Evening star., 1943-12-27
Army Reports cutbaek
In Production Of
Several War Items

~ lhe nocoSA0bcu ItchS.
The production peak has passed
In several important parts of the
military supply program, the War
Department reported yesterday, al
though next years deliveries are ex-
pected to exceed those of 1943 in
dollar volume.
Next years heaviest emphasis will
be on ships. planes, heavy -construc-
ton machinery and signal materiel.
Far-reaching shifts have occurred
in the procurement of equipment,
not only because of changing COM
bat requirements, but even more be-
cause the Allies have passed from
defensive to offensive warfare.
Furthermore, the department said,
the Army construction peak was
reached last July, and no new con-
struction will be undertaken in the
United States when conversion of
existing facilities can be made to
meet the need. Some caps already
are being closed as greater numbers
of troops move overseas, and "a slow,
gradual and orderly reduction af-
fecting other Army installations
may be expected"
Truck Output Expanding.
The department report and the
partial answers to a list of specific
questions submitted to Maj. Gen
Lucius D. Clay, director of materiel,
Army Service Forces, present these
facts concerning the production pro-
gram:
Production of heavy trucks, in
creasingly critical as supply lines
lengthen in the combat zones, is ex-
panding steadily.
The Army aircraft program con-
tinues to grow, with 1914 production
scheduled to exceed this years by
rs per cent in dollar volume.
Signal Corps equipment increased
80 per cent from January to Novem-
Der this year, with demands from
the expanding Air Forces and addi
tional combat divisions expected to
result in further increases.
Demands for heavy construction
equipment and steel landing mats
will reach new highs in 1914 to
meet requirements for new bases
and bridgeheads as conquest of en-
emy territory moves forward.
Overall tank production has been
cut back 36 per cent since early
1943, due to greater need for ships
and consequent diversion of steel, to
reductions in leaSe-lend require
mentS, and to the rise in effective
ness of antitank weapons affecting
the relative importance of the tank
as q weapon in various types and
places Of battle"
Several small arms ammunition
plants thave been closed recently,
and this entire program is now
tapering toward a decline of about
So per cent, dollar volume, from
1943.
Production of small arms also IS
being cut back. Rifle and machine
gun output rose 80 per cent from
Japuary to November, but is now
being reduced to a level 80 per cent
below the November peak.
Artillery Production on.
Artillery production was of more
than ID per cent in November as
compared with January, and con-
tues to drop. This was attributed
principally to drastic cutback of
approximately so per cent in anti
aircraft artillery since the threat
OF major air attack on the United
States has all but disappeared. and
to the increase in American air
power.
Gen. Clay said production OF 90
millimeter antiaircraft guns has been
cut to one-twelfth of the maximum
and that of 4.7-inch and 40-milli- :
meter guns to one-half the maxi
mum. The production of Comm
guns has been discontinued entirely
at three Government arsenals and
IL private manufacturing companies
and cut back at Is other companies.
Production of At inch AA guns
has been eliminated at two arsenals
and cut back at four companies. and
that OF 40mm Cans eliminated at l3
companies and cut back at nine.
The Medical Department of the
Army will reduce its procurement
program considerably in 1914, par
ticularly in X-ray and surgical ap-
pliances, both of which will be only
SO per cent of 1943 requirements.
1t will need, however, more than
100000 additional units of blood
plaSma.
In chemical warfare, the output
OF incendiary bombs and smoke ma
terials will be doubled, but strategic
reserve requirements are being at
tanned in other chemical items, and
production will decline.