An Emergency Statement to the People of the United States

WPB UNITED STATES WAR PRODUCTION BOARD

An Emergency Statement to the People of the United States

How can you help? The answer is on this page. I hope every American citizen will read it and act on it.

D. M. NELSON, CHAIRMAN, WAR PRODUCTION BOARD

A crisis exists in our war production program which can be solved only by the patriotic cooperation of the American people.

We are faced with a serious shortage of steel scrap, rubber and other vital materials.

This shortage must be filled.

By “scrap” we mean the ordinary Junk which today is lying in the barnyards and in the gullies of farms; in the basements, attics and garages of homes and stores throughout the country.

The steel industry operates on the basis of half-and-half--about 50 per cent metal from pig iron and 50 per cent remelted scrap metal.

Therefore, about 50 per cent of every tank, every ship, every submarine and every gun is made of scrap iron and steel.

The steel industry has been rapidly stepping up its production—from 67,000,000 tons in 1940 to a record-breaking 83,000,000 tons in 1941. Production in 1942 is already ahead of 1941, but we need to get production up to the industry’s full capacity of 90,000,000 tons—a total equal to the output of the rest of the world combined.

This volume of production cannot be attained or increased unless an additional 6,000,000 tons of scrap iron and steel is obtained promptly.

We are faced with the fact that some steel furnaces have been allowed to cool down and that many of them are operating from day to day and hand to mouth, due only to the lack of scrap.

The rubber situation is also critical. In spite of the recent rubber drive, there is a continuing need for large quantities of scrap rubber.

We are collecting every possible pound of scrap from the factories, arsenals and shipyards; we are speeding up the flow of material from automobile graveyards; we are tearing up abandoned railroad tracks and bridges, but unless we dig out an additional 6,000,000 tons of steel and great quantities of rubber, copper, brass, zinc and tin, our boys may not get all the fighting weapons they need in time.

Fortunately, the material exists in America’s great “mine above the ground.”

There is enough iron and steel on farms alone, if used with other materials, to make:.

Twice as many battleships as there are in the whole world today, or

Enough 2000-pound bombs to drop three per minute from big bombers incessantly for more than three years.

Locating and collecting this scrap is going to require a canvass of every house and every farm. Even one old shovel will help make 4 hand grenades.

We have set up the machinery for this, but it is not perfect. It is a problem that can be licked only by American resourcefulness, American organization ability, American muscle and American will to win.

We now have in every state a State Salvage Committee of volunteers working directly under the governor.

Under these state committees we have county committees and local committees. We have special industrial committees working with executives of plants in 421 industrial centers.

In rural communities we have the County War Boards.

These committees can tell you the quickest way to get your Junk into action.

In behalf of the governor and the state committee we urge every committee to organize itself into a band of “Salvage Commandos.”

You can either sell your scrap to a Junk dealer or you can give it to a charity, which in turn will sell it to a Junk dealer who performs an important function by sorting it, grading it, packing it and shipping it to the right place.

We urge local charities and civic organizations to cooperate with the Local Salvage Committee and devise a plan of action and collection.

We urge the scrap dealer to co-operate as fast as he can in the collection and shipment of materials.

We urge industrial executives to appoint Salvage Managers who have both the responsibility arid authority to salvage obsolete machinery, tools and dies.

We urge every farmer and every householder in America to act at once.

Go over your premises with a fine tooth comb. If you have already turned in your scrap, look again—you’ll probably find more.

If you do not have enough of your own to warrant someone coming after it, form a neighborhood pool, or take it yourself to the nearest collection point.

If there is an old heater or boiler in your basement too heavy for you to move, get your neighbors to help you.

This is a People’s job. It is something you can do without interfering with other war work or personal duties.

It is not enough to pile up a little stuff and expect somebody to come and get it. Most of the work is being done by patriotic volunteers with inadequate facilities. They need your help in collecting scrap material in the largest possible amounts and in getting it to the right place.

It is a direct and personal obligation to all of our boys on all fronts.

You may think, “My little bit” won’t help, but your “little bit" multiplied thousands and millions of times can create a mountain of raw material which can actually turn the tide.

The situation is serious. Your help is needed now.

HOW SCRAP IRON AND STEEL GO TO WAR

The steel used in our war machines is mads by melting together

1. Pig iron (about 50%)

2. Scrap generated in the steel plant in the process of steelmaking (about 25%)

3. Scrap purchased from outside Junk sources (about 25%)

We have plenty of iron ore to make the pig iron needed. But our furnaces operate faster when there is plenty of scrap to mix with the pig iron.

This so-called “scrap’’ which goes into the furnace to make the steel for tanks, ships and guns is actually refined steel--with most impurities removed. Some of the finest quality steels are made 100% from scrap.

The iron and steel scrap which you collect is bought by the steel mills from scrap dealers at established, government-controlled prices.

Throw YOUR scrap into tho fight!

JUNK needed for War

Scrap Iron and Stool

Needed for tanks, ships, guns--all machines and arms of war.

Other Metals--Rubber--Rags--Manila Rope--Burlap Bags

Needed to make bombs, fuses, binoculars, planes, tires for jeeps, gas masks, barrage balloons, parachute flares, sandbags.

HOW TO TURN IT IN

Sell to a Junk dealer...Give to a charity...Take it yourself to nearest collection point...or consult your Local Salvage Committee—

Phone: Ann Arbor 9667

If you live on a farm, phone or write your County War Board or consult your farm implement dealer.

WASTE FATS—After they have served maximum cooking use. Strain into a large tin can and sell to your meat dealer after you have collected a pound or more.

TIN CANS — Wanted only in areas close to detinning plants, as announced locally.

WASTE PAPER — Needed only as announced by local committees.

This message approved by Conservation Division

WAR PRODUCTION BOARD

This advertisement paid for by the American Industries Salvage Committee (representing and with funds provided by a group of leading industrial concerns).