Evening star., 1946-07-22
War Properly
Worth 7 Billion
Sold din4Months
Gen. LittIejohn Takes
Over Surplus Agency
From Gen. Gregory

More than half of the four billion
dollars worth Of surplus property
sold by the Government since June,
1914, was disposed of during the
last four months, the War Assets
Administration reported today as
Maj. Gen. Robert M. Littlejohn
formally succeeded 1t. Gen. Ed
mund B. Gregory as administrator.
During April, May and June, WAA
disposed of approximately $2,155,-
100000 in surplus on the basis of
original cost. Actual return to the
Government was about $697 900, 900.
Although July totals are not avail
able, they have swelled the amount
substantially, WAA estimated.
Disposals since June, 1914, and
through last month, amounted to
$4,268, 100000 OF this amount, more
than $3,742 100000 represented the
original cost of surplus property
sold. The other 1926 ZOO, 900 was the
original cost of materials scrapped
or otherwise disposed of. The re-
turn to the Government from these
two-year operations was 81 ,525, ,00O,-
900, as of June 80.
Sales of consumer, capital and
producers goods while Gen. Gregory
was administrator increased from
$243 ,000, 900 in March to $420, ,000,-
600 last month. Total surplus prop
erty disposals in June amounted to
1929 ,000,0 on the basis of original
cost, as compared with 5000, 900 900
in January before WAA was estab-
lished as the principal disposal
agency.
Veterans Get IS Per Cent.
Purchases Of consumer goods by
veterans averaged more than Is
per cent of total sales during the
past four months. WAA noted that
sales to veterans increased sharply
since May because of the Surplus
Property Act amendment raising
the priority position of ex-service-
men
Sale or lease Of some of the larg-
est Government-oWne war plants,
such as the Geneva steel mill in
Utah and most of the surplus alum
mum plants, accounted for a sub
stantial part of the increase in re-
cent weeks
WAA reported that since estab-
lishment of the central agency last
March disposals of surplus aircraft
have amounted to $370,00O,000.
Bids for sale or scrap of $1,000
combat, planes originally costing So
900 100000 have been received, so
that only $500 tactical planes re-
main in the inventory. These are
being scrapped ''to satisfy commit
ments already received VIVA
stated.
Trainers Head List.
OF the ASH planes sold for use in
civil aviation during the last four
months. 3,40o were training planes
811 transports. and ITO liaison and
other. personal type aircraft. This
leaves about $500 planes Of the SAL
able type in surplus stocks, the re-
port showed.
"In the four months quickened
program for disposal of aircraft
components and parts resulted in
the consignment to authorized
agents of material having an orig
inal value of more than $40 900 900,
WAA announced.
| This is more than half of the
total amount consigned to date, and
it freed 1,25000O square feet OF
warehousing space where this ma
terial had been stored Aircraft
and component parts with an origi-
nal value of $27, ,500000 were made
available to educational institutions
for instructional use"
Gen. Littlejohn, who was chief
quartermaster of the European The
ater of Operations from June, 1912
to December, 1945, was sworn in al
$50 am. today as war assets ad-
ministrator by Maj. Gen. Edward
F. Witsell, an old friend and fellow
South Carolinian.
In a breif ceremony in the Social
Security Auditorium. witnessed by
Gen. Gregory and several hundred
friends and WAA officials, Gen
Lttlejohn declared that team
work and the will to do will over
come the current obstacles in the
tough job ahead in surplus prop
erty disposal"