Horse-Sense Order

The largest single truck & trailer order in automotive history was announced last week by the Army. Dimensions: 880,000 vehicles; 41 manufacturers; over $1,500,000,000 total cost.

Amounting to more trucks than the whole U.S. makes in a normal year, the new order got boos and catcalls when first announced. But when the details leaked out the order made sense aplenty. The contracts run for two and a half years, include all Lend-Lease needs and all the trucks the Army expects to use in a "reasonable war period." Now manufacturers can lay out longterm, sense-making production schedules, standardize operations and parts, avoid the waste and confusion of numerous small, haphazard orders.

The new 880,000-vehicle order comes on top of 900,000 already bought since May 1940. Whatever else betides, the Army will not lack transportation of its own.

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