Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-22

Sought 10 IlTlQ
wherein mistakes David Lawrence.
have been made, so as to stimulate
remedial action, but even these COM
nitteees cannot possibly get the
background needed for an impartial
and objective survey. Yet today
the United Nations are suffering
severe handicaps because of the NAL
distribution of weapons and the
lack Of a balanced program.
In America, the statisticians fig
ured out astronomical goals and
insisted that these could be at
tanned. Practical production men
shook their heads but they were
called pessinaists or old fogeys. As
q consequence, the entire produc-
ton program has been out of bal
ance for several months and Is only
now getting into stride that looks
feasible.
1e43 Performance a Mystery.
It Is a military secret just what
per cent Of the original goals set
for lsA3 will be reached, Just as
the figures for 1912 production are
withheld, but it is apparent now that
the sights were set too high and
that q general revision has been
ia progress.
But what Of the damage done by
Euch an unbalanced program What
Of the wastage Of materials In max
ing weapons that cannot be used
for months while weapons that can
be used right away are delayed?
What battles have been lost and
what offensives have been delayed
because Of such delays? The pub
lie will never know because there
appears at present no way to check
on the mistakes made by the man
serving in the war agencies who per-
suaded the President to order the
programs that have been In effect
for large part of 1912.
Some of the bright young men
with a statistical bent thought they
knew more about industrial-produc-
ton capacity than the men who had
spent their lives in 1t. Fallacious
reasons were offered. suggesting that
the industrialists didn't want to ex-
rand too fast for fear Of bringing
about an after the-war glut. Yet
the practical men have been proved
right for many Of the plants which
were ordered have had to be can
celed and much Of the material
needed in the building Of those
plants has had to be diverted to
the mere immediate needs Of the
war program.
Some Plants Added.
Increase In capacity have been
made, some by expansion Of ex-
listing plants and, some by adding
plants, but on the whole the job
has not been permitted to interfere
with the distribution of materials
for current operations.
There are some fields, however,
In which production has had to be
curtailed and the public explana-
tson usually is that materials are
lacking. The truth is the goals
we're too high and some weapons
cannot possibly be finished because
Of shortages that might well have.
been foreseen If a practical goal
had been properly visualized.
The tendency to assume that
American industry needs a prod
and that there's no harm in setting
o high goal Is a dangerous one.
Industrial executives work on spe-
ctac orders, and If some one in
Washington tells them to produce
1000 of any particular weapon,
they'll do 1t and not question the
fact that some other weapon made
by somebody else will have to SUI
fer delay or perhaps failure Alto
RCblH-J 10 ICdS-Il uItC EOd1 SEb.
stfn Lack Of Realism.
II may be surprising, but much
Of the fuss about the civilian and
military striving for control over the
production program is not rehec-
ton Of the real issue at all. The
Army and Navy make the contracts,
and unless the joint chiefs Of staff
set 9 definite goal that Is practica-
BILE, each division Of the armed serv-
ices will seek to get as much Of any
weapon made as possible.
There is more coordination now
under the War Production Board
and the whole program Is In bet
ter shape than 1t has been. But
there Is still a lack Of realism as
to what can or cannot be accom-
plished, and too much valuable time
has been lost in determining feas-
ible program of needs.
Too much has, for instance, gone
TO air power and not enough to
escort ships-and unless the car
goes of fuel and food and spare
parts reach the overseas bases, the
airplanes cannot get up in the sky
from the rlnways. Too much Of
our production lies at the bottom
Of the ocean. This sort Of unbal-
arced situation Is still In need of
attention lest the mistakes being
made result In an unnecessarily pro-
longed war with heavier sacrifices
Of lives than is necessary.
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