Evening star., 1941-06-29
.Simp|ification
TakesBig Role
In Defense
Boost in Production
Expected Through Cut
In Style Numbers
BY FRANK MaoMILLEN,
rhn Stnr.S Snnclal NeNk SerNlcA.

NEW YORK. June 28.-An in1-
portant new weapon, "slmpllflca-
ton" is being forged for the in.
dustrial war drive, and its develop
ment in coming months may have
repercussionS both on the
eventual outcome of the struggle
with the totalitarians and on dav-to-
day ways of living and doing busi-
ness.
Industrial and technical experts
here believe "SimplificatiOn'-it was
first so dubbed by Herbert Hoover
when he was Secretary Of Commerce
may be one Of the chief lnstru-
ments for achieving the seemingly
impossible, driving the American
industrial machine for months on
end in excess Of its so-called ca
pacity.
DR.. Paul Cough Agnew. who, as
secretary OF the American Standards
Association, is probably the country's
leading authority on industrial
standardization, defined "simplifics-
ton as: Concentration on ths
smallest number of types, sizes and
grades Of manufacturers products
consistent with efficiency"
Would Reduce Variety.
Tip-of on the growing importance
of 'simplification" in the thinking
of defense authorities at Washing
ton and Of leading corporation off,
clals here came recently in q speech
at Pittsburgh by Donald NJ Nelson,
director Of purchases in the Office
Of Production Management to the
National Association of Manufac-
turers. He said:
Il believe 1t is possible to increase
our present productive capacity by a
fourth, or perhaps even third, by
reducing the variety of goods Of
fered to the commercial trade"
industrial men here attached un-
usual weight TO the Nelson state
ment, not only because of his kew
position in the direction of the arms
drive. but also because. as a long,
time top executive Of the big Sears
, Roebuck mail order concern. he
was regarded as leading authority
on slmpllfication in industry and
trade.
Called "Basically Sound"
Dr.. Agnew today called "basically
sound the Nelson idea that pro-
ductive capacity of the country can
be greatly increased by standardiza-
ton. He said Mr.. Nelson's 25 per
cent capacity increase figure prob
ably would be an overestimate for
some industries and an underesti-
mate for Others"
He said: Standardization is basis
TO the very concept OF production
on such an unprecedented scale as
is called for by the defense pro-
gram. We cannot do this by keep
ing production on the basis Of MOB
individualsm.
Our production has to be inte-
grated into a powerful weapon for
defense. Foremost is the problem
OF concentrating on as few types,
sizes and varieties as are needed to
do the job in good shape. Then
there is the need of standards to
control production and to channel
the entire process into a smooth
flow like great river system.
Shortcomings in the Govern
ment standards, or in the manu-
facturers working to them-too
many kinds of products. obsolete
/ requirements, unnecessarily close
fits, faults in workmanship or mate
rials-all result in bottlenecks which
cur down the flow of goods.
1,1O0 Key Materials.
! "A good illustration of what needs
| to be done is in tool steels. There
are 100 of these key materials on
the market. Manufacturers and
users agree that it is a waste of
man power. materials and precious
/ time to make l.100 varieties, stock
them and keep track of them, when
perhaps 100, or at most 200, would
cover every possible need. The
American Standards Association has
an active committee working on this
subject.
Leaders of the machine tool In
| duStry are studying the question Of
whether they can step up the rate Of
/ their production Of lathes by con-
| centrating on half the sizes they now
manufacture.
/ DR.. Agnew said his associa tion
/ already has set up standards on an
emergency basis for three indus
trial groups contributing to the de-
fenSe effort and that a dozen SINH
lar Jobs were under way. but he
added, This is only drop in the
| bucket"
Formed During World War.
He pointed out the German indus
trial standards body which corre-
sponded to the American Standards
I Association had been set up at the
request of the German general staff
in 1917 and that most Of the other
26 Standardlzing bodies in leading
industrial countries had been formed
during the World War or shortly
after it.
In the efficiency with which they
have employed standards in their
military preparations" DR.. Agnew
said. Il would rank Germany first.
Great Britain second and the United
States third"
Clues to the kind of things which
may be subjected to the simplifica-
ton process in coming months to
free effort and machinery for de-
fenSe are offered by these examples,
taken from the files of DR.. AgneW's
aSsocia ton:
l. One concern makes 10000 reg.
(See DEFENSE, Page Esd