Made during WWII as part of an effort to encourage recycling and re-use of scrap metal and rubber, “Salvage” is hosted by Donald M. Nelson the chairman of the War Production Board. The film features footage of various items that can be salvaged and re-used, and notes that Germany and Japan have been much more efficient in terms of re-using materials. The film also shows how household grease can be stored for use as nitroglycerin.
As Nelson says, “We the people of United States have had a land of plenty, resources to burn which were burnt but while we were throwing away, the axis was picking up. Germany and Japan scream while US squander. Today we need all this things thrown away. Now all Americans have got to save both men and women, young and old, have got to follow a new way of life as the enemies did. At mark 1:10 is one of the secret defense plants. Here you see men making tanks. For these you must have rubber, iron, steel and all these have become insufficient in recent times. At mark 1:30 it is evident that there are not enough rubbers for the tank production. Because there aren’t enough rubber for the tanks, steel thread is used as replacement as seen at mark 1:45. Rubber tires are also needed for jeep and planes, hence it is needed to rely on scrap rubbers around the house, it is important to depend and make use of other salvage rubbers as seen at mark 2:15. At mark 2:30 is a shell production industry. The workers here are seen with chips and the shells. Everyone here now know the importance of not wasting and keeping salvages for future purpose. At mark 3:10, a house wife is seen storing oil in fridge for future value. At mark 3:20, she then takes it to her butcher who access collection of fats and he buys it from her at fixed government price. He then goes into making of nitroglycerin. This nitro is also further processed which is then used in steel plants without which the steel plants would have shut down as seen at mark 3:40. Half of the steel in every warship is made from scrap, those things that are referred to as junks. All these junks must be processed in the steel mills.
At mark 3:55 is the foremen of the rolling mill. He talks about the importance of junks. Barns possess lots of these junks as seen at mark 4:10. At mark 4:28, they are transported. At mark 4:40, confusions about tin cans are discussed. All these are wanted in the city and more new can plants are been made. At mark 5:14, he said not to bring in tin cans until the order has been given out in local newspapers and other media. At mark 5:20, a house wife is seen with his collection of cans, scraps, knives and forks. Home salvage work is not something you do every day, at times one day a week, or every week till the country becomes victorious. At mark 6:00, there is a large junk keeps of scrap, hence people shouldn’t be upset, they are kept for reserve supply cos nobody is getting rich from large junkies. Prices are fixed by the government. Take every bit of scrap you have at home to every official salvage depot, to gas stations. These official salvage depot are been maintained for the duration. If none are close to you, call the authority or the junk dealers. Get the scraps moving cos that’s the important point. Women today have started this similar role, so can the men and the children. Boy scouts will help and so will the American legions and other public organizations. Saving is as easy as squandering. Give out your scraps and it will be turned to tanks, planes, jeeps, also into guns as seen at mark 7:10. Then will the fighting men have enough and end he world victorious at all time.
Donald Marr Nelson (1888–1959) was an American business executive and public servant, serving as the executive vice president of Sears Roebuck before accepting the position of director of priorities of the United States Office of Production Management (1941–1942). In 1942 Nelson became chairman of the War Production Board (1942–1944) when it replaced the OPM.He later served for two years (1945–1947) as president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers.
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