Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-05-20

in detail but which are known to
many experts would seem to justify
the statement that our progress is
definitely encouraging.
American industry, its manage
ment strained by the necessity for
unprecedented plant expansion, its
contracts and specifications subject
to change, often unavoidable, and
Its responsibilities of financing null
tiplied by unheard-of figures, is
doing job OF which the people may
well be proud.
American labor is doing job that
Is not excelled by its performance
in the First World War. 1t Is a job
80 definitely inspired by patriotism
and a desire to avoid friction that
the number Of interruptions, while
in some respects serious, cannot
possibly detract from the splendid
record on the whole being written
every day on the production front.
Figures Give Lie to Thomson.
Enough has happened to warrant
q conviction that President Roose-
velts goal of $4,000 planes this year
and even 10000 next year will be
more than fulfilled. If Hans Thorn
sen, who has just returned to Lis
bon en- route to Germany from the
Embassy here, tells the Nazis, as he
was quoted yesterday, that Mr..
Roosevelt's program is still a bluff,
he will some day find the wrath
of his own people turned upon him.
The German people ought to be
told by short-wave broadcast what's
coming. They do not know that
the biggest source of explosives in
the world Is turning out bombs in
greater quantity than that of any
other nation In the world end that
our aircraft production already ex-
ceeds that Of al other nations in
the world.
AS for tanks and guns, we are
moving rapidly toward peak pro-
duction. Will we have the man
power modified and the ships built
by early 1913 in quantities sufficient
to operate the enormous quantities
of weapons we shall be turning out?
This is a different kind of worry
from that which has existed here
tofore when there was enough man
power in Europe but not enough
planes or weapons on the Allied
side for defense, much less for
counterattack
We have helped the Russians
not as much as we would have liked
but considerably, and there Is an
endless supply coming. The United
States Navy has done an excellent
job Of conveying In the Atlantic.
We are moving toward the Euro
pean front with relatively strong
units of strength which will be
blended with man power on the
European continent at the proper
tins.
Progress in Pacific.
IN the Pacific the fight goes slowly
but surely toward ultimate victory.
Our air forces are doing magnif1-
cent job of defense. In due time
we shall have air superiority. We
do not yet have air equality.
Meanwhile, the Navy is clicking
with an efficiency that is not spec
tacular but Is quietly effective.
The Army Air Corps is beginning
to operate within wider limits every
day. Once air superiority Is
achieved, there will be risks taken
with surface ships that will prove
a critical challenge to the japanese
NAVY. 1t takes weeks and months
to transport fighting planes and
materials to our outlying bases. But
American effort In the Pacific, dog
gedly pursued against indescribable
odds of distance and superior bases
favoring the enemy, is beginning to
take a steady toll out Of the enemy's
limited air strength and limited sea
power.
Mistakes have been made.
Blunders have been registered. We
have done some inexcusable things.
But an overall perspective is neces-
sary for judgment.
There is no ground for overcon-
fidence but there is plenty Of rea-
son for underlying confidence that
Americans are pulling together
everywhere with magnificent spirit
and intelligent planning toward the
ultimate victory.