Evening star., 1942-03-01
Optimism q Fruit of
Vast War Effort
BIZ ODen L. Scott.


effort. That optimism rests upon results
now being reported and upon the outlook
for results soon to come.
Arms themselves do not win wars. The
official view that they do, now is dis
| carded. But arms represent the first
requirement If war ever is to be won.
Until now the United States has Jagged
in meeting this first requirement of war.
Even now, production schedules are six
to eight months behind the performance
promised.
Optimism flows from the fact that old
schedules are being met and surpassed,
with the outlook for great speedup in
production.
The picture Of today's situation can be
given only in dollars. Censorship forbids
a revelation of detailed production in air.
planes, tanks, guns or ships. Dollar totals
are immense and somewhat difficult to
understand, yet they do tell something
of story.
During February alone, nearly $780,
900 900 went into this country's war
effort. That compares with $40, 900 600, 900
during 20 previous months. By mid
year, the monthly outgo for arms and
for war will be around $500 900, 900. 1t
will pass IS 900 900 900 by the year end
and still will be rising. The prospect is
that by July the United States will be
producing more new arms than Ger
many's Europe and Japan combined.
Those nations are at their maximum
while this country is just starting.
However, the war picture Is not 50
favorable as this may sound. The reasons
why are two. First, the Germans and
Japanese had 10-year start and have
accumulated vast quantities Of weapons.
Second, those nations are holding the
initiative and are concentrating their
weapons at the point where they do the
most damage, while this country must
scatter its weapons over half the world
In terms of airplanes: The production
of this country and that Of Britain COM
bined, in numbers, now is greater than
that of Germany's Europe and Japan
combined. Production in the United
States alone will approach $4,000 in 1912
and may pass 125000 in 1913. Appro-
priations and authorizations of funds
for airplanes and their parts now exceed
$29 ,000, 100000.
The trouble is that today's demand Is
centered in big bombers. The production
of this type of aircraft in important
numbers is just beginning. IT should be
large by the end of this year. The bottle
neck is in materials, not in engines, plant
facilities or man power. If given time,
the United States will outstrip the rest
of tre world combined in aircraft pro-
duction.
In terms of ordnance: A flood Of
weapons is starting to flow. The output
of light and medium tanks is large and
growing, and the output of heavy tanks
will start soon. The bottleneck In artillery
is beginning to yield to treatment. The
flow of anti-aircrsft guns Is starting
after a long delay. There soon will be
plenty Of ammunition.
Funds appropriated and authorized for
ordnance now total more than $36, ,000,-
900 900. Those funds will turn rapidly
into weapons In the months ahead be-
cause actual output Of many ordnance
items will be on mass production basis.
In terms of merchant ships: Here
really is the hottleneck that Is the key
bottleneck Of the whole war. Plans call
for production of 100000 tons of new
ships in three years, or half again as
large tonnage as Great Britain owned
at the start of the war Actual produc-
| ton to date is small 1t is beginning to
grow and soon will be large, if the steel
industry delivers the steel Offcials of
the Maritime Commission say that steel
deliveries have been only from SO to rs
per cent of schedule in recent months.
Until the United States has ships
enough, the weapons that are being
produced cannot be transported quickly
to the distant battleflelds of the world.
The $4,000, 900 900 now provided for ship
building, like the billions for other war
goods, will be spent in hurry In the
months ahead because the program Is
geared to mass production.
In terms of naval vessels: The building
program is ahead of schedule. A large
number of new ships are being launched.
In the months to come those ships will
be commissioned and the Navy of the
future will begin to take shape There
will be Sl3,500, 900 900 worth of new ships
when the present program is completed
That program is going to be Augmented
with emphasis upon lighter warships and
upon aircraft carriers in large numbers.
The admirals guessed wrong in their
failure to provide this country with large
numbers of aircraft carriers in the past
However, If they get time this deficiency
can be remedied.
In terms of new plant and equipment:
A vast arsenal is taking shape and in
very many cases has taken shape. This
arsenal is costing $4,000, ,OO0, 900. That is
more than half as much as the value of
all private industrial plants in the entire
Nation. This Government financed ar
senal is on top of the arsenal that in
dustry itself can provide with its exist
ing plant and equipment. 1t assures a
flow of weapons such as no nation ever
before dreamed Of.
And so it goes. Dollars in immense
totals are rapidly being turned into
weapons The dollars so far provided for
the war effort amount to $145,O00 900 900.
That is just the start. 1t covers equip
ment for an Army of only 100000 in
cluding an air force of 100000 and for
the two-ocean Navy projected to date.
There is provision for only 185.OO0 air.
planes and 125,OO0 tanks. Plans already