The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-04-08
SELLING ALLIES
BILLIONS AYEAR
f.
IN MUNITIONS
Great Stream of Business Flows
j. Into United States as Re-
s. I5s.:z..z. suit of War. >, ..s...,
PLANTS TAXED TO UTMOST
Most Of the Contracts for Supplies
Run for Two Years or Longer
+ Goods Sold for Delivery Here
n. Shipment at Buyers Risk.

Ii
the first six months of the conflict
the United States sold about $780,
100000 in war supplies, not taking
into consideration foodstuffs designed
for civilian populations. By August 1
our trade will reach S1,000,000, 1000; and
unless something occurs to check this
phenomenal business $3,O0O,OOO,OO0
will have poured into the United
States before the treaty of peace is
signed.
Even if the war should stop right
now our trade in the materials of war
would soon reach billion, for most
of the great contracts are written to
be fulfilled without regard to the
course of the war and run for two
years, or even longer.
Our gain would be even larger
could we supply both sides. AS it is,
almost nothing is going to the Teu-
tonic allies.
The United States government Of
ficials are unable to give anything
like correct figures of the trade in
war supplies. A large proportion,
how large it is impossible to say,
goes to Canada first and is shipped
from there to England, France, Rus
STA or one Of their allies.
! There is no penalty for misbilling
exports. Much gunpowder is going
out in cases marked sugar or salt, es-
lpecially through Pacific ports to Rus
STA by way Of Vladivostok
In the most authoritative circles It
is estimated that the principal items
in the four millions of dollars worth
ordered here in the first six months
were: Motor cars, $25,O0O,0OO; arms,
Explosives and the like, s1O5,OO0, 600;
iron and steel, s65,OOO,O00; uniforms,
socks, sweaters, etc., $3O,00O,OOO;
chemicals and hospital supplies, S.
100000; soldiers shoes, harness and
other leather products, $4,000, 900;
miscellaneous, including food sup
plies known to have gone to the
armies, $160,000,000
Plants Run Night and Day.
It can be said without fear Of con-
.tradiction that the allies have not
contracted for the entire output of
the arms and ammunition factories of
the United States, while scores of
concerns are enlarging their plants
and running three shifts a day to full
I'LL their foreign contracts
Many of these companies do not
know they are turning out goods for
foreign power. They may surmise
it, but they do not care. They dealt
only through broker or agent and
with great secrecy.
Goods are sold for delivery here,
and shipment is at the buyers risk.
The buyer enforces secrecy, because
the goods are contraband. The man
ufacturers surround their plants with
high fences and troops of armed
guards in order not only to COOPER
ate with the buyers in maintaining
secrecy, but also to prevent meddling
by agents Of governments hostile to
the buyers
The Is frearm and ammunition
factories in the United States ordi-
,narily employ 10000 persons. Now
their forces number $4,000 and are
increasing.
The enormous demand for high ex-
plosives has forced prices to high
levels. Picric acid, used in making
explosives, has risen from rs cents to
$3.50 pound and the entire supply
on hand has been bought up. Those
VINO still have guncotton on hand
winch can be delivered within 80
days are asking 70 cents a pound.
The usual price is 20 to 25 cents. In
February the French government
hJJU
cotton, Offering IS cents. It was I'M
obtalnable, SO contracts were placed
with number of mills running over
two years.
More than 10000 automobile trucks
have been shipped to England and
france since August 1, but from the
way new orders are coming in. this
branch of trade is only Just begin
ming. The French war authorities
figure the average life of an auto
truck is only seven days.
Thousands of Buyers.
There are thousands of buying
agents for the foreign governments
all over the country, but the two
largest blocks of contracts are COM
Ing through Charles Schwab OF the
bethlehem Steel company and J. Pier
pont Morgan, head of the great bank
ing firm.
Schwab has made two visits to Fill
rope since the war began and has OBJ
tanned contracts amounting to more
than $50,000,OO0. His Bethlehem
works are making even 12-inch guns
for the allies, but in addition to what
is turned out here he has sublet or
ders in dozen different cities. Nor
gan is now the general purchasing
agent Of the British government and
all orders go through his firm.
Every section Of the country where
iufacturing is a large feature Ct
business is benef1ting from war or.
oers, although these orders in MANY
cases are not large enough to offset
the depression in domestic trade.
Many orders are from governments
winch never before bought in the
american market and American bust.
ness men believe they can hold this
trade after the war is over. They
argue that much of the work now
oelng done here for Great Britain. tn
take an Instance. has previously been
done in Germany, and that the bittar
feeling after the war will nroo,,,ao