Evening star., 1942-12-06
Goal Remains to Be Reached
Only in Ship Construction Are Officials Satisfied
After Unprecedented Success

The tolloDing report, issued by the
once OF War Information, summar-
ICES Dhut has been accomplished dur
ing the past year on the home front
to bring American production up to
ana past that OF the Aris enemies.
The first year of war was the year of
the production race-the race to catch
up with the advantage which long prep
aration had given to our enemies, and
to surpass that advantage. We have
caught up, and We are beginning to pass
our adversaries. But the race is still a
long way from the finish line, and many
hurdles remain to be cleared.
In that year, these things had to be
done: Raising, equiping, training and
transporting an Army; producing a huge
volume of weapons, materials and food
for our own fighting forces and those of
our Allies: and refashioning our civilian
economy to permit it to function with
maximum efficiency.
It would have been difficult enough to
do these jobs if there had been time to
work out the basic plans and the details
OF organization and function. But there
was no time. The enemy, knowing that
this year was to be crucial, was pressing
on every front. Our tasks had to be
carried forward in hurry. 1t was
necessary to meet the requirements of
the next day and yet provide the basic
plant and organization for the still great
er requirements of the next year.
Viewed in this light, the overall ac-
complishments Of the past year have
been considerable, despite mistakes and
shortcomings in details.
Measured against the yardstick of the
Presidents production goals of last Janu-
ary, we produced a great deal, but not
enough in every category.
A Tremendous Output.
IN the year 1912 we shall have pro-
duced approximately:
$4,000 planes.
$4,000 tanks and self propelled ar
tillery.
1900 anti-aircraft guns larger than
20 nm.
100000 tons Of merchant shipping.
While we have reached the goal in
merchant shipping, we have fallen be-
hind in other categories. Yet there are
compensating factors. An increasing
proportion Of our planes are heavy bomb
ers. In addition to the tanks and self
propelled artillery, many thousands of
scout cars and half and full-track car
riers have been produced which are an
essential to a well-rounded mechanied
force as are tanks themselves. Many,
many thousands of anti-aircraft machine
guns have been turned out.
Moreover, the total volume of produc-
ton for war has reached tremendous
some At billions for munitions and war
construction, which is substantially above
the most optimistic estimate of our pro-
duction possibilities year ago.
The record is impressive, but there is
no cause for contentment, either in the
total figures or in the fact that we are
now outproducing the Axis in arma-
ments The difficulties which lie ahead
are as many or more than those which
have been surmounted.
A wear AGO the overriding problem was
that of conversion of peace-time indus
try. BY and large that is no longer
problem. Some months ago the proper
flow of raw materials was the great
problem. That Is still with us, but steps
have been taken which should go far
toward giving us a workable solution.
The foremost task now is to bring into
balance the myriad components Of the
program through proper scheduling and
production controls.
Living Off Fat.
The production tasks of 1912 seem easy
compared to those which lie ahead. In
1912 We were still living off our peace
time fat. We a-e now close to the bare
muscle and We can only proceed by
toIyhenmg and increasing that muscle.
In the next year our program calls for
SO great an increase in munitions pro-
duction that we shall have to produce
two thirds again as much as we did in
1912. We are pressing closer to the
limits of our resources in materials,
transportation and power. And in the
next year We shall have to press close
to the limit of our ultimate resource
manpower.
A year ago 100000 persons were en-
ployed in war work. Now the total has
risen to 17,5o0o00. In 1943 we will need
to add at least 100000 to our working
and fighting forces. And by the end of
that year nearly all of our working popu-
lation will be engaged in war work or in
civilian work geared to the war.
In the year past our manpower prob
lem was not one of national shortage.
but of local shortages and bottlenecks
in critical areas, aggravated by labor
pirating and boarding and discrimina-
tory practices in the hiring Of Negroes,
workers from minority groups and women.
In the next year local shortages will
merge into a national shortage which
will require not only additions to the
labor supply from women and older and
younger people. but extensive transfers