The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-09-03

tion-of getting raw materials
parts, production machines and
labor all meshing together to turn
out the goods which are needed
m6st continues to be the creates,
problem in reaching the huge
goals which have been set FOL
this year.
In a recent summary Of the
situation so far, Donald Nelson
chairman of the War Production
board, said that total munition
production was up Is per cent II
July over June and is now pro.
ceeding at a rate of 3h times tna'
Of the month before Pearl Harbor
Although MIR. Nelson admits y
is going to be a difficult task to
reach the goals set for this year
he is still hopeful OF attaining
"Studv of the results" said Mr.
Nelson. reveals that production
is uneven in relation to scheouies'
In some cases July production
outstripped the forecasts; IN otn-
ers the forecasts were. not ap-
nroached. Even within certain
categories, such as ordnance we
find unequal progress as between
various types of equipment. Far
ticularly is it important to keep
the production of finished weap-
ons and their component parts IN
step.
eve must make sure that we
produce promptly those most I'M
portant fighting weapons the SER
vices must have; in addition, we
must speed up the slow items and
slow down the fast ones so that
the unbalance which now marks
part of the program is brought IN
to adjustment"
Analysing the July production
Mr.. Nelson said that aircraft pro-
duction had increased over June,
although the production OF COM
bat planes was mot up to expec-
tations." =,
Ordnance production was said
to be rs per cent higher than
June, production of medium tanks
was up 35 per cent, production OF
light tanks was up Is per cent
production of anti-aircraft guns
was up over so per cent, produco.
ton of naval vessels was up ~
per cent and production OF mer-
chant ships up 6 per cent. j., -,
"For the next few months y
Mr.. Nelson warned, aircraft pro-
drction is not expected to reach
the production planned carrier
in the year, due in part to the
difficulty of balancing so vast a
nrooram. Various efforts are
being made to improve this con-
dition, and production in the lat,
ter part of the year is expected
to show a marked increase.
Getting accurate statistics on
production, as we'll as on the real
national income and the chan
nels through which money IS pc
ing expended is becoming IN
creasingly difficult. The war
PRODUCTION board naturally does
~ want to inform our enemies as
to our actual production, so 1t re-
leases only comparative percent,
age figures rather than ac'uai
production figures. AS far as
war expenditures and their erect
on national income are concern
ed, the figures are changing SO
rapidly that any study is out OF
date almost before it is released:
An unusually good picture OF
the national income picture, how
ever, was recently worked out by
the department of commerce and
was for the same three months OF
last wear. This means that at the
end of June the annual income to
the people of this country was at
a rate of about II billion dollars
greater than a year ago.
Of this increased income, 1t
was found that large part OF 1t
was going into savings, includ-
ing war bonds. In 1941 about
1912 billion dollars were put IN
savings, but at the end of June
this year the total savings were at
an annual rate of over "a billion.
Thus large proportion of the IN
creased income, at that time, was
going into various forms OF saw
ing. The figures show that in
creased taxes have done little to
check the rising tide.
It is the realization Of the fact
that taxes have risen at a mucn
slower rate than income, and that
the actual spending power OF the
people is continually increasing
which has led to many warnings
against rapid initiation of prices
on consumer goods unless more
adequate means are provided to
drain off this increased income
in the face of a growing shortage