THE ADMINISTRATION: Forward by the Inch

The talk spun out by the yard; the action only inched forward. Last week the Administration:

¶ Placed its first order for medium tanks since World War II: 500 of an “improved” model said to have greater firepower than the Patton M-46, to be built by the American Locomotive Co. of Schenectady “at the earliest possible date.”

¶ Canceled the Army’s ten-day Christmas furlough for soldiers in training camps. Only Christmas and New Year’s will be considered holidays.

¶ Shut off the last trickle of goods to Red China and Manchuria, forcing some already-loaded ships to discharge cargo. The order was specifically worded to catch four ships now at sea, including the Isbrandtsen line’s Flying Clipper, reported heading for Tientsin with a cargo of steel, tin plate and pipe.

¶ Planned to hire 218,293 more civilians in the Defense Department, more than making up for the 171,000 employees lopped off by Economizer Louis Johnson when he was Secretary of Defense.