business loans for war or essential production and in connection with surplus properties. It cannot make loans for service businesses-stores, gas stations, and repair shops. It also offers the service of its technical advisory service as a link between a small manufacturer and the sources to the answers of his production problems. It can give full information concerning 45,000 alien patents seized by the Government. SWPC field offices can supply information. 103.12 Reconstruction Finance Corporation.-(a) The Reconstruction Finance Corporation has a small-business loan program which includes loans to persons returning to private life from the armed forces of the United States to assist them in reestablishing business operations which they were forced to liquidate or to turn over to others on entering the service. The applicants will be expected to show prior business experience, to have a proper amount of equity capital, and there should appear a sound economic need for the business. It is the desire of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation that these loans be made and serviced by banks in the local communities with a satisfactory participation agreement by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. (b) Applications should be filed through the banks or other financial institutions, but where it is not so that the bank can or will make the loan, they should be filed with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation directly through its loan agencies which are located in large cities throughout the country. It should be understood that this program is not the same as that of the Veterans' Administration relating to the guaranty of loans under the provisions of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. 103.13 Office of Price Administration.-Price ceilings and rationing of limited commodities, in order to control dollar values and to proportion available supplies equitably, are fixed and maintained by the Office of Price Administration. Under its regulations, discharged service men and women become subject to the same rationing and price ceiling rules as govern other civilians. In the case of veterans desiring to establish or reestablish certain type of business, however, priorities are provided for certain rationed food materials as an aid to the reestablishment of veterans in civilian life. Information on these priorities and on general price and rationing regulations may be obtained at any local ration board. 103.14 Office of Defense Transportation.-Regulations of all means of transportation during the war emergency is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Defense Transportation which also issues permits for the purchase and operation of certain transportation equipment. Priority regulations applying specifically to veterans make it possible for veterans who operated taxicabs prior to entry into military service, to receive permits to reengage in that business, following discharge. 103.15 Federal Security Agency.-Included under the Federal Security Agency are the following divisions which provide services available to veterans and their families. (1) Social Security Board.-Administers Federal old-age and survivors insurance program and the State-Federal programs for unemployment compensation and public assistance. (2) Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.-Training under the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, as amended July 6, 1943, for disabled individuals, whether arising from war injuries, industrial or other accidents, or from congenital causes. Training offered under this program is available to veterans in lieu of or in addition to training or education under Public Law No. 16, Seventyeighth Congress, or under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, and is available even to veterans dishonorably discharged or dismissed from the service. (3) Office of Education.-Planning among institutions of higher education to meet educational needs and development of community adult-counseling centers and referral services available both to veterans and displaced war workers. (4) United States Health Service.-Medical care and treatment for servicemen, generally, including discharged Coast Guard personnel and merchant seamen not designated as veterans. (5) The Office of Community War Services.-Recreational and social protection services for the shifting population as war and industrial needs change. 103.16 Surplus Property Board.-(a) The orderly and economically sound disposition of war material surpluses in a manner designed to benefit the greatest number of people is provided under the Surplus Property Act of 1944, which created the Surplus Property Board. The Board, which consists of three members, makes the rules that govern disposal of all surplus property. (b) The Surplus Property Board sells no property. All sales are made by disposal agencies designated by the Board. Each disposal agency specializes in one class of property. The Department of Commerce sells consumer goods, items that are usually purchased by retailers for resale to the individual customer. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation sells capital or producers goods (machine tools, plant equipment, etc.), aircraft and industrial plants. Farm property is disposed of through the Department of Agriculture, as well as agricultural commodities and food. The Maritime Commission disposes of ships and maritime property and the National Housing Agency disposes of housing property. Although veterans must purchase surplus property through these agencies, veteran priorities are provided in certain instances. 103.17 War Shipping Administration.—(a) Established to assure the most effective utilization of the shipping of the United States for the successful prosecution of the war, the War Shipping Administration is responsible for the operation, purchase, charter, requisition, insurance, repair, and maintenance of all vessels under the flag or control of the Unted States, except combat vessels of the Army and Navy and other agencies of the Federal Government. (b) Responsibility for recruitment of qualified maritime personnel and for the manning of vessels under the control of the War Shipping Administration is vested in the Recruitment and Manning Organization of that Administration. The Recruitment and Manning Organization also has the responsibilty of determining whether a seaman is entitled to a certificate establishing reemployment rights under the provisions of Public Law 87, 78th Congress, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration pursuant to such law. |