Wartime In America

Suva Merchant's Description of How Life Has Changed Over There

THE head of Morris Hedstrom, Ltd., Sir Maynard Hedstrom, of Suva, who was in the United States with Lady Hedstrom when the Pacific war broke out, and trans-Pacific transport disrupted, has settled down in California for the dura tion. He and Lady Hedstrom have an apartment in Palo Alto, about an hour’s run from San Francisco; and already they are experiencing the vast dis locations of civil life entailed by America’s total war mobilisations.

In a most interesting and amusing letter to the editor of the “Pacific Islands Monthly,” Sir Maynard describes war con ditions there —which are not unlike war conditions now in the rest of the Anglo- Saxon world. He says, home deliveries being much restricted, he sometimes is sent out shopping, and returns home, coyly bearing a bag of fruit, a bunch of flowers and a piece of fish for dinner. Pacific Islands readers will be interested in his description of life in wartime America: —

Roosevelt

THERE is a more or less official announcement that the President is prepared to stand for a fourth term.

It is difficult for an outsider to form any opinion as to the probabilities. I have a feeling that the President is making a mistake, and that he should retire at the end of his term content with the fact that he has established a record in American history and not take the chances of a rebuff at the end of his unprecedented third term.

I am not in touch with politicians, and my views must be tinged to some extent by my environment. California is tradi tionally a Republican State, but I do find it extraordinary that amongst all my friends—whether they be business friends or personal friends —whether they be men or women—l do not believe I know one who is a supporter of Roosevelt. I sup pose it would be true to say that prac tically all my friends and acquaintances are in the medium or approaching the higher income brackets, and perhaps if I had the opportunity of talking with the men in the lower brackets I might find different opinions. Of course, to-day the workers in the shipyards, plane factories, etc., can be placed at any rate in the medium income brackets.

I believe that if the President decides to face the electors again he will do so because he honestly believes it is best for the nation that he should remain as leader for the duration of the war. Still, if I were one of his advisers. I would say to him—“ Think of the niche you have carved out in the Hall of Fame—think of the great men who have led this country in peace and in war—and how you have established a record which none of them achieved —three terms President of the United States. Do not run the risk of a rebuff in the closing days of your poli tical career.”

Sugar

WE have been getting a good deal of fun out of rationing. I confess I do not think Washington has handled the position very well.

Sugar was the first item. The ap proach of rationing was officially an nounced in all the papers and over the radio. All who could afford it, and who had storage space, went out and bought sugar in wholesale Quantities.

One story was told about a woman who bought a 100-lb. bag of sugar and asked her husband to put it up in the attic;

and, when he complied, he found a 50-lb. bag which had apparently been stored there since World War I.

Ration books were issued —holders of stocks were ordered to disclose their stocks, and very heavy penalties provided for false declarations. But there was no penalty for hoarding the sugar—only de privation of ration tickets for further supplies until stocks had been used at the rate provided for under the ration scheme.

Coffee was handled in the same way.

Petrol Rationing

THEN came the ration of gas (petrol).

Only in very isolated cases were there attempts to hoard gas—one on a fairly large scale occurred near Los Angeles. In this State the basic, or “A” book was issued to all applicants, and gave them 16 gallons per month; then the people who considered they had a claim for increased ration could apply for “B” or “C” books.

Here, again, there has been a good deal of fun. The man with a“B” or “C” book is supposed to use his gas for the specific purpose which he stated in his appli cation —i.e., conveyance to war work or carrying out essential duties —and he has to be very careful not to use his allowance extravagantly. Already, some scores of people have been charged with using their gas to go to race meetings.

One resident of San Francisco —a war worker—was recently caught near Fresno (187 miles from San Francisco) and charged with being too far away from home. He was fined, his ration book taken away from him, and he was told he would not be issued another book until July 27th.

Also, the police have been very watch ful for speeding, and the charges have run into hundreds. The limit is now fixed at 35 m.p.h., and I should think in and around San Francisco 200 or 300 people have lost their ration books for excessive speeds.

As far as using gas is concerned, so long as the man with the “A” book does not drive at excessive speed, the authori ties do not appear to interfere with him.

I think the idea is this —he was issued the 16 gallons as a basic ration for use at his own discretion (within the speed limits), whereas the people with “B” and “C” books had claimed that they needed extra gas for public or essential services.

