The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-01-16
CONTINUED from Page onel

In addition TO Truman, the
COMMITTEES comprised Sens. Tom
Connally, D.. Tex. James NJ.
Mead. D., N. Y, Mon c. wallgren,
D., Wash, Carl A. Hatch, d, N.
NJ, Clyde L. Herring, D.. Ia, and
Harley NJ. Kilgore, d.. w. Va.
Joseph II. Ball, r.. MINI. Ralph
o. Brewster, r.. Me. and Styles
Bridges, r.. N. Y.
After two years OF frantic ef-
fort, we have too few planes to
allow adequate flying time TO our
own pilots. :" the report said.
Furthermore. only about IS per
cent Of our present production In
of combat types considered 10 be
equal to or superior TO the best
types produced abroad.
THE prospects for future pro-
duction are not too good"
Highlights of the 146-page re-
port, among the bluntest criti-
cisms Of the defense program that
hive been offered, we're:
THE report. written before the
! president named Nelson as
boss of the defense program, called
for a single administrator. oPM
was criticised al an organization
whose mistakes Of commission
have been legion" and whose mis-
takes Of omission have been even
greater"
0-Dollar-a-year men and woo.
4 without compensation men
employed by oPM have followed
their "subconscious tendency" of
issuing contracts to big business
wherever possible. Since they rep
resent big business this means
that the defense program in all its
qualifications must obtain the ap-
prevail of the large companies"
o-The automobile industry failed
- to convert its facilities to de-
Tense production and actually pro-
duced more automobiles In 1841
than II did in 1910. Rather than
convert its facilities, the industry
insisted building new plants. with
government aid. for the few de-
Tense articles 1t delivered.
"Only a small part of such con-
tracts represented articles to be
manufactured through the CONVEX
sion Of their existing facilities from
automobile manufacture, no that
the defense business, as far as they
were concerned. was largely a sep
arate but very important and prof
liable sideline," the report said.
A-The report offered, as refuta-
ton of the charge that taxes
take away all profits in the de-
Tense program, the profit state
ment Of the three major automo-
bile companies - General Motors,
Chrysler and Ford-in 1910 and
the first nine months of 1871. The
combined profits of those COM
panies for those periods were S40s,-
212,5ss and $3.50, 6O4, IT'S. respec-
lively.
C-At the outbreak OF war in Sep
- TENDER. 1899. this country had
only skeleton" air forces and the
situation today Is little better. A
lack of Standardization has han
dicapped production Of military
planes Of all types with the ex-
ception of the Flying Fortress
bomber"
The standard pursuit ship of
the army has been character
ixcd by 1t Gen. II. II. Arnold,
army air chief, rs no better
than . good pursuit trainer"
BY the end of ls49, this plane
will still constitute SO per cent
OF total pursuit production.
In other types Of warplanes.
there are = few good designs,
but most Of them are '.medi-
ocre."
-
"on the drawing boards we have
many high-performing pursuit
snips' nut In January. 1912, very
10" WIN De produced which can
DC CONSIDERED better than medi-
oore, ana tnere VIII be no long
range pursuits type 50 vitality
neeoeo ior our present operations,
the report said.
mere are approximately 60
airpiane factories In the nation
.ooss "hich nave been unable
ootain any substantial
p'.c IN 'ne oefense program
"u' "hich nave monthly ca
PAo'ts OF s'ooo airplanes.
faiure 10 use these companies
was sttriouted TO official "reluc-
lance 10 use small firms and TO