AFTER ARMISTICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25674, 24 October 1944, Page 6

AFTER ARMISTICE

AMERICA’S HOME FRONT

5,000,000 TO CHANGE JOBS WASHINGTON, Oct. 17:

The United States War Production Board estimates that 5,000,000 Americans will change their jobs after the defeat of Germany. It is assumed the Japanese war will continue*- The estimate does not include women, old people, and others working on account •of the war and high wages, but it includes those released from the armed forces. Dislocation in civilian life after V day is likely to be widespread and serious. Contrasting, with the present scarcity of labour —which is so acute that a news agent has been unsuccessful in seeking a boy at 40 dollars (about £l2) a week to deliver papers —there will be. fewer jobs available.,. The Government y survey suggests that a worker’s safest berth is a war iob. The Government does not estimate how many of the 5,000,000 will find employment, but it is not expected there will be an unmanageable unemployment problem .between the end of the German and Japanese wars. It suggests the ratio of unemployment may be no larger than 1929, as the nation’s economy will be bolstered by the. necessity for producing 60 per cent, of current war production for use against Japan. • The Government expects fierce pressure on price controls ana points out that 40 per cent, of the rise m the cost of living in the last war took place after the armistice. Civilian production should, however, reach 1939 levels within a year. Lumber and machinery shortages may hold . total construction expenditures at existing levels. Some food is likely to continue in short supply, necessitating rationing, but the surpluses in others will develop Petrol rationing will be eased, and tyre rationing should end in three months. Rationing of shoes will continue, and textiles and other clothing are likely to remain inadequate to meet civilian needs.. . The shipping administration plans to continue building large numbers of ships to handle the transportation of the. army from Europe, also the increased flow of materials to the Pacific. The Treasury expects that war expenditures for the year ending June, 1945, will be 290 billion dollars regardless of whether Germany is. defeated by then. The necessity for raising vast sums from the public will, therefore, continue.