Evening star., 1941-06-29

materials hare created one of the
most pressing problems in con-
nection NTH Americas prepared
ness effort. The situation has
been the subject OF study in both
Senate and House Tert OF con-
cluStonS OF report on page ???.
BY the Associated Press.
In sharply critical report on
defense progress, the House Mil
itary Affairs Committee yester-
day asserted that a series of ma
jor failures" and delays" had
led to a present serious lack of
strategic materials.
The deficiencies. the committee
added in a voluminous report based
on weeks of study, were attributable
largely 10 absence of a responsible
head with authority and power
out also to national preoccupation in
recent years with social reform
rather than national security"
The report spoke, too, OF a need
for vision" on the part of Govern
ment officials and observed:
The administration has been too
prone when difficult problems arose
to easily dispose of them by Great
ing another board. only to add 10 the
confusion of the assortment Of
| agencies We now have"
As for the lack Of strategic mate
rials. the report said:
A shortage of aluminium is "criti-
| cal' because Of inadequate power
and fabrication facilities.
Shippers Refuse TO Garry Rubber.
Rubber is not available in suff-
cient quantities primarily because Of
lack of ships and refusal by some
shippers to carry the commodity.
Defense officials disclosed Fri
day plans to build new aluminium
plants to turn out 600 100000
pounds year. raising the ma
tionsl output to l,4O0 100000
pounds.
In informed quarters vester-
day, it was reported that air.
plane production this summer
would lag primarily because Of
shortages of essential materials.
May output was 1884 planes,
compared with 1889 in AprilD
The House committees report
listed these as shortcomings In con-
nection with the defense program:
l. Failure on the part of Con-
gress, the administration and the
public to initiate stock pile pro-
gram at an earlier date.
2. Failure to entrust to q re-
sponsible head the full authority
to carry out the will of Congress
in the legislation enacted.
3. Failure of a sense of urgencv
on the part of officials of pKchas-
ing organizations.
4. The delay in establishing con-
SerVatiOn methods and the use Of
substitutes for fear of creating un-
employment.
). "Unwarranted delays in build
ing plants and facilities for the con-
version Of raw materials into finished
products
Autos Use Defense Materials.
In connection with the fourth
point, the study said:
We do not wish to single out the
automotive industry as an example
/ because We realize fully its vital
part IN our industrial and civil life,
but this industry was too long al
lowed to consume sorelv needed de-
tense materials in this first year
of our defense effort.
Since the needs of this industry
are those almost identical with the
turtherance of the defense program.
some vision was needed by our Gov
eminent officials to restrict the
| automotlve program.
Our Government agencies are
not amateurs in the methods of
propaganda but they have failed
in that they did not long ago begin
educating the public as to the ne
cessity of not squandering the mate
rials used in our defense effort"
The report. prepared by a sub
committee headed by Representa-
tive Faddis, Democrat, of Pennsyl-
Vania. was presented to the full
committee Friday. It's publication
was delayed by opposition from some
administration Democrats who OBJ
Jected to its phraSeology. At a sub
sequent meeting, however. the re-
port was approved. Chairman NAV.
Democrat. of Kentucky refused to
disclose the vote. but other mem
bers said it was 'one-sided."
aluminium Company Cleared.
In commenting on the Critical"
shortage of aluminium, the commit
tee gave a clean bill of health to
the Aluminium Co. of America,
which was recently accused by Sec
retary of the Interior Ickes of re-
tardlng the defense program through
"recalcitrance" and obstruction.
All the testimony given before
this committee" the report said,
was to the effect that the Alumi-
mum Co. of America had given 100
per cent cooperation, had not only
used its own money for expansion,
lowered the price, but of its own
initiative took steps to treble its
production"
In testifying before the special
Senate Defense Investigat ton Com
mlttee nearly two weeks ago. Mr.
1ckeS said that when the story of
this war comes to be written, it NAV
have to be written that it was lost
(See DEFENSE, Page A-90