Evening star., 1943-10-01
Aircraft
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Aircraft
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a blanket siX-month deferment from
the draft. Permission already has
been granted for two 60-day stays.
Although officials have decided
against an outright permanent blan-
ket deferment Of the plane workers
1t was said they plan to make il
permanent by granting additional
stays. That policy will be extended
to plants in other areas as they
begin to feel the pinch of manpower
shortage.
Workers Called "Jittery."
While the Byrnes plan for ironing
out Western manpower problems
largely by establishing a system OF
labor prioritieS was described as
helpful, the official said the Gov
eminent was kidding itself" if it is
believed the situation can be solved
short of assurance to workers that
they will not be drafted He said
the two 60-day stays extended the
workers merely produced "jitterS'
among the men, and increased the
period of uncertainty of their future
status. He added the draft of
fathers in the industry would come
close to wrecking it
The greatly steppedup aircraft
program means that even more i'm
portance as weapon of war has
been attached by the high military
command to the ariplane which
already had assumed the top spot
on the Nation list of most essential
munitions.
Mi Lovett. in asking the plane
makers to assume burden such as
no industry ever has been given
before, cited the message of Gen.
Douglas Macarthur from the South
west Pacific. in which he said. Send
me air and more air and more air
Mr.. Lovett added this is the mes
sage we are receiving from every
commander in every theater of war.
In reply to Mr.. Lovett, Lawrence
D. Bell, president of Bell Aircraft
Corp. and of the National Aircraft
War Production Council. said the
Army challenge to the Nations air.
craft industry must be met" He
said the goal could be met, provided
the industry is given every con-
sideration so far as manpower and
materials are concerned
Long, Hard War Forecast.
The plane manufacturers were
told by the military leaders that it
would be long and hard war. One
aircraft executive said that if any
one of his group had the idea the
war would be over soon when he
went into the conference, the no.
ton was completely dispelled by
the military men.
Emphasis will be placed next year
on larger and larger planes, a trend
which was started almost as soon
as this country entered the war
The Axis will be blasted from their
"fortresses' from the air by giant
planes which dwarf any aircraft the
average civilian has seen so far.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
two of the "sorest" spots in the
plane production picture are re-
spending to treatment. Consider
able attention recently was centered
on the Boeing plant in Seattle
where the output of Flying Fort
resses dropped sharply in June
2. G. johnson, president of Boeing
said the manpower situation had
improved somewhat and he be-
lieved the plant would be back on
schedule by the years end.
Guy w. Vaughan, president OF
Curtlss-Wright Corp, said his Lock
land, Ohio. engine plant this month
had reached the production peak at.
tanned in March and in the month
to come would set new record. Pro-
ductlon at the plant fell to one
sixth Of its past level following is
suance of the Truman Committee
report accusing the company OF
making faulty engines.
Two-Day Discussion Ends
The plane manufacturers are
meeting here as members of the Ma
tional Aircraft War Production
Council. They conferred Monday
and Tuesday with military officials
and today concluded a two-day dis
cussion of their problems.
The industry is expected to take
action in opposition to national serv-
ice legislation, and perhaps to in
dorse at least in principal incentive
wage plans for workers. L. C. Goad
vice president of the Eastern Air
craft Division of General Motors
said incentive plans could increase
plane. production IS per cent with
the present labor force "if worked
out equitably" for labor.
The manufacturers believe they
can reach the huge new production
goal for next year provided the
manpower problem sis understood
and solved" They say the manu-
featuring facilities and materials
are available for the job. 1t will be
necessary to increase the total plane
labor force from the current total
of about 100000 workers to approx
imately 2,40000O.
Mr.. johnson said he believed the
6oelng manpower problem could be