Evening star., 1942-02-11

L u l e n
ments even with
the stepped-up David Lawrence
defense program that has been in
operation since Pearl Harbor. This
phenomenal result is due to the
splendid efforts of the Aluminium
Co. of America and the Reynolds
Metals Co.-the two principal pro-
ducers-and the efforts of the Re-
construction Finance Corp. in plan
ming and financing new plants.
1t is not permissible to tell the
production figures, but the rate of
production this very month exceeds
anything hitherto accomplished by
any other country in the world and
there is reason to believe that the
United States alone-not counting
Canada-shortly will be exceeding
the production of all the Axis coun-
tries combined.
Enough for Planes.
BY the end of 1912 and early 1943
the capacity planned is such that
the rate Of production may reach
the fantastic total of 3,000,000000
pounds year on the North Amer
lean continent.
What is more important. how
ever. for the moment is the fact
that aircraft production has not
been impaired by lack of alum
mum. Here and there an occasional
bottleneck occurs, due to some
change In order or specifications or
delay in shipment, but on the whole
the inventories recorded in Wash
ington indicate that aircraft man.
ufacturers have an abundant supply
of aluminium for the big airplane
program they are undertaking in
the coming months of 1912.
With a plentiful supply Of the
primary metal-that is, for military
but not for civilian purposes-the
big problem is how to keep the
fabrication plants ahead in pro-
duction capacity. The fabricating
process often has to be employed
again and again on the same pri-
mary metal when once it is cut into
shapes and the surplus is gathered
together for subsequent use.
There is no reliable information
available as to Axis production.
Some estimates indicate that Hitler
may now be producing aluminium
at the rate of 1000 ,OOO,Ooo pounds
year, but this is believed high. In
order to achieve such a figure it
would be necessary for all the facil-
tiles of occupied countries to be
working full blast and for enough
electric power to be available for
such an enormous production.
But even assuming that Hitler
has been making any such amount,
it is the American hope to be pro-
ducing three times that much by
early 1943. This enormous guam
tity would not be of use to Hitler
unless he had plane program of
the size which President Roosevelt
announced not long ago.
Postwar Problem Side Tracked.
If, therefore, the United States is
to manufacture $4,000 planes in 1912
and 125,0O0 planes in 1943, there
must be enough aluminium to ac-
complish such an objective, and
present indications are that there
will be. Undoubtedly the military
requirements of a program such as
has been announced since Pearl
Harbor were not foreseen by any,
body But this is not a reflection
on any one Who dealt with the prob
lem last year. 1t is rather the result
of unexpected developments, and
the interesting news is available
now that Notwithstanding the big
Jump in requirements there will be
enough aluminium produced to
achieve the program.
Nobody is giving much thought,
Incidentally, to what is going to
happen to such big aluminium Ca
pacity in postwar years. Canada
is building up tremendous plant
capacity, and unquestionably the
European countries which have al
tained high production figures will
have aluminium to sell. The pros
pect is that aluminium will play a
much more vital part in civilian
uses than ever before and that. of
course, the price will be lower than
ever before, permitting the use of
aluminium in many things in which
It heretofore has been prohibitive.
" The question of what is to become
OF the Government plants or those
financed by Government loans is
not being considered. AS Donald
Nelson, chairman of the War Pro-
duction Board, said the other day
the cost isn't being counted. The
one aim Is to win the war.
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