The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-02-11

Britoin, AustroIio.
Editors Note: Canadian Aid
for Britain takes many forms.
Wade Werner tells Of TIE part
Canadian.built equipment -
playing In the war, In this Sec
ond Of five daily stories for the
Special News Service and The
Daily Monitor. Tomorrow:
Home Defense.)
BY WADE WARNER
OTTAWA - Correspondents
of the Special News Service)-
Bellieerent Canada Is shipping
equipment to far-flung fronts In
the British empires battle, but
Canadians say they have scarce
ly begun TO show their strength
in many fields Of mechanical
effort.
Because Canada already had q
healthy automobile industry
when the war started, Canadian
made automotive equipment has
been for many months playing
an important part In the struggle.
Cars, trucks and ambulances
have been flowing In q steady
stream not only to Britain but
to Australia, South Africa, India
and Egypt. Canadian-built trucks
were used in the lightning moves
of Britain's army Of the Nile
against Mussolini's men In North
Africa. Nearly 10000 units of
automotive equipment already
have been delivered, and produc-
ton here Is rapidly nearing 900
units day.
Eight Canadian plants now are
turning out shells, and 10 others
are making shell components.
Eighteen other plants are being
fooled up for production, and
when they get going, an aggre-
gate monthly production Of g.
100000 shells is scheduled.
In the last war, too, Canada
turned out huge quantities OF
shells; but because of the vastly
different character of the present
conflict, and because French in
dustry has fallen into German
hands, the burden laid on Canada
this time is greater, and her ef-
fort is vital in many diversified
fields.
In six of the country's nine
provinces, for instance, work Is
under way on a big naval arma-
ment and equipment program,
involving production of naval
guns and gun mountings, torpe-
do equipment, fire-control gear,
depth charges, nautical instru-
'ments and the like.
Existing factories are being
used wherever possible in this
program-for instance, the shops
of the Canadian Pacific and Ma
tional railways-and some ST.
100000 are being spent for new
equipment and plant extension.
Bren guns-the machine-guns
used with such effect when
mounted on the fast little Bren
gun-carrier-are in production
in a Toronto plant, with deliver
les expected to total about $500
by the end of March. In order
to step up this production and
provide for the manufacture of
anti-tank guns, construction of q
IS, 100000 plant extension has
been authorized.
Production Of Bren gun-car-
riers began in December, but
trouble developed with the ca
terpillar tread. This has been
remedied now, according to mu-
nitions minister c. D. Howe, and
Canadian-built Bren gun-carriers
will be rollilg off the assembly
lire in q few weeks.
Heavy infantry tanks are near
ing the production stage, and
deliveries are expected to begin
in March. Production Of the
lighter cruiser tanks Is just
around the corner, but date for
the first deliveries has not yet
been set.
Shipbuilding is in full swing.
The naval construction program
calls for q "a fast corvettes-
suitable for coast patrol and anti
submarine duty-some Of which
already have been delivered to
Britain and pronounced excel
lent for the purpose. Most of
these, however, are for the