Evening star., 1943-07-07

War Output SIackened
During May Despite
Rise in Planes, Ships
BY the Associated Press

sSs s V
BY the Associated Press.
Production of planes and naval
vessels reached new highs in
May, the War Production Boards
monthly report showed today,
but the overall output of NUM-
tions remained unchanged from
April.
WPB Chairman Donald M. Nell
sons report noted declines in
ground ordnance, miscellaneous
munitions and merchant vessels,
which he described as a very seri-
Gus matter" The decline in mer-
chant vessels was based on the dollar
value of work done in shipyards.
however, and not on the basis of
actual deliveries, which In May were
the highest so. far with nearly
1900, 600 deadweight tons.
OF the four major programs. mer-
chant ships led in the first six
months of the year, with A per cent
of the 1943 goal achieved. Army
ordnance and the output Of naval
vessels and equipment were estimat-
ed at 40 per cent of the 1943 goals,
and aircraft IS per cent.
Calls for Joint Effort.
1--WE have reached a point now
where gains in production will be
won only through the most thought
full and determined effort on the
part OF all concerned" Mr.. Nelson
said.
He called for the setting aside Of
personal and group interests ''in the
interests of all OF us as much as it is
humanity possible, for we are on the
verge of one Of the greatest trials
Of our national history" Presum-
ably referring to forthcoming mill
tary operations, he said:
I'VE cannot afford to relax our
efforts for an instant. On the con-
trary. we must prepare ourselves to
meet calmly and steadily the great
est strains to which we may ever be
subjected"
The May production box score, as
compared with April:
Total munitions, unchanged; air.
craft and aircraft equipment, up
5 per cent: ground ordnance, down
3 per cent; Navy and Army vessels
value put in place., up 2 per cent;
merchant vessels tvalue put in
place.. down 4 per cent; miscel-
laneous munitions, down per cent.
Measured on a dollar basis, air
craft and related munitions and
equipment production increased S
per cent, but on the basis of planes
alone the increase was per cent,
and 10 per cent If calculated on the
basis of airframe weight.
Heavier Planes Favored.
Without disclosing figures, Mr..
Nelson reported the tendency con-
tinued to be toward production of
heavier planes Heavier planes"
would include four -engine bombers
to carry the war to the enemy
Naval vessels aggregating 204 900
displacement tons were completed
in May, an increase of 30 per cent
over April, and 9 per cent over the
best previous month. Marked prog
ress" was reported in delivery OF
destroyer escort vessels.
Munitions now are being turned
out at an annual rate of $60,000,-
900 900, and Mr.. Nelson predicted
the total for l943 would run beyond
s65 900, 100000.
Mr.. Nelson assigned no reason for
the lag in production.
Undersecretary of War Patterson
at press conference June l9
warned of a need of greater war
output. blaming both management
and labor for 'overconfidence and
complacency." He said production
for the Army Ground Forces, sched-
uled to go up 2 per cent, actually
had dropped 3l2 per cent.
A WPB spokesman at that time
said the falling off appeared to be
largely in equipment in which there
had been intentional cut-backs, and
said other production increases prob
ably would bring an overall rise.
Must Draw on Supplies.
Mr.. Nelson disclosed that during
the rest of this year it will be neces-
sary to draw on accumulated sup
plies of steel. copper and aluminium
to meet production schedules, since
the output of these materials will be
insufficient to meet the goals.
Increases in munitions produc-
ton during the rest of the year must
continue at the average rate
achieved so far in l943 to meet the
years requirements" Mr.. Nelson
said.
A bright spot in the report was
new record in tanker production,
which went to a new high as the
result of delivery of vessels not
scheduled for completion until
June. Output of minor types of
merchant ships was advanced also
by delivery of four large ore car
riers, sending the tonnage for this
category beyond 100000 tons for the
first time.