U.S.A. PRODUCTION LAG

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1942, Page 5

U.S.A. PRODUCTION LAG

MR. ROOSEVELT QUESTIONED

EVASIVE ANSWERS

WASHINGTON, August 12. At a Press conference Mr. Roosevelt was asked many questions about lagging war production, particularly about the threatened closing down of 1000 war plants because of shortages of material.

The President replied that he would have to ask the Army, the Navy, and the chairman of the War Production Board (Mr. Donald M. Nelson) before authenticating the report of possible closures.

A reporter asked: “What would you think of a union steward in a war plant who deliberately told a worker to produce less than a fair day’s work?”

Mr. Roosevelt wanted to know who had done that, and the reporter replied that it had happened in Flint and Muskegon, in Michigan. Mr. Roosevelt,suggested that the questioner dig up the facts and names, on which he would look into the matter.

Another reporter asked the President’s opinion of various wild-cat strikes occurring almost daily, although opposed by union officers. “Where?” Mr. Roosevelt asked. The reporter replied: “There was one yesterday in a Pittsburgh steel mill.” Asked-if he had seen a War Labour Board statement that the treason laws might have to be invoked if jurisdiction strikes continued, Mr. Roosevelt asked for further particulars.

Asked about a conference on the stabilisation of wages, in aircraft plans, which had fizzled out, Mr. Roosevelt said he had not heard anything of it.

PRODUCTION AWARD

CLEVELAND, August 12.

The Under Secretary for War (Mr. Patterson) in a speech at the ceremonies of the Army and Navy Production Award to the White Motor Company, said: “I wish I coiild tell you the war’s going well, but it isn’t. We’re still on the defensive. This duty is a bright spot in a dark war. We need more bright spots. There’s only one alternative waiting at the end of the road, victory or death.

NAVY’S CHARGES

WASHINGTON, August 12. Senator Walsh, Chairman of . the Naval Affairs Committee, declined Col. Knox’s request to investigate the charges by the Navy that the Bureau of Ships had been guilty of negligence, or wilful misconduct, Mr. Walsh said that the Navy should conduct its own inquiry.

PRIVATE CLARK GABLE

LOS ANGELES, August 12. The Army has announced that Clark Gable would be sworn in today as a private in the Air Force. Gable requested assignment . as an aerial gunner. He said he did not want to sell war bonds or pour pink tea. He wanted to be sent where the going was tough.. Film star Jimmy Stewart is now piloting a twin-engined bomber in the United States Army Air Force.

U.S.A. FORCES’ OFFENDERS

RUGBY, August 10. Brigadier-General L. H. Hedrick, Assistant Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, will be responsible for the administration of military justice within the United States’ Forces in the British Isles, under an agreement reached recently between the British and American Governments. In a statement announcing this, the headquarters of the European theatre of operations of the Unite,d States Army, outlines the procedure to be adopted. In general, all American military and naval personnel accused of crime, or who violate British laws, will be tried by American Courts’ martial. The restoration of jurisdiction to British Courts, however, is also provided for in some cases. The maximum punishments provided by the United States military laws are, The arrangement will provide for an as a rule, more severe than those imposed under the American civil laws, arrest by British authorities, if necessary, and the suspect will then be turned over for trial by the American Army authorities. Persons found guilty by American Court-martials will be imprisoned in Europe, but those serving sentences of about live years or more, will be sent back to penal institutions in the United States. Death sentences will bo carried out in the theatre of operations by hanging or shooting. Hanging, it is stated, is considered more ignominious than shooting, and is the usual method of executing persons, sentenced to death for such crimes as spying, murder, and rape. The procedure has already been put into operation, and the first American Court-martial held in this country, met to-day. The accused was a private charged with violation of the 92nd article of war.

CANADA'S GREAT EFFORT.

RUGBY, August 12

The construction of fighting vessels and production of all classes of war materials and equipment in Canada, had an immense recent development, according to details given in London by the Canadian Deputy Minister of Munitions and Supply (Mr. Shields). A 10,000 ton cargo vessel, is now being launched every three or four days. More than 80 keels have been laid, and more than 40 ships launched. A large number have already been delivered. Canada is supplying many aircraft for the Empire training plan. Fighting aircraft will come into production in the near future, and training and service planes will be exported to Britain and the United States. Automobile equipment is also- produced on such a large scale that vehicles are serving on all fronts, and hundreds of Canadian tanks have gone to Russia. The production of ordnance includes anti-aircraft guns, naval gun mountings, rifles, machineguns, mortars, shells, small arms, ammunition, fuses, and much ammunition filled with explosives before going overseas. The whole munitions industry exceeds the pre-war iron and steel industry, and new mines and mineral deposits have been developed to provide raw materials. It is officially stated in Ottawa that the number of men called up by the end of July exceeds the total number conscripted for the last war by 15,000. Of the 140,000 called up, 40 per cent, have signified their willingness to serve Overseas.