ARMS AND PLANES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23083, 23 December 1944, Page 5

ARMS AND PLANES

Production To Be Increased (10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. Arms production must be based on the possibility of heavy fighting against Germany throughout 1945 or longer, said the chairman of the War Production Board, Mr Julius Krug, addressing a Press conference. If General Eisenhower had broken through the West Wall promptly the equipment under procurement would have sufficed, but he failed, therefore it looks that it may take a long time, consequently there will be greatly increased demands on production. Rear-Admiral Ramsay, head of the Navy Aeronautics Bureau, said that a 30 to 40 per cent, increase in the production of fighters for the Navy was necessary in 1945 owing to American progress toward the Japanese homeland. During the last half of 1944 the Navy ordered a 20 per cent, reduction in the fighter programme owing largely to the fact that the wastage of fighters was one-third less than when the 1944 production schedule was planned. “The Allied setback In Europe will hit us between the eyes w.th new war production problems,” said Mr Anderson, vice-chairman of the War Production Board. “Germany’s powerful offensive may require a further tightening of civilian production and makes impossible a prediction when the ban thereon will be lifted. The urgent demands for shells, guns, trucks and other material will certainly be followed by other difficult armament problems.”