Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-02
The Automobile industry
Laws Cards on the Table

CEVERAI months ago this writer asked an automobile
- manufacturer why his industry failed to answer
sporadic but continuing criticism that 1t was shifting half
heartedlv and with poor grace into wartime production
Were not politicians or lawyers; we're workngmen,
was the reply we stopped TO talk and explain every
time some fellow Washington sniped at we'd never
GET any real work done We're tacIing the biggest job
we ever had We're working night and day at it. When
we GET il done the people will know weren't staing'
Subsequent events have born out his contention.
More and more the people of the United States have
to realize what stupendous job is to transform the
automobile industry into entirely industry of war
The people of the United States are beginning to
recognize that shifting from automobiles TO tanks and
airpancs and machine guns and eeps and antiarcraft
guns cannot be accomplished merely by waving prOduc-
ton wand.
THEY are beginning to know, William Randolph
Hearst pointed out to them edoriay in the recent
past that it sell the automobile makers short
that capable of building prodgiously for peace
time production Of automobiles MUST be capable of doing
the fine job in production IF they not too
hampered by Washington red tape
1t was wise indeed for Detroit's automotive
tves to play host last week to group of the nations
leading Washington correspondents 1t for the
auomotve heads to lay their cards one table and show
their visitors exactly what they doing in
production.
1t was wise for them conduct their guests through
the several mammoth plants that have mushroomed to
completion house the building of and NUM-
tons that will eventually destroy Axis enemies
1t was wise because henceforth, when irrespon-
sbe representative Congress rises to his flat feet to
aim uniformed broadsde at the automobile industry,
the Washington correspondents will be justified to yawn
and ignore him.
THEODORE A. HUNTLEY Detroit Times Washington
correspondent expressed the reaction of the visiting
newspapermen ersely and eoquenty when he wrote in
yesterdays Times:
cts probably fault the executives said of the
criticism to which the industry has been subjected. We
should have taken the country into confidence before
The severes critic among the journalistic nqustors said
a the last question answered,-Tm satisfied. ;"
Mr. Huntley's inquiry elicitated:
First-that the automobile industry already has been
made responsible for oneffth Of all production in
the United States:
Second-That orders from all sources with Ford
General Motors and Chryser total between eleven and
twelve billion dollars. That eleven to twelve thou
sand million dollars 1t to little people who
attach Importance to IS bill, more than our mathe-
NAUTICAL intelligence can encompass.
1T MEANS several thousands of millions of dollars Of
business than the industry has contended
with to date.
1t means fatty that the automobile business is
longer the automobile busness-that it has thrown its
full into the grim task of winning this by
giving military forces the mechanical equipment with
which to win it.
There is motor industry any more" of
the executives told Mr. Huntey. We're not think
ing of what's going to happen after the From
until the ends we're in the to do everything
possibly to win it, All have asked of the govern
pent to tell us what wanted. That's all ask
Well give it to them"
There briefly, is the rebutal Of the automobile
industry.
1t is not an apology
1t is statement of purpose based upon achievement
II should but probably won't eliminate further carp
ing by politicians who never made bullet, much less
tank a bomber.