Evening star., 1943-08-31
Peak War Production
Not Far Off, Nelson
Says, Reporting Gains
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Asserting that peak production of
many types of fighting equipment
has been achieved or is mot far
off," Chairman Donald M Nelson
of the War Production Board an
nounced today that July munitions
making increased per cent over
June.
He did not discuss how close July
production came to schedule fig
ures, the yardstick which would
show whether our war plants are
keeping abreast of estimated needs.
But he disclosed that July output
stood at 593 on WPB's production
index, a 20-point gain over early
summer months, when the index
remained almost stationary.
Airplane production increased
per cent, signal equipment, II per
cent, and Army ammunition kept
even with June, but Mr.. Nelson said
important further increases are
required" in those three fields.
Step-Ups Must Continue.
'If our production goals are to be
achieved he said, production STEP
ups must continue during the next
six months"
Monthly aircraft production.
measured in pounds, more than
doubled since July, 1912" he re-
ported, "and is scheduled to double
again before the end of 1914 During
the month 1878 planes were pro-
duced."
The WPB chief reported 10 per
cent July increase in the output of
fighter planes, an per cent gain in
transports and 13 per cent rise in
the number of heavy bombers
Production declined for some un-
identified types of planes, lowering
the percentage increase
Ship construction calls for sharp
step-ups in the immediate future"
Mr.. Nelson said, but peak rates are
not far off"
Deliveries of naval vessels, on
tonnage basis, were substantially
lower in July than in June. But
destroyers and destroyer escorts, i'm
portant in the anti U-boat war,
were up Is per cent. Patrol craft
increased slightly, and submarine
builders held their own with June
BY the end of July 10000, 900 tons
of the 100000 scheduled in mer-
chant vessels for the year had been
completed, Mr.. Nelson said.
Other Production Gains.
Other production gains for July:
Artillery, antiaircraft guns and
small arms, 5 per cent; combat
vehicles, 9 per cent; motor vehicles,
6 per cent.
Mr.. Nelson said many serious
bottlenecks" have been removed
from the war production program.
THE production problem in mag
nesium and aluminium has been
overcome. A new important domestic
industry, diamond dies, has been
erected almost overnight. Another
achievement is the development of
a generally satisfactory situation
in steel. Although total require
ments are still greater than supply,
needs for all important programs
are being met through increased
production and better distribution.
Explaining the omission of ref
erences to production schedules, a
Spokesman for Mr.. Nelson said the
schedules of military requirements
had been changed frequently, both
to meet shifting strategic develop
ments and-as in the case of air.
craft-to bring impossible goals down
to realistic programs.
Because of this constant chang
ing, he said, references to over
all munitions schedules had become
more or less meaningless and had
been dropped. In other quarters it
was said. an increase of 51z per cent
a month is required in the last half
of this year to meet the 1943 goal of
$4,000, 100000 worth of munitions
output