Evening star., 1937-11-07
INDUSTRY SECRETS
READY FOR WAR
CapabiIity of Plant Is Sur
veyed in Advance for
Electric Response.
BY WILLIAM T. PEACOCK,
Associated Press Stan Writer.

BY WILLIAM T. PEACOCK,
Associated Press Stan Writer.
Locked in long rows of filing cabi-
nets in the War Departments Num-
tions Building are the production
secrets Of 10000 American industrial
firms.
They are the backbone of the plan
for industrial mobilization in war
which embraces keeping always at
hand the answer to the question:
Where could the Army's and Navys
needs in war time be filled and how
soon?
The man who has the job Of keep
Ing that answer up to date is Col.
Charles T. Harris. jr., director Of
planning, Office of Assistant Secretary
Of War Louis D. johnson.
Better Prepared.
Il feel we are better prepared than
ever before" he said.
THE production of some 20 1000 in
dividual plants has been analyzed and
the capacity of these plants to manu-
facture war materials has been de-
termined.
Twelve thousand of these manu.
featuring plants have been allocated or
assigned to one or more of the supply
branches for the purpose of producing
military supplies.
In the case of each of these IL, 900
facilities. the War Department has
completed or is now engaged in the
process of acquainting them with the
task that will be placed upon them in
war.
THE manufacturing plant, after ex-
animation. states to the War Depart
ment whether or not it can be de.
pended upon to carry out the mission
assigned to 1t with reference to both
quantity and time. The great major
1ty OF these plants have signed a paper.
known as the accepted schedule of
production which states that thev
will be prepared to perform the work
assigned.
This accepted schedule has no
legal status and is not binding on
either the Government or the in
dustrial plant. 1t simply means that
the industrial plant has co-operated
with the Government in studying and
analyzing the war load that NAV be
placed upon it, and is prepared to
carry this load in war;"
Planning for Peace"
Col. Harris job is called planning
for war" but he prefers to call it
planning for peace"
Il think the best way a rich nation
such as ours can keep out of war is
10 be so prepared that no nation will
RISK forcing 1t into war" said the
53-year-old Texan, who holds the Dis
tinguished Service Medal for World
War service
L am strongly opposed to war. I
consider 1t the most futile undertaking
any nation can engage in, and even
the winner becomes ultimately a
loser"
The industrial mobilization plan
grew from World War experiences.
The early days Of the United States
participation in that conflict found
wide confusion In procurement Of sup
plies and munitions. Supply branches
OF Army and Navy competed with each
other in seeking a plants output It
was to end this situation that the
War Industries Board was appointed.
The National Defense Act subse-
quently placed on the Assistant Sec
retary OF War the duty of planning in
peace for wartime provision of
munitions.
Revised Last Year.
Outgrowth of this was the industrial
mobilization plan, advanced by the
War Department in 1881 and revised
last year.
Among the board principles laid
down were coordination of Army and
Navy planning. consideration of essen
tial needs of the civilian population,
distribution of the production load
so as to cause the least possible dis
turbance in the normal economic life
apd proration of industrial facilities
Tor use by the Army and Navy.
In following out these principles, the
Navy as the first line of defense has
been given priority, generally, in allo-
cation Of industrial facilities. Plan
ming has been on the basis OF leaving
free for civilian needs at least SO per
cent Of the normal production of a
plant.
An Army and Navy munitions board
has been created to coordinate war
procurement problems.
Diversion to Munitions Studied.
Study Of industrial plants has ex-
tended beyond which ones can and
. will in time of war supply pants for
the Navy and shoes and socks for the
Army. 1t has embraced also which
can be turned from commercial manu-
factures to production of arms and
ammunition; what retooling will be
needed for certain automobile plants
to begin producing airplane motors.
There also has been study of proper
contract forms for wartime pur-
chases.
Raw material needs have been in
vestigated. Thus figures have been
prepared on how many aluminium
canteens would be needed and whether
there is enough aluminium in the
country for their fabrication; whether
the necessary raw wool for uniforms
Is available.
The industrial mobilization plan also
proposed comprehensive Government
control of industry in time OF war
recommending powers of fixing,
reQuisition, enforced conservation, to
place compulsory orders, to COM
mandeer and to license
Legislation covering these powers
was considered by congressional COM
mittees at the last session of Congress,
but Congress adjourned without taking
action.
Firms Cooperate Freely.
Col. Harris said the cooperation Of
industrial firms in the survey had been
freely given.
GSFVI-