The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-12
PLANS MADE FOR
LARGER GUN WORKS
War Activities Due to Ger
man Advance Reflected in
the Steel Trade
GREAT HOWITZERS
MOUNTED ON TRUCKS

Delivery of Guns in 1919 and 1920
Considerable Time Must Elapse Be
fore Commercial Consumption Will Be
Encouraged.
NEW YORK, April l2.-The impetus
applied to the United States govern
ment' s war preparations by the German
advance i'll Picardy is finding marked re
Election in the steel trade. As the re-
suit Of increased demands upon the mills
observers of conditions predict that it
viii be a considerable time before com
mcrcial steel consumption Will receive
encouragement.
THE most significant development of
the week, the Iron Age says. sis the
definite shaping of government plans
for the immediate building of larger gun
works than the United States has TODAY
and for corresponding increase in the
manufacture of the largest shells at new
plants. The new artillery program will
include many 16-inch howitzers mounted
on trucks. Their manufacture is likely
Ito be undertaken by a great interest
not now engaged on guns, and deliv-
cries are not counted on before late
1919 or early 1920.
''This first week Of the country 5 see
ond year in the war is thus marked by
the clearcst indications vet given that
4 American steel output viii at length be
so far taken up by the government and
its allies as to leave little for So-called
ordinary uses either at home or
abroad. :
The name of the company which is ex-
pectcd to undertake the manufacture of
the big cannon could not be learned
al the present time. Superstition point
ed toward the steel corporation. which
is engaged IN making large forgings and
has not yet entered the ordnance field
but confirmation was not obtained.
The vast enlargement of the ma
! ton 5 offensive preparations that has
come in The fortnight, the Iron Age
CONTINUED. has already stirred the ma
chine tool trade. Great activity /,
looked for also from the doubling of the
output of various she'll plants by govern
mcnt order and the call for large mum
beers OF motor trucks to be sent at once
: to France.
Steel mills have been under pres
: sure from Washington in the last weel
Z in an effort 20 have January and Feb
{ ruary shortages made up. particularly
those in plates. The mills have had tht
help of Il better ear supply, which in tn,
;, Pittsburgh district has been especially
= fortunate in view Of the large proper
ton OF output required by the govern
mont. The leading producer there ha
turned nearly 90 per cent OF its recen
y production into government and wa
= contract channels, and several plant
Il in the same district that lately hav
given So to - per cent of their produc
ton TO such business are now consid
" Icrably exceeding these figures.
Great Britain 5 call for 100000 ton
: of ship steel is growing more urgent
and for part of this special considera
ton has been ordered. \ large order 0
shell steel for the allies is also await
ing distribution
Every week 5 delay in the placin
Of the 100000 ears that have long bee
h scheduled ut Washington increases tn
h chances of repeating next winter tn
i disastrous traffic breakdown of Januar
h and February. Should these orders b
b given ont at once, weeks would be II
h CURED for the manufacture of ear al
b Iplanccs on which plants partly id
h should now be at work Precious tim
q is being lost without good reason.
b. Steel ingot production in March
h ESTIMATED at more than 1925 900 ton
h on the basis Of returns from % con
h panieS making s. to 80 per cent of tt
h total. This represents an increase {
u 30 pcr cent over the average for Jan
h cry and February, and is parallel wit
h the remarkable recovery in pigiron pr
ID duction
ID.
ID. Average juries remind me OF a Sc
Ih lnncLin. revolver /" In what way