U.S. WAR NEEDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 187, 10 August 1942, Page 3

U.S. WAR NEEDS

REDOUBLE EFFORTS Combined Broadcast Appeal By American Leaders Rec. noon. NEW YORK, Aug. 9. Admiral D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the American Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major-General D. D. Eisenhower. Commander of the Fnited States Forces in Britain, Admiral C. Nimitz, Commander of the Allied naval forces in the Pacific. Mr. Donald Nelson, head of the War Production Board. Mr. Philip Murray, president of the Congress of Industrial Organisations, Mr. William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, and Dr. Elmer Davis, head of the Office of War Information, participated in a Government-sponsored broadcast, on the "Production Crisis." They pointed out to Americans the necessity to redouble their efforts for war production and also the launching of a new Government programme for presenting awards for industrial plants that establish outstanding production standards.

Dr. Elmer Davis read a statement from President Roosevelt, which said: "Although great progress has been made in the production battle, we have only just begun to get into our stride in terms of what is required for victory. Henceforth the Army and Navy Flag, flying over plants, will bear witness that the management and labour there are doing their utmost to aid the army and navy through production." Amplifying this message. Dr. Davis enumerated the- most vitally needed materials, including "lumber for invasion barges." Messrs. Murray and Green jointly pledged 100 per cent support from the Congress of Industrial Organisation and the American Federation of Labour. Admiral Nimitz. from somewhere in the Pacific, emphasised that the most urgent need was ships, tanks and weapons for the Pacific. General D. D. Eisenhower, from Britain, joined in the appeal for weapons, which were needed urgently and in the quickest possible time. He added: "1 will leave it to the enemy to guess where and how and when we arc going to use them." The Office of War Information, in an earlier review of the United States' first eight months of the war, stated that American war production was still insufficient for victory. The office issued a warning that "we can lose the war unless everyone does his or her utmost. It is certain we are not going to win without heavy losses of men." It revealed that American production in June was slightly behind schedule in fighting planes and tanks and most types of artillery and naval vessels, particularly small anti-sub-marine craft. "Although American production is amazing compared with the standards of a few years ago, it is not enough to win the war. To win total war we must fight it totally. We are not yet fighting that hard."