Evening star., 1940-06-12
Plane Motor Plant Anticipoted
And Broke BottIeneck
Stote Aided in Rounding up Skilled
Muchinists While Others Were Troined

existing emergency demands, has
1000 specialists engaged in research
and experimental work.
Lines of Qualified Helpers.
The visitor to the Pratt e. Whitney
plant during any weekday morning
now sees long lines Of men entering
| the plant employment office. Virtu-
ally all of them have been examined
| as to their experience and aptitude
by State agencies ard found suitable
for employment in the engine plant,
perhaps as helpers or In the less
skilled classifications at first.
| Ability of the machine-tool in
dustry to produce, rather than the
supply Of machine-tool operators and
machinists, is regarded as the limit
ing factor in airplane engine pro-
duction, as engine production is the
limiting factor in airplane pro-
duction.
ut is much easier to increase the
capacity OF an airplane plant than
it is an engine plant" Maj. Gen
Henry H. Arnold. chief Of the Army
Air Corps, testified recently before
congressional committee. For an
airplane plant. square feet is practi-
cally all that is needed except a few
machine tools, but wner the capacity
! of the engine plant Is increased
literally thousands of machine tools
are needed and 1t takes anywhere
from four to six months to get de-
liveries. Airplane production always
has an advantage over engine pro-
duction.'
Col. John H. Jouett. president OF
the Aeronautical Cahmber of Com
merce of America, has predicted that
during the latter part Of this year
American aircraft engine plants will
be capable of turning out $4,000 en-
gines of 900 horsepower or more a
year. Gen. Arnold said that last
March the production had attained a
level of 800 engines per month, which
was sufficient for 800 airplanes, with
spares. The airplane engine plants
themselves, however, have been for
hidden to give out figures on actua
current engine production for mill
tary reasons.
Steps to Increase Tools.
| Various steps for increasing the
production of machine tools for the
aircraft engine industry have beer
considered. Among the most i'm.
portant of them are limitations upor
new models of automobiles. which
require tremendous numbers of ma.
chine tools. Another would give tht
military service the right ofscontrol.
ing exports of machine tools Will,
this does not technically constitute
an embargo, japanese officials have
protested vigorously against such {
limitation
But the machine tool industr.
itself has made perhaps the mos
important contribution toward al
orderly supply of essential tools TO-
all vital military purposes. The in
dustry, in conference with William
S. Knudsen of the Government
Advisory Defense Commission, ha
set up a five-point plan for tn
manufacturing of machine tool
for national defense. Clayton R
Burt, chairman of the Defense Com
mittee of the tool industry, Cleve
land, has reported that production
will go ahead as rapidly as specific
requirements for the various de
fense needs are determined
Provisions of the flve-point plal
are.
!. Creation of a machine tool CO
ordinating committee, OF which MI
Knudsen was named chairman ant
Harold s. Vance. chairman of tn
board of the Studebaker Corp, vic
chairman. The committee include
two representatives from the De
fense Committee of the machin
tool industry, two from the Arm,
and two from the Navy.
To Determine Requirements.
2. The co-ordinating committe
will determine the requirements o
the Army and Navy, manufacturer
and foreign consignees and estab
lish priorities for guidance of tn
machine tool industry in filling tn
!. requirements. National defens
needs will be given precedence owe
all others.
3. Congress has been asked t
legislate to authorize the Navy t
requisition for national defens
purposes machine tools now on or
der for foreign countries.
4. The industry will undertake T.
make deliveries in time to meet tn
requirements of national defense b.
expanding the present machine too
factories and by subletting con
struction of parts or even complet
machines to factories not engaged
in Government work.
S. The industry will establish
program of training to speed Vi
the production of machine tools.