Evening star., 1952-09-28
U.S.. Production Men
Study Plans TO Best
Meet Military Needs
By Froncis P. DouqIos

BY Froncis P. Douglas
Government production chiefs
are studying recommendations
which promise:
/. Savings-not immediate but
for the long term-in the cost Of
military production.
2. Keeping the risk of obso-
lescence at a minimum.
3. Equipping industry to roll
out the multiplicity Of products
needed and in the volume neces-
sary If an all-out war should
come.
The recommendations are con-
tanned in a preliminary report,
even described as a memorandum,
prepared by the Office of Defense
MobiliZation'S Advisory Committee
on Production Equipment. The
committee is headed by Harold
S. Vance. chairman of the board
and president of the Studebaker
Corp.
The Vance report was submit
ted to Henry H. Fowler. director
of ODM. At that agency it was
explained that the report would
not be made public until Mr..
Fowler has had an opportunity for
an exchange Of views on it with
Defense Secretary Lovett.
Selective Approach Urged.
One source identified with the
committee gave this summary of
what the report contains:
1t stresses productive capacity
rather than the output of end
products. Expenditures would be
shifted from production itself to
the building up of production lines
and other facilities. This shift in
expenditures could be made with
out impairing the production pro-
gram and within the budget re-
quirements for that program.
Production has reached the
point where a selective approach
is indicated, rather than trying toI
turn out everything possible as
quickly as possible.
Spare equipment or extra pro-
duction is not needed. It would
merely pile up in various depots.
Obsolescense, so rapid in special
lied military equipment. would
take its toll. On the other hand,
machinery for production becomes
obsolete much less quickly.
Not only should the production
line be set up but they should be
ticking over" That is, they
should be producing at a retard-
ed rate but continually revamped
to keep them current with de-
sign changes and adoption of new
models.
No Political Debate.
The time necessary for expand
ing the armed forces in case of
attack would also provide some
time for throwing the production
lines into high gear. Increasing
the forces from 81 million men to
a much higher figure could not
be done overnight.
The interim report was made in
advance of the full report so that
the recommendations could be
considered in connection with the
military budget for fiscal 1854,
now under preparation.
IF 1T,oc ctroccoI fhot thu ooy,av,o;k
tees recommendations were made
only as a solution to an intention
of getting involved in any political
debate over whether the military
budget could be reduced.
In addition to Mr.. Vance the
committee members are Clay Bed
ford, president of the Chase Air
craft Co., Inc, Willow Run, Mich;
Admiral w. H. P. Blandy, retired;
1t. Gen. Leroy Lutes, U.S.A., re-
tired, president of the Pacific Tire
and Rubber Co.; 1t. Gen. K. B.
Wolfe, U.S.A.F. retired, president
of the Oerlikon Tool and Arms
Corp: Rear Admiral Lewis l..
Straus, U.S.N.R., and Manly
Fleischmann, former head of the
Defense Production Administra-
ton.
The recommendations appear to
be a modification of the plan out
lined by Charles E. Wilson last
April l at the time of his reSigna-
ton from the dictatorship of ODM.
That plan, for so-called plateau
pattern of production, called for
maintaining total production of
military goods through 1853 and
1854 at the high levels scheduled
to be achieved early next year."
Congress, in appropriating for
the military budgetGfor the current
fiscal year. provided SAT billion in
new obligation authorizations.
This included $29.9 billion for pro-
curement and construction.