Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-06


either under construction or be-
ginning production. But whatever
happens in Europe-whether the
Mediterranean is lost, England is
invaded or the United States be-
comes involved in war-the truth
Is Realistically accepted by mill
tary officers that quantity output of
munitions cannot possibly be forth
coming earlier than next autumn.
The Tiny Trickle.
Perhaps with this dearth in view,
the War Department recently an
nounced that its troops are being
toughened against the nerve
racking" actualities of combat
through the use Of charging trucks
to suggest tanks. of klaxon horns to
simulate the noise of dive bombers
and of rattles and metal bars struck
with hammers to initiate the sound
of rifle, machine gun and artillery
| fire.
The Lease-Lend Act was approved
March II. On March 81 an ap-
preparation of $1,000 100000 be-
| came available. For British aid the
| Treasury disbursed nothing in
March and nothing in April. Dur
ing May were recorded the initial
allotments under this program.
They totaled $6,758,246. Of supplies
purchased. only a negligible portion
has reached British wharves. The
first lease lend food ship arrived in
England Saturday, two months
after the purchase money for its
cargo was in hand.
Aggregate defense expenditures by
the Treasury between July /, 1910,
and June /, 194l, were S5,24O, 420, 1922,
or an average of some $476. 400 900
month for the 11-month period.
Armament output at nearly nine
times that rate is credited to Ger
many by Donald M. Nelson, O. P.
MS director of purchases, who esti-
mates that the Reich's production,
plus that of its captive countries,
represents the equivalent of $50
000000,000 annually, or 81, 166, 500 900
a month.
Puny Production.
Great Britain's war expenditures
| are declared to have reached their
maximum at 1880 900 900 a month.
The combined production OF Brit
ain and the United States during
May was, therefore, in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 100000, or less
than half that at Germany's dis
posal. Merely to arrive abreast of
the Reich, it is calculated, the
arsenal of the democracies" would
be compelled at once to treble It's
defense output to $4,000, 900 900 q
year.
1t is not believed that Mays pro-
duction of combat and tactical
planes rose much, If any, above the
April figure, which was 1927. Pend
ing announcement OF the specific
number, a trade estimate Is 1900
BY previous analogy, these would
be divided something as follows:
Heavy bombers, co. light and me-
dunn bombers, 200; fighter planes,
500; transport and observation
craft, so, and trainers, 900. Out of
$50 battle planes, probably 800 were
earmarked for Great Britain.
The Navy.
The Navy added to it's strength
during May by commissioning one
destroyer and one submarine. But
the third of it's six $4,000 ton battle
ships, the South Dakota, will be
launched Saturday at Camden, N. j.
The fourth of this class, Massa-
chusetts, has been building for
nearly two years; the fifth, Indiana,
for about 18 month, and the young
est, Alabama, about Is months.
With the first two, Washington
and North Carolina, already in
commission, it appears likely that
the new battleships, costing in the
aggregate, around IS 5000, 900 900, will
be able to profit little, if at all, from
lessons taught by the Bismarck's
brief emergence in the Atlantic. Ac-
cording to British reports, Germany
has developed in this ship and its
sister craft, Tirpitz, now making her
trial cruises in the Baltic, a vessel
less powerfully gunned than those
of the Washington class, but five
knots faster, several thousand tons
heavier, 10 feet broader of beam
and-what is most serious-more
rugged and more capable of stand
ing punishment.
Ships "Snatched."
Whatever great events, if any,
followed the Presidents proclama-
ton of full national emergency
last week, they remain shrouded
behind a well-nigh impenetrable
screen of secrecy. The curtain was
lifted slightly by Mr.. Roosevelt's
statement that the Atlantic Fleet
has been strengthened, and by the
recent wholesale snatch Of 40 ships
by the Army and Navy, which al
most denuded the American mer-
chant marine of passenger vessels.
Among these was the new $15,75O,-
600 liner America, of $1,000 tons.
The Navy took Is ships, totaling
27l 900 tons, and the Army IA YES
sells, aggregating $4,000 tons.
1t is regarded as likely that the
Washington and North Carolina
will soon join the Atlantic fleet,
and that certain units from the
Pacific feet have been transferred
to the East. Color for the second
speculation is found in the flight
of 81 Flying Fortresses from San
Francisco to Hawaii on May %,
perhaps to compensate for the de-
parture of a squadron of surface
craft.
The acquisition of passenger YES
sells is everywhere interpreted as re-
f1ecting a sudden and pressing need
OF troop transports for some expedi-
ton asea. Rumors have been cur
rent that the 1st Division is to be
dispatched from Camp Devens to
Puerto Rico. Other possible desti-
nations discussed, in line with the
Presidents flreside chat, are Marti-
nique, the Azores and the Cape
Verde Islands.
On domestic ground has fallen
| 4 =