Show economic econom ic highlights gats it has long been believed in many circles that two factors would eventually defeat hitler first the a scope e ope of american Amerl caa material aid to britain and her allies second a slowing down of production inside germany due to lack of certain basic supplies which aro are vital to the existence of the civilian po population as well as to alters gigantic military edfort now la Is a good time to examine just what effect those fac actors are having on the war you can find many and various reports on american shipments to england ranging froni from the wildly optimistic to the darkly pessimistic A first hand report recently appeared in raymond clappers chappers Cl appers syndicated column mr air clapper Is a forthright and able journalist and lately spent considerable time in eng land finding out for himself how matters stand his report is far from being encouraging when le it comes to lend lead lease deliveries he wrote the figures in terms of appropriations allocations and transfers are large in terms of 0 deliveries they shrink like a pair of wool socks seeks in the laundry food tor for instance is one of eng lands principal needs yet he stated only about tons of lend lease food equal to t two 0 and a half days english consumption Bump tion had arrived when he was there a little more than a month ago we are tar far behind schedule on shipping arms he continued notably the tanks and bombing planes which ch represent one of britaina Brit ains most important military lacks to use his own words so far as the british are concerned ours still is a popgun arsenal not long back senator byrd made similar statements and declared that the defense effort has baa been a failure he backed up that criticism with a mass of statistics while the accuracy of some of these figures has been denied the president himself admitted that the senators gloomy verbal picture of american plane production was substantially correct the fault for the lag in armb shipments can be laid at many doors some segments of labor have certainly been a non noa cooper active as possible some industries also deserve that indictment there has been too much delay and buck passing and divided responsibility in washington it Is becoming apparent that all groups in this country are going to have to undergo much change tor for the better it if the arms drive Is to even partially justify the high hopes held for it going on to the second factor Nev newsweek recently lecent ly made a survoy voy ot of the extent to which the war has strained nazi economic power the german people are still living on rations lations which would seem completely inadequate to heavy eating americans this fall for foi the first time even potatoes were rationed the meat Is minuses lat this years gears european harvest was 25 per cent below normal even cven so germany has big enough food reserves to last a long time Germ germans anys vital coal supplies have been buttressed by seizure of the polish belgian and french mines coal Is aiters most important asset as it Is the source of ersatz oil and rubber and is the backbone of his munitions industries he apparently will not ack an adequate amount although ac corling to newsweek german geiman production has lately declined lue to long hours inexperienced perien ced miners anil and the general wariness war produces in strictly rationed populations the occupation ot of france has given germany enough steel with which to carry on also she hab bah taken over enough oil lands to fulfill her military require requirements requirement men ts though there Is practically none left over tor for civilian use big german shortage elior tage is in the textile field she has almost no cotton and little wool hitler has so bo tar far made up tor for part of 0 this lack by systematically looting the occupied countries ot of all tile the textiles his agents could find summing up germany la Is the possessor of oc sufficient basic supplies to last for two or three years at least german tec technicians h ni have performed wonders I 1 in la inventing and perfecting workable substitutes for scarce materials te teil rials als her most serious shortage ag a is metals she has little or no copper tin lead nickle nackle and chrome but she has plenty of aluminum now that the great bauxite deposits of france and the balkans are her to command all in au all tho hope that hitler I 1 will collapse in the foreseeable future because of a material shortage seems too tenuous to be worth holding the demand tor for really effective price control grows most economists are agreed that price ceilings cannot be imposed unless ceilings on wages farm prices rents and many other services and commodities are applied congress has so far dodged the issue P price r les control which will work means that many toes must be stepped on and that might cost votes but it oak look as it f action can be deferred much longer it Is clear to a all that price salco inflation la Is really taking hold and jt it could swiftly reach runaway proportions |