MAKING OF ARMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 8

MAKING OF ARMS

CANADIAN FACTORIES

IMPRESSIVE FIGURES

MINISTER'S SURVEY

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received July 31, 1.10 p.m.) OTTAWA, July 30. The Minister of Supply, Mr. C. D. Howe, stated in the House of Commons that Canadian factories ex-| pected to turn out 360 aeroplanes and 30 tanks a month early in 1941. Eight factories were working on the production of 3200 planes, 257 of which had been delivered. The contracts involved 110,000,000 dollars. A programme for further production and for materially increasing the output was being discussed between Canada and Britain. Canada, was at present producing 600 mechanised units a day, for which Canadian orders alone amounted to 54,500,000 dollars. Britain, India, and South Africa were buying largely. British and Canadian orders for tanks totalled 63,000,000 dollars. s Mr. Howe said that Canada was rapidly achieving a self-contained navy. " Fourteen thousand men were employed at the shipyards and in associated industries. Before the end of the year 28 anti-submarine vessels ! and five mine-sweepers would be comipleted. The programme provides for 54 anti-submarine vessels for the Canadian Navy, 10 for the Royal Navy, and 28 minesweepers for Canada. SUPPLY OF MACHINE TOOLS. Mr. Howe said that Canada was experimenting in the manufacture of aeroplane instruments and metal propellers, but had decided not to attempt to make engines. Canada had recently been producing machine tools in a volume which challenged the imagination. The production of manuifactured goods was the largest in the < Dominion's history, but was small compared with what would be done when factories under construction, involving a capital cost of 120,000,000 doHars, attained their productive capacity. A sum of 500,000,000 dollars a year was to be spent on munitions. The programme involved the manufacture of Lee-Enfleld rifles, Bren guns, and Colt and Browning pistols, aircraft machine-guns, sub-machine-guns, twopounder anti-aircraft guns, 25-pounder quick-firing guns, 40-millimetre Bofors anti-tank guns, 3.7 anti-aircraft and anti-tank rifles, and 20-millimetre Hispano Suiza aircraft cannon. The largest gun plant, which would manufacture, 25rpounders and heavy naval guns, involved a capital investment of 10,000,000 dollars, and would be producing before the end of the year. There were now 14 plants producing shells, including four-milli-metre, 18- and 25-pounder, and 3.7 in, 4.5 in, 6in, and 9:2 in shells. The total ammunition orders amounted to 69,000,000 dollars, ,of which 9,000,000 dollars comprised capital expenditures. Orders would immediately be increased by 33,000,000 dollars, involving the production of several million shells. Orders for small arms and ammunition total 19,000,000 dollars. Explosives plants would begin in September to produce T.N.T., nitro-cellulose, and rifle cordite. The capital investment involved would be 30,000,000 dollars. CONTROL BY CORPORATION. Plant jvas being constructed for the manufacture of optical glass, gunsight predictors, etc. The praduction of aluminium was being doubled. < The operation of the entire programme is in the hands of the Allied War Supplies Corporation, which will operate the secondary chemical and other industries incidental to the programme. The corporation will thus be responsible for the administration of new capital investments totalling 110,000,000 dollars. Mr. Howe added that general buying, including clothing, food, and equipment for the troops totalled 245,000,000 dollars, of which 217,000,000 dollars had been spent in Canada, 22,000,000 dollars in the United Kingdom, and 16,700,000 dollars in the United States.

Mr. Howe said that 90 per cent, of the facilities connected with the Empire Air Training Scheme had been completed and that extension of the original plan was under consideration with the aim of increasing the programme to 120 separate projects, of which 77 were being built, requiring 47 new aerodromes and extensions to 30 existing airports. The estimated post of the 77 which had been approved would be 15,500,000 dollars.

Last week, said Mr. Howe, Canadian factories turned out 25 aircraft.

MILITARY TRAINING SCHEME

The Minister of National War Services, Mr. J." G. Gardiner, . in the House of Commons, said that every unmarried Canadian between the ages of 21 and 45 may be compelled to do 30 days' military training within a year. "There is no reason," he said, "why Canada cannot train 1,000,000 men and still operate her primary and secondary industries. Possibly the calling up of unmarried men between the ages of 21 and 25 will satisfy requirements in the first year."

The only exemptions, he said, would be Judges, clergy, police, and firemen. Employers will be required under penalty to re-employ the trainees. Mr. Gardiner added that Canada was in a better position than ever before to supply foodstuffs to the United Kingdom. All surplus products would be needed sooner or later.