This incident has impressed itself on the minds of thinking people all over the North American Continent Only fourteen hours from Europe! America and its outposts are not imjune or inaccessible to the bombers of Germany as North Americans had thought after all- The slogan of the Aircraft Branch is "The Maximum of Action and the Minimum of Red Tape." and this permeates every office in the outfit.
Several colourful figures are associated with Mr, Bell in the drive for aircraft development and production: J. A. D. McCurdy, 1 first man who ever flew in the British Empire. Charles H. Day, one-time Chief Engineer of the Glenn L. Martin Company; latterly in charge of all aircraft production for the Chinese Goverament, A, K, Tylee, Lieutenant-Colonel inthe Royal Air Force during the World War; first Alf Commodore in the Canadian Air Force appointed to organize it originally: "TT W. Siers, known throughout Canada as one of the greatest authorities on maintenance and overhaul in the Dominion. the man who developed the system of "cold weather starting" by oil dilution in aircraft. which has contributed so much to winter flying in Canada and elsewhere throughout the world This is no organization of "yes" men. bye 4 team of keen-minded, hard-working individuals who battle out their differences of opinion and reach common conclusions that reflect the considered opinion of the group.
Mr. Bell says that anything that has been accomplished in the production of aircraft Canada is attributable to the industry itself; that all he and his organization do is to try io provide the necessary facilities and orders. and to! clear bottlenecks when they occur. Insisting that Canada has a just right to be proud of its aircraft industry but that any credit that is due is due the industry itself, Mr. Bell points. out that for the four years preceding the war. the entire Canadian aircraft industry had less than 1.000 employees. and had not turned out 50 machines or done a million dollars worth of business in a year-Today. the industry has 25,000 employees—and they are increasing ad an average rate of about 500 a week—is turning out an average of over 40 planes a week or approximately as many per week as it formerly turned out in a year, and has rising $200.000.000 worth of business on its books.
Born. reared. and educated in the Maritime Provinces. with a background of training and experience in machinery. hardware, lumber. fishing. and shipping. of the many types of businesses Mr, Bell has "managed his day aircraft has never been one, Nor is he a flier, except in his younger days to learn to "take up a crate." Yet as he rounds out his first year as Director of Canada's Aircraft Production. he has the entire industry solidly behind him.
He has learned to know them and their troubles. He gets ott among workmen as well as executives, and they know he knows whether or not they are doing a good job. He likes men who work with their hands. Canada's aircraft industry has been a "small time" affair. War has forced it to expand into Big Business. Mr. Bell has believed in the industry. and that has comforted officers and men in their day of sore distress.
There's no more picturesque figure in the rabbit warren of temporary wooden Munitions and Supply buildings in Ottawa than Ralph Bell. He is well-dressed. well-groomed. combines Yankee hustle with "Bluenose" independence—or stubbornness. His easy flow of profanity is as decorative as his ties, He is a fresh easterly breeze in the Department and he has "gone to town" on his job. His native Maritimes are proud of him. Ottawa likes him. and the Canadian Aircraft Industry is glad to let him call the tune.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.