The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1915-04-01
ALLIES
B|LL|0NSAHEAR
IN MUNITIONS
Great Stream of Business Flows
Into United States as Re-
suit of War.
TAXED TO UTMOST
Most Of the Contracts for suppIiea
Run for Two Years or Longer
Goods Soldsfor Delivery Here
Shipment at Buyers Risk.

New York.-A common estimate Of
the wars length is three years. In
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 l
our trade will reach $1,000, 100000; and
unless something occurs to check this
phenomenal. business $4,000. 600, 900
will have poured into the United
States before the Treaty of peace Is
signed. y
Even If the war should stop right
nov our trade in the materials of wan
would soon reach a 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 eve 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 M of their allies.
There is no penalty for misbilling
exports. Much gunpowder is. going
out in cases marked sugar or salt, es!!
pecially through Pacific ports to Rus.
STA by way of Vladivostok. I.
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, $4,000, 900; arms.
explosives and the like, $1O5, OOO, 900;
iron and steel, $65,0O0, 900; uniforms,
socks, sweaters, ETC., $50, 900, 900; i
chemicals and hospital supplies, S..
600, 900; soldiers shoes, harness and
other leather products, $18,0 100000
miscellaneous, including food sup,
plies known to have gone to the
armies. $4,000 900.
# Plants Run Night and Day.
1t a be said without fear of con-
tradiction that the allies have not
contracted for the entire output oa
the arms and ammunition factories of
the United States, while scores Of
concerns are charging their plants
and running three shifts a day to full
fill their foreign contracts.
Mo~~ 80 4l@~@ So
know they are turning out goods for
a foreign power. They may surmise
It, but they do not care. They dealt
only through a 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 cope
ate with the buyers in maintaining
secrecy, but also to prevent meddling
by agents of governments hostile to
the buyers.
The Is f1rearm 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.
p%losives has forced prices to- high
levels. Picric acid, used in making
explosives, has risen from % cents to
$3.50 a pound and the entire. supply
on hand has been bought up. Those
who still have guncotton on hand
which can be, delivered within 80,
days are asking 70 cents a pound.
The usual price is 20 to 251cents. In
February the French government
tried to buy 24,0OO,0QO pounds of gun
cotton, offering 65 cents. 1t was un.
obtainable, so contracts were placed
with a number Of mills running over
two years.