Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-31
WILL SPEND BILLION
FOR TRUCKS IN 1919
Washington Makes high Estimate
for War Truck Buying for
Next Fiscal Year.

Automobile trucks To be purvhaGd
hN the war department during the
next fiscal year will probably he
double what the purchases were
during the current year. The wash
iurton representative OF Automobile
Topics has been informed that The
ne,t annual estimates now being
discussed in the department con'om i.
plate expenditures not far short ot
$1,000 100000 for trucks during the
fiscal year ending July l. 1919
While II is probable that the auto
mobile industry could manufacture
th,s volume OF trucks during next
vcnr Il would take nearly all the
plant capacity which In now devoted
to the manufacture NJ passenger
cars. the department has been IN
formed
Tho estimates will he pruned
down considerably before they pass
thru the hands OF the secretary OF
war and are sent To congress. II Is
believed that they will be pruncd
not because the automobile industry
cannot or does not desire to make
the trucks in the volume desired,
hut because other factors Will show
the necessity for such curiallmenl
Military tactics IL In believed. VIII
be the final guide In this matter
Some intimation OF the volume OF
work which the new production pro
gram entails can be had from the
rough estimates TO show the volume
or the truck industry In the United
States During 1917. II was said, tho
production OF trucks In the United
Slates may not have exceeded f2ln-
600 600 IN value. During the cur
rent year the war department has
available an appropriation ot over
$500. 100000 for trucks. Not all
this appropriation has been uscd
up. hut II is believed that Il will All
be spent before the summer is over.
The estimates under discussion In
tho war department call for appro-
priations between 100000, 900 ana
$500. 900, 900 for automobile trucks
This promises to he an enormous
drain upon the industry as n whole,
but there is no lacking OF confidence
in II The war department is about
decided that In view OF the en-
ormlty of the problem there should
be some Centralizntion to all tho
work. and under the general starr
viii probably be appointed In the not
distant future one man who will so
ordinate all the truck needs OF the
various divisions OF the army THIS
man. n Is now understood, will lie
appointed before the 1919 estimates
are finally determined
To-day the orders for standard
trucks are being placed as rapidly
M the finished trucks can be handl-
ed Indeed, In some quarters it Is
believed that they are being ordered
In larger volumes than can be
handled Trucks are needed In
France and Il Ia useless 10 order
more than can be transported across
the ocean. Therefore the ship cnpa-
city OF the allies will be one OF the
determining factors In the program
now under contemplation, The or
ders for standard trucks have bean
so well distributed. Il Is understo ood
that today the truck production
work Is far in advance OF many 9th
er programs upon which the war de-
pends.
The automobile industry. for In.
stance, IL to be held responsible for
the success OF the airplane produc.
tion for both the army and the navy
The public generally has just dis
covered that the airplane program
Is behind" This u due 40 the fact
that the public never UNDERSTOOD
adequately what the airplane pro,
gram was. over $500 600 900 hal
been provided for airplane produc
ton. from which II is planned TO ge
$4,000 planes and many more Lib
erty motors. The alrplane produc
tion program will not be inauRur
ated much before July. Il is under
stood, and II is with the determine
ton 20 see that II Ia we'll started
that Chairman Coffin OF the alrcraf
production board In now making 4
survey OF the factories engaged upoI
this work. Others are also maxim,
a survey OF the progress made in thli
line, but they are for the purpose o
devisins means for speeding up. no
to discover points for criticlslng tn,
manufacturers.
The aircraft production program
II was stated to the Washington cor
respondent OF Automobile Topics
will not be ut It's height much bef1r,
fall. The American aerial forces
then will be In a position to show tn,
Hun something and by that TINT tn,
4 A a.