STATE AS ARMS MANUFACTURED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 13

STATE AS ARMS MANUFACTURED

—♦ AMERICAN DEPARTMENTATTACKS PROPOSAL i COST IN PEACE TIME (tnriTßD PRESS ASSOCIATION—BI ELICTXIO TEL»Q*APH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 23, 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 21. The hopes of some members of the Senate Munitions Committee that Mr Roosevelt would issue a statement in favour of taking the profits out of war which might be construed as willingness to nationalise the munitions industry were shattered to-day as the War Department submitted an official memorandum declaring that the rrivate industry was absolutely essential to the nation's defence. It stated that in the event of a conflict comparable to the world war, the production of machineguns and ammunition, for example, must be increased by 47,000 per cent, from peace time requirements, and artillery ammunition by 180,000 per cent. The memorandum said that for the Government to acquire the necessary factories would cost between 500,000,000 and 1,000,000,000 dollars, with great waste in maintenance expense in peace time. ROYAL COMMISSION IN BRITAIN LONDON, December 21. In the House of Commons the Prime Minister (Mr Mac Donald) announced that the enquiry into the arms traffic would be conducted by a Royal Commission.