WAR PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1940, Page 6

WAR PRODUCTION

INCREASES IN BRITAIN IN SPITE OF ENEMY BOMBING. MR. GREENWOOD'S SURVEY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 27. Making a statement in the House of Commons on war production, Mr. Arthur Greenwood (Minister Without Portfolio) reminded the House that Britain was still some way from being fully armed and that still greater efforts to increase output would be necessary in preparation for taking the offensive. In the last 15 months, the output of war equipment from British factories had been more than trebled, and in the case of some materials had been multiplied by four. Since May there had been some substantial increases in output. Shipbuilding had increased over 50 per cent —an excellent foundation for further expansion. Mr. Greenwood said it would be folly to deny that damage had been done to production by enemy air attacks, but if German boasts of the weight of bombs dropped on Britain were to be accepted as accurate, then by that measure he was entitled to say that the effects on production had been surprisingly small. Turning to the shipping position, the Minister spoke gravely. He compared it with April, 1917, and said that though it was worse than it should be, it was not so bad as it might be in view of Germany’s use of the Channel ports and the new factor of aerial attack. An enormous difference had been made by shipping captured or transferred. They would find a means to defeat the bombing menace. Summing up. Mr. Greenwood said that, taking both home production and supplies from overseas of war material, there was no shadow of doubt that Britain was growing stronger. Finally, they were entitled to take encouragement from the reverse side of the picture—the troubles of the enemy caused by the R.A.F. attacks and the pressure of the blockade.