Evening star., 1942-10-23
Will Concentrate
More on Strength
Than Numbers
BY GARRETT d. HORNER,

President Roosevelt disclosed
today that the American war
production program is being re-
viSed, so that it will result in
fewer planes and tanks being
turned out this year than his
goal of last January, in order to
produce harder-hitting weapons.
The program will require about the
same amount of materials, the
President emphasized, with the
smaller number of tanks being
heavier than originally planned and
the planes being more deadly and
of longer range.
He explained that notifications of
details in the war production pro-
gram are necessary from time to
time in the light of experience
gained as the war progresses.
To Confer With Advisers.
The Presidents discussion of tank
and plane production came at a
press conference after he announced
that he had called his chief Army,
Navy and civilian production ad-
visers to a conference today to talk
over the general situation.
Further limitation on production
of essentials and luxury or
semi luxury goods in order to get
steel and more of everything for
essential war production is one OF
the things being taken up, he said.
Remarking that actual war changes
plans, MIR. Roosevelt said that
year ago the experience OF other
nations had led this Government to
develop a program for certain neces-
sary munitions. But during the last
wear these necessities had changed
because of further experience, he
explained.
He went on to discuss the tank as
an example. A year ago. the Presl-
dent said. our program called for
very large production of light or
medium tanks. Experience with
tank warfare, especially in the
Libyan area since January, has led
us to change and to put the empha-
sis on a different and heavier type
of tank, he added.
Also involved, Mr. Roosevelt cau-
toned, was a question OF whether
our goal was not too high because
of the difficulties in transporting
the large number of tanks to the
areas of war.
Fewer But Heavier.
The result, he said, is that not as
many units are now being built, but
the heavier tanks being turned out
aggregate about the same weight
and require about the same amount
of steel as the original program be-
cause of the increased size.
In his January message to Con-
cress, the President set a goal of
$4,000 tanks and 10000 planes for
1912 production.
He declined to specify, for reasons
of military secrecy, the number CT
units to be turned out under the
revised program.
The same ratio involved in the
tank program, smaller number OF
units, but calling for about the
same amount of materials, applies
to airplane production, the Presi-
dent said.
The fewer planes, he said, will
have harder hitting power and
longer range.
Explaining that airplane produc-
ton is changing all the time, Mr..
Roosevelt went on to say that an
x type of plane may be sent to an
area where Y type has been used,
and be pronounced much better
than the Y. At the same time, he
said, the Y plane might be much
preferred to the x plane in another
area.
1t must be realized, Mr.. Roosevelt
added, that one particular type OF
plane, however high it might be re-
garded in one area, is not the best
plane for all parts of the world be-
cause of different conditions.
Mr.. Roosevelt said his meeting
with military and production Of
ficials today was not called to take
up any specific matter, but might
involve consideration of SO different
things. Such conferences, he ex-
planned, consider modification of de-
tails in the production program In
the light of experience and check
up on whether the country is doing
its utmost in production.
Among those comforting with the
President were Secretary OF the Navy
Knox. Secretary of War Stimson
Admiral William D. Leahy, the
Presidents Chief of staff; Gen
George C. Marshall. Army Chief OF
Staff; Admiral Ernest J. King. COM
mander in chief of the United States
Fleet; War Production Board Chair
man Donald NJ Nelson, Rear Ad-
miral Emory S. Land, war shipping
administrator; Rear Admiral How
ard L. Vickery and l.. w. Douglas
deputy war shipping administrators
and Harry L. Hopkins, special as
sistant to the President.