"The War Is Over"

The nation was treated last week to the unique sight of an Administration official really swinging an economy ax. Secretary Louis Johnson announced a cutback in Defense Department jobs which he thought would ultimately save the country $500 million a year.

It had taken a strong arm to do it, and Johnson had one. The victims were 135,000 of some 900,000 civilians who have been working for the Army, Navy and Air Force at everything from tapping typewriters to hammering rivets into ships. At the time of Johnson's order, there was one civilian employee in the armed services to every two men in uniform; now many a serviceman would have to work harder.

There were anguished complaints from some Congressmen whose local districts would be hurt, but, mindful of the demands they had often made for economy, many a Congressman manfully choked and swallowed in silence. The services themselves were surprisingly philosophic. Said Under Secretary of the Navy Dan Kimball: "We've had this coming a long time. The war is over."

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