I Harbor |