David Lawrence to Woodrow Wilson
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My dear Mr. President
Such splendid progress is being made in shipbuilding that I draw your attention to the possible use of a parallel method with respect to aeroplane production. The American people are beginning to see the shipbuilding program realized, and this is because every few days we see a story in the papers telling of new ships that are launched and estimates of new tonnage completed. A good-natured rivalry has been started between the different companies and the whole attention of the industrial communities in various parts of the land has been focused on shipbuilding. A similar concentration can be secured with respect to aeroplanes, if we institute a system of publishing the production figures at each plant each week. There is no particular military information in production when it is in such an early stage. The Germans would get very much less advantage than we would out of it, and, of course, America's production is only part of the combined entente effort. The Germans learn from a single captured plane and they get many right along all about our machines, and, of course, they learn from observation on the other side just how many planes we get on the fighting line.
But the production in America is something that must be stimulated to a point where secrecy will be worth while. In other words, the Germans know how few planes we have today and it is to our interest to get production going. It is my firm conviction that production has lagged because there has been no public check on the various companies which have the contracts. Publication of the figures would put them all on their mettle, and incidentally would hearten the public and make every concern that supplies parts or materials get into the game enthusiastically.
For instance, at the Dayton Wright aeroplane plant they shipped lask week fifty-eight battleplanes, which is ten more than their schedule. The previous week they equaled their schedule. By publishing figures we stimulate a rivalry between concerns. I have talked this matter over with George Creel, who agrees with me that this ought to be done. If you will give your sanction to it, I am quite sure that the move not only will inspire greater confidence in the aircraft program, for the people will know exactly what is being done, but it will materially aid production. As it is now, I am convinced that a policy of secrecy has been a protection for incompetent concerns. I have just finished a careful inspection of several aeroplane factories and I come back with a feeling that publication of production figures is absolutely essential to the success of the program. With best wishes, I am,
David Lawrence
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