Then came the announcement over night rationing shoes. It is what I think would appear to most men a very liberal ration —not more than four pairs per annum, exclusive of slippers—but some women are already complaining.

Hoarders

THEN, the forthcoming rationing of certain canned goods was announced.

Last week was the period for pro curing ration book $2, during which time the canned goods to be rationed were “frozen.” Ration book t 1 is used for sugar, coffee and shoes, and ration book V 2 is to be used for a considerable number of items of canned goods.

Here, again, there was no restriction on buying—no penalty for hoarding—and the “wise” bought in wholesale lots, through brokers or commission agents. From the Eastern States several large hoards were announced —one woman declared over 4,000 cans, and the papers worked out that she would not receive a ration book for forty-one years. Still, she had the goods, most of them will keep well, and

at the expenditure of a comparatively small amount (from a capitalist’s point of view) she was provided with her re quirements in canned goods without the constant trouble of going to the grocer, taking the book, selecting the goods, working out the point values, and allow ing the grocer to tear the tickets out of the book.

One man in the East declared 1,800 cans, but explained that he had ten children and had been in the habit for years of buying in case lots.

I think if I had really understood the position I would, in a small way, have followed the example of these capitalists and bought canned goods sufficient to last us for, say, twelve months. It is perfectly legal and no offence—unless one makes a false declaration.

As it is, we were amongst the small fish. We are allowed five cans each and declared the balance. We declared our stock of 31 cans—the monthly allowance is 48 points each—and the issuing authori ties took 128 points out of my book and 120 points out of my wife’s book—i.e., eight points for each can we had on hand. They spread this over three months. In those three months we had a right to draw a total of 288 points, but from this they deducted 248 points, leaving us 40 points for three months— which will buy us two cans of fruit and one can of soup.

I am inclined not to agree that the way of the transgressor is hard and can only acclaim the wisdom of those who laid in moderate stocks—say, sufficient for a year.

WEEKS ago, rationing of butter was threatened and, for a while, there was a butter famine in San Fran cisco and neighbouring towns because families had bought up all supplies. A newspaper reporter followed one woman.

She bought a pound there, two at another place, three or four at a third, and finally got seven pounds in one lot. The reporter asked her why she was buying in such large quantities, and she said: “Well, I have a family to keep and I want to get something before the hoarders get started.”

Just now, there are rumours of clothes rationing. The authorities firmly deny that there is any immediate need for rationing, and say that the only thing that can bring clothes rationing into ef fect is excessive buying by people who can afford to do so. Consequently, a large percentage of the people who can afford to do so are rushing the stores.

A friend of ours, hearing the rumour, and being an exile from her home, made a special trip in to San Francisco last week, took her two daughters with her and in her own words “spent the whole day buying—making provision for the future.” At one of the stores the sales woman told her she had just served a San Francisco woman who had bought six coats and four suits —probably she had already bought all the stockings and lin gerie she thought necessary for a long siege. I think the women of this State have sufficient money to buy up most of the stocks offering, and then we will have rationing, and those who have not been able to buy so far ahead will be rationed.

PRICES of meat have advanced. In the plainer class of restaurant in this part of the world you can still get a slice of beef with a small supply of vege tables. It is astonishing how meagre a supply of vegetables—particularly green vegetables—is given at the restaurants and hotels, in comparison with the slice of beef they used to serve in pre-war times. Americans do not slice their beef thin as Englishmen do —an American generally likes a slice about half an inch thick.

Newspapers are advertising chickens, frozen, between 2h and 33 lb., ready for the oven, at 75 cents a pound—equal to 4 6 Australian, or say 18/- for a four pound roaster. Driving through one of the country roads a couole of days ago we saw a notice out—“ Chickens 42* cents per lb., live weight.” In most restaurants a portion of grilled steak is $1.50—i.e., 9 - Australian.

Army and Navy officers are sometimes embarrassed by the regulations forbidding retailers of liquor to supply them with spirits before 5 p.m.

I was at luncheon at the Commercial Club in California Street last Thursday and an Army Colonel with some friends came to the bar. His friends ordered drinks. The attendant poured them out and said to the Colonel: “Sorry, I can not serve you, sir.”

The Colonel promptly demanded “Why can’t you serve me?” and received the reply: “Against the regulations to serve any service men in uniform before 5 o’clock. I can give you beer if you like, sir.”

