The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-06-01
$500 FACTORIES
AWAITING SIGNAL
New England Prepared to
Meet National Emer.
gency Immediately
speclaI 70 Tho Democracy


N ~.als snes preparedness, moral
~ ral and material, TO make an
important contribution 10 our ma
lonal defense program" Ralph T.,
FLANDERS, chairman, Industrial COM
mittee OF the New England Council,
declared here today. Mr., Flanders
"a president Of the Jones and Lam.
son Machine company OF SPRING.
. ~, vermont, and O national fig.
ure N the machine tool industry.
AS rapidly as our manufacturers
are nio. med OF the governments
requirements they will adequately
perform any tasks assigned TO them.
al we ask Is that the national pro-
duction program be placed In tho
hands OF men familiar with proc.
esses OF modern Industry. Under the
leadership OF such men, New Eng.
land industrialists can and will work
most effectively for the national In.
terest.
1880 Plants Peak
with its 1880 manufacturing
plants, representing more than 200
types OF production" said Mr.. Elan.
derg, "New England Is we'll able 10
s'l",'y p great variety OF the hun.
dreds OF items needed BY the ma.
Lol.Gl defense organizations, such ~
the bureau OF ordnance, the quar-
termaster corps, the chemical war.
fare service, the medical corps, the
navy and the aircraft procurement
divisions OF both the army and the
navy"
AT resent, most OF the purchas-
Ing by these agencies Is based on
competitive bidding. This requires
that manufacturers inform them
selves OF what Is wanted, how much
and when, so that they may bid
promptly and effectively. Such In.
formation can be obtained from the
procurement officers In this area,
However. 1t Ia anticipated that as the
enlarged program gets under way,
many important items will be pro-
cured under contracts negotiated d.
rectly with individual manufactur.
ers.
1.-THE most important products
needed for national defense are nom
commercial, with special and exact
ing specifications. To make them,
New England manufacturers will be
required to divert production facili-
ties, and TO readjust existing ma
chinery, or install new equipment.
To assist manufacturer deter
mine what they can best produce for
the defense program, the govern
inent Is prepared on request TO make
surveys OF any industrial plant In
New England, especially In the metal
working industries. To manufactur.
ers needing financial assistance In
taking on defense production, the
RIG and the Federal Reserve bank
are prepared TO make loans In COOP.
grafton with commercial banks. I'm
der certain circumstances, the war
department pays for special new
equipment required.
Skilled Labor
"New Englands supply Of skilled ia
Dor Is another great asset essential
TO Q speedy expansion Of our ma
tionai defenses. This Is especially
true in the metal working and ma
chine tool industries. which are the
keystone OF the arch Of industrial
preparedness. In these types OF pro-
duction, precision work Is at a pre-
MUM, and New England has q high
er proportion Of trained men than
any other comparable industrial
area. A recent survey revealed that
the reserve supply Of such workers
In the Detroit and Chicago areas
was already exhausted, whereas they
were still available in New England.
1.-THE increased demands upon
New England industries will absorb
these men and require the training
of many more. The training pro-
gram already established In many
parts Of New England will have TO
be multiplied and expanded. No
other area can equal New England's
facilities for quickly training men
In precision production. The disap-
pointing results Of the English ex-
perience in locating aircraft and
engine plants in new areas. outside
the Woodworking industries dis
tricts, Is . warning to us to expand
our production In those areas where
the types Of labor and the training
facilities needed are already avail
able.
MANY New England industries
are aware Of the significance OF the
defense program, and at work ON
government orders. There are many
others whose facilities can be util-
iEed but who are not yet particle
pating. Their prompt cooperation
now IN making their facilities known