Committees for Economic Development
Plan to Maintain Employment After War
_ <&> <%■
Surveys Being Made
In More Than 2,000
U. S. Communities
By AL JEDLICKA
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
In over 2,000 communities
throughout the United States,
people are laying their own
plans for a return to a peace
time economy when the war
ends and the country’s gigan
tic armament production
ceases. (
Although these people are
being guided by the Commit
tee for Economic Develop
ment, they are no trained
technicians nor market ana
lysts nor economists them
selves, but just plain Mr. and
Mrs. America familiarizing
themselves with the condi
tions peculiar to their com
munities and anxious to pro
vide opportunities for its pros
perity in the critical postwar
world.
Citizens in towns and cities rang
ing from hundreds to thousands in
population have grouped to under
take a problem that otherwise might
be cast solely upon the shoulders of
the government, and thus they have
sought to apply democratic princi
ples directly through themselves
rather than through distant public
officials.
Recognizing the great business
possibilities in the postwar world,
and seeking to acquaint the people
the country over with them so they
might relieve any distress attend- ,
ing demobilization of the military
establishments and industry, the
Committee1' for Economic Develop
ment, or CED, was organized in
1942 and began its operations in
1943, with the intention of assist
ing in the creation of postwar plan
ning groups in communities of more
than 10,000. But with the realiza
tion that only through a widespread
organization affecting every eco
nomic segment of the country could
any movement be effective, the CED
extended its activities to smaller
cities as well, where the limited
fields offer an even more thorough
application of the plan.
Headed and supported by the
nation’s biggest businessmen, the
CED makes no bones about its ob
jective of stimulating individual ini
A student from Fairleigh Dickin
son junior college interviews the lo
cal hardware and paint dealer on
his postwar employment plans and
sales expectations. The college stu
dents did the survey work in coop
eration with the Bergen County, N.
J., Committee for Economic Devel
opment.
tiative to assist in the solution of the
grave problems which demobiliza
tion will present. But, in pursuing
its goal, CED’s organizers welcome
the backing of every economic group
within a community: the business
men, the farmers, labor, public offi
cials and any other persons who
might be interested.
Each City Makes Own Plans.
In proceeding with their work,
CED’s organizers insist upon each
community developing its own plans,
on the principle that its members
are more familiar with the city’s
circumstances than anybody outside
of it might be. CED actively en
ters the picture through its guid
ance in organization, the distribu
tion of findings of its expert research
departments, and its establishment
as a clearing house for the exchange
of information gathered through its
country-wide operations.
As an indication of the grass-roots
character of the communal post
war planning, CED’s records show
that 35 per cent of the cities organ
ized are under 10,000 population, and
in the typically rural state of South
Dakota, for instance, 130 out of 172
communities engaged in the pro
gram have less than 1,300 people.
A Bergen County, N. J., house
wife tells a college girl what she in
tends to buy after the war in the line
of home furnishings, and what the
family plans are for remodeling or
repairing the house, purchasing an
autortiobile, traveling, and so on.
The working of the program may
be best explained by a study of its
actual operation in one of the small
cities, as described by Mr. Hermann
C. Wehmann, CED's regional man
ager for the Ninth Federal Reserve
district, embracing the Northwest.
In helping to organize a town, Mr.
Wehmann said, CED representatives
contact some representative mem
ber of the community, who then as
sembles other active citizens to dis
cuss the program. Expenses are
negligible, since the local cham
ber of commerce, etc., furnish the
headquarters, and financial outlay is
limited to stationery and postage
stamps.
To get an idea of the possible post
war conditions in the community,
various surveys are conducted, Mr.
Weymann continued, with local in
dustries canvassed as to the num
ber of employees they expect they
will be able to hire, and residents
polled as to the different kinds of
merchandise they plan to purchase.
Businessmen then figure on how
many people they will need to serv
ice the demand. Surveys also es
tablish plans for postwar public
works to take up any employment
slack.
To provide a solid basis for the
business community to figure on,
residents polled also are asked to
reveal whether they intend to pur
chase goods out of current income,
installment credit, savings or bank
deposits, or war bonds.
Through banks, building and loan
associations, postal savings and war
bond sales, financial assets of the
community are tabulated, to de
termine the extent to which post
war activities might be supported.
Albert Lea, Minn., Survey.
Typical of the consumer surveys
upon which businessmen can pro
ject their potential needs, Mr. Weh
mann said, was the one conducted
in the town of Albert Lea with its
population of 12,200, in Freeborn
county with over 31,000 people, in
Minnesota.
