DEFENCE SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 13

DEFENCE SERVICES

REQUIREMENTS IN WAR ORGANISING INDUSTRIES EXTENSIVE BRITISH PLANS (Received February 21. 11.25 D.m.) LONDON. Feb. 21 The Daily Telegraph says the Government is preparing far-reaching plans to organise industry to supply the requirements of the defence services. Its aim is the avoidance of unnecessary disturbance of normal manufacturing, also minimising profiteering and safeguarding manufacturers against the effects of laying down and maintaining plant for emergencies when there are not sufficient orders to meet overhead costs.

It is recognised that industry must be enabled to respond rapidly to a sudden demand in the early days of a war, and thereafter to maintain essential supplies, especially as future wars will develop more rapidly than in 1914.

It is understood that a member of the Cabinet, assisted by technical experts, has been appointed to co-ordinate industries, and probably he will be assisted also by Lord Weir, who already is advising Viscount Swinton, Secretary, of State for Air, regarding the expansion of the l?03'al Air Force. The Government is impressed by the manner in which dictatorships in time of peace organise industries and regiment labour in a manner only achievable by democracies in time of war. However, it has not based its plans on dictatorships, although it is preparing to finance various essential industries. It is paying special attention to the manufacture of aircraft in which war wastage probably vawld be the determining factor in victory or defeat. It is considered that the opening struggle would occupy a fortnight and employ all the forces of both sides and that after that there would be a lull which, assuming that neither Bide was defeated, would enable industry to get into its stride.