U.S. WAR EFFORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1942, Page 6

U.S. WAR EFFORT

WORKING HOURS INCREASED

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. President Roosevelt disclosed to Press representatives that Federal agents had been informed that it was imperative to increase the manpower engaged on defence work by extending tne hours of the working week. He said that Department executives had noted that practically all Government departments and services had lengthened the work week voluntarily from 39 to 44 hours. Mr. Roosevelt said: “It is necessary to capitalise on this increase of fours, since it releases experienced employees for war work, and it helps to relieve the shortage in housing for individuals and Government offices in Washington.-” Further alluding to the hours question, Mr. Roosevelt emphasised that excess nersonnel must be effectively channeled into defence jobs. He pointed out that it was a Congressional function as to which, if any, Government agencies should be curtaiD ed, and which were to be considered unessential. The War Production Board has announced that it will purchase all of the estimated 30,000 automobiles in “graveyards” throughout the nation, and will then allocate the scrap iron and steel thus obtained to war production plants.

DRAFT REGISTRATIONS

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14

Nine million men, between the ages of 20 and 44, began registering today in America’s third draft registration, which will be called the “father and son” draft. ALASKA~AS BASE WASHINGTON, February 14. The Governor of Alaska (Dr. Ernest Gruening) conferred with Mr. Roosevelt to-day. Later he told the Press: “We are thinking of Alaska’s military and naval problems in terms of offensive rather than defensive warfare, which means more bases, more aeroplanes, and more of everything. Alaska already has 155 airfields.” STAFF CONFERENCES RUGBY, Feb. 14. President Roosevelt conferred with American and British Military and I Naval Chiefs at White House to-day, according to a Press message from Washington. His secretary, Mr. Stephen Early, described the conference as a continuation of staff meetlings and studies. SENATOR PEPPER’S VIEWS NEW YORK, February 14. More room for Russia at the United Nations’ council tables was urged by [Senator Pepper in a speech. He said: [“The fulcrum of this war lies in Russia, no matter how ominous are the signs in other parts of the world. The Russian front must be strengthened at almost any sacrifice. If it breaks, then the flood of Hitlerism will inundate every area of the earth.” japanesFarrested SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 14. Six Japanese, including two reserve officers in the Japanese Army, were arrested when the Federal Bureau of Investigation extended Northern Californian raids on Sunnyvale, the base if blimps patrolling the coast for Japanese submarines. Shotgun ammunition and a short-wave radio were seized in one Japanese home. RADIO FACTORIES

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14. The War Production Board has ordered radio manufacturers to convert their entire facilities to arms production within four months. If this is not done the Government will take over the unconverted plants.

CONSERVING RUBBER STOCKS WASHINGTON, Feb. 14. The Secretary for Commerce (Mr. Jesse Jones) and the head of the War Production Board (Mr. Donald Nelson) in a joint statement warned the people of the United States that the tyres now on the their passenger automobiles are all they will get until the war ends. Theh statement is believed to have been issued in order to halt widespread rumours that the Government has large stocks of rubber which it is withholding from manufacturers, but which will be made available for civilian consumption at some time in the future.

On the contrary, the statement said: “Unless we restrict all civilian use of rubber to the bare essential we shall not have enough for our military machine in the next two •years.” At his Press conference, Mr. Roosevelt said that everything that could be done to get vital rubber from Brazil was being, done. The minimum obtainable was probably 15,000 tons. Anything above that must come from the jungles and it was a considerable problem getting people into the jungles and getting the rubber out, but it was possible to obtain as much as 70,000 tons.