Hollywood (Jan - Mar 1943)

WIN THE WAR! By W. H. FAWCETT, Jr., PRESIDENT jiMfepsexa "This is not a war of soldier against soldier; it's a war of the people!" In those dramatic closing words by the vicar, in the memorable picture, Mrs. Miniver, we see emphasized the whole revolutionary theme of the present global conflict. Soldiers still must fight, the battles, that's true; but, in the final showdown, victory will come to the side whose civilian forces on the home-front more clearly recognize and execute the thousand-and-one sacrifices which the winning of a modern war demands. It probably isn't too late, at this time, to make one last plea about Christmas wrappings. If you haven't already done so, bundle the paper, string, boxes, stickers, and so on, that came with your Christmas gifts, together and hold it till the government, through its salvage depots, makes a request for it. Remember — some of the rubber bands you saved months ago may have gone into the raft that saved Rickenbacker! And, in the future, your salvage may save someone even closer to you — a brother, husband or sweetheart. Are you keeping a close watch on your speedometer? Remember, 35 m.p.h. is the war-time limit. Leave the speeding to retreating Nazis and Japs! I overheard a man recently say that, so far, the heating oil shortage hadn't bothered him a bit. "When we're cold," he said, "we just turn on all the gas jets in the kitchen range and the place warms up nicely." That's all wrong! Gas is a war fuel, just 8 as are coal and oil. Gas is used in many war industries — to melt the scrap you've been collecting, to harden armor plate, tank tracks, bomb casings, bullets, shells, and so on. When you waste it, you're doing just what Hitler and his friends want you to do. Keep cool and make it hot for the Axis! Speaking of coffee, I wonder how many people realize that much of the coffee they formerly threw down the sink can now be saved by the purchase of a smaller pot. In our lush days, we all had a tendency to make a couple of extra cups of coffee in the morning, and we drank it just because it happened to be there. But that's not possible now — there just isn't enough coffee. So, if two members of your family are all that drink coffee, get a two-cup pot! You'll find your ration will go further. Note: If you are a tenant, read your lease carefully! Since the OPA's maximum rent ceilings went into effect, certain unscrupulous landlords have attempted to take advantage of tenants by inserting illegal clauses into leases. If you have any doubt about your lease, consult your local office of the OPA. It may save you a lot of money — and a lot of headaches. It isn't necessary for me to tell women to get out of their silk finery and into overalls ; American women have shown they don't have to be told to make that sacrifice. But they should do something with that finery besides putting it away in mothballs for the duration. The government needs all the silk we can give it, silk to make powder bags, parachutes and other vital war materials. So turn in all your old and unused silk underwear and stockings to Uncle Sam now! And don't forget Nylon — the latter is especially valuable. Your local OCD office can tell you the address of the nearest silk-stocking depot. Cotton will feel like ermine when you know your silk makes the Axis feel like vermin. Here's an example of genuine heroism on the home-front: My secretary reports hearing a housewife in a grocery store tell the clerk to keep the pound of coffee he offered her, before coffee rationing started. "I have enough to last three days," she said, "so there's no point in my taking any. Save that pound for someone who has none." I say that's heroism because this woman is doing her share to win the war just as much as a soldier who storms a machinegun nest is doing his. Coffee is now a war-time casualty; if you waste it, or take more than your share, you are doing your part to help the enemy. Started thinking about your income tax yet? It isn't too early, you know! This year, every single person earning at least $9.62 a week, and every married person earning at least $23.08 a week, during 1942, must file a return by March 15. Your government needs that money. So don't wait until March 14 to get started on your return. Do it now, and make the dictators squirm as quickly as you can. By the way, "Save Your Pennies" used to be the best advice anyone could give. But the war, which has altered almost every other thing in our lives, is reversing that thrifty slogan too. Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross, Director of the Mint, now wants us to shake out our piggy banks and sugar bowls and return every copper we have to circulation. There's a serious shortage of one-cent pieces, due to the lack of available metal, and every penny we can put back into active use saves just that much copper for vital, war-time needs. So, be patriotic; don't be a penny hoarder! We know you've already scraped up every piece of scrap rubber you can find, but here's something to bear in mind any time you see a single unused piece of that vital product: Less than three used tires will provide enough reclaimed rubber to shoe ONE COMPLETE JEEP! The problem of what to do with old razor blades has now been succeeded by the problem of how to keep razor blades from getting old. Because razor blades are getting scarce! The metal is needed for the war, for one thing, and besides, razor manufacturers are now busy on war contracts. Start now to make those blades do double duty! Be careful with your razor; don't drop it, or otherwise abuse it. And be sure you wash your face carefully before shaving (grit on the face is one of the prime causes for razor blade wear!). Dry the blade after every shave and use a sharpener to get the most shaves per blade.