DRASTIC CHANGES
IN U.S. WAR PRODUCTION PROGRAMME SPEEDING UP OUTPUT OF WEAPONS HOPES OF HASTENING VICTORY. MAXIMUM USE OF EXISTING FACTORIES. NEW YORK, May 14. The Washington correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune” says that the American war leaders have decided to make immediate and very drastic changes in the war production programme with a view to a speed-up of the already tremendous output of weapons. It is expected that these changes will supply the United Nations so fully with armament that victory may be achieved within six months or a year from now. The changes include three major points: —First the abandonment of the construction of new plants, because all metals and materials must be used directly for weapons; secondly, a drive for maximum exploitation of all existing plants; and thirdly, reconsideration of the entire plane-building programme with a view to the construction, besides bombers and fighters, of a huge fleet of giant transport planes to replace the cargo capacity of ships that have been sunk. The military correspondent of the “New York Times,” Mr Hanson Baldwin, says that changes in the organisation of the American Navy Department and commands afloat are taking place which will result in greater emphasis on naval aviation. He explains that* the experiences in the Coral Sea have outlined the imminent importance of the aircraft-carrier. While the battleship has in nowise been abandoned, the carrier is definitely in the spotlight, and the American production and conversion of carriers, which is already unmatched anywhere else, will soon be considerably increased, following the predicted organisational changes. PLANES & TANKS. Mr William Green, addressing the executive council of the American Federation of Labour, disclosed that the delivery rate of Flying Fortresses has been more than doubled since Pearl Harbour, while the total monthly production of combat planes now exceeds the entire annual output of 1939. The American output of tanks already exceeded the total Axis production. Thirty-six new merchant ships were launched in April. The War Department announced that, acting on instructions from President Roosevelt, the Army is taking over the actual operation and control of all domestic ail’ line planes, of which there are about 300. All routes and services which are not regarded as essential to the war programme will be terminated. PETROL AND RUBBER. In the Senate today, Senator Downey said the nation was approaching a desperate condition on gasoline and rubber. He declared that all oil tankers had been removed from the Atlantic coastal routes, whereas previously 95 per cent of the east coast’s oil had been transported by tanker. “Unless we conserve gasoline and rubber we may find ourselves in a condition from which we will be unable to recover,” he said. The Union for Democratic Action and the magazine “New Republic,” have jointly launched a political drive “against dangerous obstructionists in Congress.” The “New Republic” today published a special 32-page’ supplement, demanding the ousting of 29 specified Congressmen who are described as “dispensers of Nazi propaganda, almost conscious Fascists, clearly acting in the interests of the Axis, and leaders in attacks against President Roosevelt and against Labour.” f
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1942, Page 3
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516DRASTIC CHANGES Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1942, Page 3
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