The survey showed that residents
of the town expected to buy 1,156
automobiles at $1,217,268, and farm
ers of the county 1,140 cars at $1,
105,800.
People in the town hoped to buy
442 new houses at an average cost
of $4,068, while farmers looked for
ward to the construction of 150
homes at $3,150 each.
Repairs averaging $514 were
planned for 714 houses in Albert
Lea, while similar work averaging
$900 was anticipated on 540 farm
homes in the county. In addition,
farmers indicated they would build
360 barns at an average cost of
$1,473, and 360 silos at an average
price of $539. ,
Farmers also expected to pur
chase 780 tractors averaging $926
each; 810 prefabricated small build
ings averaging $566, and 810 electric
services averaging $325.
With businessmen thus able to fig
ure upon their possible employment
needs, and with surveys of local in
dustries determining their future op
erating prospects, communities can
partly visualize their postwar con
dition.
New Industries Encouraged.
Towns that may be faced with a
surplus of employables can be en
couraged to explore the possibility of
developing a new industry after con
sultation with economic experts at
their state universities. In cases
where such development may be de
sirable, consideration may be given
to some industry which might be
based upon a local agricultural crop.
After extensive field work, Mr.
Wehmann has set up a chart of the
employment prospects of towns
which have undertaken communal
planning within his region, and as
evidence of the value of the survey,
consultations with Governor Thye of
Minnesota have resulted in the
state’s consideration to locate public
works projects within those areas
where labor surpluses may develop.
In organizing communal planning
the country over, the CED does
not hold that such preparation will
be a sure-fire cure for the employ
ment and business problems that
will develop upon military and in
dustrial demobilization after the
war.
The CED does not overlook the
importance of industry quickly re
converting to civilian production to
absorb the mass of employables, nor
does it ignore the fact that any
solid stability can be expected un
less agriculture is assured an ade
quate market at a fair price.
On the question of reconversion,
CED stands for the swift settlement
of cancelled war contracts to pro
vide industry with funds with which
to finance the switch back to civilian
goods. At the end of the war, CED
figures that about 10 billion dollars
of claims will be entered against
the government, of which probably
2 billion dollars will be subject to
dispute.
Government Surplus Sales.
Besides reconversion, CED also
advocates the orderly disposal of
surplus war material, so as not to |
repeat the mistakes that followed
marketing of such goods after the
last conflict, with the subsequent
disturbance of normal channels of
production and distribution. In this
respect, the government already has
established an agency for handling
surplus goods, with emphasis placed
upon a maximum return for any
material.
In a recent address, Paul G. Hoff
man, chairman of the board of trus
tees of CED, declared:
“Private business cannot by any
means do the entire job of provid
ing postwar employment. But it is
aware of its obligation to make its
maximum contribution to that end.
With labor and agriculture, it hopes
to see reestablished after this war
a free and growing American econ
omy . . .
“What is America’s postwar goal
for civilian employment? The Com
mittee for Economic Development
places that figure at from 53 to 56
million jobs. That is 7 to 10 mil
lion more than in 1940, the banner
year in all our prewar history . . .
“It is clear that private busi
ness—in which I include agriculture
and the professions—must provide
employment for the overwhelming
proportion of those Americans who
after this war will be seeking jobs.
No governmental employment yet
planned—let alone blueprinted—can
take up more than a fraction of
the unemployment slack that would
exist if private employment were j
not able to go full steam ahead
when the war ends . . ,
Opportunity for Profit.
“Meanwhile, the Committee for
Economic Development is com
mitted to these beliefs:
"The American economy after
this war must be predominantly one
of private enterprise, in which the
opportunity for a fair profit will en
courage businessmen to expand
present operations and to undertake
new ventures.
“The American economy after
this war must be an expanding econ- j
The president of the bank in Ruth
erford, N. J., gives pertinent finan
cial data to a college girl inter
viewer. The figures on savings and
demand deposits, war bond sales,
personal loans and sales on credit,
help the Committee for Economic
Development in forecasting the pur
chasing power that will be available
to buy goods when peace returns.
omy in which more wealth will be
created and consumed year after
year, and in which the American
standard of living will steadily rise.
‘‘The American economy after this
war must be such as to give every
encouragement to the small busi
nessman, for small business, and
particularly new enterprise, pro
motes competition and flexibility in
our economy, and thus furnishes pro
tection against monopolistic prac
tices which maintain prices and re
strict production . .
