The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-18
Production of AirplaneS
Exceeds All Expectations
Liberty Motor Is Success In Every
Way and ls Now Recognized As
a Perfect Engine Product

| Cleveland, July 17.-There have
been rumors regarding aircraft af-
| fairs Of curtailed output, of failure OF
the Liberty motor, of fabulous profits
being made and of every possible dis
aster and phenomenal success one
might imagine
AS to aircraft affairs, Ray Sherman,
editor Of Motor World, says: I'VE
have been somewhat misled by over
koptimistic statements year ago
There may have been delays in the
rapidly put together industrial ma
chine that was to turn out aircraft,
but when one gets down to the facts
one finds that the Liberty motor is a
success and not a failure and that the
aircraft production is farther along
than it was believed that America
could be at this time
"One thing should be remembered
in connection with American indus.
tryy: America is big production
country, which means that millions Of
dollars and weeks Of time are spent
in tooling up and getting ready, but
once her plants get ready they are in
position to turn out things at a rate
of which Europe never dreamed.
"Some of the delay in aircraft pro-
duction may be due to incompetence
and confusion because of the speed
necessary, but much of it is due to
tooling up and could not have been
avoided with the most efficient organ
ization."
"The Liberty motor" said AL
Reeves, executive secretary of the
Automobile Chamber of Commerce,
at the dealers meeting, lis admitted
by France, England and Italy to be
the most perfect and wonderful mo-
tor ever produced. 1t is the work of
the best engineers in this country
and they are building airplanes now
with three Of these motors in them
| which will carry the message to Ber-
lin we have for so long wanted to
send.
"As to automobile factories, some
of them are engaged almost entirely
in war work. Some have erected
large extensions in order to take care
of government contracts and regular
work, too, SO far as labor and mo.
terals permit. The factories have
taken all the government work that is
available and have room for more
when ready.
Steel Shortage
AS to materials, the situation has
become indefinite. Officials have
stated that the motor car factories
can have but little steel. On the 9th.
err hand the steel people have said
that, with a budget of government
needs in hand, it will be possible
to do good service to all in supplying
steel, but the budget has not been
forthcoming, SO the steel question is
unsettled"
The automobile factories are put.
ting government work ahead of ev-
erything else. Standardization Of
parts in airplanes has helped won
derfully in speeding up aircraft pro-
i duction and 1t is stated by officials
that when the crates of planes are
received "over there" it is not neces.
sary to match up different parts in
| the same way that hey are put to.
gether in this country. The parts
will go together because they are in
Interchangeable and it is recorded that
| in the space of two hours from the
time of receipt Of planes in France
a plane has been put together, the
engine started and the plane flown.
Howard E. Coffin, former head Of
the aircraft construction board, re
Gently stated that in England, after
over three years of war, in a plant
where over 10000 men are mployed
but so engines per week and having
so horsepower less than our Libert,
motors, are being built. while in thi.
country, within 100 days sevral plant.
Twill be turning out from 80 to 100 mo
tors per day.
With these facts known it become,
more convincing that American in
dustry is going long way towards
winning tbn unr