FEBRUARY 1943

The German Army at Stalingrad surrendered on February 2. Over 91,000 German troops, including 2,500 officers and 24 generals were taken prisoner by the Russians after being encircled at Stalingrad since November 23, 1942. At the time of encirclement and before being worn down the German Army at Stalingrad numbered about 330,000 officers and men (New York Times, February 3).

The Bureau of Selective Service of the War Manpower Commission announced on February 2 that after April 1 certain activities and occupations (of which a preliminary list was issued) would be nondeferable regardless of dependents. Thirty days would be allowed selective-service registrants thus affected to transfer to necessary war work in order to claim deferment on grounds of dependency (Office of War Information, War Manpower Commission, PM-4298; for list see Monthly Labor Review, March 1943, pp. 468-469).

The Office of Price Administration announced on February 2 that the rationing of "commercially canned, bottled, and frozen fruits and vegetables, including juices, all soups, and dried fruits, under the point system," would begin on March 1 in order to insure distribution to every citizen of this Nation. (See December 27, 1942, OPA-1576, OPA-1617).

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed Commander in Chief of all Allied forces in north Africa on February 6 (New York Times, February 7).

The Office of Price Administration on February 7 ordered suspension of retail sale of shoes until February 9, when shoe rationing would begin at the rate of three pairs per person a year necessitated by increased military requirements. Stamp 17 of War Ration Book No. 1 would be good for one pair of shoes until June 15 On February 25 play shoes and certain others not generally used for street wear were released from rationing (OPA-1653, OPA-1655, OPA-1793).

On February 9 the President ordered that "for the duration of the war, no plant, factory, or other place of employment shall be deemed to be making the most effective utilization of its manpower if the minimum workweek is less than 48 hours per week." The Chairman of the War Manpower Commission was authorized to modify and control the minimum workweek wherever it would be useful to the war effort (Executive Order 9301, Federal Register, February 11, p. 1825).

An end to organized Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal was brought about by February 9. During the final American offensive on Guadalcanal, which had been begun on January 15, over 6,000 Japanese were killed and only 127 prisoners taken. American troops first invaded Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, in order to safeguard shipping communications with Australia (New York Times, February 10; Navy Communique No. 277 and No. 280).

Rostov was re-captured by the Russians on February 14 (New York Times, February 15).

Mme. Chiang Kai-shek, wife of the Generalissimo of China, arrived in Washington on February 17 and stopped at the White House as a guest of President and Mrs. Roosevelt (Department of State Bulletin, February 20, p. 165). She addressed the Senate and the House of Representatives in their respective Chambers on February 18 (Congressional Record, vol. 89, pp. 1114, 1142).

On February 19 the first 530-mile section of the new 24-inch War Emergency Pipe Line carrying petroleum from Longview, Tex., to Morris City, Ill., at the daily rate of 300,000 barrels, was officially put into operation after 200 days of construction work. On February 15 work was started on the 857-mile Illinois-east coast extension of the War Emergency Pipe Line (Big Inch) (Office of War Information, Petroleum Administration for War, OWI-1282, OWI-1283, OWI-1305). (See July 19.)

War Ration Book No. 2 was issued on February 22-27. Registration was handled through the local schools as in the case of book No. 1. This was the first of the "universal books" (New York Times, February 11). (See April 20.)

MARCH 1943

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place on March 4. A Japanese convoy, consisting of 22 vessels (12 transports and 10 warships) and bound for New Guinea, was destroyed by Allied planes. About 15,000 Japanese troops perished (New York Times, March 4).

On March 6 the President signed the act passed by Congress amending the Army Student Training Act of 1942, Public Law 435, Seventyseventh Congress. This act deleted the 2-percent limitation heretofore imposed on the number of Army personnel who might be detailed as students at technical, professional, and other educational institutions, or as student observers and investigators at industrial plants, hospitals, and other places. This provided a greater opportunity for in-service training of a larger number of military personnel and afforded the Army a closer contact with the sources of war production in this country, as well as providing a pool of highly trained men to aid in the reconversion of occupied territory abroad (Public Law 7, 78th Cong.).

On March 11 the President signed the act passed by Congress extending the powers of the President under the original Lend-Lease Act of 1941 (Public Law 11, 77th Cong.) for 1 year. Congress voted this extension in affirming the substantial success of the lend-lease program in shortening and winning the war by means of reciprocal aid between all the United Nations (Public Law 9, 78th Cong.).

