Evening star., 1938-04-25
.NEEDFORP[ANES
WORRIES BRITAIN
Parliament and Cabinet
Face Major Problem in
Charges.
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, April 25.-The disquiet-
ing realization that Britain has not
enough airplanes either to defend
itself or attack an enemy successfully
placed . major problem squarely be-
fore Parliament and cabinet today.
From all sides came charges that
the domestic aircraft industry was not
producing bombers and fighters rapidly
enough.
The scramble for more planes was
said to be based on the British mill
tary theory that the next war would
be fought with tremendous masses OF
aircraft both in defending London
and other vital points and in inflicting
immediate devastation upon enemy OBJ
JectiveS.
Such war, this theory held, would
last only a few weeks and victory
would ride with the largest air force.
The plane problem promised to
come to the fore in Parliament lust
before Sir John Simon, chancellor of
the exchequer, unfolds his budget
Tuesday. One member OF Parliament
has asked permission to raise the
question.
Parliament Storm Looms.
Unless there is a satisfactory expla-
nation of a serious lag in air re-
armament, 1t was predicted a par
q TO or H. -
a formal inquiry into air ministry
methods
Government officials have not taken
public notice Of the uproar, but an
ofhcially blessed air ministry mission
was in the United States to survey air
plane production facilities there and
in Canada.
Defense plans called for 1850 first
line planes by 1899, with an unre-
vealed number in reserve But some
observers said that with about l,500
flrst-line planes in service, the gov
ernment would have trouble filling its
schedule.
One source said an immediate pro-
duction increase of at least so per
cent would be necessary to reach the
goal. and that even greater produc-
tlon was necessitated by defense needs.
Air Ministry Blamed.
The Daily Mail said leading air
craft manufacturer blamed the air
ministry for the lag, because small
orders caused skilled men to be laid
of and then re-engaged, and because
changes in the official mind caused
finished work to be scrapped.
The paper urged an end to "red
tape" and blamed "indecision and
mlsmanagement' of the government s
predecessors.
The backbone Of British aircraft
production is the shadow factory"
scheme. Under that plan various aux
iliary manufacturers are given orders
for plane parts which are assembled
or stored.
Some authorities have doubted the
efficacy of the system. since some
plants produce more rapidly than
others. and the pace of production is
established by the laggards.
In war time. it was said. one bomb
on one plant might paralyze an en-
tire string Of shadow factories for
lack Of one part of the assembled
plane.
Heavy Weeks Work.
Aside from aviation the British
ministers faced huge weeks work.
The Anglo-Irish agreement due to
be signed today, after a luncheon of
Prime Minister Eamon de Valera and
his aides with Prime Minister Cham
berlain, was designed to solve the
Oldest Of current British problems.
Then the cabinet was to hear in
stricteSt confidence the budget message
prepared by the chancellor of the
exchequer. which will include finan-
cial details Of the Irish settlement.
Hore- Belisha to Be Heard.
War Minister Leslie Hore- -Belisha,
fresh from his conferences with
Premier Mussolini of Italy and Premier
Edouard Daladier Of France, was ex-
pected to give his colleagues the bene-
fit of his conversations.
Talks with NJ. Daladier and his
foreign minister. Georges Bonnet, were
scheduled for Wednesday and Thurs
day.
Also planned was a meeting Of the
Non-intervention Committee on Spain
which some quarters said might be its
last