Evening star., 1940-12-09
Defense Authorities
Ask 'BIitz' Production
As Anxiety Mounts
Speed and More Speed
Sought From Industry;
6-Doy Weeks Suggested
By the Associated Press.

3boaoSu o. SoSSi oSSAoAi ~ sAASAA
increasingly grave apprehensions
for the peace and security of the
American continent, national de-
fense authorities are intensfying ef-
forts to speed up production of all
defense essentials to an "all-out"
wartime tempo.
High ranking officials disclosed
today that impelled by recent events
in Europe and Asia-the major and
urgent topics at the almost daily
conferences of cabinet and National
Defense Commission members are
speed and greatly expanded produc-
ton of planes, ships and munitions.
Pushing the "speed-up" program
aggressively, administration officials
now are also emphasizing the ur-
gency and magnitude of the task of
providing armed strength-for Brit
ain, Greece, China and the American
republics as we'll as for the United
States-at officially inspired round
table discussions with industrial
and labor leaders.
'Blitz Production" Wanted.
William S. Knudsen. defense pro-
duction chief, sounded the keynote
of the "blitz-production' drive in an
address last week at Detroit when
he called on industry for speed and
more speed" in producing modern
war weapons as the best insurance
to keep us out of war"
Secretary of State Hull, Secretary
Of War Stimson. Secretary of the
Navy Knox and Secretary of the
Treasury Morgenthau have been
among the most outspoken. privately
and publicly, in urging industry, la
Dor and the average citizen to
awaken to the need for accelerated
production Of war materials.
A new and powerful recruit ioined
them when Senator George of Geor-
gla. new chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, advo-
Gated round-the-c clock production to
step up plane, ships and munitions
manufacture from a peacetime to
a wartime pace.
Without criticizing the tre-
mendously increased expansion of
the defense program under way,
with orders approximating 10 bill
hon dollars already placed, Senator
George declared there was press
ing need for even greater and faster
production than we are getting"
Wants to Ease Friction.
Senator George also joined with
other administration leaders in urg-
Ing immediate protective and re-
medal action in eliminating labor
and management troubles, which
nave already slowed down produc-
tlon in some cases.
A number of high administration
officials, likewise, are advocating a.
hour days and six-day weeks in all
industrial plants concentrating on
defense orders as urgently required
since material aid must be given
Britain quickly to be effective"
Despite the excellent results al
ready achieved in greatly expanding
defense production" one high off,
cial declared today. there must be
more speed in turning out planes.
ships and everything else required
for defense if the United States is
to aid those peoples described by
PRESIDENT Roosevelt as defending
themselves against aggression, as
well as to bulWark the defenses of
the American continent"
President Roosevelt used that ex-
preston in pledging Greece imme-
dlate American aid, which was in
terpreted here to include warplanes
and surplus war weapons and am
munition, in an exchange of mes
sages with King George II, made
public Saturday.
Other Countries to Be Helped.
The United States already is sup
plying Britain with an increasing
number of planes and other supplies,
and Is expected to render similar
assistance to China, still battling
against Japanese invasion after
three years of war, and South and
Central American republics pre-
pairing to defend themselves against
any aggression.
Although the Aeronautical Cham
Der OF Commerce has reported that
the American aviation industry will
have doubled its productive floor
space by January l. and will double
it again by next June under present
plans, one high administration
official declared that was still not
sufficient.
Planes are not coming off the
production benches fast enough to
meet the demand" he declared. I'm
addition to the Army and Navy
requirements, Great Britain has
placed orders here for $4,000 planes,
urgently needed to defend England
and to achieve air supremacy in
Egypt and elsewhere along the en-
pire's lifeline.
China, still battling bravely
against tremendous odds, especially
IN the air, wants planes.
They're Wanted to South.
our good nelghborS' in South and
Central America want planes.
And now comes Greece with
request for planes to aid her in fight
ing of invasion by Italy, six times
as big.
Where will the planes come from
If We don't step on it and produce
them faster?"
Another ranking administration
official emphasized the need to
speed up the building of both war
and cargo ships, especially cargo
vessels for Britain, which is losing
ship after ship in German subma-
rine and sea-raider attacks.
The slogan of the "speedup"
drive, officials said, was Secretary
Knoxs warning: tits later than you
think"
The theme of the reiterated warn
ings to American industrial leaders
is provided by Secretary Hull's
declaration that the European war