The Washington times., 1915-04-19

It's reasonably obvious that war
should create "A demand for cannons,
guns, powder, and such-like things.
But why for lathes?
The other day man came to Wash
ington and told the Department of Com
merce that he wanted $4,000 worth OF
lathcs; wanted them right away; would
pay cash He had hunted all over the
country for them and couldn't find any.
Could the department help him set
lathes?
The department wondered why lathes
should be so scarce, and looked into
the matter. 1t turned out that lathes
were scarcer than 16-inch artillery, and
that everybody that could make them
was away behind his orders. But why?
The answer suggests Just one OF the
many curious industrial results or the
great demand for war supplies results
that nobody could have even imagined
until a war had come along ana Demon
strated just what II required.
Cases For Shrapnel.
Mctal-turning lathcs are required for
turning out the cases or containers Tor
shrapnel. Shrapnel consists OF a lot OF
bullets in a case, that Is shot out OF
field piece. the bullets scattering ana
doing great execution. So much shrap-
mel has been required that Industrial
Europe has been stripped of metal-turn-
ing lathes in order to supply the NUM-
ton factories. This country was appeal
ed to, and It's available supplies OF
lathes didn't last long. Ihc oraer ioI
So, go worth of lathes came from
manufacturer who. it Is understood, had
taken on a contract to supply shrapnel
cases without realizing the shortage OF
lathos AT last accounts the order had
not been filled because lathes were not
to be had for love or money.
This Is only onn OF the almost IN
numcrable items that the war demand
has brought into attention. The other
day an automobilist was talking about
the motoring routes between NashinS-
ton and New York.
You can drive bv night through Della
ware" he said. without using any
lights, because the powder factories are
working tho entire twenty-four hours,
and the whole State Is electric lighted
all the time"
The stock market has begun to re-
fleet the effect of this demand on 'spe-
cialty' stocks. representing concerns
that are making supplies for the war
ring countries. The Department of
Commerce has been gathering some in
formation about the character and va
ricty Of this business, which Is aston
ishiug in it's range. Among the effects
Of war demand there are many odd
contradictions.
J. OF instance, despite mat the "aT u"-
mand for American horses has beer
widely h"ralded the facts, AZ shown hy
the department Of Agriculture sreports
nre that an insign ficant number OF
horses have been taken out of the coun'
| try, and that horses have been falling
in price. One of the interesting details
! is that many Americans nave been re-
| fusing to sell their young horses fol
use in the war.
Horses Life Ten Days.
They don't care to see the animals
they have raised sent to be sacrificed
in the fearful service in which 1t ha!
been widely published a horses lif'
averages only ten days. Some effor
has recently been reported to con
| vince people that the service is not 81
destructive of the animals as has beer
supposed. The affection of the Ameri
can breeder for his horses promises t
protect the country pretty effectivel!
against any excessive drain of horse
| flesh to the battlefields.
Raisers of live stock for mea
purposes have suffered a grievous dis
| appointment by reason of the failure
| of meat and meat-animai prices to e
up as much as many expected the!
would do under the influence OF war de
mand. Wheat went up and, with som'
! fluctuations. has remained high. No
| off the market by farmers who thinl
they will get 50 a bushel before tn,
new crop comes. This is one OF the
| dealings in grain futures dangerous, ac