Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-12
EXPANSION ENDED
in WAR INDUSTRY
Munitions and Other Plants
Ordered Not to In
crease
PREVENTS C~ONCESTION

Beginning today. war plants here and
in other sections of Pennsylvania as far
west as Altoona and wililamsport will
not be permitted to increase the volume
OF their war orders. Similarly, construc-
tion of new plants to handle additional
orders for war materials will not be per-
mitted.
This order, which also applies TO New
England, eastern and southern New
York, Delaware and eastern Maryland,
Including Baltimore, was announced. by
the war industries board and the fuel
and railroad administrations to check
further industrial congestion in the al
ready overburdened East.
officials in charge of quantity produc-
ton for the Government point out that
the demand for war materials at present
is actually greater than the capacity of
the various manufacturing plants. They
say that a continuance of the expansion
which has been in progress for some time
will put the railroads in the position OF
being required to haul more coal and
raw booking than they are capable OF
handling.
win Not Affect Ships
Exceptions to this policy will be made
only when 1t is impossible adequately to
provide for war needs in other sections.
From this view, it is believed, shipyards
and plants supplying shipyards with
materials will be in no wise affected.
The new policy will tend to expand
industries in the South and Middle
West, but the process is expected to be
80 gradual as to work no hardship on
Industries in the restricted area and to
cause unusual industrial booms else
where.
The labor problem will also be affected
by the new move. Labor advisers of the
Government I've found one of their
most vexing problems In the lure of
labor to new war industries in this sec
ton and other parts of the Atlantic
eeaboard. Farms in the east were al
most denuded of men and there was also
a general unsettling of labor conditions
farther west.
The new order is expected to change
this, as all war industries in the Sec
ton are. now virtually operating at full
capacity.
Text Of announcement
The formal announcement of the bar
ring of new war industries and the re-
strictions on volume OF orders to be-
handled by plants already established
follows: !
"A policy has been adopted and made,
(, effective for preventing further increase,
in the volume of war orders and the
number of establishments handling them
in the area known as the congested man.
ufacturing and transportation district.
This district comprises the New England
States, eastern and southern New York,
Pennsylvania as far west as Williams
port and Altoona, all of New Jersey and
Delaware. eastern Maryland. not in
GLIDING Baltimore.
7 Exceptions to this polict will be
made only If unavoidable through in
ability otherwise to provide for war
needs.
THE congested district comprises
those eastern States in which so large a
proportion of war industries is located
os to make 1t difficult to supply all with
necessary raw material and fuel. This
difficulty obtains because coal for these
industries Is mined in the territory west
of the Allegheny Mountains. It must be
carried into this congested district by a
limited number of railway lines and by
ships from Hampton Roads and Balti-
} more.
1.-THE amount Of coal, therefore, which
can be transported into this congested
area during n one season Is limited
and is an entirely separate problem from
the production Of coal. However much
coal is mined in western Pennsylvania.
West Virginia and Ohio, only SO much
Is available for this congested district
as the railroads and ships can transport
into 1t.
IA careful analysis of the possible
coal movement shows that the increased
Industrial activity in these eastern States
has created a requirement for coal which
exceeds the limit of possible transporta-
ton of coal, plus necessary materials
for manufacture. A map of the con-
rested and restricted district has been
issued to all Government departments