Evening star., 1941-06-14
By RICHARD L. STOKES.

In the field of national rearma-
ment, this has been a week of opti-
mistic sound and fury. Among full
throated prophecies and tall figures
with which the public was regaled
are the following:
William S. KnudSen, director gen.
eral of the Office of Production
Management, announced that out
put of military airplanes according
to schedule is just around the corner.
and that by autumn Of 1912 the
United States will be manufacturing
more sky-craft than any other
country on earth.
In his first report to Congress on
lend-lease aid to Britain, President
Roosevelt proclaimed that between
March IL and May 81, $4.277. .412.8 .879
out of a $1,000 900 900 appropriation
was allocated, and defense articles
valued at s75,202,425 transferred.
| The latter figure includes s64,472,741
in Army and Navy materials as
signed from existing stocks.
Total defense contracts. according
to the Office for Emergency Manage
ment, have risen from about S14,-
900 900, 900 to more than s20,000,-
600 900.
The s1o,172 ,204 BIT Army appropri-
alton bill for the fiscal year l94l-
1912 brings the defense program to
a grand total, for the moment, of
$43, ,115,05l, ,l42.
Treasury Figures Contradictory.
o The facts ensuing are in contrast to
these sanguine statistics. They are
based in part on Treasury figures OF
actual disbursements. which remain
the chief index available as to the
defense undertakings true progress
The May production of military
planes-that is, bombers of all kinds
and fighter, observation and trans
port craft-was 1884 This repre-
sented not only a decline of l66
planes from the announced goal OF
$500, but a drop of SIS from the
April figure of 1889. Since out OF
10 military planes are reserved fol
Britain. the result is that some 934
were destined for service overseas
while the Army and Navy together
during May increased their air
strength by 400 craft.
Out of $1,000 100000 appropriated
for British aid, the Treasury dis
bursed nothing in March, nothing In
April, s6,758, ,246 in May and s1,724,
288 during the first nine days OF
June, or a total of approximately
So, ,482 ,534 to date.
Aggregate defense expenditures
between July /, 194C. and June 9
1941, were s5,490, 0,670,721. 1t is esti-
mated that each month the Reich Is
devoting the equivalent of four
fifths of this sum to armament pro-
duction. The American total of the
first nine days of June was $3.50, ,249,
898, which was broken down into
these items:
War Department, s162 ,903, 1874;
Navy Department, s76,914,452; the
Presidents special defense fund, S.
O97,039; administrative expense o1
the selective service, $711,753; Mar
itime Commission, for emergency
ship construction, $1,556,153: lend
lease aid to Britain, s1,724,288, ano
Federal Works Agency, for defense
housing, s1,316,o74. 1t is not unfai,
to calculate that two-f1fths of dis
bursements for Army and Navy
totaling $239,817,647. were absorbed
by pay rolls, maintenance, subsis-
tence, clothing, quartermaster sup
plies, operating costs and civilian
personnel.
Actual Deliveries Reflected.
Strictly speaking, the above
Treasury statements denote only
the consummation of financia
transactions. But they record pur-
chases negotiated and paid for
and in consequence may reflect
actual or imminent deliveries. Or
the contrary, the terms, "alloca.
tion" and transfer" were probably
chosen with deliberation, for uss
in the Presidents report to Con.
gress and Wednesday, because they
are SO broad as to be well-nigf
meaningless.
An ALLEGATION may be a signee
contract, an expression of inten
to execute a future contract, OF
simple earmarking of materials fol
some specific purpose. A trans
fer may denote nothing more thar
bookkeeping change Of title tt
ownership. ..
Therefore Mr.. Roosevelt's re.
sounding figures threw small ligh
on the questions as to what pro
portion of articles designated fol
Britain has actually been delivered
to that country, has been sunl
! On the way, has been loaded