WOMEN INCREASING FACTORY OUTPUT

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 281, 26 August 1942, Page 5

WOMEN INCREASING FACTORY OUTPUT

U.S. Production Battle

(Received August 25, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 24.

“The battle of production may be won or lost by women,” says the New York “World Telegram.” “At least one aircraft manufacturer has notified Washington that it depends on the speed with which he can-hire and train women whether the production schedules will be fulfilled. “Six southern Californian companies at present employ 17,500 women, and, moreover, the companies credit the women with improving the efficiency of the plant and increasing the output. At Vulte women have raised the production rate all over the plant, and fuselage work in particular has moved more rapidly’ under women’s nimbler fingers.” The Western Electric Company, at Kearny, New Jersey, announced that it has decided to forgo the ceremonies which it had planned in connexion with the award of an Army and Navy pennant after union officials intimated that none of their 22,000 members would attend because the award for excellence was not deserved as the company had not met the requirements of efficient management and fair labour standards. Mr. Henry J. Kaiser, the west coast shipbuilder, announced in San Francisco today that he has formed a team with Mr. Howard Hughes, the millionaire aeroplane designer and film producer, to build 500 cargo planes. After several days or conferences, the men agreed to carry out, on a joint basis, “the most ambitious aviation programme the world has ever Mr Kaiser recently explained to officials in Washington his plan for mass production of cargo planes in order to beat the Axis submarine menace. He aroused .widespread public interest, but ecountered some opposition on the ground that materials were-unavailable at present. The Department of Commerce states that war expenditure constituted 31 per cent of the national income in the second quarter of 1942. compared with lo per cent, in the fourth quarter of 1.141, demonstrating the progress of America s war production programme since rear! Harbour. _____