Due to the enormously expanding requirements of the armed forces with attendant production difficulties the Secretary of Agriculture on March 11 authorized the Office of Price Administration "to institute the rationing of meats, edible fats and oils (including butter), cheese, and canned fish, on or before April 1" (Office of War Information, Department of Agriculture, AG-145; U. S. Department of Agriculture, Food Distribution Administration, Food Directives 5, 6, and 7). The retail sale of these foods was suspended at 12:01 a. m. March 22 and resumed on March 29, with the beginning of their rationing, by use of the red stamps from War Ration Book No. 2 (OPA-1986, ŎPA2032).

The United States Senate on March 12 established the Committee on Post-war Economic Policy and Planning to investigate, with the power of subpena, all matters relating to post-war economic policy and problems, and to report from time to time findings and conclusions to Congress (Congressional Record, vol. 89, p. 1989; S. Res. 102, 78th Cong.).

Congress passed the act which was signed by the President on March 17, granting hospitalization, domiciliary care, and other benefits to

persons who served in the active military or naval service of the United States on or after December 7, 1941. The several women's branches are included in the benefits of this act (Public Law 10, 78th Cong.).

The Veterans' Insurance Benefits Act approved by Congress and signed by the President on March 23, provided for an automatic renewal of expiring 5-year level premium term policies of those in active military or naval service and certain other personnel outside the continental limits of the United States (Public Law 13, 78th Cong.).

On March 23 the President signed the National Defense Housing Act, approved by Congress, providing authorization for defense housing by an increase from $800,000,000 to $1,200,000,000. Decent housing was thus provided to take care of war workers in congested areas and in new industrial areas where adequate housing did not exist before (Public Law 15, 78th Cong.).

Veterans' Rehabilitation Benefits Act was passed by Congress and signed by the President on March 24. Vocational rehabilitation to overcome handicaps was provided in this act for any honorably discharged veteran who served in the active military or naval service at any time after December 6, 1941 (Public Law 16, 78th Cong.).

On March 26 the President issued Executive Order 9322 to assure an adequate supply and distribution of food to meet war and essential civilian needs, created in the Department of Agriculture, the Administration of Food Production and Distribution by consolidating the Food Administration (except the Farm Credit Administration), the Food Distribution Administration (established December 5, 1942), the Commodity Credit Corporation, and the Extension Service. On April 19 the President changed the name of the new Administration to War Food Administration. Chester C. Davis was appointed Administrator (Executive Order 9322, 8 Federal Register, p. 3807; White House Press Releases of March 25, March 26; Executive Order 9334, 8 Federal Register, p. 5423).

On March 26 the President signed the act approved by Congress on naval station and public-works construction. Naval war activities required the construction of vast shore stations and facilities, including public works such as roads, buildings, accessories, and services. For the necessary immediate construction work $1,256,607,000 was appropriated by Congress (Public Law 19, 78th Cong.).

On March 29 the British Eighth Army, after 8 days of fighting, outflanked the Mareth Line and occupied El Hamma in southern Tunisia. As a result, the Germans abandoned the Mareth Line and retreated northward. The British pressed their success and captured Gabes on March 30 (Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, vol. 388, col. 34; New York Times, March 30, 31).

On March 31 the President signed the act passed by Congress removing all previous restrictions on the number of inductions into the Navy and Marine Corps. By this time the naval shipbuilding and training-station construction programs were sufficiently advanced so that there were adequate facilities for training men and all induction limits could be lifted (Public Law 20, 78th Cong.).

AFRIL 1943

On April 5 the Office of Price Administration issued specific centsper-pound retail ceiling prices on beef, veal, lamb, and mutton, to go into effect on April 15, providing uniform maximum prices in retail stores of the same class (four classes altogether) in each of 10 zones in which the country was divided for this purpose. Pork had already been placed under such controls. Prices were specifically announced for various grades of each meat to insure general conformity to the regulation and to give the purchasers the opportunity to check prices and to combat black-market operators (Office of War Information, Office of Price Administration, OPA-2123). Because of the President's "hold the line" order of April 8, the above-mentioned ceiling prices were revised downward and did not go into effect until May 17 (OPA-2479).

