Show E washington D C EGGS AND STEEL the senate could learn a lot from the house about brevity in public address members of the house have learned to express themselves with out taking two hours in fact some of the best speeches last for only one minute the other day congressman wi william L nelson of missouri rose in the house and said mr speaker I 1 ask unanimous consent to speak for one minute then he delivered himself of the following within exactly 60 seconds the gavel fell in the midst of applause from the other congressmen mr speaker headlines and footnotes are always interesting and thought provoking in the metropolitan press I 1 note such headlines as these indiana standard clears record breaking backlog by republic steel earned by eastman kodak general motors has sales record with in 1940 anaconda copper earns 35 united states steel reports 28 26 per cent business rise and so on then in contrast I 1 notice this footnote in a country weekly eggs strictly fresh 14 to 15 cents a dozen LABOR LABO SHORTAGE A totally different labor problem than strikes gives increasing worry to defense chiefs some even consider it more serious evenou eventually ally than disputes between management and unions it is the problem of securing trained workers for vital defense occupations cupat ions the army navy munitions ns board has just completed a confidential report listing occupations in which serious labor shortages are likely soon the report warns that the tremendous increase in production as high as 60 per cent in some industries is certain to aggravate the problem the training program of the national youth adminis administration tr aaion and others will aff afford ord some relief but the labor shortage is so urgent that authorities ties have quietly taken steps to cull skilled workmen out of the draft over men are slated to be called to the colors by july 1 and although the selective service law bars group deferments so desperate is the need for trained labor that draft boards have been advised to exercise the greatest care in inducting certain groups among these are experienced merchant seamen also apprentices in highly skilled occupations lens grinders toolmakers chemists air aircraft mechanics and other crafts which the army navy munitions board calls occupations that have special significance in the national defense program 0 AMERICAN RUBBER when a government bureau moves fast news A bureau of the department of agriculture beginning last august has completed a survey of potential rubber production in 11 latin american countries and is now moving into two more but more important than speed the survey is the first step in an important long range plan to make this country independent of east indian sources for rubber and increase trade between the americas earlier this year congress appropriated to the department of agriculture to develop rubber production first objective is to establish two permanent experimental stations one for central america the other for south america it is almost certain that they will be located in costa rica and brazil brazil originally produced most of the worlds rubber but the seeds were smuggled out of the country by the british who set up their own rubber plantations in malaya the present drive is to restore to latin america her birthright in this essential product THRILLED A FARMER A home town farmer friend was kidding homely claude secretary of agriculture about sitting next to dark clark gable at the presidents defense fireside chat you know claude the friend said there are a lot of young ladies back in indiana whose hearts fluttered when they heard you were paling around with a movie star well replied ruefully just about the closest I 1 ever came to getting the ladies excited s a a MERRY GO ROUND in the caste bound british navy enlisted men can rise to the rank of lieutenant commander but the U S navy does not permit enlisted men to take examinations for permanent com commissions missions except in one branch the supply section dr george A buttrick former president of the federal council of churches and a supporter of herbert hoovers plan to feed nazi occupied europe claims that secretary of state hull also approves the idea |