Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

11 Mobilization Holes: Two out of every 3 dollars of mili tary electronics procurement in fiscal 1953 will be for aircraft and related electronic equipment, if Congress approves military requests in President Truman’s budget. President asked Congress to give armed forces authority to obligate $52.4 billion more for military procurement in year ending June 30, 1953 — $9.3 billion less than the $61.7 for current fiscal year. This won’t mean slowdown in defense production — far from it. Military output will increase steadily this year and next, as contracts signed earlier reach actual output and delivery stage. During fiscal 1953, Uncle Sam actually will pay far more for delivery of military equipment than in 1952 — but most of these funds will be covered by obligational authority approved by Congress in 1952. Of all military procurement programs, only aircraft will be maintained at same pace in fiscal 1953 as in fiscal 1952. Mr. Truman has asked for $14.1 billion in new obligational authority for aircraft program in 1953 vs. $14.9 billion in 1952. Authority for all other new procurement will come to $7.6 billion, little more than half this year’s $14.5. While aircraft electronics contracts will continue to be placed at current high levels, other new electronics procurements are expected to drop to about 50% of fiscal 1952 rate. President Truman, in his budget message, pointed out that “in some of the new models [of aircraft], the cost of the electronic equipment alone represents more than the entire cost of World War II planes designed for the same type of mission.” Exemplifying the changing proportions of military procurement are these incomplete figures on electronics requirements of armed forces as stated in budget: Air Force requested $300,000,000 in obligational authority for procurement of guided missiles vs. $130,887,287 in 1952. Total guided-missile budget for all armed forces, therefore, is believed to be close to $900,000,000— and electronics equipment comprises one-third to one-half the cost of guided missiles. Air Force also asked $400,000,000 for electronics and communications equipment, exclusive of factory-installed equipment in aircraft — about same as 1952 figure. For research and development, Air Force’s largest single request is $110,381,000 for guided-missile work; $68,697,000 is listed for Air Force electronic research and development, increase of $14,000,000 over fiscal 1952. Army estimates $225,909,000 for new electronics-communications procurement, just about half of its 1952 figure. Navy’s request for ship electronics procurement is $143,589,000, less than half the $340,649,100 in 1952. * * * * Chrome stainless steel was removed from CMP this week in NPA’s first major decontrol action. Adequate supply of non-nickel-bearing stainless eliminates necessity for controls on this metal, NPA explained. Principal use of the metal by TV-radio industry has been for metal-cone CR tubes (Vol. 8:2-3), but it may also find use as cabinet trim, antenna parts etc. The control agency named steel industry task group Jan. 30 to study problem of decontrolling other steel products which are in good supply. NPA tightened its curbs on use of nickel-bearing stainless simultaneously with its decontrol of chrome stainless, reducing from 1500 lbs. to 500 lbs. the amount of nickel-bearing which may be obtained quarterly by self-certification. New atomic energy div. has been formed by Sylvania for expanded govt, research and development. Walter E. Kingston, formerly manager of Sylvania’s metallurgical laboratories at Bayside, N. Y., is director of new division, which will be located at Sylvania Center, 56-acre research site at Bayside. Company is building 50,000-sq. ft. laboratory there for atomic work, expected to employ 500 persons. Trsds Personals: Edmund T. Morris Jr., having ended tour of govt, duty as chief of DPA Electronics Production Board and NPA Electronics Div., rejoins Westinghouse Feb. 4 to handle military contracts work . . . W. W. Watts, RCA engineering products v.p., seriously stricken with hepatitus (rare form of inflammation of the liver) several weeks ago, remains bedridden at his home in Wynnewood, Pa., probably will be on sick list at least month more . . . F. F. Duggan, ex-sales mgr., Avco American Kitchens Div., named asst. gen. sales mgr., Crosley Div., under W. A. Blees, succeeded by Charles K. Clarke . . . Paul Gaynor, ex-Buchanan & Co., ad agency, appointed v.p. in charge of merchandising, CBS-Columbia Inc.; Edwin Weisl Jr., adv. mgr., has resigned . . . Frederick W. Reynolds, ex-DuMont, joins application engineering staff of Sprague Electric Co., New York office . . . Charles McKinney named Belmont adv. mgr., succeeding A1 Henry, now handling contracts; Charles Lunney, asst. adv. mgr., resigns to join Sylvania • • . W. R. McAllister, ex-Capehart-Farnsworth Eastern mgr., heading national sales for Shaw Television Corp., now expanding its distribution . . . Joseph G. DeVico promoted to director of adv. & sales promotion, Majestic . . . Harold Dittenhoefer, ex-Tele-tone & DeWald, appointed Olympic TV field service mgr. . . . Stanley W. Church, mayor of New Rochelle, N. Y., elected v.p. & director, Sightmaster Corp. . . . Hal Dietz promoted to gen. mgr., Emerson-New York Inc Robert E. Gramer, v.p., Gramer Transformer Corp., who sold control to James M. Blacklidge, now president, has become western sales mgr. with headquarters at 2738 E. Third St., Phoenix . . . Hugh F. McTeigue appointed to direct RCA Service Co. accelerated military electronics training program under P. B. Reed, v.p. in charge of govt, service div. . . . Fritz P. Rice named mgr. of DuMont CR tube div. under Irving G. Rosenberg, now director of manufacturing, engineering & sales operations of TV plant in E. Paterson. Justin R. (Ted) Sypher, chief of military equipment section, NPA Electronics Div., becomes acting chief of division’s end equipment branch Feb. 4, replacing J. A. (Shine) Milling who takes over as division director. Mr. Sypher will serve in new post until man from industry is selected for job. K. J. Plucknett this week leaves division’s transformer section to join Interior Dept, water & power div. Joseph Yanchulis, formerly of plant expansion section, has transferred to Consumer Durable Goods Div. flashlight & battery section. Under 3 divisional sales managers headquartered in Cincinnati — E. W. Gaughan in charge of Eastern div., M. R. Rodger, Central; T. H. Mason, Western— Crosley has set up new sales organization of zone managers, one each for TV-radio, refrigerators and appliances. The TV-radio zonemen: P. J. Reed, New York; H. A. Hoffmeir, Philadelphia; J. C. McDevitt, Atlanta; L. Molenda, Cleveland; B. M. Morehouse, Cincinnati; H. T. Preston, Chicago; J. T. Caviezel, Kansas City; C. F. McGraw, San Francisco. Minority stockholders of WIZE, Springfield, O., this week sued Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer, his wife and other directors for $112,080 for allegedly making improper salary allowances to the Sawyers, charging Secretary Sawyer was paid $70,000 salary in last 7 years for services allegedly “negligible in amount and cursory in nature” while Mrs. Sawyer drew $16,800 as secretary though rendering “no service of any kind.” Also sought is recovery of $21,000 in rentals of space in Mr. Sawyer’s law offices in Cincinnati. The minority group owns 112 of the firm’s 250 shares. Secretary Sawyer also owns WING, Dayton, and recently bought WCOL, Columbus (Vol. 7:52).