Three leaders of the national Com
mittee for Economic Development
study the map showing location of
1,933 CED committees in all 48
states. Left to right, C. Scott Fletch
er, director of CED field develop
ment division; Paul G. Hoffman,
president of Studebaker corporation
and chairman of the board of trust
ees of CED; and William Benton,
vice chairman.
The Committee is aiming at post
war production levels 30 to 45 per
cent greater than in 1940.
Jled&O'
Looking at
HOLLYWOOD
A CTORS are people, but not many
** studio bosses realize that. Too
often here grease paint gals and boys
are rated ns so many pieces of prop
erty to be used or not as the bigwigs
see fit, then turned out to pasture.
I once knew a young director who
stated flatly that “actors are bums."
He reeled off an entire column to
prove his point that by and large
actors not only bite the hands that
feed them but will take the arms off
at the elbow.
“They come to town with profiles
and paper suitcases," he snarled,
anxious for a
chance, or so
they say. But
with their first
success they turn
on the people who
built them up, re
fuse to do this or
Dolores Moran
Joan Leslie
that part, and in
general stink up
the joint."
Those studio
gold - braids who
share this direc
tor’s point of view
—and there are
quite a few—carry on a strange Rind
of war with their actors in which, or
so it seems, they try to impede their
professional progress. I say
“strange kind of war” because to
me it’s ridiculous to sign a batch of
kids, boys and girls, to long con
tracts, then to keep these kids miles
from a camera until at option time
they are unceremoniously given the
gates.
Exceptions That Make Rule
This is not the rule at all studios.
And many times the nobody of today
becomes tomorrow’s star. Let’s take
Joan Leslie, who has been in noth
ing but big pictures since she
checked in at Warners. Right off the
bat she was handed the femme lead
opposite Gary Cooper in “Sergeant
York.” Then an important part op
posite Jimmy Cagney in “Yankee
Doodle Dandy.” Joan held down an
extremely impressive role with Ida
Lupino, Dennis Morgan, and Jack
Carson in "The Hard Way,” fol
lowed by the feminine lead ^“Rhap
sody in Blue" and her newest, “Cin
derella Jones." Jo^n came to War
ners to work. She's working. She’s
one of the lucky ones.
So is Dolores Moran. Dolores, an
absolute greenhorn at acting, wasn’t
rushed into a picture on arrival. In
stead they let her get her feet on
the ground before giving her a dra
matic role as Miriam Hopkins'
daughter in “Old Acquaintance."
Dolores came through, so now she’s
with Humphrey Bogart in “To Have
and Have Not.” Dolores Moran, it
should be noted, is on her way up—
not out, as she might have fared
elsewhere.
There's also Alexis Smith, whose
story is too well known to bear re
telling here.
No Time Wasted
Take the case—and what a case!
—of Robert Alda. Bob stepped into
stardom with his first picture.
“Rhapsody in Blue." A product of
burlesque. Bob was signed like hun
dreds of others each year, but, un
like others, he wasn^ asked to sit
around—he was put to work. Now,
after a big buildup as a newcomer
playing (ieorge Gershwin, he’ll prob
ably be seen first in “Cinderella
Jones."
Eleanor Parker might be just an
other pretty girl. Certainly the
Cleveland, Ohio, youngster is pretty
enough But her first part was that
of Joseph P. Davies’ daughter in
“Mission to Moscow.’’ Eleanor
clicked, so in her next—"Between
Two Worlds”—she got the feminine
lead opposite Paul Henreid.
They’ll Bear Watching
Dane Clark tried out at a couple
of other studios before reporting to
Warners, where he was shoved into
"Action in the North Atlantic" with
Humphrey Bogart. He’s just finished
“The Very Thought of You,” and un
less he does a part for Uncle Sam
instead is definitely on his way in
pictures.
Other studios that take time to
develop young players are Metro
and Paramount. Marjorie Itcarriin
came to prominence in "Stage Door
Canteen’’ along with other young
sters. Ditto Elisabeth Taylor, who’ll
surprise you in “National Velvet.”
Diana Lynn gets star billing in “Our
Hearts Were Young and Gay.” And
look what’s happened in one year
to Sonny Tufts.
Yep, star dust keeps clouding up
our way, and we just keep on rolling
along.
