Evening star., 1940-10-20
Plane Plants Unable
10 Speed Production
By Overtime Shifts
5 Difficulties Ronee From
Skilled Labor Shortage
To Lack of Tools
By JOSEPH s. EDGERTON.

Dy JOSEPH b. EDGEkION.
The recent request Of Assistant
Secretary Of War Patterson that all
factories engaged III air defense pro-
duction be geared to full production
capacity has resulted in little change
IA the industry and is not likely to
make any immediate change in pro-
duction status, in the opinion. of de-
tense omcials.
Mr.. Patterson explained that his
request, made on October II, means
die adoption Of three shifts or some
equivalent Of overtime work"
30 far as can be learned in Wash
hgton, none Of the major aircraft
factories Is working "a hours a day
and there Is little prospect that any
Of them will be able to work three
fun shifts IN the near future. Many
Of them still are on q basis of two
shifts Or less. Some of the largest
remain on 4 two-shift basis, plus
Ghort cleanup" shift.
Many Factors Delay Output.
Representatives of the industry
~ that the failure TO attain a full
t31ree-shift basis, with plants going
~ hours a day seven days a week, is
not tho fault OF any lack of willing
ness, patriotism or energy on the
part Of those In the industry. 1t is
the result Of a compounding Of con-
ditionS which vary in proportion In
every factory; conditions ranging
from shortage Of skilled, experienced
employees to the lack Of sufficient
numbers of supervisors and admin
istrative officials, and from lack OF
tools and machines to faulty and
uneven production of parts resulting
from overrapid expansion.
Those who may have felt that the
request from the War Department
10 the industry to gear up to three
ahifts or some equivalent" would
result in an overnight speeding up
OF production are going to be dis
appointed, defense officials admit
ted. This speeding up process is
going to be a slow, grinding and
tCSllOuS oil dAl, SOAlAS OAA VIVA
period Of weeks and months.
Many Obstacles to Overcome.
It is going to depend upon the
breaking down Of one obstacle after
another standing the way of full
scale production. In one plant it
must wait the delivery of new tools,
in another the completion of a
foundry, in another the increased
delivery of materials or of parts
being fabricated outside under sub
contract. in another the location OF
unemployed toolmakers - virtually
an extinct breed today-or the
training of mechanics to operate
lathes, presses or bewildering va
riety of other power tools; in an
other there can be no further ex-
pansion until supervisors can be
trained to keep machinery and
comparatively raw operators keyed
up to smooth production schedules.
I'VE are sparing no effort to get
up to full production, but the road
Il rough and full of obstacles which
must be tackled and removed one
BY one" one of the leaders OF the
industry explained.
It would be erroneous to suppose
that Mr.. Patterson's request is being
ignored by the aviation industry.
The contrary is true. Earnest search
ls being made to find means for
speeding up production and when
ever such means are found they are
being used. There is gradual i'm
provement throughout the industry,
but no overnight stepping up Of
production is expected or is possible,
It was explained.
Contract Changes Authorized.
Mr.. Patterson, who issued his in
structions to the industry through
Maj. Gen. Henry H. Arnold chief
of the Army Air Corps, told Gen.
Arnold that to the extent that his
speed-up request might require
changes in the terms of contracts, to
provide increased pay for overtime
or other charges, the Air Corps
was authorized to make such
changes.
National Defense Commission Of
fcials explained yesterday. how
ever, that few. if any, contract
changes are necessary or will be
made under this grant of authority.
They pointed out that virtually all
contracts for airplanes, engines or
equipment provide for the payment
Of bonuses, ranging in some cases
up to as high as 80 per cent in the
case of critical items, for deliveries
ahead Of contract schedules. These
bonuses are sufficient to pay for
emergency overtime salaries and
other expenses and are intended to
provide funds for such contingent
cies, it was explained.
Another means that Is being en-
ployed to an increasing extent is
the farming out of part of the con-
struction load to smaller factories on
q sub-contract basis. 1t is estimated
that an average of 20 per cent or
more OF the aircraft construction
program now is being carried on
outside the aircraft industry on a
sub-contract basis. One large East
ern aircraft plant now has 536 SUBJ
contracts outstanding and some of
the West Coast factories have more
than 1000 sub-contractors at work
producing parts, materials or sub
assemblies.
Auto Plants Get Contracts.
A vitaIly important step in this
direction II the gradual moving of a
part Of the airplane manufacturing
load into the automobile factories
BY sub-contracts. The National De-
Tense Commission reported that
within the past few days some $780,
0o0 worth of contracts for fabri-
cation Of airplane parts have been
awarded to automobile plants.
During the past week automobile
manufacturers representing prac-
tically all Of the production Of cars
and trucks In the country undertook
10 enlarge their defense commit
ments BY assisting the National De-