Taxi Adventures

THE number of taxis in service in San Francisco has been greatly reduced, and the Yellow Cab Co., which runs the best of them and has the largest number, encourages, “doubling up.” The is noticeable, particularly at the railway station when I go in to town in the morn ing. which I do about twice a week.

Recently, my wife went to town with me, and we took a taxi. A lady came to the door and looked in inquiringly. As she was going beyond our destination the driver told her she could get in.

We were going to visit one of the two large warehouses down town. As we ap proached, my wife thought we were going to the wrong building, and said to me; “Fathead —you directed the driver to the wrong building.”

I said nothing until we were getting out at the correct destination, and then said: “My dear. I don’t think you should speak to me like that in the presence of a strange lady.”

The American women immediately laughed and said: “Oh, I knew you two were English.”

Another time, when my wife was with me, we took a taxi to a different part of the city, and evidently the driver heard us talking as we went along. When we got out the driver said me: “That will be forty-five cents, sir—about two bob.” I gave him 50 cents. He looked at it and said “Half a crown—thank you, sir.”

The incident which amused me most was when I got into a taxi with two other men and, just as the driver was about to start, a rather stout man came limping along with the aid of a stick. The driver called to him. “Financial District, sir?”

He said. “Yes,” and got in, taking one of the dickey seats.

As he sat down he sighed, and said: “Well, I am glad to get on to a comfort able seat again. That damned train was so crowded I couldn’t get a seat any where; and with this leg. which has only just healed. I could not stand all the way.

So I had to go and sit in the toilet all the way from Palo Alto to Third and Townsend” (an hour’s trip)!

“Loafin’ On The Slipway”

THE train run to San Francisco takes anywhere from forty minutes to an hour. Freauently. on my return trips in the evening, I travel with crowds of workers, apparently from the ship yards, many of them wearing steel hel mets. Most of them look tired and as though they had done a reasonable day’s work—vet there is a great deal of talk about loafing in the shipyards.

You may see the magazine “Time,” published in New York. In the issue of

September 28th there is a short article under the heading, “I’se a-loafin’ on the Shipway.” This is an extract from the Seattle “Times” —a reporter named Mag nuson worked in one of the yards for two weeks and he writes: — “Never during my time in the yard did I put in an honest day’s work. I do not think I averaged one hour of labour for each shift of seven and a half hours.

Some nights I was engaged usefully for no more than ten minutes,” (His pay: $8.36 a day.) “Time” says—“ Once, from the super structure of a destroyer, Magnuson looked down on a group of 13 men. One was working, the others smoked, talked or just leaned against the railings. Twenty minutes later Magnuson looked again.

The only difference: Now there were 14 men and two were working.”

“Time” goes on to say—“At no time were more than 70 per cent, of the men in the yard really working. But ‘the men were not to blame. They were idle, but not from choice. They want to work.’ ”

Yet, according to the Seattle “Times” the yard was several months ahead of schedule, and had received the Naval “E” for efficiency.

Here, in San Francisco, a friend of mine told me that he had visited one of the yards on the Oakland side of the Bay in an official capacity, and he saw num bers of men leaning on the rail smoking and chatting, and when he stopped and with intent looked at them, although they knew he was there in an official capacity, they took not the slightest notice, but continued their relaxation. He said he went on and looked down into the hold where he saw a scene such as that des cribed by Magnuson: “one was working— the others smoked, talked. ...”

Mystery Garments

I THINK I must tell you a little story about Pago Pago. Some of you have seen Pago Pago. Leaving out the naval section, it is much smaller than Levuka, and during the period of low prices of copra the commercial buildings looked shabby, and as a trading centre it ap peared to be dead. There would not appear to be very much opportunity there because, according to the American atlas, the native population is under 13,000. The European population in creased a good deal about two years ago, but has been greatly added to since then, although most of the European women have been “evacuated.”

A week or two ago in San Francisco I saw an order from one of the smaller traders in Pago Pago and I noted a few items: 120 dozen ladies’ panties; 50 dozen ladies’ slips; 50 dozen ladies’ nightdresses; 100 dozen back combs; 120 dozen hair ornaments; 250 dozen bed sheets; stock ings, ladies’ shoes, women’s dresses, children’s dresses, some hundreds of blankets, quilts, etc. —in fact, quite a good stock of goods suitable for European women.

Your guess is as good as mine.