Evening star., 1939-04-16

Reversing q policy Of unpreparedness
which during 164 years has marked the
entrance of the United States into six
major conflicts with untoward results in
each case, some 80 Government agen-
cies, cooperating with numerous private
organizations, are engaged in a CAM
paign to insure two major programs.
The first is that of placing the Navy at
maximum strength on the first day of
hostilities, and of mastering sufiicient
stores OF arms. munitions and equip
ment to outfit for six months, with the
most modern means of mechanized de-
fense, an emergency force of 400 900 men,
consisting of the Regular Army and Ma
tional Guard
The second proposes within six months
after M (mobilization) Day, instead of
IA months as In 1917, to gear the ma
tional manufacturing plant to military
output, with provisions for mass expen-
sion adequate to meet the needs of what
ever troops the Nation should call to the
colors. The latter project includes the
requirement of two years reserve sup
plies OF strategic raw materials unavail-
able In the United States, Canada,
Mexico and the West Indies. Priority
on the list is held by ferrograde man.
ganese, chromium, tin and rubber.
For one-fourth of all military supplies
the Government will depend on its six
manufacturing arsenals Springfield
Armory, at Springfield, Mass, is its CEN
ter for the production of small arms.
Watervliet Arsenal, at Watervliet, N. Y,
has machine-tool equipment for finish
machining and rif1ing of cannon. and for
the manufacture of breech mechanisms
of all calibers. Picatinny Arsenal, at
Dover N. j.. loads and assemblies .artil-
lery ammunition and bombs, and pro-
duces smokeless powder, primers and
fuses. Frankford Arsenal, near Phila-
delphia, specializes in fire-control in
struments, small-arms ammunition of all
types and metal components of artillery
ammunition. Rock Island Arsenal, on
an island in the Mississippi, manufac-
lures carriers for mobile artillery and
anti-aircraft guns, as we'll as automotive
equipment such as tanks and combat
cars. Watertown Arsenal, at Watertown,
Mass, produces medium and heavy gun
mounts, and centrifugally cast gun tubes
Business Cast in Role.
But for IS per cent of its war supplies
the military establishment will resort to
private industry. This necessity is held
to explain in large measure the New
Deals right -about-face during the last
few months toward policy of business
appeasement-just as President Wilson's
New Era of social reform was interrupted
by the World War. In a dozen speeches
at various cities since December Louis A..
johnson, Assistant Secretary of War,
who calls himself business manager" of
the War Department., has sung the
praises Of industry for its voluntary CO.
operation in national defense.
The War Department, he said, was
and remains without funds to buy stra-
tegic raw materials. In answer to his
appeal, Col. johnson explained, one
corporation went into the open market
and at its own expense purchased enough
chromium to supply its needs for three
years. Experiments toward an 'ersatz"
rubber were undertaken. There has been
intensified production of tungsten. A
nickel-plated can was evolved to replace
tin. The public utilities promised i'm
mediate construction of at least 1000 600
kilowatts of additional capacity. Stand
ardized production of turbines was. taken
in hand. The country is said to have
accumulated three years reserves Of
iodine and Chilean nitrates, besides long
term stocks Of certain drugs. The steel
industry as whole is declared to have
laid in stores of manganese for three to
nine months ahead.
In an address before the American
Conference on National Defense, at the
Waldorf Astoria on April 5, Col. johnson
said he had informed President Roose-
veit of his intention to acknowledge these
contributions, together with the in
debtedness of the War Department to
such organizations as the National Ma
chine Tool Builders Association, the Hy-
draulic Machinery Manufacturers Asso-
citation, the American Society of Mechan-
ical Engineers, the Society of Automo-
tive Engineers, the American Chemical
Society, the American Society of Civil
Engineers and the American Institute
Of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.
The speaker said he was authorized to
quote the President directly as follows:
I'm the revival Of the spirit Of national