The Ely miner., 1943-12-16
washington, d. c.

DeIOTe ClOSeQ-uOOI iilCSSuA6 " sAAS
senate Truman committee the other
day to explain, among other things,
why more planes weren't reaching
the fighting fronts.
Arnold, while being cross-exam-
ined by the committees number one
aviation expert, Sen. Mon Wallgren
of Washington, admitted one signifi-
cant fact:
That the number of planes of all
descriptions on our Pacific and Eu-
ropean fighting fronts is lower than
most people realize and lower than
he desires, despite the fact that we
are producing combat planes
bombers and fighters-at the rate of
5000 month.
For a while, the cross-examina-
ton of Arnold made the sparks fly.
''I'm amazed to learn that the
British have more combat planes in
action than we have" grilled Sena-
tor Wallgren, though we are pro-
ducing more planes than the Brit
ish. Why is that?"
Were doing the best we can,"
retorted Arnold angrily. "You can't
expect us to send planes to combat
areas unless we have trained crews
to operate them. However, I can
tell you that we have many more
planes on the way, and ready for
shipment, that will soon give us a
great numerical advantage"
That's fine," said Wallgren, "but
why has it taken so long? 1t seems
to me that we should have more
than the number of planes you men
ton on the battle fronts when we
are producing at the rate of $4,000
year"
Arnold replied that some planes
had been cracked up or damaged in
training accidents in the United
States, though trainer crashes were
being reduced considerably. Also,
many planes coming off assembly
lines have to undergo "modifica-
tion." For instance, planes slated
for Alaskan duty have to be ''win-
terized." Also, it takes longer than
most people realize to deliver planes
to combat areas.
'1'm not trying to interfere In
your business, general" said the
Washington senator, ''but it seems
to me that a pitifully small number
of planes have been delivered to
the fronts, considering our rate of
production.
ST don't agree with you," respond
ed Arnold hotly. ST think we've
done very well under the circum-
stances"
The air chief went on to explain
that most American pilots have
training course of 500 flying hours,
compared to $50 hours for German
pilots. One reason the Nazis have
shortened their pilot-training courses
is because they are running low on
aviation gas reserves, Arnold said.
However, he did not entirely con-
vince the committee that the ratio
of planes delivered to the fighting
fronts could not be considerably in
creased.
SYNTHETIC TIRES
Early next year, the American
public will get its first real test of
synthetic tires. These will not be
passenger, but bus and truck tires,
which will begin to come out of tire
factories some time in January.
They will be hurried to the wheels
of buses and trucks, now linping
along on sharply reduced rations.
Even in September, the ALLEGATION
of $4,000 civilian bus and truck
tires was inadequate. But now the
figure has been reduced still further
to 335, 900 for November and De-
cember.
Operators of trucks and buses are
worried about the new tires, knowing
that early tests have shown they do
not stand up under heavy loads.
This in spite of the fact that they
are only 20 per cent synthetic, with
an admixture of 80 per cent nat
ural rubber.
Result will be that truck and bus
loads will have to be reduced all
over the country. Since they are al
ready operating above normal ca
pacity, reduction of loads will mean
reduction in the total performance
of trucks and buses.
OF course, the synthetics may
prove to be better than tests have
shown, but the trucking industry
has its fingers crossed.
BLOOD DONORS
Red Cross officials estimate that
Americans are giving their blood
for transfusicrs at the rate of one
every two seconds. I'VE are bleed
ing 100000 people a week"
But donations might be much
larger if donors could be reached
all over the country. Actually, there
are only 80 cities where centers
have been established.
MERRY-GO-ROUND
q One of the priced show-pieces in
private collection of old guns and
other knick-knacks belonging to
Rep. Frank Boykin of Alabama are
the spurs Jesse James was wear
ing when he died.
q One out of every ten members
of congress has been newspaper
man in the past. Working news
men every day hear from some
member, ST used to be an old news
paper man myself % This has earned
the gag line: Until you found there
was no money in old newspapers"
N Mov;oo,S cao1;aI A,,b,--o-l.-