The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-15
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1000 PLANES A MONTH

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1000 PLANES A MONTH
WASHINGTON.- figure which
defense commission experts have
fixed privately for new factories for
that new plane production program
il $4,000, 100000 This is the pro-
gram recently announced by Will
liam S. Knudsen..
Present plane deliveries to the
army, navy and to the British are
around 1000 fighting ships per
month. The army's production goal
5000 planes a month by 1912, with
q comparable increase in engine
output-obviously means an enor-
NOUS expansion Of manufacturing
facilities.
Some Of the companies already
are erecting new plants, in addition
to previous engagements. Curtiss-
Wright and Glenn Martin have new
facilities under way; Bell Aircraft Is
adding 100000 square feet Of space
near Buffalo; Boeing at Seattle re-
ceived $7,368, 900 for a new plant,
and Vultee 81, 294, 900 for the same
purpose.
But all this is only a drop in the
bucket II $4,000 planes per year are
actually to be turned out. Produc-
ton facilities will have to be tripled,
II more than 1000 planes, engines
and armament for them are to
come off the assembly lines each
month.
PROBLEM TOWNS
The defense commission is getting
its noisiest headaches from the de-
mand Of inland communities for de-
tense industries. Hardly a day
passes without a bombardment Of
demands that plants be located in
certain localities. To this din has
now been added a barrage Of new
demands by towns that have al
ready been favored.
These defense boom towns, over
run with thousands Of new residents,
are confronted with serious housing
sanitation, police and other prob
lens and are bounding the commits
sion for help. In some places the
problem is so serious that the COM
mission is considering recommend
ing to congress public works pro-
gram which would give them the
projects outright-that is, 100 per
cent free.
An example of such a boom town
is Charlestown, Ind, site Of what
may become the worlds largest
powder plant. A sleepy hamlet Of
800, overnight Charlestown was
transformed into seething city Of
5000, with perhaps $1,000 in pros
pect by January as the new powder
plant expands. +
Naturally this boom brought thou
sands of workers, SPECTATORS, camp
followers and others to Charlestown.
Housing soon became non-existent,
prices skyrocketed, and one enter
prising realtor even started to sub
divide an ancient cemetery into
town lots.
The town has no sewer system,
the tiny municipality owned water
plant is totally inadequate, and the
community treasury is so broke
that it can't even pay the salary Of
a town marshal, although govern
ment payroll Of more than $75, 1000
is now cashed every week at the
towns bank. The boom has spread
to Jeffersonville, IL miles away, and
to New Albany, Is miles distant,
where housing can't be had for love
or money. d '''''
In this dilemma the town fathers
turned to Uncle Sam, to the WPA,
the u. S. Housing authority, the
Federal Housing administration,
even the White House, and finally
to Frank Bane, director Of the state
and local division of the defense
commission. 4sss t.r S
At the Presidents orders, plan
has been worked out under which
the defense commission, the state
Of Inaiana and the town win set up
a joint planning body to transform
Charlestown into a community capa-
ble Injecting its problems
~ 81 Il 60 ls-@s4Sfs Il =
INAUGURATION STANDS
The presidential inauguration il
nearly three months of but already
white-overalled carpenters are busy
erecting stands and seats on Capt.
toll Plaza. Reason for this unusual
haste is-the defense program.
IF we waited much longer" ex-
plains David Lynn, veteran Capitol
architect, 1--WE wouldn't be able to
get any lumber. The erection Of
the great camps for the selective
service trainees has caused short
age in the lumber market. The gov
eminent is buying up all the good
lumber 1t can get for the canton
menfs."
The lumber shortage also win af-
feet the seating capacity. There will
besroom forionly u 500 spectators
1000 less than in 1897. Congress
appropriated the same, amount Of
money as four years ago, but with
increased material and lumber costs