Evening star., 1944-07-02
War Goods Lag,
Army Asks WPB
For Sharp Boost
Statement Says Delay
May Prove Costly
In Lives at Fronts
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The War Department, assert
ing that its monthly goals of war
goods deliveries are not being
met, said last night that it has
urged the War Production Board
not to permit relaxation in pro-
duction controls and to exert
even more vigorous efforts" to
increase manufacture of weap-
OnS.
The statement, containing per-
centage figures to show the lag in
items, apparently was intended to
implement the recent warning of
the chiefs of staff against any slack
ening in the output of war material.
The materials in production to-
day." the statement said, "are re-
quired to meet expenditures on the
battlefront. Failures now to meet
schedules mean delays in military
operations which may be costly in
loss of lives and in prolonging the
struggle"
The department said Army pro-
duction, which aggregated $685.
600 900 in May, must be increased
this fall to s2,27o. .000, 900 per month.
an increase of II per cent, if the
1914 requirements are realized.
Appeals to Labor, Management.
The departments appeal was di-
rected to both management and
labor.
Army monthly forecasts of de.
liveries are not being met, in spite
of slippages in these schedules which
have continued for the past several
months" the department said. The
schedule for June, as of May 81,
was reduced by 8 per cent under
the same scedule as established on
April 80, and reports to date indi-
cate that even the lowered schedule
will not be met.
THE principal deficits in deliv-
cries are in those items most ur-
gently needed in the combat areas.
In May deficits varying from 10
to 81 per cent were experienced in
truck deliveries and the shortages
were particularly severe in the
heavy cargo trucks needed to trans
port supplies from ports and beach,
heads to front-line troops.
Serious deficits were also ex-
lperienced in radio and electronics
equipment and in the construction
equipment needed to build airportA
roads and docks on the continer
Serious Tire Shortage.
"A further serious deficit was in
the production of tires, where the
overall shortages for the second
quarter in the production estimates
of the manufacturers was is per
cent, and this production estimats
was, in itself, substantially below re-
Iquirements.
indications are that third-quar-
ter shortages will be even larger.
In addition to sustaining these
large deficits, increasing difficulty is
being encountered in obtaining
necessary greater expansion of pro-
duction of heavy ammunition and
bombs to meet the heavy expedi-
lures by our forces engaged with
the enemy. We have read lately OF
the record air sorties in Europe.
Airplane production was off 5 per
cent from schedules in June. To
provide the bombs for these raids
Inecessitates an increase in our
bomb program during 1914 OF 5O,-
600 tons per month.
Shortages in steel plate and
sheet and shortages in malleable
castings resulting from lack of suf-
ficient manpower in these indus.
tries are directly contributing to
the production difficulties.
There can be no relaxation in
our determination to meet these
goals If our present strategy is 10
bring the results designed" the de-
partment added. There must be
no decrease in our pressure upon
the enemy and a constant stream
of munitions is essential to the
maintenance of this pressure"