CANADA AT WAR

Patea Mail, 13 November 1939, Page 2

CANADA AT WAR

VAST PRODUCTION LARDER AND ARSENAL Vastly more prepared for such a task than iu the Great War, Canada is today busy trom the Atlantic to the Pa ciiic In helping to meet the war needs of the Motherland and her Allies. Ever since the Munich crisis plans have been'under way to step up production from industries and factories, farms, mines and forests. The wheal harvest is estimated at 450,000,000 del lars. with the price up 20 cents a bush' el since the war started. Food, lumber and certain metals have been placed by tluj United Kingdom on the "preferred” list of vital commodities, which must be assured sea transport first of all. The initial order for lumber to be supplied from the British Columbia forests -Is 00 shiploads. Already all logging and milling plants are iworking at capacity. To maintain a steady rate of production, labour is being conserved, all skilled classes being exempt from recruitment. In fact, the Dominion Government has issued a list of trades and professions whose members arc to be retained for essential production.

Canada’s output of munitions during the Great War was valued at over a thousand million dollars; nearly -:;0 per cent of the total was produced in Nearly 3000 aeroplanes were built, and shipping turned out to the value of 70,000,000 dollars. All this was accomplished by a country totally up pro pared, with a substantial part of ’is man-power actively in too field and wirh a great deal to lea'T. about many lines of production. To-day the wheels of industry are geared to reach a peak of production before one year of war shall have been passed. It would be difficult to sot a limit to this production. No doubt much of it will come from hastily-assembled American plants and factories :n Canals. rendered necessary bv the neutrality law. Huge orders for aeroplanes and munitions had been placed by Great Britain and France before hostilities began. Whatever the effect of the brand of neutrality ultimately adopted by Congress, one thing is cer-tain—-these orders will be met, and Canada , must bear a large share In meeting them.