Evening star., 1940-09-23
Administration Nears
Completion Of Deal
For British Wool
100000, 900 Pounds From
Australia Would Be
Stored in u. S.
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

Dy DAA1N DoALLCs
The administration soon will an
nounce the completion of a deal
with Great Britain under which
200 900 900 pounds of British-owned
wool, needed foran adequate supply
OF Army and Navy uniforms and
blankets, will be stored in depots in
this country, ostensibly for British
use, but in reality for the benefit
of the rapidly growing American
military machine.
The negotiations are in their last
stages in London, where American
and British diplomats, at the behest
of the National Defense Advisory
Commission and the Army general
staff, are perfecting the deal under
the nature of commercial agree
ment. The United States will be
granted the right to buy into this
wool supply any time 1t needs it.
For the most part. 1t Is expected
the wool will come from Australia
Two factors In the American desire
for the storage of this wool on
American soil are, first, that in war
time there Is always the danger that
supply lines to Australia may be
disrupted. and, secondly, American
manufacturers Of wooden goods pre-
fer to use heavy mixture of Aus.
tralian wool in their mills.
Diet Enters Picture.
The American dietary fancy for
lamb rather than mutton results in
a heavy slaughter of American sheep
long before they reach the age where
they are old enough to produce the
best wool. The Australian and Eng
llsh diet runs more to mutton than
to lamb chops. lamb shoulders. etc
one factor which makes Australian
wool better than American.
The need for uniforms and
blankets to outfit the Army ex-
panded by calling National Guards
men. Reservists and future conscrints
to the colors is expected to tax the
ordinary wool supply Of the United
States. South American wool sup
plies from Argentina and Uruguay
are insufficient to satisfy this coun-
try'S extraordinary needs.
Munitions Plans Rushed.
At the same time. defense officials
predicted that the first stage of the
drive to provide the United States
with munitions industry compatible
with the needs of an army OF
81 900 900 men will be almost COM
pleted by draft-registration day.
October Is. The first stage consists
in letting 1863 100000 in contracts
for the construction Of so or
more Government-own munitions
plants.
Every factory, 1t is expected. will
be operating on full schedule by the
spring of 1912 The plants, accord
ing to the present outlook, will swell
tenfold the Nations current output
of ammunition and weapons for the
land forces-matching the peak pro-
duction in the country's history
reached at the close of the World
War
The funds for the work we're asked
OF Congress bv the administration
after difficulties were encountered
in carrying out the Governments
original intention that the r F. c.
should finance the expansion OF war
plane production facilities through
loans to private manufacturers. Un-
der the amended system. the Gov
eminent retains title to the fac
tories it builds, but puts the fac
tories operation into private hands.
How one private industry Is
working in the munitions program
was disclosed todav in a publicity
release from the Frigidaire Divi-
sion of General Motors, which has
won the contract for manufacture
of $40 900 900 worth of machine
guns. The release said that the
industry was building a new five
story building to house the dies
and machinery for making the
guns.
Swift Approval Expected.
The s56e 900 900 needed for the
Government owned munitions plants
is available already, and the author
Hation for spending funds that will
be required for construction Of some
IS auxiliary aircraft plants are con-
templated in new supplemental es-
Inmates submitted to Congress by
President Roosevelt last week. The
aircraft money Is expected to have
the approval Of Congress by this
weeks end.
Most OF the money is going for
factories to make powder. shells and
other fundamental arms of modern
war.
Since the first contract was signed
July II, work has been started on
the construction of two $25 900 600
plants to produce SmokeleSS powder,
five machine-gun plants, vast
military tank factory at Detroit,
one explosive plant and an am
munition loading plant. They will
cost more than $132.O0O,0O0.
The remaining contracts are ex-
pected to be signed within a month.
The complete list is thus far q War
Department secret and is subject to
further revision, but it includes ia
cilities to produce small arms am
munition, armor plate for tanks.
aircraft cannon, searchlights for
anti-aircraft defenSes and various
chemicals and explosives.
Some factories will be in oper-
alton early next spring Two smoke
less powder plants under construc-
ton at Charlestown, Ind. and Rad
ford, Va, are due to start produc-
ton by April or May.