The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-09-03
WAR NEED or STEEL
SHOWS BIG INCREASE
The War Industry Board Estimated
100000 Tons Will Be Required
During Half Year

Pittsburg, Sept. 1.-THE War In
dustries Boards estimate OF the total
amount of steel required for the pres
ent half year, which stood at 10000
600 net tons two are three months
ago, has risen steadily until now 1t
amounts to 23,OO0,OO0 tons. Assam
ing that 100000 Americans will be
transported to France during the half
year, this would be equivalent to one
and half tons man month, fof
his offensive and defensive equip
ment, for transportation, and for the
various commercial activities in the
United States that are required to
maintain the force at the front.
According to the regulations apply
ing to the distribution of steel, the
maintenance of various commercial
activities is sanctioned, even the re-
pair of buildings and the upkeep Of
facilities for heat, light, power, and
sanitation, but as matter of fact the
supply of steel will not cover all the
preference uses recognized, since the
output in the current half year will,
in all probability, be between 1S,OOO,-
900 and 20,000,000 tons, and the steel
available will be devoted to the more
important uses.
Production has been running at a
rate comparing favorably with pro-
duction in previous years, being prac-
tically at record rate, but there is not
the increased tonnage that the great
er productive capacity would warrant
on account of shortage of coke and
labor The Fuel and Railroad Ad
ministrations are strenuously endeav
orng to correct the coke situation
that has developed.
The estimate of 23,000,000 tons Of
steel required in the half year shows
how tn war requirements have grown
One cause of the increase is tht
change in the character of the fight
ing on the western front that has
occurred since the first estimate was
made. All the fresh requiremnts
that have developed are in connec
ton with offensive movements, in
Guiding large additional quantities Of
shells, many rolling field kitchens
and great many other parapher
MALTA.
Apparently large increase has re
Gently been made in the amount OF
steel required for the railroads. Thus
far there has not been a great dea
of buying for the railroads. There
has been steady supply of stee
required for the locomotive shops
but as to freight cars practically
nothing has been done apart from thu
recent placing of orders for 100000
cars. No rails have been bought, de
liveries being confined to contracts
placed before the Govrnment tool
: over the roads.
Requirements for railroad opera
tons in France have been quite
heavy. Within the last fortnight or
ders have been distributed for 10000
thirty-ton eight-wheel standard gauge
cars and few thousand narrow
gauge cars, and reports are that sew
eral tens of thousands of thirty-to,
cars shortly will be ordered in add
ton. These cars involve about ter
tons of steel car.
Plenty of Steel at Shipyards
With the pressure of steel in Sc
many directions, the recent refusa
of the War Industries Board to in
crease the plate allotment for ship
building is understood This allot
ment is $4,000 net tons of plates {
week. While a little shortage Of
steel has developed at some ship
yards, this is attributed entirely t
the distribution of the steel furn
ished, and not to the total quantity
for in confirmation of rumors of
few weeks ago it is now definitely as
certained that about 100000 mel
tons of plates have left the mills
without yet having actually entered
into vessels.
A large tonnage must at all times
be in transit and in process of fabri
cation, and each shipyard should
have a fair stock OF all sizes, but Il
is expected that by scientific distribu
ton the present reservoir" of LOO,
600 tons of steel will prove sufficient
Furthermore, there is the fact thai