Evening star., 1940-07-14
Billion in Contracts
Already Negotiated
By Defense Board
PIones, Tanks and Guns
Being Ordered to Equip
Army Of 1000. 900
By ROBERT BRUSKIN.

Army Of 1000. 900
BY ROBERT BRUSKIN.
Contracts for a billion dollars in
armaments have been negotiated by
the National Defense Advisory Com
mission and a second billion soon
will be feeding new machinery as
the Nation girds for come what may.
Under pressure to overcome
quickly the 20-year lag in arma-
ment production, Army, Navy and
commission executives are holding
almost continuous conferences with
industrialists as orders are issued
for planes, tanks. guns and other
equipment for 1000, 900 fighting men,
With $10,072, 1868 $40 in defense ap-
preparations and authorizations
already available or asked, plants
devoted to peacetime pursuits are
being turned to the grim task of
production for defense.
The finished products will not be-
come available for months and pos
sibly years. But an adequate flow Of
the raw materials is rapidly being
assured.
Materials Being Gathered.
Edward R. Stettinius, jr., commits
sion chief of materials, announced
at press conference yesterday that
surveys and studies made by his
division "offer reliable indications
that we may expect to have avail
able as needed by defense industries
adequate supplies of critical and
strategic materials"
Many contracts for larger items,
such as airplanes and engines, have
been withheld pending congressional
action on amortization of new equip
ment for tax purposes. But the War
Department sent letters yesterday
to numerous manufacturers request
Ing that they begin plant expansion
Immediately on assurance that con-
tracts had been allocated to them
and would become final when Con-
gress approves the new tax provi-
sions.
Contracts totaling 100000, 900
have been negotiated for $4,000 war
planes. The 1900 to 60 to the
Army will increase its fleet from
5000 to 10000. The Nays air fleet
will be increased from 2,1O0 to 10, 100.
The Navy has under construction,
or contracts have been awarded, for
1873 combatant ships, of which SO
were provided in the new appropria-
tions. 1t is being authorized to con-
struct 200 more to bring the fleet
to a total of 1888 ships of 3,546,0O0
tons, larger than any combination
Of possibly hostile fleets now in
existence.
Contracts for 600 Tanks.
A threatened shortage of ship
building facilities is being partially
solved with a 100000 900 construc-
tion program at navy yards and
bases, and Rear Admiral Emory S.
Land, chairman of the United States
Maritime Commission, has been
summoned as an aide to the Defense
Commission to help find more facili-
ties, especially among private yards
now devoted exclusively to mer-
chant shipping.
Contracts are soon to be awarded
Tor 900 tanks, and more are in the
ofhng, to provide the juggerrauts
for the new armored corps OF two
divisions. Only 464 light and me-
dium tanks and combat cars ale
now available, but upon completion
OF the present program the Army
will have about 5000. This will be
sufficient to provide equipment for
more armored corps.
Supplies of the new semi-auto-
matte Garand rifles soon will be
increased from $4,000 to about
100000, more than sufficient to equip
100000 troops. Only 463 anti
aircraft guns, ranging from the fast
shooting 81 millimeter to the new
30 millimeter, are now available, but
within two years the Army expects
to have 2,400 more.
Although the Army still has about
5000 of the famous rs miIiiraeter
field guns left over from World War
stocks, only al were modernized to
travel faster and shoot farther. In
all, the Army now has 205 modern
artillery weapons, but the new funds
will give it approximately 1900 mole
Of all sizes.
$4,000 More Trucks.
The increasing speed at which
armies travel brought the necessity
Tor more trucks. In addition to .he
10000 now available, about half of
which were purchased last year, the
Army contemplates buying $4,000
more.
Gas masks have been of little use
IN the European War but a modern
Army must be prepared for all con-
tingencies. Only 407 ,696 were avail
able last month and 100000 more
are to be manufactured. Chemical
warfare experts believe the sole
reason for failure of the belligerents
to use gas was that the civil popula-
tion as we'll as soldiers was pre-
pared for this mode of warfare.
Only nine-months supply of uni
forms was available two months ago
for the Regular Army-about 200 900
complete outfits. Now the Army will
have funds to purchase uniforms for
approximately 100000 more men.
Although huge orders for equip
ment are to be awarded, the Army
and Navy have yet to be provided
with the large numbers OF we'll
trained men necessary to man the
weapons. The Burke WadsWorth
compulsory training bill would pro-
vide the conscripts but at the mo-
ment the Army has but 100000 off,
GERS and enlisted men, although
funds have been provided to bring
the total to 1896, ,O00 The Army ex-
poets an increase in its pilot force
from 5000 to 10000 within a year,
for its contemplated 10000 planes.
Pilots will be trained as rapidly as
facilities hecoyoa ouoi1ohlo