• * •
He’s a Deserving Boy
Freddie Bartholomew, who’s do
ing a Shirley Temple—meaning he’s
just as good grown up as he was a
child actor—is under term contract
to P.R.C. . . . Minna Gombell,
after playing mennies for years,
went goodie in "Sight Life” for Uni
versal. (I don’t mean “gooey.”) . . .
Jimmy McHugh is proud over the
success of little June Allyson. He
predicted she’d be a star. Dick
Powell also shares Jimmy’s enthusi
asm.
By VIRGINIA VALE
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
'"I 'HE first movie to be shown
1 on the Normandy beach
head following the June 6th
invasion was Columbia's tech
nicolor “Cover Girl,” accord
ing to information received
from Col. E. L. Munson, chief
of the Army Motion Picture service.
The musical was shown to the in
vading armies on June 16. and Colo
nel Munson reports that "the boys
loved it.” So this co-starring effort
of Rita Hayworth’s and Gene Kel
ly's makes movie history.
-*
Les Tremayne has added motion
picture production to his acting ac
tivities. He is serving as production
aide on Gene Lester productions
LES TREMAYNE
(short features) and has completed
his first assignment, "Peeks at Hol
lywood," in which he also appears
as an actor.
Carleton Young will be remem
bered by thousands of CBS radio
thriller fans as “Chips Davis. Com
mando." Some months ago he de
cided to give up radio and become
a movie actor. In his first big part.
In Phil Baker’s “Take It or Leave
It," he’s an announcer reading from
a radio script.
-*
Gary Cooper certainly knows what'
he does best. For his first person
ally produced film for International
Pictures he’s decided on "The Amer
ican Cowboy," which is said to be a
super-western. It’s laid way back
In the last century—adding one more
to the long list of costume dramas.
Bob Haymes, playing an army
crivate in Columbia’s "Mr. Winkle
Goes to War,” was stuck by a pin
when he put on a uniform rented
from one of Hollywood’s big costum
ers. Investigating, he found a note
pined inside the jacket. It read,
"This jacket was worn by me in
‘Seven Day* Leave.’ Let it look
sharp on you, and act like a hero.
I did. (Signed) Victor Mature.” Bob
pulled out the pin and did his best.
James Melton, who's now heard
over CBS Sunday nights, has been
elevated to stardom by Metro as a
result of his work in "Ziegfeld Fol
lies.” They’ve put him down for the
lead in a musical version of "Cim
maron." Meanwhile, after vacation
ing on his Connecticut farm, and
doing a series of “Oklahoma" re
cordings with Jefmette MacDonald,
he'll start on a concert tour which
will last from October to March.
And he’ll do six operas at the Met
ropolitan.
From Metro comes the news that
the first Clark Gable picture follow
ing his discharge from the army will
be ‘‘Strange Adventure.” Based on
the novel, "The Anointed,” it’s a
prewar story of a merchant sea
man and a non-seagoing girl. And
we’ll see Myrna Loy as the girl.
-'■#
Former child stars who grew up to
enter the armed services will be
honored in the new Columbia Screen
Snapshots subject. "The Kids Go to
War,” which Ralph Staub is pre
paring. The reel will include inti
mate shots from Staub’s private film
library of Jackie Coogan when he
played in "The Kid,” Jackie Cooper
in “Skippy” days, Freddie Bartholo
mew at the time of "David Copper
field,” and others, including Mickey
Rooney.
-*
Jimmie Dundee, the ace stunt
man, is having a vacation from do
ing hazardous stunts; he’s playing a
wise-cracking marine in Preston
Sturges’ "Hail the Conquering He
ro.” In 22 years his toughest stunts,
he says, were driving an army jeep
off a 100-foot embankment in "The
Story of Dr. Wassell" (the first time
the jeep rolled over, his head struck
the wheel and knocked him uncon
scious). and being blown up in a aix
ton truck in "Wake Island.”
-*
ODDS AND ENDS—Marlene Diet
rich brought a coral necklace for Maria
Montez when she returned from Italy,
the gift of Jean Pierre Aumont. . . .
Top role in the re-muke of “Of Human
Bondage” goes to Paul Heinreid; Elea
nor Parker gets the Bette Davis role,
opposite him. . . . Diana Lynn, billed
as a stur in Paramount's “Out of This
World,” rates the dressing room next
Paulette Goddards on Star Row. . . .
Lee Tracy has been signed by RKO for
the lead in “Betrayal From the East,"
his first picture since his discharge
from the army, in which he served as a
captain.
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