The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-07

on malicious falsification of fact. Such criticism created doubts and fears, and weakens our total ef. fort.
 I do not wish to suggest that we should be completely satisfied with our production progress-to- day, or next month, or ever. But I can report to you with genuine pride on what has been accom- plished during 1922.
 A year ago we set certain pro- duction goals for 1942 and 1943. Some people, including some ex- perts, thought that we had pulled some big figures out of a hat just to frighten the Axis. But we had confidence in the ability of our people to establish new records. That confidence has been justi- fled.
 Of course, we realized that some production objectiyeS would have to be changed - some adjusted nupward, and others downward; some items would be taken out of the program completely, and others added. This was inevitable as we gained battle experience, and as technological improve ments were made.
 Our 1942 airplane production and tank production fell short, numerically. of the goals set a year ago. Nevertheless, we have plenty of reason to be proud of our record for 1942. We produced about 48,00O military planes more than the airplane produc- tion of Germany, Italy and Japan put together. Last month, Decem- Der, we produced $500 military planes and the rate is rapidly ris- ing. Furthermore, as each month passes by, the averages of our types weigh more, take more man hours to make, and have more striking power.
 Tn tank production, we revised our schedule-and for good and sufficient reasons. As result of hard experience in battle, we have diverted portion of our i tank producing capacity to 8 stepped-up production of new, i deadly field weapons, especially self-propelled artillery.
 Here are some other produc- tion figures:
 In 1942 WE produced 56,000 com- bat vehicles, such as tanks and Self-propelled artillery.
 In l942, we produced 670,000 machine guns, six times greater than our production in 1941 and three times greater than our total production during the year and a half of our participation in the first world war.
 We produced 21,o00 anti-tank guns, six times greater than our 1941 production.
 We produced ten and a quarter billion rounds of small arms aln- munition, five times greater than our 1941 production and three times greater than our total pro- duction in the first World War.
 We produced 181 million rounds of artillery ammunition, twelve times greater than our 1941 pro- duction and ten times greater than our total production in the first World War.
 The arsenal of democracy is making good.
 These facts and figures will give no aid and comfort to the enemy. On the contrary, I can imagine they will give him considerable discomfort. I suspect Hitler and Tojo will find it difficult to ex- plain to the German and Japanese people just why 1t is that "deca- dent, inefficient democracy" can produc- such phenomenal quan- titles of weapons and munitions and fighting men.
 We have given the lie to cer- tain misconceptions - especially the one which holds that the var ious blocs or groups within a free country cannot forego their poli- tical and economic differences in time of crisis and work together toward a common goal.
 1 While we have be;n achieving this miracle of production, dur ing the past year our armed forces have grown from little over g. 100000 to 1000. .000. Tn other words, we have withdrawn from the la- for force and the farms some B. 100000 of our younyer workers And in spite of this. our farmers have contributed their share tc the common effort by producing the greatest quantity of food evel made available during a single year in all our history.
 Is there any person among us so simple as to believe that al this could have been done with out creating some dislocations 1T our normal national life. some in' corw:niences, and even some hardships?
 Who could have hoped to have done this without burdensomt government regulations which ar' a nuisance to everyone-includint those who have the thankiess tasl of administering them?
 We all know that there hav' been mistakes mistakes due t the inevitable process of trial ar1t error inherent in doing big thing fer the first time. We all knov that there have been too man, complicated forms and question naires. I knw about that. I hay ' had to fill some of them out my