Show A WEEK OF THE WAR WARThe WARThe The War Production Board said sold shortages of some materials and man power were more limiting factor factor factor fac fac- fac- fac tor in out all-out production than difficulties in obtaining obtaining obtaining obtain obtain- ing production facilities The board reported airplanes airplanes airplanes air air- planes production though ahead of schedule would be more advanced if more materials had been a- a Chairman Nelson said he has not recognized recognized recognized the possibility that any phase of f the production product product- ion program would fail to meet the goals announced by President Roosevelt To speed production Mr Nelson ordered all war supply contracts to be negotiated instead of determined determined determined deter deter- mined by competitive bidding Contracts will be assigned to firms requiring smallest quantities of oi new equipment to fill orders he said The W. W P. P B. B began an inventory of all idle machine tools to make them available for war production The W P B said war expenditures during February February February ary reached nearly million dollars a day 18 per percent percent percent cent greater than in January R F C disbursements and treasury check for war purposes totaled 2 2330 for the month The board announced mass production of tanks making gr greater ater use of cast steel and welded hulls has begun strip mills that last year made sheet steel for automobile bodies are being being being be be- ing converted to manufacturing ship plate The Navy Navy Navy Na Na- vy Ordnance Bureau said its contractual obligations increased 49 per cent in in the two months after Pearl I Harbor Price Administrator Henderson reported United Nations' Nations rubber requirements will not allow any rub rubber rubber rubber ber for new or recapped tires for non-essential non passenger passenger passenger pas pas- cars There is not rubber now to sustain the rate of military production and the most civilian needs he said To insure maximum maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum durability of tires now being recapped Mr Henderson said he is developing minimum standards standards standards stand stand- ards for grades of recapping ng material being manu manu- The W P B rep reported equipment manufacturers experimenting with reclaimed rubber rubber rubber rub rub- ber have developed serviceable squash and tennis balls and are working to develop an reclaimed all-reclaimed core for baseballs The sugar section began beganI I survey of the sugar situation in all non-axis non countries countries countries coun coun- tries to find all supplies of sugar available to the United Nations The stopped all sales and deliveries of new and used typewriters Chairman Nelson authorized the Office of Price Administration to ration such typewriters typewriters type typewriters writers at both and retail levels Petroleum um Coordinator Ickes said a d gasoline very likely will willbe willbe willbe be rationed if the war council of the petroleum industry industry industry in in- recommends such action President Roosevelt author authorized zed the OCD to begin placing orders for civilian defense workers' workers equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment and medical OCD director Landis requested civic civic officials not to ask OCD headquarters for equipment for distribution will be based on a priorities system established by the War and Navy departments Priorities will be based on likelihood likelihood likelihood like like- of attack vulnerability and importance to towar towar towar war production of manufacturing plants in in the com com- The House passed and sent to conference a bill providing the War Damage Corporation with a fund of a billion dollars to insure property in the United States against damage by enemy attack Director Landis said regional blackouts are planned for later later later lat lat- lat lat- er in the spring and a New England test blackout probably will be held this r month He announced a aplan aplan plan elan whereby the posts of the veterans of foreign foreign foreign for for- eign wars will cooperate with local defense councils in civilian mobilization General MacArthurs MacArthur's small air force sank more than tons of Japanese shipping in Bay resulting in the loss of thousands of enemy soldiers United States forces in operation west of the Gilbert Islands destroyed sixteen of a formation of eighteen J Japanese heavy bombers U. U S. S submarines in the Far East torpedoed ten additional enemy vessels Enemy U-boats U in the Atlantic sank the destroyer Jacob Jones' Jones an ore carrier and two tV freighters General Wavell we relieved of command of pf United United United Uni Uni- ted Nations forces in the East Indies to resume as Commander in Chief of India After the March 17 lottery in selective service registrants registrants reg reg- registrants will be placed in two groups groups- one of the new and the other of the earlier registrants Local boards will set rations between the two groups in calling men for induction Furloughs to adjust ci civilian civilian civilian ci- ci vilian affairs in cases of undue hardships caused b by Y immediate induction will be granted hereafter b by bythe bythe Y the army and not by local boards The ordered manufacture of radios and phonographs pho pho- for civilian use to be dis discontinued after April The industry will manufacture signal corps equipment and other war v production Installation Installation Installation lation of telephones will be restricted in order to save scarce materials hose will be of rayon rayon rayon ray ray- on after April Aprill 1 instead of silk and nylon A ceiling will be put on rents to keep them form soaring |