The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-12-24
FRANCES FALL

AAtEN4 II N--A 0SG O11Ct
place or return the equipment at
wars end.
Back OF the defense program
was an incredible twelve months.
It years beginning, President
Roosevelt estimated S2.O94.OOO,OOO
"a sum that seemed picayune by
comparison at years end-would
be adequate for the nations mill
tary establishment A majority of
. Congress concurred. but minor
iry thought even that amount too
much.
The fail of France changed all
that The surrender shocked and
alarmed public opinion. Congress
repeatedly upped the defense
budget to more than $4,000, O00,-
600.
Two weeks before Christmas
KnUdSen and Nelson asserted that
the drive for arms had lost its
punch, that the country was fail
ing TO translate available money
and ~on-paper" plans into the &C
tual implements of defense.
Knudsen pointed to airplane
production. where plans called for
an output of ZOO planes monthly
by January He said only 700
would be produced. Production
Of small arms. he said, was no
more than before the program
started, because needed tools
were not available.
Coincident with Knudsen's
gloomy report, the army admit
ted the cantOnment construction
program was behind schedule,
that it would be necessary to
postponed planned induction of
year-end draft contingents.
Knudsen said the Friday-to-
Monday "blackouts" in many key
defense plants caused a 20 per
cent weekly loss in production
and urged labor and industry to
unite IN some compromise to per-
nit around-the-clock production
seven days a week.
Nelson was even more frank.
lie said: Labor must work hard
er and longer when necessary,
capital must throw its resources
into the fight"
The -0n order unbuilt-
arms authorized by Congress has
given the U. S. a vast blueprint
defense, Some $4,000 planes were
on order IN December. but al the
70O-a-month rate if would re-
qUiTe almost five years to fill the
order, making no provision for
the plane-aid pledged to Britain.
There were about 5000 tanks
on Order-but Knudsen said only
four a day were coming off pro-
ducliOn lines.
The two-ocean navy building
program authorized in 1910 called
Tor construction Of 294 ships by
1895 10 give the u S. fleet of
-ol fighting vessels But the pro-
gram caught Z. S. shipyards short
q facilities. There were available
only 30 Shipways suitable for
naval construction. The program
would require 300, so the navy
had 10 spend sl20,00O,OOO to ex-
pand yard facilities before the
two-ocean program could get I'M
der way
The peaCetime draft was ma
ior precedent set IN !940. Despite
scattered opposition, it went
quickly through Congress. Five
months after France fell. citizen
soldiers were going into training
camps.
Original army plans called for
I.399.44I men in uniform by next
July l. Whether training camp
construction delays Will prevent
reaching tins goal was not known
President ROosevelt's trade with
Britain Of 50 average destroyers
Tor Atlantic and Caribbean naval
bases was another major defense
act of the year. Preliminary sur
veys were made and sites chosen
The Presiden-. however, an
nounced he was dissatisfied with
Al least one site. Major construc-
ton On the sites did not begin
n 1910.
Cthor On-paper plans would
expand the air force TO $4,000
men. Five hundred major asr
fields and $500 subsidiary fields
were envisioned in the army air
program. AT the end of the year
work was barely under way.
Laws to permit the defense
commission TO enforce priOrities
IN manufacture Of defense goods
went on the books in 1870. Many
industries. went on voluntary
priorities basis. giving the green
Ilzht to ali defense orders. Civil
ian aiTlines were asked TO yield
engine production TO arms needs
Rep. Howard Smith D--Va0
suggested strike-curb laws 10 pre-
vent defense work stoppages. VIII
liam Green. ALL president, pro-
4y,-.-1 ss.r,x- idonY,7uu- IF I.4hor'S