Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-06

time driven thoughtful citizens to
ponder three contingencies which
until recently seemed remote, but
now have moved into the realm OF
serious reflection. They are as fol-
lows:
/. Conquest of the British Isles
The dress rehearsal in Crete is held
to have demonstrated that uncon-
querable islands no longer exist-ii
only the invader can muster deci-
sive superiority in the air.
2. Capitulation of Great Britain
A fear haunting many minds Is
that the British people, reduced to
despair by the failure of their last
hope, that of prompt and adequate
aid from the United States, may
follow the example of France and
make peace on the best terms they
can get.
g. In either case, an immediate
onslaught on the Western Hemis-
phere by way of Latin America
The blades of the pincers have
been brandished openly. They are
Japan on the one hand, and on
the other Germany and Italy
armed perhaps with the French
and British fleets. Against such
odds, the United States. in view
of it's present and prospective con-
dition of unpreparedness, would
confront the possibility of military
defeat for the first time in its
history.
Reich's COnquests Based on U. S.
Inventions.
The irony of the case lies in the
fact that the Reich's conquests were
based almost entirely on American
inventions, which were rejected by
military, naval and civilian bureau
Gratis, but which German observers
were permitted to study in every
detail American genius devised
not merely the airplane and sub
marine, but the high-speed tank.
dive bomber, aerial torpedo and
nocturnal flight with instruments.
The present German war economy
was deliberately initiated from the
industrial mobilization plan that
grew out of the path-f1ndings of
President Wilson's War Industries
Board
Instead of centralized body OF
this kind. the administration still
clings to a vague once for Emer-
gency Management, under which
are incoherently grouped II civilian
defense agencies. Jurisdictions con-
flict and overlap. In key positions
are retained men of proved ir-
resolution and incompetence. Scat
tered among the various commits
sions, boards and affices are some
of the ablest personalities in the
United States, but little effort is
made to coordinate their talents.
Power of decision is reserved for
the President himself; otherwise
the defense organization continues
to function without head.
Defense Setup Is an Obstruction.
If Mr.. Roosevelt were tempera-
mentally able to delegate substan-
tial authority to other hands he
could cure this chronic disease of
the armament program simply
and Immediately. A revolutionary
change would be brought about
through the appointment of some
man of capacity, courage and ex-
perience-Judge Patterson, for in
stance-as supreme co-ordinator OF
defense production, with Bernard
M. Baruch, who was chairman OF
the War Industries Board, to sit
beside him as adviser for month.
The setup, as it now exists, may
be described thus:
On one side are the Army, Navy
and British Empire, all famished
for equipment. On the other Is the
American industrial plant, with po-
tential capacity to outproduce Ger
many and her allied or subject peo-
pies. Between them, as sole means
of contact, lies the defense organi-
zation. Acting as obstruction rath-
er than channel, it is estimated to
cause a waste of 20 per cent In
money and 1914 per cent in time.
The results on this date speak for
themselves. Cash disbursements for
defense the best available index to
actual deliveries, declined from ST.
$50 100000 in April to $4,000 600
in May, a drop of about 20 per cent.
In the thirteenth month OF crisis,
with England crying for 10-fold in
creases of planes, tanks and artil-
lery, output of nondefense manu-
features remains the highest in the
annals of the United States. The
defense program has been imposed
on civilian consumption, but the
Federal Reserve Systems index of
total industrial output rose only
from lis in May, 1910, to 139 In
April, 1941.
One defense industry alone, that
of aircraft manufacture, is running
as yet on an about basis. Just three
implements of war can be said to
have arrived at ample production.
They are Garand rifles, light tanks
and scout cars. Despite the Presi-
dents demand that machines be
put to work "a hours day and
seven days a week, one-fourth Of
the Nations factories could still in
crease their output 20 to 80 per cent
while Is per cent of plant equip
ment is operating at one-flfth or
less OF capacity.
o. P. M. Taken Unawares.
In addition to laggard produce
ton, with relatively light orders and
leisurely delivery dates, the ONCE
of Production Management has
lately been taken unawares by new
and unforeseen bottlenecks of vital
materials. Among these are alumni
mum, steel, copper, rubber and cork
Only a few months ago. the pos
sibility of shortage In these COM
modities was laughed to scorn. Be-
cause of droughts and also lack of
planning for possible defense loads,
the electrical industry, including the
Tennessee Valley Authority. is fac
ing a critical deficiency of hydro
power. In prospect also is a grave
shortage of skilled labor.