Evening star., 1942-04-19
South Afrieo Steps Up
War Production
BIZ Frederic J, Hdskir,

think that the way Of life Is the way
Of the jungle. q most unusual thing Is
taking place in the great effort to save
the principles of democracy. Beginning
more than two years ago, and now pro-
ceed.ng at an unprecedented tempo,
full details Of what is being done In this
far-off land to help stop Hitler have
been published recently. The amazing
facts should. and probably will be
great incentive to workers on assembly
lines in this country.
The Union Of South Africa. denim
ion of the British Commonwealth, fol-
lowed the homeland In September. 1899,
and voted a declaration Of war against
Germany. Hitler Is reported to have
smiled when he heard the news, for now
the great military power in Europe was
challenged by a distant country whose
total armaments industry consisted of
one small factory for the production OF
the lightweight ammunition. 1t did
indeed look like the insignificant fly that
aights on the back of an elephant and
demands surrender of the huge beast
which could crush the fly with an eye
lash. But things began to happen which
since have upset the calculations not only
of Hitler but of tens of thousands of
others. 1t has even gone beyond the
fondest hopes of many South African
leaders.
South Africa is noted for It's gold
mines and vast quantities of explosives
are manufactured there for use in these
mines With this as a beginning, and
with the facilities OF the railway work.
shops and their technicians. the great
| Victoria Falls and Transvaal Power Co.,
municipal plants, the few private fac
tories. men and machines Of the Iron
and Steel Corp, and the Electric Sup
| ply Commission, South Africa set out
TO do the Job OF the century. The record
so far is chapter of magnificent
achievement.
| Strange as 1t seems for country not
considered industrialized, the Union OF
South Africa began TO design and con-
struct armored cars. The undertaking
Is remarkable because never before had
such vehicle been constructed by South
African mechanics. Now South African
factories are burning out 200 armored
cars each month with production grad
ually increasing, and this despite the
fact that two years ago the country had
no manufacturing motor-engineering IN
dustry and only two assembly plants.
The secret of this unprecedented pro-
duction lies in the constant stream Of
engines and chassis in thousands OF
small pieces pouring into Port Elizabeth
from Canada and the United States.
Hundreds of workmen quickly assemble
these parts into the South African-de-
signed armored car, add locally made
tires and send the cars north to points
where they are used as fighting ma
chimes in the desert. These were the
cars used In the Abyssinian campaign
and which stood up under every cli-
matte condition and every type of road
or jungle or desert wilderness.
But this is only single example of
what the Union of South Africa Is doing
to aid the war effort. It's motor industry
Is equally spectacular, for IS different
models of motorized transportation have
been put into production in less than
two years. Troop transports. ambulances,
supply wagons, staff cars, mobile work.
| shops, water carriers and mobile ultra
ton plants, tankers, road construction
trucks, radio and signal cars, are only
few of the important motor units being
manufactured and sent into war service.
| 1t is obvious that this record has been
achieved by great expansion of the num-
Der of plants. For not only has the
number of plants for the production of
armored cars and other motorized equip
ment increased, but by converting the
small plants engaged in the making Of
explosives for gold mines, South Africa
today Is the chief supplier of ammuni-
ton to the forces In the Middle East
sector. Because OF the valuable time
which would be lost in waiting on the
importation of shell-forging plants,
South African engineers ambitiously
olueprinted a plant to be constructed
wholly from domestic materials In six
months the project was finished and
producing ahead of available machine
facilities.
Aside from the production of amm,ni.
'Aoii Va VAIN types ana IN large Ouantf-
ties, local engineers and mechanics set
out to manufacture howitzers and within
SIX months were producing these gun,
at the rate OF IL month. The monthly
production OF these powerful weapons
gradually has increased, and in addi-
uon' about Is anti-tank guns are being
produced each 80 days, with increased
production expected in the near future.
encouraged by its success In ths
building of various war machines. the
Union Of South Africa undertook an
other important and necessary sten ia
the prosecution OF the war. In ls3a
the top capacity OF all shoe factories
was only 1000 pairs of Army boots DER
week. Within three months after war
was declared on Germany an enlarged
program was initiated and production
! increased to 10000 pairs a month II
continued to rise until recently the
British government was abe to Mace
one order amounting to 1,75O,OOO pairs
OF boots to be used in desert fighting
Except for tips and sewing wire the
boot Is entirely a South African product.
There are other notable citations of
what the Union Of South Africa is doing
TO help win the war. Mining of high
grade iron ore has been stepped I'D 30
as to furnish Britain 5000 tons n
month, an amount never before shipped