Evening star., 1942-01-29
~ the Associated Press.

ol Ild1ly OdP04lCoC olA1po la SAAC oSA-
1ic during the last few days, the
secretary said he Is very proud Of
what the Asiatic feet is doing"
The secretary said no important
changes had been requested in the
big supply bill as it passed the House
Tuesday.
The bill is being considered by
the Naval Appropriations Subcom-
mittee, presided over by Senator
Overton Of Louisiana.
Before the Army planes bill passed
yesterday Senator Tydings said he
believed the time had arrived for
some reduction in the cost of in
diWdual planes because the country
rapidly was reaching a mass pro-
duction basis.
La Toilette Warns Senate.
Senator Tydings declared that the
average cost Of planes and equip
ment under the bill would be $3.50
600 each and said it appeared that
a fixed figure" had been estab-
lished which was not being reduced
even though costs dropped.
Complaining that tho Senate was
called on to approve the bill before
the printed record Of hearings be-
fore the Appropriations Committee
became available, Senator La Fol-
lette said that Congress was in q
fair way toward losing its control
of the purse.
Congress has q share In the re-
sponsibility for this matter and it
cannot escape the ultimate account
ing that the people of this country
will demand on the conduct OF the
war" Senator La Toilette said.
Supporting the Appropriation
Committees appeal for speedy
action on the measure. Senator Nc
Kellar, Democrat, of Tennessee said
1t. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, chief Of
staff for air, had promised that every
possible step would be taken to re-
duce the cost Of planes.
Gen. Arnold's testimony before
the Senate subcommittee disclosed
that the War Department was draft
ing plans for a 24-hour day and
seven-day week in the aircraft in
dustry.
Already, the general said, the de-
partment is nearing production Of
1000 heavy bombers monthly, twice
the number previously planned. The
bill enacted yesterday, he testified,
would maintain the present produc-
ton pace of trainers until June,
1s43. of tactical planes through De-
cember 81, 1943, and Of heavy
bombers through June, 1914. Except
for heavy bombers the schedule does
not take into consideration the
planned industrial speedup, he
added.
More Funds to Be Asked.
Funds for another huge increase
In the production of flying craft will
be requested, he said, when the
plans are completed.
Meanwhile, William Green, presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor, issued q statement declaring
that the recent report of the House
Naval Committee on defense profits
constituted ''slur on the record Of
the American trade union move
ment."
The report January 10, signed by
IA members, blamed strikes as the
greatest single cause of delay in the
defense program" and said that
tremendous financial gains" made
by unions during the defense effort
present an astounding picture of
concentration of wealth, hitherto
usually associated only with indus
try and finance"
Mr.. Green said that the COM
mittee's conclusion that the Amer
lean trade unions have sought to
benefit from the defense program to
the detriment of the public interest
is utterly without foundation or
substantiation.
Anti-Labor Bias Charged.
"The committees failure to ex-
anime and report on organized
labor's contribution to defense and
VAC WV Va ouN1l COllll lUuIlOll SUS
tanned by trade unions is conclusive
proof Of the committees anti-labor
bias"
The A. F. L. leader said that the
astonishing picture of concentra-
tion OF wealth" was based on find
ings Of the committee that 1T labor
organizations, whose membership
totals 6,085,832 members, increased
their assets by $10,67s ,294 during q
year and one-half, extending from
October !, 1889 to March 81, 194i.
Mr.. Green said it was a matter OF
simple arithmetic" that the figures
represented an increase in assets OF
SITS 4 member for a period of "a
month"; or OF cents a member q
month. For the 3,276,566 members
Of the 81 A. r. L. unions alone. he
continue, there was an increase In
assets Of $228 q member for the 1S-
month period, Or IN increase Of 12.6
cents q member . mqpth.