Cincinnati Goes to War 21 Cincinnati Goes to War
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Spring 1991 Cincinnati Goes To War 21 Cincinnati Goes To War In 1941, like most American cities, Cincinnati industries expanded their businesses and began producing was in the throes of recovering from the Great Depression. special war related items. The Queen City's citizens were concerned also with the ever In late 1940 and early 1941, a growing number expanding war in Europe. Many favored President of Cincinnatians had decided that war was inevitable and Roosevelt's support to the countries fighting the Axis. took active roles in the preparedness campaign. They Others, under the leadership of Cincinnatian, Senator volunteered for civil defense training, participated in Red Robert A. Taft, advocated isolationism, and still others took Cross programs, raised funds for War Chest campaigns, and no position but fervently hoped that the United States could contributed to scrap drives. Others volunteered for military avoid war. service or registered for the draft after the passage of the By 1940, although the President and Congress Selective Service Act, the first peace time conscription in talked of avoiding involvement in the foreign conflict, the American history. United States had begun preparing for a possible war. However, the debate on and concern over the Defense spending rose, the armed forces began moderniz- United States' involvement in the war ended on December ing, federal agencies planned for full war production, and 7, 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. With the new war plants were built. The defense buildup created a United States at war, Queen City residents mobilized their demand for products manufactured by Cincinnati compa- energies and threw their total support into the national war nies, particularly chemicals and machine tools. Other local effort and Cincinnati went to war. Greater Cincinnatians took active roles first in prepared- ness, and then in working towards an Allied victory. ffifitffBlM Doing Your Bit Traveling, Shopping, or Eating Americans Can't Ignore the War To help the United States win the war, civilians made sacrifices so there would be enough weapons, vehicles, food, gasoline, tires, and other supplies for the armed forces. As "vital materials" including iron and copper went first to the military and war industries, and as factories switched to war production, Americans on the home front had to make do with less. There were fewer tires and less gasoline; less red meat, coffee, and sugar; and fewer consumer goods including cars, shoes, bicycles, and stoves. Because wartime shortages could cause prices to rise, encourage hoarding, and prevent fair distribution of goods, the Roosevelt administration set up a national system of rationing and price controls in 1942. Until the end of the war, every Cincinnatian — like every American could get only limited quantities of some products and could not buy other items at all. Although rationing and shortages were more severe in Great Britain and the Soviet Union, all Americans felt the impact of the war. lected and sorted ration stamps and tokens when cus- tomers purchased rationed items. Spring 1991 This is to Certify that pursuant to the Rationing Orders and ReguL tions administered by the OFFICE OF PRICE ADMINISTRATION, a agency of the United States Government, i (Name, AddreM, and Description of y^muajo whom the book is iuued:) (Count,) (Suu) Stamp* must not be detached except in the pretence of the r TRY CRISCO'S NEW DELICIOUS, SUGAR-SAYING fcromr CAKES OUR LABOR AND OUR 600DS Ail FIGHTiNB In May 1942, the federal gov- To get the most out of their While the war created shor- ernment began rationing, red ration points, homemak- tages of gas, tires, and food, which established monthly ers added fillers to meat Americans also faced limited limits on purchases of foods dishes, bought less popular supplies of many other items that were in short supply. cuts of meat, and reused ranging from building mate- Consumers had stamps that cooking fats. rials, to shoes and stockings. allowed them to buy set When silk and nylon went into amounts. military products such as par- achutes, stockings became hard to find. Many women used leg makeup to create the look of stockings. 