Evening star., 1939-04-16
by Wide World.

-Photomontage by Wide World.
when this was written, had not been
voted
= Under the act of 1898, the War De-
partment gave priority to six of the 55
special items, as follows: The MI semi
automatic 3o-caliber rife, the recoil
mechanism for a 3-inch anti-aircraft
gun, the forging of 75-millimeter shell,
the machining of the same shell, gas
masks and searchlights. The first con-
tracts under this act have recently been
signed. The department is waiting on
the action of Congress to begin opera
tions with the other 40 specialties, the
nature of which has not been made pub-
lie. But it is known that among them
are bombing sights for airplanes, CAMS
ters for gas masks, demolition bombs
and fuses for ordnance, aiming circles
and range-flnders for artillery, and 81
millimeter guns and carriages for infan-
try and anti-aircraft service. 1t is esti-
mated that the SIS non-commercial prod
ucts will absorb about $50 of the 10000
allocated plants.
Thanks to these precautions, spokes-
men for the War Department are en-
phatic in declaring that the Nation to-
day has advanced as to industrial mo-
bilization incomparably beyond its posi-
ton on April 6, 1917. 1t is recalled that
in 1916 Army officers, on their own ini-
tiative, began drafting plans for convert
ing the countrys factories to military
use, and were peremptorily stopped by
the White House. When war was de-
clared, it is said, the Department ran
around in circles" What specific ma
terials were needed, where they could be
obtained and which firms could process
them-these were unknown. But now
all the paper work, at least, is finished.
Each selected plant has its allotted task
for M-Day. Drawings and specifications,
wherever needed. have been completed
throughout virtually the entire field of
belligerent supplies.
One PerilOus Spot.
But there il. one region in which vital
sections of industry, however well mobil-
lied, might be paralyzed, and on account
of which, should general conflict be-
gin within the next few months, the
country might find itself in serious diff
culties. The United States possesses re-
sources ample for nearly all war de-
mands But few materials exist which
it produces either not at all or in in
adequate volume. 1t happens that these
commodities are of supreme importance
in military manufacture. Some Of them
are indispensable for making steel, air
craft, armor plate, gas masks, cordage,
explosives and other necessaries. 1t is
possible that even war in which this
country was not involved would cut off
such supplies.
Under the current plan, materials re-
quired in case of hostilities are classified
as strategic, critical and essential. Stra-
tegic materials are those which must be
obtained in whole or part outside the
continental area Of the United States
and which would be placed under strict
control as to conservation and distribu-
ton. Critical materials are those which
demand some degree of control, but
which could either be produced domes-
tically or obtained elsewhere under ad-
verse conditions. Essential materials
would offer no procurement problems, but
would require constant surveillance be-
cause future developments might neces-
state their reclassif1cation as critical
or strategic.
Seventeen materials are defined as
strategic-aluminum, antimony, chromi-
um, coconut shell char, ferrograde man
ganese, Manila fiber, mica, nickel, op-
tical glass, quartz crystal, quicksilver,
quinine, rubber, silk, tin, tungsten and
wool. Aluminium, being light and strong,
is in demand for aircraft and heavy
TRANSFORMATION. America ranks first In
production, but to satisfy its normal
needs must import quantities Of bauxite
from South America. Antimony is used
for hardening ball-bearirgs and shrapnel
balls; the chief sources are China and
Mexico. Chromium is essential to stain
less steel and alloys for armor plate, pro-
jectiles, high-speed cutting tools, auto
mobile axles, etc. It is derived mostly
from South Africa and Russia.
Coconut shell, ohtainable principally
in Ceylon, India, and the Philippines,
has become important as furnishing the
best charcoal for gas masks. Every
high grade quantity deposit of manga,
nese, essential to the manufacture of
steel, occurs IN remote countries-Rus-
ID, India, Africa and Braxil Manila