The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-03-07
DEFENSE EQUIPMENT ROLLING
OFF LINE

Detroit, Mich, Feb. 28--At least
10000 men will be working on ma
tional defense contracts Of the auto
mobile companies by the latter part
of the present year, and between
100000 and 100000 more men will
be employed by the time it's bomber
parts program gets in full swing,
according to a progress report issued
in pictorial form today by the Auto
mobile Manufacturers Association.
Every company in the automobile
industry now is represented in pro-
duction of one or more defense
items, the report shows, with the
load growing rapidly.
Defining the defense assignments
as this industry's mo. Job" today,
Alvan Macauley, President of the
Association in a foreword stated:
From the start the automobile
companies saw this job as one that
must have the right of way. They
voluntarily pledged to subordinate
their forward tooling programs
wherever by doing so they could ex-
|pedite defense production. All along
the line the job has been and is, a
fight against time"
Special recognition is given the
"energetic and devoted efforts" of
the hundreds of technical men in
Engineering and tool departments,
on construction jobs and elsewhere,
whose long hours and close applica-
ton have pushed the preparations
for production ''as never before.
''The same effort goes forward in
production ITSELF" says Mr.. Macau-
ley. "The record of accomplishment
to date is one of which the people
of the country generally as we'll as
those within the industry can feel
proud 1t is evidence again of Amer
ica's ability to produce for the we'll
being of ALL"
The report summarizes the fol-
lowing items:
1. Airplane engines from the
Automobile industry have been going
into service since July, 1910; are
la month; will in a short time be
|many times that number.
2. Two new airplane engine plants
are in the final stages of construc-
ton and equipment; will be pro-
Iducing this summer Two more are
to be in operation by the end of the
Iyear.
8. Ammunition components of
many types, such as shells, shell
Icasings, fuses, bomb and torpedo
lparts are being produced in several
Automobile plants; will shortly be
coming out in steady stream OF
large volume. Converted automobile
equipment is being used on shell
production now.
| 4. Plants will shortly be ready
for machine gun production, and
lseveral companies are working on
Iparts and accessories for big guns,
such as breech housings, recoil
lcylinders, ammunition hoists, etc.
5. Thanks to construction work.
Iers who carried forward even under
Iheavy snow, and other comparable
preparatory effort, tank production
Twill begin well ahead of schedule,
liz current rate of progress can be
maintained. A start on actual parts
production work has been made.
6. Six companies are actively at
work producing or preparing to pro-
duce airplane body, wing and tail
parts. First shipments of subas-
lsembly units have already been
made. Ultimately from 100000 to
100000 men will be required for
this work alone, especially in the
projected output of parts for bomb
ers to be assembled at new Army
lplants in the Midwest.
z. Continuous deliveries, at a ris
ing rate, are being made on power
plants for navy vessels, ranging
from the superspeed motors for
mosquito boats" to submarine
diesels.
8. Extensive and systematic sub
contracting of precision-made parts
for aircraft engines and many 9TH
err defense products has been re-
sorted to as a means of expediting
and charging production. Major
l COApdAlCS nave tQhCn Oh
such parts assignments. More sub
contracting is expected through the
efforts of the Automotive Commit
tee for Air Defense.
Material "bottlenecks" have been
attacked through erection by mem
bers of the industry, of foundries
for magnesium and aluminium, both
now entering production.
10. Despite all these added jobs,
not in the regular line of automo-
tive work, the industry's assembly
lines are turning out $4,000 special
cars and trucks for the U. S. Army
each week; expect to step this rate
up to 10000 to pace the Army's ex-
pansion, and to have more than a
quarter million vehicles in service
by the latter part of this year.
Pointing out that this list still
is only partial accounting of the
industry's defense work, the report