24 Queen City Heritage Spring 1991 Cincinnati Goes to War: Doing Your Bit 25 HOW MILEAGE IS RATIONED Car owners received books of Different books and stickers gas ration stamps and match- showed the amount of gas a TTTI ing window stickers for their driver could buy. The "A" vehicles. Before pumping any books and stickers the most gas, the station attendant common type —were sup- checked the window sticker, posed to provide enough fuel made sure it matched the for driving about 240 miles driver's ration book, and then each month. tore out the correct number of stamps for the purchase. Queen City Heritage "YOU KNOW, DEM....SOMETIMES I WISH WE'D CONE EASY ON OUft TIRES BACK IN 1942/* The wartime rubber shortage Because the armed forces' Motorists drove more slowly meant that local tire retread need for rubber came first, the as suggested in the chart of operations had plenty to do. federal government rationed "Victory Numbers"—to make tires and limited driving on their tires last, then got the home front. retreads. Gasoline rationing also helped save rubber because people wore out fewer tires if they drove less. Spring 1991 Cincinnati Goes to War: Doing Tour Bit 27 OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS TO EVERY OHIO MOTORIST FOR THE DURATION IMPORTANT INVITATION TO YOU AND YOURS NON-COMBATANTS EVERYWHERE WANT TO DO THEIR UTMOST TO WIN THE WAR IN THE SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE- THIS IS A CALL FOR COMPLETE MOBILIZATION OF ALL MOTORISTS TO HOLD SPEEDS TO 35 MILES AN HOUR TO SAVE TRANSPORTATION AND TIRES FOR WAR-DO YOUR PART-SWAP RIDES- ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME FOR V-l-C-T-O-R-Y JOHN W. BRICKER Govcrnoj of Okio GEORGE McCONNAUGHEY H. G. SOURS -«^ Oinctet—Ohio Department of Hijfcw.ys To help save tires and gas, the The OPA sent out materials federal Office of Price Admin- on carpooling and, in late istration (OPA) encouraged 1942, ordered firms with Americans to share rides. more than 100 workers to set up "transportation commit- tees" to encourage ride- sharing. 28 Queen City Heritage Everyone Can "Get in the Scrap' Even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the help end the fighting and speed an Allied victory. federal government and private organizations were asking From the summer of 1941 through the end of Americans to donate scrap materials and all kinds of used the war, Greater Cincinnatians enthusiastically gathered items for the war effort. rubber, paper, rags, grease, and metal for scrap drives. Salvage drive organizers had two primary The Hamilton County Waste Materials goals: to build up the country's industrial resources and to Conservation Committee regularly met or exceeded its boost civilian morale. quotas. Scrap came from factories, municipal governments, The collection of scrap metal, rubber, grease, house-to-house collection drives, and more than 3,000 and paper expanded the country's supplies of raw materials. collection barrels that volunteers placed on city streets and Contributions of: binoculars and guns for British civil in downtown buildings. defense workers and clothing for distribution by relief By September 1945, the Hamilton County agencies saved time, labor, and materials in American salvage committee had collected 50,000 tons of waste paper, factories. 2,000 tons of grease, 4,000 tons of rubber, 3,500 tons of rags, In addition, salvage drives improved home and 645,500 tons of tins cans and scrap metal. The committee front morale. Participating in collection efforts gave civilians sold these materials to scrap dealers and gave the nearly of all ages a chance to feel they were doing something to $110,000 in proceeds to the USO and other charities. m in »r%*%*: I ikfii ffli mf $*• Spring 1991 Cincinnati Goes to War: Doing Tour Bit 29 They've got more places to go than you!... KEEP SCRAPPING Save Rubber RON AND STEEL-RUBBER flll OTHER METAlS-RftGS CHECK YOUR TIRES NOW MOVE JILL SCRAP NOW] Scrap metal collected by Boy As the war went on, officials and bronze sculptures were Scouts for the war effort in government and industry destroyed for the metal they made an impressive sight on found that they needed more contained. Fountain Square. of some kinds of scrap and that other materials were not useful. Americans' eager support of salvage drives led to some unfortunate decisions about what should be scrapped. Souvenirs of earlier wars, his- toric steam fire engines and locomotives, antique pewter, 30 Queen City Heritage Every Possible Provision for Their Protection" "The citizens of every community have a right saboteurs eager for information about troop movements and to assume that their representative officials have considered defense production. every possible provision for their protection and safety The Hamilton County National Defense against sabotage or any act of war." Cincinnati Bureau of Council was formed in November 1942, to coordinate area Governmental Research, Memorandum, June 12,1941. civilian defense activities. By July, over 62,000 Hamilton As Germany bombed Britain, Americans County men and women had trained as civilian defense air worried that U.S. cities could also be attacked. In response, raid wardens, fire watchers, emergency rescue workers, and the Roosevelt administration created the Office of Civilian messengers. Defense (OCD) in May 1941. Fear of air attack soon diminished, but The OCD encouraged state and local govern- Hamilton County civilian defense recruited volunteers ments to develop defense plans that would limit injuries throughout the war to help with scrap drives and war bond and property damage in an attack. The federal government rallies, work in child care centers, and help harvest and can also warned Americans to be wary of possible spies and vegetables from Victory gardens.