On April 6 the Treasury Department made public a provisional outline of a plan (the White plan) for post-war international monetary stabilization drafted by American experts. On the next day the British Government issued a similar plan (the Keyes plan) drafted by British experts (Federal Reserve Bulletin, June 1943, pp. 501-521). On April 6 General Montgomery's desert army, in a predawn assault on the scale of that at El Alamein which decided the Battle of Egypt, broke through the German position at Akarit, north of Gabes, and forced the Germans to retreat. This successful battle enabled the desert army moving in from the east and the United States forces moving in from the west to establish contact on April 7 (Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, vol. 388, col. 623; New York Times, April 8). On April 10 the desert army occupied Sfax and on April 12, Sousse (New York Times, April 11, 13).

The President issued his "hold the line" order on April 8, prohibiting, in the interest of inflation control, "further increases in prices affecting the cost of living or further increases in general wage or salary rates except where clearly necessary to correct substandard living conditions" (Executive Order 9328, 8 Federal Register, p. 4681). On April 8 the President signed the act passed by Congress to provide for the stabilization and regulations of deferment of Government employees. Provision was made for the setting up of committes in the agencies and departments for the purpose of review and recommendation of deferments pursuant to Executive Order 9309, March 6, 1943. Power to request deferment was removed from the hands of bureau chiefs and personnel and responsibility was placed with special committees appointed for that purpose (Public Law 23, 78th Cong.).

The Public Debt Act of 1943 was passed by Congress and went into effect on April 10 without the President's signature. This act increased the debt limit of the United States from $125,000,000,000 to $210,000,000,000 in order to enable the Treasury to issue bonds in the execution of its war-financing plans. A rider in the act to which the President objected removed the existing $25,000 limitation on individual net salary incomes (see October 27, 1942) by providing that no wages or salaries for any particular work shall be reduced under the act of October 2, 1942, "below the highest wages or salaries paid therefor between January 1 and September 15, 1942" (Public Law 34, 78th Cong.).

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On April 10 the President signed the act passed by Congress to provide that diving-duty pay be increased by $5 to $30 per month over the old rate, and by $5 per hour for work under extremely hazardous conditions (Public Law 33, 78th Cong.).

On April 12 the Office of Price Administration authorized the Office of Price Administration regional offices to set "maximum prices for food and beverages served by restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, and other eating and drinking establishments." This action had become practicable as a result of the hold-the-line order of April 8 (Executiver Order 9328). The week of April 4-10 was chosen as the base price period, and every eating and drinking place in the country was directed to file, by May 1, with its local war price and rationing board "a copy of each menu or price list it used during the base period" (Office of Price Administration, OPA-2266). On May 24 the Office of Price Administration announced the creation of a Restaurant Industry Advisory Committee, composed of 19 leaders in this field from all parts of the country, for the purpose of (1) developing methods of lowering abnormally high prices, especially in defense centers, and (2) reviewing the specific provisions of regulations already issued (OPA-2573).

The War Manpower Commission announced on April 12 that it had eliminated dependency as a reason for draft deferment of men with collateral dependents and wives only, except for necessary farmers and in cases where extreme hardship and privation would result. A revised list of classifications for selective-service registrants was issued with the following principal revisions: Class III-B, containing men having dependents and engaged in activities essential to the war effort, was eliminated. Class III-A was revised to contain registrants in deferrable activities or occupations (see February 2, 1943) maintaining bona fide marriage relationship from prior to December 8, 1941, with at least one child born before September 15, 1942. Class III-D was created for hardship cases (Office of War Information, War Manpower Commission, PM-4357).

On April 15 the Office of Civilian Requirements was established in the War Production Board to provide an adequate flow of supplies for civilian needs during the war. This new office replaced the Office of Civilian Supply, originally established as a division of the Office of Price Administration and Civilian Supply (see April 11, 1941) but transferred in August 1941 to the War Production Board (Office of War Information, War Production Board, WPB-3794).

On April 16 the War Manpower Commission issued a regulation restricting the transfer of workers, effective April 18. Transfers to high paid jobs were forbidden to employees who during the preceding 30-day period were engaged in essential activities; such transfers were not out of the question but would be "subject to and permitted under an employment stabilization program approved by the War Manpower Commission." Transfers to similar paying jobs were not forbidden except where employees were in essential jobs covered by employment stabilization plans. Provision was made for the transfer to better paid jobs of workers not fully utilizing their skills (Office of War Information, War Manpower Commission, PM-4362 and PM-4364). On April 17, the War Manpower Commission issued a revised list of 35 essential industries and activities (for summary, see the Monthly Labor Review, June 1943, pp. 1092-1093; PM-4363).