U.S.A. PLANES PRODUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1942, Page 5

U.S.A. PLANES PRODUCTION

CONGRESSIONAL CRITICISM PREDICTED WASHINGTON, August 10. The Congressional Committee investigating manpower allocations, foi’ war production severely criticised production efforts. The Committee asserted: “In the crucial Summer of 1942 a co-ordinated plan for the allout use of our productive capacity simply does not exist.” The Committee demanded utilisation of vast untapped labour supplies by a nationwide training placement organisation, but opposed compulsory manpower mobilisation except in the last resort. . A Sub-Committee investigating cargo planes reported to the Senate the following conclusions: Firstly, the Government should increase production of medium cargo and troop transport aircraft, using more, plywood; secondly, it should immediately launch a grand scale programme of construction of giant cargo and troop transport flyingboats; thirdly, highest priorities should be given to constructions of aircraft, both combat and cargo.

RUGBY, August 11. Aircraft production might not reach the President’s goal of 60,000 this year, but would come close to it, the spokesman of the United States War Production Board said, according to a Washington message. He believed that the flow of aircraft would reach 8000 a month by the end of the year, to balance the lower production earlier. The outlook was good for achieving the shipbuilding goal for 1942, although building was somewhat behind schedule. The situation in regard to tanks was the same. RAW MATERIALS SHORTAGE (Recd. 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 11. The threatened shut-downs of war plants because of shortages of war materials have reached a point at which the War Production Board is considering the establishing of a section to deal specifically with complaints. It is feared that at least 1000 plants might be idle. War Production Board officials said that some cessations were necessary for balanced war production, and instanced that ammunition lines might be abandoned in some cases to allow copper to be use dfor other war products. Lack of fabricating facilities and excessive inventories difficulties, causing a slowing down, were instanced, also the lack of rolling mill capacity retarded production of steel plates. The Glen Martin Company has curtailed production because propellers were not available. This was not due to lack of aluminium, but to lack of manufacturing facilities.

STEEL COMPANIES (Recd. 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 12. Two small steel firms testified to the Senate Committee that the larger companies were forcing the smaller concerns out of business by refusing them raw steel. John Hosack, president of the Mahoning Valley Steel, and A. M. Oppenheimer, president of Apollo Steel, said their plants were operating only 78 and 65 per cent, of capacity. They were working entirely on war orders, but the Republic Steel and other big steel corporations, which had been supplying them with raw steel for many years now refuse. Both witnesses asserted there’s plenty of steel finishing capacity in the country, but full utilisation is prevented by the large companies wishing to control the industry. Henry Landahi, representing the Pacific-American Steel and Iron Corporation, testified before the Senate Defence Commitee that the Morgan United States Steel Group was blocking the development of rich iron ore deposits on the west coast by thwarting the efforts to finance privately, or through the Government, because it would compete with its interests. Landahi said the United States Steel Corporation had prevented the development of the steel industry m the Pacific North-west since 1909. He estimated that his company could produce half-a-million tons of steel yearly. Senator O’Mahoney said that Landahi’s story showed how the large monopolies extended their control in the international field. He declared that the Wyoming deposits were undeveloped for similar reasons.

STEELWORKERS’ DISPUTE PITTSBURG, August 10. Mr. Philip Murray, President of the Congress of Industrial Organisations announced that negotiations between the United Steelworkers’ Union and five United States steel corporations have been broken off, and the case referred to the War Labour Board. Mr. Murray said that the corporations’ statement said that it was impossible to agree to all the provisions of so-called little steel directives, involving an increase in pay of fortyfour cents, daily, a minimum daily guarantee, and union, security and check off. FIFTH COLUMN PLOT NEW YORK, August 10.

Vigilance by the United States Army and Air Force has frustrated an ingenious fifth column plot to direct enemy bombers straight to vital American East Coast air bases and factories. A remarkable set of photographs taken from Army observation planes show giant arrows and other symbols on the landscape pointing directly to aircraft plants, ammunition factories, and aerodromes. Secret guide posts visible only from the air have been woven skilfully into the natural topography of the countryside. In one area a huge section of farmland had • been ploughed up forming a perfect arrow which pointed to a nearby plane factory. Sacks of grain in another field formed a figure nine with the tail pointing to a war plant. An Army Department statement says that all the marks have been destroyed and proper action taken against would-be saboteurs. SENTENCED SABOTEURS WASHINGTON, August 9. Details of the executions of six of the Nazi saboteurs have continued to remain shrouded in official mystery. Dasch and Burger, the two surviving members of the band, have remained in cells in the District of Columbia’s goal. It is not expected that they will begin their prison sentences immediately. It is believed that this pair will be held in Washington for some tim»e, and will be giving investigators additional information to cope with the menace of spies and saboteurs. Officials said that this pair probably would testify against fourteen persons who have been arrested in New York and Chicago, and who are being charged with aiding and sheltering the saboteurs after landing from submarines.

TUNNEL ALARM. (Recd. 12.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 10. Police and special guards searched Lincoln Tunnel for an hour and a quarter, after a telephone call in which a person of German accent said the tunnel would be blown up in half an hour. Nothing was found.