Evening star., 1951-12-18
Defense Production
Priority LIST Is Now
Due by January |
Long Sought to Break
Bottleneck; Output of
Steel to Be increased
By Francis P. DouqIos

One of the tightest bottlenecks
to defense production is expected
to be broken by January !. it
was learned today.
1t is the armed services list
of requirements rated according
to urgency. It was asked for by
the civilian production heads last
spring; it was promised for the
fall; it is now reported in such
shape that it can be completed
by the end of the year.
Other developments in the de-
fense production field today:
l. The Defense Production Ad-
'ministration announced another
-million-t ton increase in the steel
Expansion program. setting a goal
of 1913 million ingot tons capacity
by the beginning of 1854.
The expanded facilities for steel
production will include additional
coke ovens. blast furnaces and
plants to be erected to refine low
grade taconite ore.
DPA announced that tax benefit
certificates have already been is
sued for facilities to assure the
needed steel expansion and that
no additional certificates for the
purposes will be issued.
Tin Supplies Are Low.
2. The National Production Au-
thority disclosed that tin supplies
for industry are at an all-time low.
with only 2,100 tons of new tin
available per month in the first
three months of 1852 as against a
normal consumption of $500 to S.
500 tons a month.
NPA said the tin situation is
aggravated by mounting require
ments for the defense program
and the fact that little tin has
been imported since March.
8. NPA announced appointment
'of J. Forester Dawson. George
Washington University law pro-
fessor and former assistant gen.
eral counsel of the World War II
War Production Board, as a hear
ing commissioner. He will pre-
side at public hearings into
charges of violations of NPA or
ders and regulations in the Dis
trict, Maryland and Virginia.
The priorities list has been the
subject of series of conferences
among top officials of the Penta-
Igon and representatives of Defense
Mobilizer Charles E. Wilson.
One of the stumbling blocks to
completion of the all-important
list was described by one of the
confereeS this way:
There is considerable doubt
among some of the military that
they can't have everything on
schedule if they exert enough
pressure for it"
1t was pointed out, however, that
this overlooks the shortages of
materials and lack of facilities to
turn out simultaneously every
thing needed.
Those at Conferences.
Engaged in the conferences on
the preparation of the list have
been Raymond G. Fisher, assist
ant to Mr.. Wilson in the Office of
Defense Mobilization; Charles B.
Stauffacher, assistant director of
ODM and head of liaison with
other agencies; Clay P. Bedford,
deputy administrator for procure
|ment of the Office of Defense Mo-
bilization, and various specialists.
On the Pentagon side have been
Chairman John D. Small of the
Munitions Board: c. w. Middleton,
formerly vice chairman of the
Board of Production and Require
ments and now a consultant; r.
M. Hatfield. jr.. executive vice
chairman of the board: Frank G.
Chambers, chief of the boards
Office of Priorities and Controls,
and various service officials.
An ODM spokesman said Mobil-
izer Wilson is not attempting to
impose his judgment of what is
strategically necessary. AS in
World War II, when MIR. Wilson
as War Production Board official
was faced with the same bottle
necks, the policy is said to be for
the military to say what they
must have and the civilian produc-
ton chiefs to say what is feasible
land to see that it is suppliM.