Evening star., 1940-06-08
Defense
Continued From First pape

mention was made of complete
planes.
During the World War Mr.. Ford
turned his great industrial plants
to the mass production of NUM-
tlons, whippet tanks, ambulances
and submarine chasers. Between
1925 and 1929 he manufactured a
number of tri-motor transport
planes.
Although Ford car output cur
rently is running about 1000 a day,
the company once attained level
OF 10000 cars day and its produc-
ton facilities since have been vastly
increased. With the conveyor system
adapted to its motor casting and
machining department, it is said in
some quarters to have motor pro-
ductlon capacity now in excess of
10000 day.
Ford associates said TODAY in
Detroit that Mr. Ford was not in
terested in inquiries from overseas
regarding his airplane production
capacity. He made it clear in his
nrst statement" they said, that he
was concerned only with the defense
OF this country and it is for defense
needs only that he would undertake
mass production Of airplanes.
The question of compulsory mill
tary training was injected into the
complicated defense picture yester-
day at the Presidents press con-
terence, when Mr.. Roosevelt was
asked to comment on a New York
Times editorial.
He replied that he had read only
the frst paragraph and liked it very
much. The paragraph called for
immediate adoption of a national
system OF compulsory military
training.
Pittman Warns Against Hysteria.
Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, COM
mentlng on the editorial, declared
I'VE should not incite hysteria by
advocating at this time compulsory
military service"
Exclaimed Senator Norris, inde-
pendent, of Nebraska: I'm not for
it, l never have been, and 1 don t
believe we ought to have it."
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah, voiced approval, and Senator
Connally, Democrat, of Texas, SAID
some such policy eventually might
be necessary if threatening world
conditions continued.
There was comparable disagree
ment over Mr.. Roosevelts plans to
ask Congress for specific authority
to turn World War stocks of guns
back to manufacturers. Existing
laws make this permissible with
planes and ammunition.
Senator Clark. Democrat. of
Idaho, said the indirect releasing of
weapons to belligernet by an
artificial and duplicitous device had
the effect of entering the country
into war ION the side of that bel
ligerent." He disclosed efforts were
under way tofor a Senate bloc to
fight it.
Bankhead Praises Proposal.
Aii eiiS OPpOoAli6 Sdllip OpCdhcI
Bankhead called the proposal "a
mighty good program" and Chair
man Sheppard of the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee predicted
the legislation Mr.. Roosevelt de-
sired would receive committee ap-
proval Monday.
The President said yesterday that
only "out-of-date" equipment would
be released but he added signifi-
cantly that airplanes get out of date
very fast
At Buffalo. so ships in this cate
gory-Navy dive bombers-were be-
ing tuned up by mechanics today
for probable immediate delivery to
Canada. Ordered turned back to
the Wright Corp. manufac-
turers, the planes will be replaced
in the Navy by new ones with leak
proof gasoline tanks and armor.
From Houlton, Me, it was re-
ported that State Aeronautics In
spector Burtis F. Fowler has granted
permission for the entire squadron
Of so planes to be routed through
that State between today and Tues
day en- route to Canada. Limited
in their cruising range, the ships
must be refueled at Augusta. If
destined for Europe, they must be
transported by steamship.