DIRECT ACTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 65, 15 June 1942, Page 5

DIRECT ACTION

GETTING THINGS DONE AMERICANS CUT RED TAPE If tlic story told in a letter from overseas received in New Plymouth is indicative of the American attitude towards war work in general then our United States allies will not brook delays in the carrying out of their part of any programme on account of red tape methods. The story relates to the arrival of munitions of war at a point to which the Americans were sent and their methods of bringing these munitions: into activity as quickly as possible. "From the time a plane leaves the hold of a ship," says the writer, "till it is in the air is just one hour and twenty minutes. And this is how they do it. They were in a hurry to get the planes off the wharf. A gate and a post were in the way. The' harbour official who stopped them was sent to consult his sup--orior officer. When lie returned a Iractor had obligingly had an 'accident* and the gate and post had been removed. House Dynamited "The newcorers needed some cars, so they bought two showrooms out clear and had the last away within on hour. The next requirement was the removal of a house on an aerodrome for-the purpose of making another runway. Legal proceedings might have held the matter up for weeks. The owner was given a cheque and within ten minutes the house Avas dynamited. Headquarters were wanted, so they bought up a building and with a fleet of about 10 army lorries shifted every tiling in a morning. "At an outpost they wanted telephones and were told it would take nil of a week to instal them. They look all the public 'phones in and around the neighbourhood and told the post office to get busy and re-t place them. They are superbly equipped and brought their own grub with them." 1