Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-02
CAUTION IN USE OF STEEL
URGED ON BUSINESS MEN.
War Demands WIN Increase, ana
Maximum Production Will Be
Below Requirements.
SUBSTITUTES ARE SUGGESTED
Lumber May Be Expected to Meet
Many Needs, and Cement Can Be
Had In Quantity for Concrete
Work.
Especial to The Times-ptsp..eh.1

Especial TO The Times- Dispatch.1
WASHINGTON. July BACKED by
declaration that war demands for steel
will increase. and that the utmost We
can produce will be below tho require
menH OF this country and our allies,
an urgent plea Is made that steel DO
used for general business purposes only
when tho requirement In unavoidable.
Lumber and concrete are strongly ad-
vocated Instead. and there II the inti-
nation that unless steel substitute u
found some manufacturers nary be
Obliged to curtail or even suspend oper-
atoms during our participation IN tbs
European conflict
Tho message goes to business men IN
sent out by a committee OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce of the United StAtsA
cooperating with tho Council Of Ma
tional Defense.
at should be anticipated that the
| steel situation, which IL developing
with rapidity." Waddil CatchinEs, OF
New York. chairman OF the COMMITTEES
which issued tho bulletins. says. will
general manufacturers. unable to find
a steel substitute. to secure adequate
supplies OF stoel. and may even make
II impossible to secure Any.
NO SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE
IN PRODUCTION EFFECTED
no substantial increase in produc-
production from existing facilities can
not be expected because transportation,
labor, and material conditions will in
terfere with tho full operation Of
plants. On tho other hand. indications
are that the war requirements will
continue to increase.
"Steel is needed In war for SHIPS,
railroad cars and locomotives, rails,
tracks. and containers the bulletin
goes on. TT must be had for shells
and other munitions work-require-
ments large in tonnage far beyond
what is generally supposed. In addi-
tion. businesses producing government
materials and supplies. tho necessities
Of life and tho materials for producing
| the necessities OF life require steel In
cry, tools and containers. When all
these requirements are mot, It Is said,
little IL any steel will be left Of So
called general business.
''Materlals which can be used In sub
stitution for steel are plentiful in com
parison. Lumber may be expected to
| meet all needs. and cement may. be
had in quantity for concrete work.
While there may be delays in getting
supplies Of these materials, \ hopeless
shortage does not exist. Ss
The course for business men to pur-
sue Is clear. II IL advised. Every Of
fort should be made to use wood and
concrete in place Of steel whenever ehis
can be done. and construction and de-
vclopment work requiring steel should
be postponed wherever possible.
LITTLE WILL BE GAINED
By CONTRACTING AHEAD
Apparently little will be gained BY
contracting ahead for STEEL" the bulle.
tin declares. Experience to-day indi-
Gates that it will soon be necessary for
producers Of steel to ship their pro-
duct where required in connection with
war. rather than TO fill such contracts
rs they may have on their order books.
When tho production OF railroad cars
| and locomotives is interfered with be-
cause necessary steel is going to indus
| tries producing pleasure automobiles,
steel furniture, and buildings for
amusement purposes, the situation can
not be expected to continue
Business men will probably make
their plans in the expectation that
soon thers will be established an order
of distribution OF steel. and that the
wild scramble to enter orders for 'fu-
ture delivery OF steel will be effective.
In fact, 1t will occur to many, no doubt
that failure to recognize this situation
may lead to unfortunate results. In
business requiring steel. II contracts
are placed for future delivery, not only
for steel, but for other materials, the
manufacturer may find that he can
not get steel, but he can get the other
materials. In this case he might, and
that he had on hand large quantities
of materials. which he could not use
because he had no steel