Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-24
MACHINERY
Key Factor
In Defense
No One TO Blame for Lag
in Arms Production
BY PAUL MALL0N

N ASlilNG lON, n. "a
= They say around the de-
Tense commission the public
should not feel left out if it
does not fully understand the
complexities of the defense pro-
gram. They are far too vast for
any one 10 know them fully or
be able TO tell any one else
about them.
In essence. there are a mil
lion or more intricate technical
situations. no two of which are
exactly alike, and none of which
is subject to overall conclusions.
Experts generally know only
one phase. the studied line in
which they are working. The
problem can be reduced to such
unSpecific terms as bottleneckS,
priorities. man hours, etc, but
if the press has failed to pass on
more specific understanding, it
is because there is no one here
able 10 speak beyond generali-
ties.
.FY9GtaSe- a single instance,
L perhaps you can get as clear
an appreciation as any of what
the daily news argument is all
about.
Aluminium now is in the CEN
ter of discussion. Some are say
ing all that is needed to get suf-
ficient aluminium to the plane
manufacturers and auto pro-
ducers is to stop housewives
from buying kitchen utensils.
But an entirely different type
of aluminium is needed for
planes than for kettles. There
is no shortage of raw materials.
Just a deficiency in the partlcu-
lar type of machinery and plant
capacity which produces the
high alleged sheet required Tor
planes.
If all the pots and pans in the
country were collected it would
do this situation no good. Inc
plane manufacturers will not be
able to get their aluminium until
the machine tools for turning
out sheet can be manufactured.
installed and started in the pro-
ducing.
THEN there is four-monih
i lag between the time the
finished product is delivered TO
the airplane factory and the
time the plane comes out.
No one is to blame for this
situation. Business apparently
is not tagging. Neither is labor
nor the defense commission.
1t is Just physical impos-
sibility to turn out planes at full
capacity until that one little
item of sheet machinery way
down the line is fixed.
Some of this fixing will be
accomplished before April. BY
next December. possibly all the
defense demands in this single
respect can be met.
When you consider many more
similar instances in other lines
that head up into the manu-
facture of planes, you will not
be surprised al the conclusion
that a satisfactory level of pro-
duction will not be reached until
year from now.
TlIE peak of production can
L not come for Is months.
Take The situation in the auto
mobile industry. which has been
most cooperative, and line
in which Mr.. Knudsen knows
every nut and bolt The situa-
ton stacks up like this:
FORD--HiS plant will get
started on its engines in March
although il will not have all the
machinery at that time. and can
not turn out large numbers be-
fore the end of this year.
This" affects SD 100000 con-
tract made in December, and
Sl22. 100000 contract for aircraft
engines IN November.
CHRYSLER The tank plant
1851, 100000 contract signed last
Augusta is up and machinery Is
being installed. but the contract
called for production to start
next August and il cannot be
pushed forward much
ALLISON (Airplant engine
contract S70,000.000 signed in
December). General Motors has
been running Allison as an eX-
perimental project since 1929,
started production and eNpan.-
sion a year ago. now delivering
$50 engines a month. will in
crease TO 1000 by November.
STUDEBAKER ~ tS70,000.00
contract in January for aircraft
engines) VIII not start pro-
duction for about a year.
BUICK 1924 100000 contract
for Pratt and Whitney engineSD.
Will take 10 TO u months to get
initial production.
PA OK A X ID -- 1852 ,OOO.O
Rolls Royce engine contract in
.AuguStD. Initial pr o d u ton
promised in June
The defense commission has
not been particularly communi-
catfVc on these matters. but
they are we'll known in the
trade
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