Global Transportation 97 



active service. Wolfgang Langewiesche contends that "we 

 shall need an extension of the airways to the grass routes. 

 That may mean low-cost 'flyways' for bad weather, extend- 

 ing to every town, with a landing strip every ten miles and 

 perhaps regular sign posts, bearing numbers, marking the 



route." 



Solutions for Postwar Unemployment 



In 1943, according to the OWI, the total production of the 

 American aviation industry cargo and combat planes to- 

 gether will reach the total of $20,100,000,000, a fourth of 

 our war budget for the year and almost a seventh of the esti- 

 mated national income. This is in contrast with the auto indus- 

 try, which at its peak in 1941 reached only $3,700,000,000. 

 About 2,500,000 trained workers are now turning out planes 

 and almost all airplane plants can be converted to the pro- 

 duction of peacetime aircraft. 



Will aircraft plants shut down when the war ends and turn 

 loose thousands of employees to hunt for jobs in other indus- 

 tries? It would appear that commercial and private equip- 

 ment requirements will keep most factories busy for a while, 

 and the military planes on hand will require an annual re- 

 placement of about 25 per cent because of losses and the fact 

 that planes will get out of date. 



Glenn L. Martin does not believe that the postwar years 

 should hold any fears for the airplane industry. He predicts 

 that after readjustments are made the plane builders will be 

 even busier than they are right now turning out planes "for 

 an aviation business bigger than anything we ever dreamed." 

 He believes that in five or six years the industry "will be 

 using at least all of its wartime workers." 



Mr. Martin based his prophecy on these factors: (i) need 

 for at least five years' replacement in domestic aviation; (2) 



