Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-03

thelr JOB was 10 produce the Weap-
ons which the chiefs of staff order
Gen. Campbell said our customers
are the various combat branches of
the service and if we can't give them
what they need. the Army should
give the job to some one else"
Gen. Campbell in carrying out the
ordnance production job has the
assistance Of an advisory committee
consisting of some of the best men
in industry, including K. T. Keller,
president Of Chrysler Corp; Ben
jamin F. Fairless, president of
United States Steel Corp: Lewis
Brown, president of Johns Manville.
and Bernard M. Baruch, presidential
adviser. He said these men drop
around from time to time to see
how We are getting along" Many
top men of industry work regularly
for the ordnance agency.
The WPB. Army and Navy state
ment mentioned the cutback, in
ordnance in favor of other NUM-
tons, though no figures were given
1t said that each of the component
programs, including production for
civilians, had been fitted into one
master program, which was de-
signed to fit the available supply of
raw materials, manpower and other
resources. The program has been
adjusted for the first quarter to
the estimated supply of $4,000, 900
tons OF steel, 100000 tons of copper
and 560,000,000 pounds of aluminium.
Since this supply by the last quar-
ter of the year will have been
substantially increased through the
bringing in of new facilities. a cor
responding increase in the program
will be possible.
Some of the facilities which were
to have been used in producing that
part of the ordnance program now
eliminated are still under construc-
ton. others are in operation, it was
said. A majority of the facilities.
the statement read, can be con-
verified to production of items for
the Air Forces, for the Navy or for
the Maritime Commission. This
conversion work already is under
way. A plant built to make recoil
mechaniSms for cannon has been
changed over to produce struts for
aircraft landing gear.
SubcOntractors Involved,
1T is not possible in every in
stance to effect such a clean shift"
the statement continued, but every
possible care will be taken to make
existing feri'i.ies d. the -, r-'---
than build new ones. The total
number of plants in olive. al /,
changes will not be known until
later"
Wherever a firm is told to con-
tinue to produce ordnance items,
though at reduced levels, it will
be the policy of the armed services.
1t was said, to instruct the prime
contractor to effect no more than
the same percentage reduction in
the schedules of his subcontractors,
Several hundred construction
projects, largely of non-war
nature, have been stopped, it was
said, since WPB Chairman Donald
M. Nelson announced several
months ago that all projects in the
country were to be reviewed and
eliminated where possible.
The projects halted were valued
at $1,000, 000, 900. The 1912 facili-
ties and construction program was
valued at sl8,500 ,000, 900, represent
ing third of the effort put into
the war program. Value Of new
facilities and construction In 1943
will be held to $4,000, 900 600, 1t
was said. Impetus will be given,
however, to construction Of facili-
ties for production of aircraft.
escort vessels, high-octane gasoline
and synthetic rubber.