Evening star., 1942-12-16

duuiOlc 10 Jap Shippers IN trees |
| or foxholeS.
elimination of these materials for
non-essential purposes -.
They are also charged with the
duty OF continuing civilian supply
necessary to support the war effort.
Among the duties of such agencies
are priority and price control, allo-
cation Of facilities, control of raw
materials and other commodities,
control of labor supply, power and
fuel. transportation, finance and
foreign trade
There is no thought that the
military departments should control
American economy. 1t is essential
merely that the armed forces pro-
cure munitions which they alone are
able to procure, while civilian agen-
cieS direct the economy of the coun-
try to assist and make possible such
procurement"
Increases Described.
| Mr.. Patterson told the committee
that Army production and construc-
ton this year would amount to $25,-
600, 100000, as contrasted with ap-
proximately $1,000 100000 last year,
with deliveries of munitions-eX-
cluding aircraft-totaling $11 ,OO0,-
900 900 this year, or 80 per cent of
/ the requirements for American and
Allied forces He praised labor and
management for the Nations pro
duction record
| All this military production. he
noted, is under his supervision,
through civilian aides and through
the officers of the Army Service of
Supply and the Material Command
of the Army Air Forces.
The officers of the Armed Forces,
he said. are the persons best fitted
by experience 10 direct the produc-
tion of weapons. having spent years
making them, and knowing by direct
contact with troor7 and personal
observations in combat what weapons
are needed.
80 Per Cent Deli, cred to Troops.
Detailed planning of production,
he said had co-ordlnated factory
output with deliveries so well that
80 per cent of production has been
made available to troops.
However, Mr.. Patterson told the
committee that fears of military con-
troll of the civilian economy over
looked the fact that most of the
military were civilians two years
ago
The Army is not made up of a
military caste" the UnderSecretary
said. 1T is peoples Army, with
its men drawn from and. truly rep
resentative of the entire Nation, SO
any talk of military aggression
ought not to terrify anybody. The
Army rules in only those nations
with whom we are at war
Mr.. Patterson said the War De-
partment was proud of its 1912
production record, not only because
Of the tremendous volume but be-
cause the quantity achievement has
been accompanied by improvement
in quality.
Success Outlined.
Mass production of munitions is
new industry in America. he re-
marked, and the success of the con-
version program is demonstrated
by "a few examples" s"-development
and production of more than 5000
Comm. anti-aircraft guns, 5000
40-mm. anti-aircraft guns, more
than $4,000 tanks, more than 100000
5O-caliber machine guns and more
than 100000 machine guns of all
types.
Small arms ammunition is being
produced at rate in excess of
1000 100000 rounds a month"; he
said. The accomplishments of the
Signal Corps in development and
production Of radio and radar equip
ment have been outstanding More
over. our Quartermaster Depart
ment has provided the clothing and
personal equipment for an Army of
5000 900, which has been clothed.
housed and fed by the American
standard"
This production has not been ac-
companied by the freezing of de-
signs which has characterized some
OF the enemy's mass production
achievement, Mr.. Patterson said, but
many changes of design have been
adopted with little decrease in out
put.
Eberstadt Optimistic.
Ferdinand Eberstadt, War Pro-
duction Board program vice chair
man, claimed success today for WPB
efforts to adjust war material needs
to available supply
I'VE are now beginning to succeed
in our efforts to adjust both civilian
and military demand to reasonable
relationship to supply, in aggregate -
he said, although much remains to
be done"
Based upon the latest estimates
available at this writing as to actual
military programs thus reduced,
plus estimated civilian and export
requirements also thus cut down. the
demand-supply picture on controlled
materials for the first quarteS of
l943 is approximately in balance. "
Mr.. Eberstadt's statement was
made public my the Senate Small
Business Committee.
"As the course of program adjust
ment still actively in process is COM
pleted there should be no serious
material shortage In the sense that
materials available will not cover
current reduced production pro-
grams" Mr.. Eberstadt's statement
said. War purposes include essen
tial minimum civilian purposes. De-
mand in excess of such adjustment
programs will have been cut off"
Mr.. Eherstadt advised the COM
mittee the principal difficulty in
bringing small war plants into the
production program had been the
lining up of sufficiently large and
solid backlogs Of war business to
keep operations going"
One dificulty of the small plants
he said, will be solved by providing
| essential information tn keen them