Good News for Civilians

War Mobilizer James Francis Byrnes, one of the few men in history who has held a high post in all three branches of the U.S. Government, resigned this week. He had said last summer that he would quit on V-E day. In his letter of resignation to Franklin Roosevelt he wrote: "I think V-E day is not far distant." (He will be succeeded by Loan Administrator Fred Vinson.)

But Jimmy Byrnes had more news than his own resignation. Just two days before, he had issued his second annual report, which contained some real news for civilians.

The collapse of Germany, said Byrnes, would be the signal for initiating a whopping $30 billion cut in Government war spending—from the current yearly rate of about $90 billion down to $60 billion. Along with this, U.S. people could look forward to:

¶ Elimination of the curfew, the brownout, the ban on racing.

¶ Some increase in the basic gasoline ration for cars and trucks (A-card holders might get an extra gallon for each coupon).

¶ Release of factories to produce nearly a third more goods for civilians within nine months, or sooner. (During this period enough metals would be released to begin the making of many an item Americans have not had in a long time, including automobiles.)

On the other side of the picture, the War Mobilizer made these points:

¶ Women must still wait for nylons (Byrnes's explanation: "When I thought we had all the nylon we needed for parachutes, I found we needed it for tires. Then, when we found we had all we needed for tires, we were told that cotton netting used in the Pacific was rotting and we'd have to use nylon there. Then it was decided that knapsacks could be made much lighter with nylon. So. . . .")

¶ Americans would not eat quite as well in 1945 as they did in 1944. The U.S. would have to keep its high taxes, its price, wage and rationing controls.