BACK TO CIVILIAN PRODUCTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 204, 26 August 1944, Page 5

BACK TO CIVILIAN PRODUCTION

PLAN BEGINS IN U.S. NOW! Recd. 6 p.m. Washington, Aug. 24. A plan for the conversion of 40 per cent, of United States industrial facilities to civilian production after the defeat of Germany has been prepared under the direction of the War Production Board. The plan tentatively envisages, firstly, the retention of manpower regulations until the labour supply is sufficiently large to remove them—probably about three months after Germany's defeat; secondly, the stripping oi all possible Government controls, except those necessary for an orderly change from war to peacetime output. Cut-backs would be arranged to allow a maximum of civilian production without interfering with war work. This may mean the release of entire companies, or other production units, fom war work at one time, rather than in gradual stages, thus permitting a more orderly return to peacetime production. The War Production Board chairman, Mr. Donald Nelson, told the Senate War Investigating Committee that the board estimated that over-all manpower requirements will decline by at least an additional 300,000 by the end of next year, even though Japan and Germany may still be at war with us, and all production schedules remain. War plans will not need more than 100,000 of 700,000 already released from munitions industries. The millions still needed at war jobs should be assured that civilian jobs will be available when war production had eased up. Mr, Nelson added that the present lag in artillery production was due to a belated recognition that air bombing could not take the place of shell fire, and that more guns had to bo made. He said that tremendously increased requirements recently had necessitated a sudden output of heavy artillery.