March 1942 – Revitalizing Defense Production: The Role of the Used Machinery Industry

LAST YEAR, according to estimate, some 50,000 idle or surplus machine tools were placed back in production by the Used Machinery Industry. These machines represented an immediate saving of many millions of dollars to Defense Contractors and ultimately to the Nation. However, the dollars conserved are only a drop in the bucket compared to the weeks and months of precious time saved in turning out guns, shells, planes and tanks. 

We have always emphasized in this publication the economic position of the dealer who buys and sells industrial equipment but there are some who, in their patriotic zeal, would eliminate the dealer as an economic parasite. 

It is true that there have been many abuses by overly ambitious dealers, but show us the Industry identified with the War Program which has not had to be regulated or curtailed. 

Our duty, as well as that of every real American, is to win this war—and win it in the shortest possible time. With war materials production as the first and foremost item on the program, the less we do to upset regular trade channels the quicker we can get this job finished. 

This is neither a brief nor an appeal intended to benefit the Surplus Equipment Industry. It is just an ordinary common sense expression based upon two decades of study of an Industry which has been both misunderstood and maligned because it appeared that a few over-zealous “patriots” made a few bucks without producing much in the way of actual materials. 

Nevertheless we still strongly contend that the conversion or reallocation of plants and machinery can best be done by the people who know how.