Evening star., 1941-08-20
BY DON WHITEHEAD,


The Stars Special News Service.
NEW YORK, Aug. 20.-The specter
OF war and the urgency of national
defense are being written in the
skies above the United States with
the black plumes of smoke pouring
from chimneys of industries produc-
ing at record levels.
The American industrial colossus
Is aroused as never before. The
pace Of production steadily is being
stepped higher and higher. The
violence of the transition from the
lethargy of peace time depression to
sudden prosperity in virtual war
time economy has shaken the Ma
ton into new patterns of thought
and action.
The impact of war and defense
fell on industry first because war
today Is essentially a battle of
machines with ultimate victory like
lv to 20 to the nation or combina-
ton OF nations with the most and
best machines.
Test for u. s. Production.
Germany had seven-year start
On the world in producing imple-
n1ents OF war, and now the wheels
of American industry are turning
st 4 dizzy pace to cut down this
advantage.
The war prodded industry into
increased activity with orders from
Britain and France for planes,
armament, munitions and supplies.
Then our own defense program
swept 1t forward under the impetus
Of billions of dollars in contracts
for goods and materials.
The vaunted genius OF American
industry for mass production is being
put to the test-and early results
show it is living up to advance
billing. Production Is hitting new
levels. Government economists pre-
dict that by next year it will be 40
per cent greater than the boom year
OF 1928 year of golden production
which stood through 10 years as a
gauge of prosperity.
Strikes, bottlenecks. inadequate
planning. shortages of materials and
dozens of other snarls have slowed
the machines, yet production in
creaSes.
Remember the despair and gloom
which settled over the Nation a
decade ago? The factories were
gaunt and lifeleSs then. The bread
lines stretched endlessly and the
country learned of the forgotten
man" Unemployment rose higher
and higher. Capital was in hiding.
Farmers were desperate with the
same sort of desperation that
gripped every one.
From Famine to Feast.
Many industrial cities became
virtual ghost towns. We were at
peace but panicky, and the medicine
men flourished with political and
economic cure-alls.
And now national income is
rising toward the all-time high of
5000 900 900 and the Government
economists predict it may touch s92,-
o00, ,000, 900 next year.
Factories are producing at capacity
and are expanding facilities for even
greater output. Employment in non
agricultural work has reached al
most $4,000, 900, a new record, and
breadlines have disappeared. Farm
ers' income is up. The only deSpera-
ton is in the urgency to produce
more goods. No one has time to
listen to the medicine men.
Within a few months the young
aircraft industry doomed into a war
time giant as the United States set
out to build the greatest military
air fleet In the world. The industry
expanded beyond the widest dreams
of aviation enthusiasts. 1t still is
growing.
Pay Roll of 500,0 Plus.
Eighteen months ago there were
$4,000 men employed by the aircraft
industry. Today there are more
than 500 900. Thousands more are
being schooled for the specialized
work Of fashioning battleships, en-
gines and propellers.
Two years ago aviation plants had
floor space of 9,454, 900 square feet.
Now they have 38, 900 900 square feet