Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-15
WAR NEEDS CALL FOR
BIG SUPPLY OF STEEL
Tremendous Amounts Will Be
Required by Government in
Carrying Out Program
New York, June Is.

w oohS ~.
Steel manufacturers during the past
week received further evidence of the
tremendous amount of steel that will be
required by the United States Govern
ment in connection with its war pro-
gram 1t is admitted that the tonnage
now know to be wanted is larger than
any previous estimate made.
This includes the enormous demands
for the Emergency Fleet Corporation
as well as the large orders for munitions
which are coming steadily to the steel
manufacturers The indications are said
to be that there will be no letup in these
demands for some time, and the present
program as worked out by the Federal
authorities will keep the steel plants Of
the entire country busy for a long time
In addition to the large tonnage OF
plates, shapes and bars required in con-
nection with shipbuilding and munitions
work. the contracts for the product. for
the cars and locomotives ordered by the
Government for the railroads are receive
ing much consideration. 1t is the opin-
ion in the steel trade that these orders
are just as important as the actual war
work, as the material will be needed so
the railroads of the country will be put
in the position where they can take care
of the ever increasing shipments.
1t is the opinion in some quarters that
the plate situation might develop some
serious problems. The question of OBJ
tanning the plates for all kinds Of work
Is one which has brought about num-
ber of informal conferences. and there
is a possibility that an actual shortage
might develop In this branch, with prac-
tically not a ton available for anything
but Government work. -.
So far as bars and shapes are con-
cerned the leading steel authorities Of
the country state that there will be d
sufficient supply to take care Of all pres
ent demands with a small surplus avail
able for other purposes, but the makers
are not inclined to take any outside or
ders as yet even for the products which
they believe they will have available.
The railroad administration has put
out an inquiry for 1900 tons of struc-
-tural rivets and $4,000 tons of standard
machine and carriage bolts in connec-
ton with the orders for cars placed with
the equipment makers some time ago.
These tonnages are among the largest
for those products asked for In the his
tory of the steel trade. 1t Is stated.
After the various manufacturers OF
riyets and bolts have submitted their
proposals to the railroad administration
and the latter had obtained all the data
possible, the entire matter was turned
over to the car builders, who are to
place their own orders for, the products
with the nearest manufacturing plants
1t is noted just now that the leading
steel men in this city are more opttmis'
tic over the outlook than they had beer
at any time heretofore. While some oi
the representatives of the Government
in Washington still insist that there will
be a shortage of steel In this country
and that not pound will be available
for outside consumption, the opinion still
prevails in the trade that with the be-
ginning of production by the many ad
ditions, improvements and extensions
being made to steel plants Of the coun
try. the outturn win oyertake the de-
mand. s-7 - 81. e5g-. y F.ri.
In this connection attention Is called
| to the fact that every steel company o.
Importance, almost without exception
either has construction work under way
or Ia planning to de some building. Th'
activities In this direction can only meaI
| that the output OF the plants will be In
creased materially In the future, ant
| some of this increased production Is ex
| peeted to be felt before the end OF tn
| summer. va- t.