Evening star., 1940-12-23
Army Moves 10 End
Lag in Construction
Of Munitions Plants
Nine Officers Selected
To Supervise Work in
DecentruIized Zones
BY ROBERT BRUsKIN.

"A oWucI pdCc IOl IIlc hIluy
tagging construction program, es-
pecially of munitions plants, is ex-
pected with the naming of nine
officers to supervise decentralized
zones" of Construction Quarter
master Division this week, War
Department sources said today.
Names of the nine officers, whose
zones will correspond with the nine
corps areas into which the United
States is divided, already have been
submitted and are expected to be
approved this week. Although
greatest emphasis has been placed
on completion of about 40 canton
ments and camps which Secretary
Stimson said had been delayed for
10 weeks in some instances, De-
fense Commission source indicated
that the most acute" need is pro-
duction of munitions as contem-
plated in the string of Government
owned or financed plants for which
contracts have been awarded.
Defense Commission officials said
construction of the munitions fac
tories was tagging about as much
as cantonments, and that, although
in many cases contracts were award
ed about two months ago, the fac
tories will not be in production
until the fall of 1941.
Another Possible Boost.
Military procurement experts pre-
dicted that President Roosevelt's
new leasing Lending plan for aid to
Britain might materially boost the
amount the Government originally
expected to spend for expansion of
the Nations productive capacity.
Officials said privately they saw a
distinct possibility that the Govern
ment might have to underWrite
plant expansions the British might
have been required to finance. The
British already have paid sub
stantial part of the cost of expansion
of aircrift and other defense indus
tries.
The Government has allocated
millions for new plant facilities
and it has been estimated that be-
tween $4O0 100000 and S5OO,O00,O
more would be needed. If the Gov
ernment finds it necessary to assist
in building more facilities to carry
out the lend-lease plan, the sum will
be materially increased.
60 Per Cent Housing Lag.
William Guggenheim, honorary
chairman of the American Defense
Society, declared in New York yes
terday that housing facilities were
nearly 60 per cent behind schedule
and that divided responsibilities,
lack of adequate planning and
failure to coordinate the efforts"
for preparedness were the causes of
the housing deficiency"
Mr.. Guggenheim's report declared
this situation "also is confusing and
delaying the production of guns, air.
planes, and ali machinery of modern
war"
1t is expected that the nine officers
will be permitted to make decisions
on problems arising in the field i'll
their zones, without the need of
referring them to Washington.
Although contonments are obvious
ly the most pressing problem of the
moment, a War Department official
declared that in an emergency
selectees could be sent South for the
winter to live in tents, but we can
not improvise bullets when we need
them"
Construction Contracts.
The War Department has awarded
contracts for construction in excess
of $725 100000 and more will be an
nounced shortly. Of this amount
S270 100000 is for cantonments and
about s7O,oOo,000 for air corps hous-
ing. The construction division of
the Quartermaster Corps is currently
charged with supervising building
Of these munitions plants:
Plant euuipment cost