The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1942-10-08
Behind the Scenes
In American Business
By John Croddock

In American Business
BY John Craddock
BEHIND SCHEDULE-Ameri-
can munitions production is still
not up to snuff, according to
the official report on output
released last week by the War
Production Board. War material
production in August fell short
of the goal by about IA per cent,
the report stated, and that fol-
lowed a July in which the fig
ure was some 7 per cent less
than anticipated. Donald Nelson,
w. P. B.. chief, subsequently
revealed that September was not
up to expectations, either, al
though official figures were not
yet ready for release. This is
talking in such relative terms
as percentages, however, and
there's a brighter side to the
picture. For one thing, Nelson
admits that the policy has been
to keep production schedules
definitely on the "too high" side
rather than leaving them COM
fortably within reach, because
it makes the government agen-
cies and private firms strive
harder to attain the goals. For
another, August output this
year, in terms of tanks, planes,
guns and ships, was actually
three and one-half times what
it was in the same month of
1941.
LESS LOSSES-Definitely on
the encouraging side was the
announcement last week telling
of the second reduction within
a month in cargo war risk rates
by marine insurance underwri-
tiers. One of the principal re-
auctions is on shipments be-
tween the United States and the
West Indies, the east coast of
Central America and Mexico,
and the north coast of South
America - all areas which, I'M
til recently, were the scenes of
constant sinkings of merchant
ships by submarines. Since it's
hardheaded business that gov
erns insurance rates, it's cheer
ing to learn that cargo boats
are a better risk than they were
before. The report laconicaly at
tributed the rate change to
improved methods of convoy
ing, and other protection"
AROUND THE CLOCK-For
the first time in the history of
the beverage distilling industry,
ur-hour-per-day pro
duction schedule has been
adopted by a distilling corpora
ton. Schenley's IL distilleries
are now entirely devoted to the
making of alcohol for war uses.
The total output of these plants
thigh proof alcohol and high
wines which are redistilled in
to 190-proof alcohol - goes to
help meet requirements for
Smokeless gunpowder, synthetic
rubber, chemical warfare, lend
lease and other military uses.
The round the clock schedule
has stepped up the company's
production to an annual rate in
excess of sixty million proof
gallons - or its equivalent OF
80 million gallons of alcohol.
BITS o. BUSINESS--Gener
Motors delivered $206, 900, 0OC
worth of war goods in August
nearly a third more than in
July; its total employment hit
a new high of 313, 1000 in mid
September and was still climb
ing at the rate of about four
thousand a week! ...... The total
construction of the American
S%hipbuilding Company in the
fiscal year ending June 80 was
155 per cent higher than for the
previous twelve months. The on
rush of r%ationing of various
commodities will make the
printers feel good, at least. The
extension of gasoline rationing
to a nationwide basis alone will
have presses throughout the
country humming at top speed
for six weeks turning out &c
million ration books, 60 million
application forms, 81 million
gummed sheets for preserving
coupons and 100 million mis-
c%ellaneous forms. Although the
Govarnment Printipo Office IL