Evening star., 1942-01-24
Automobile Makers
Give Standing Pledge
For Full War Output
Free Men Can Outproduee
Any SIove Economy,
Conference Is Told
By DAVID ]. WILKIE,
Associated Press Automotive Edito

DETROIT. Jan. 24-The Nations s
automotive industry today pledged
its fullest support to the War Pro-
duction Board in the effort to OBJ
tain capacity output OF war materiel.
The pledge was given on motion
Of Paul G.. Hoffman, president OF
Studebaker Corp, at whose sugges-
ton more than 800 engineers. pro-
6uction chiefs and industry execu-
tives stood up in q meeting here to-
day of the Automotive Council for
War Production, its first general
industry session.
Mr.. Hoffman called for the stand
ing pledge after asserting that the
automotive industry, representing
free labor and free management" "
could "outproduce any economy that
uses shackled management and
slave labor"
Difference In Wars.
Mr.. Hoffman pictured the dif-
ference between the present war
and World War No. 1 by saying that
the difference today is that our
forces will fight on seven continents
and in seven seas before this war is
won" He said also that industry
alone was not going to win the war
Industry, he said, will help win the
war-the men who are doing the
fighting at the front are going to
win it,
Ernest Kanzler, the War Produc-
ton Boards co-ordinator for the
auto industry, called on the motor
car makers to develop a new point
Of view. q new sense of proportion"
to achieve "all-out" armament pro-
duction.
The council, designed to place
every facility Of the 5000 900 900
industry into manufacture of tanks,
motors. planes, guns and other
armament, heard how the produc-
ton chiefs have listed their equip
ment for use-either by themselves
or by erstwhile competitors.
The industry's conversion plan
contemplates not only making the
unused machine tool equipment of
one company available to another
where needed, but also proposes
that equipment not specifically
needed for the industry's war work
will be available to other armament
producers
Eight Billions on Books.
The carmakers produced more
than $4,000. 900 900 worth Of auto
mobiles and in excess Of 81 .225. 900. =
600 in armament last year. Today
1t has on its books upwards Of s.
000. 900 900 in war contracts cover
ing the task assigned it for 1912.
I'VE propose" said Alvan Ma
cauley. chairman of the council. Ito
bring the tools to the job and take
the job to the tools to the end that
tthe Nation will not lack for one
gun, one tank, one engine that the
capacity and the ingenuity of this
producers can add to the
forces of our Nation and its friends
on all the fighting fronts"
The listing Of tool equipment. used
and unused. in preparation for sew
eral weeks, is to be given the
broadest distribution throughout
industry" q council an
said.
Outlining of specific plans for
utilizing production equipment was
the main objective Of today's con-
ference ....-
K. T. Keller. president Of, Chrysler
Corp, was listed to analyze the
war production assignment and out
line how each company can expe-
dite its Own work; O. E. Hunt, vice
president Of General Motors, was
to discuss the retooling problem in
engineering terms and Paul G. Hoff-
man, president of Studebaker Corp,
was to talk about the automotive
industry's responsibilities in the ex-
banding war DrOQram