CIVILIAN SUPPLY: The Freeze

Further reconversion of U.S. industry was stopped dead in its tracks last week. WPB banned any increase in civilian-goods production in the first quarter of 1945. The manufacture of such items as vacuum cleaners, electric irons, etc., scheduled to increase under the “spot authorization” reconversion plan, has been frozen at present levels. This means that permits already granted in critical areas for more civilian goods in the next three months will now be rescinded. Furthermore, manufacturers whose products can be used by both the armed services and civilians will have trouble in getting permission to make goods for the civilian market when military contracts run out.

By these drastic steps, WPB hopes to stop workers from shifting from war to civilian industries, find the 300,000 needed to meet the new demands for war materiel.