Evening star., 1941-01-18
leuse-lend
Continued From First Page)

L (
pending bill would be preferable
Under this bill all future orders will
be controlled by this country, on a
lend or lease basis, and Mr.. Knud-
sen repeatedly declared that from a
production standpoint, one order,
with one kind of material for given
article, will work better.
In the past, he explained. there
have been two buyers, the British
government and the American Gov
ernment, and the British were buy
ing on their own standards. Here
after. he emphasized. all of the
manufacturing will be standard
American equipment. so far as pos
aible, making for greater produc-
ton output.
No Estimate on Cost.
Asked for an estimate of the
overall cost of the proposed aid to
England, Mr.. Knudsen said there
was not sufficient data available yet
on what will be needed.
Replying to a question by Mr..
Chipperfeld regarding payment for
war materials, Mr.. Knudsen said:
I'VE are going to produce How
we are going to be paid for it is
up to you gentlemen"
You are doing all you can now?
All that can be done without the
passage of this bill?" asked Mr..
Chipperfield.
Wed have to take a vote on
it." replied Mr.. Knudsen with a
smile.
Representative Vorys of Ohio, an
other Republican, took up the ques-
tioning.
Does this bill give you new
powers? Is there any legal limita-
ton on your part of the Job now?"
he asked.
NO. sir"
you, have sufficient power now
to coordinate production and to
make priorities?" asked Mr.. Vorys.
I'VE have only had this job since
January T." replied Mr.. Knudsen,
although he indicated that they had
sufficient power at present.
Mr.. Vorys asked how the board
functions, and Mr.. Knudsen said
that the four MISUNDERSTANDING of
War Stimson, Secretary of the Navy
Knox, Sidney Hillman and him
self-met and decided what was
needed.
"Mr. Hillman and I carry it out" i"
he said.
Your organization has two heads.
Have you ever worked in any other
organization with two heads be-
fore?" asked Mr.. Vorys.
I'VE had a chairman where I
was" was Mr.. Knudsen's reply,
drawing a laugh from members of
the committee. Mr.. Knudsen was
head of the General Motors before
taking his present job.
Mr.. Vorys questioned the chair
man further about the program,
saying he understood that complete
equipment would not be ready until
July /, 1912.
Mr.. Knudsen replied that would
be complete equipment for 1900
600 men and heavy equipment for
100000 more, but probably it would
be the end of 1912 before everything
was completed. The delay, he said,
might be due to the production of
heavy equipment, powder, shells,
machine guns and heavy guns.
He added that Congress had not
given the appropriations for the pro-
duction quite so soon as had been ex-
pected.
How long after you decide what
airplane you want can you get it?"
asked Mr.. Vorys.
For brand-new design" Mr..
Knudsen said, 1T would take 10 to
II months"
Fish Quizzes Knudsen.
Representative Fish, Republican,
of New York, opponent of the lease
lend bill, asked Mr.. Knudsen a Sc
ries of questions relating to imme-
diate production for the British
under the pending bill. He wanted
to know whether the measure would
help the British get any more ships
and planes and munitions during the
next go days than they could if the
bill we're not passed.
"A great deal has been said about
a crisis coming at the end of 80
days." said Mr.. Fish. IT want to
know whether this bill is going to
help meet that crisis"
Mr.. Knudsen said that undoubt-
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