Evening star., 1941-04-13
Wallace Stresses
Vital Urgency Of
Arms Production
Speed May Determine
Whether U. S. Must
Fight, He Asserts
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

aid to nations resisting aggression.
"1n 1910 we produced 4,250 de-
fense airplanes and in 1941 we will
produce 22,0oC," he said, picturing
the huge strides which already have
been made. He listed other i'm
portant progress in the production
OF essential materials, but declared
These figures are inspiring but
they are not inspiring enough. Labor
and management by close co-opera-
ton can do better. They will do bet
ter II they know how exceedingly
important 1t is to bring about a
rapid increase at once in our pro-
duction.
Nothing will so discourage the
German leaders as to see our pro-
duction advancing in an almost
perpendicular ascent. Nothing will
do more to encourage the British
The speed of our production during
the next few month may well de-
termine whether or not the United
States must eventually fight for ex-
istence."
Best Way to Remain at Peace.
The Vice President began his ad-
dress by saying the most important
way OF making sure the United
States will remain at peace and that
peace will come rapidly to the world
on . basis which will mean free
dom and not slavery to democratic
nations, is to demonstrate in the
shortest time possible the tremen-
dous capacity of the United States
to produce"
He concluded with the prayer:
May the feelings of an outraged
nation descend upon the heads Of
those who delay peace by interfer-
ing with production"
There was a growing feeling in
Washington last night, however,
among leading members of Congress,
that the American people must come
to q realization that they are face
TO, face with conditions that may
mean war at any moment. One
Senator, occupying an important
place in the political organization of
the Senate, said f1atly that what
was needed was "stiffening of the
backbone Of the American people :"
He added that once the country be-
came cognizant of the situation
production of all kinds of war sup
plies would jump tremendously.
mo Turning Back Possible"
He went far beyond the question
OF production, however, asserting
that "the American people would
never be content to do so futile a
thing as to produce enormously and
not see that the supplies were put
into the hands of the British where
they could use them"
In the opinion of this Senator.
the conveying of merchant vessels
to Greenland, where American bases
are to be established, and probably
across the Pacific to the Red Sea,
would certainly follow if it became
necessary. If essential, the convoy
system would be still further ex-
tended, he declared.
Representative Kitchener. Repub-
lican, Of Michigan, said he was con-
vinced there had been a great
change of opinion among the people
back home" that with the passage
Of the lease-lend bill a fork in the
road had been passed and that the
people had reached the conclusion
1t was not possible now to turn back.
Speculation on Next Move.
Generally speaking, there was
only praise among the members of
Congress remaining in Washington
over the Easter holiday for Presi-
dent RooseVelt's swift moves to
establish bases in Greenland and
to permit the shipment of goods in
American flag vessels to the Red
Sea ports. Both steps, it was held
would make easier the transport of
materials to the British and their
Allies. They were already specu-
lating on what the next move
would be.
Vice President Wallace, in his
address, which was delivered at
stockholders meeting of the Federal
Home Loan Bank of Winston Salem,
said he had been informed by the
Once of Emergency Management
that the production of machine
tools by the end of 1941 will be
nearly four times the World War
peak in 1918. In the case of alumni
mum, he continued. the production
by the end of this year would be
six times what it was in 1918
Petroleum productive capacity will
be five times that of 1913. Already
the steel production capacity is so
per cent In excess OF that for 1918,
and the actual production this year
will be nearly twice that of 1899
and SO per cent greater than that
Of 1910.
Increased Output Assured.
The production of these materials,
he continued, would be reflected in
the increased turnout of airplanes,
tanks, munitions and guns. He said
that the production of 80 and so
caliber machine guns would show
an increase of from to 10 times
ever last years production.
Referring to the dictators, Hitler
and MusSolini, Mr.. Wallace said:
'"The madmen must and will de-
xtroy themselves, but the time when
the destruction takes place will de-
pend in large measure on how
rapidly We produce munitions of
war during the months Immediately
ahead.
THE course of events will be de-
ber1nined by the willingness of man.
agement and labor to cooperate at
once In the service of the United
States and civilization. Foreign
agents know this. That is why they
are sabotaging our labor organiza-
lions to the great disadvantage of
labor ITSELF
Production Can Turn Scales.
The Vice President warned that
the men who have been drafted into
the military service of the country,
giving up jobs that paid them three
TO 20 times what they now get in
the Army will not hold guiltless
those who are impeding production