The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-04
GOVERNMENT TAKES
OVER STEEL OUTPUT
War Industries Board VIII Meet
N~sds With 100 Fer Cent
Production.
COMM aNDrERs lot or PIG IRON
Shift 5000 Tons From Automobile
Plant to War Essential Factory-
Manufacturers Fight Curtaiinsent of
Necessary Products

Washington. May 3.-The United
States government has taken absolute
control of the distribution of steel in
all industries.
Through the war industries board
and other proper agencies the war
I needs will be maintained at 100 per
cent production.
First evidence of the determination
+ OF the government 10 keep all the
great war-rnaking factories at full
tilt was given today when 5000 tons
of pig iron were Communicated from
an autom ohiie plant and shifted 10 a
war essential factory.
Probably the biggest fight against
curtailment OF production among the
lesser essential industries will come
Monday. when the automobile indus
tries Will hold a conference with the
government officials to prevent draS-
tic curtailment of their output ". c.
Durart. representing the automobile
manufacturers, will head the delega
ton and he will be in conference with
j. Leonard Eeplocel. director OF stee
OF the war industries board. George
\. Peek, director OF finished products
of the war Industries board; and r. p.
Noyes. conservation director OF the
fuel adm nistration.
PREVIOUS announcement mas oeSh
made by the International News Ser
vice that a ourtaiiment of at least rs
per cent OF the automobile ulanufac-
ture was contemplated by the govern
ment Within the last two weeks con-
tingencies have arisen that give indi-
cations that even a greater curtaii-
ment will be demanded. The ANTONIO
bile interests are bringing every pres
sure to hear to prevent it. But it is
maintained by the various government
officials that manufacture of pleasure
automobiles is not a necessity and
must give way TO war essentials.
VIII Work Full Power
Bernard NJ, Baruch. chairman of the
war industries board. has expressed
his conviction that every single war
! plant will be kept going full speed
and the greatest demand at present
is for steel and pig iron. He does not
! contemplate checking off any work
that is almost completed and which
might require only small allotment
tho expert on steel and will devote all
his time to the enforcement OF the de-
livery of steel to the big war plants.
While neither MIR, Baruch nor Mr.,
Raplogel will discuss the subject, 1T
can he said that the official mind at
present views the situation in this
/ light:
In 1916 there were built 1900. 000
automobiles: in 1917, l,65o.000; and
100000 were planned for 1918.
Roughly speaking. ton and half OF
steel Is required for each automobile,
taking in the waste, This program
would mean S.50o,oo0 tons OF steel.
which in itself would more than pro-
vide sufficient steel TO carry out the
complete present program of con-
struction of the railroad administra-
ton. Numerous theatcrs. dance halls
and pleasure resorts have contracted
for large steel tonnage, while thou
sands OF tons of steel are still being
used in constructions which the war
Industries board believes might easily
De delayed The manufacture of au-
tomobiles takes 10 per cent of all tho
steel produced in this country, with a
constant heavy drain on copper,
aluminium. bronze. and the use OF
thousands of magnetos or other cleo
trical appliances required In the great
aircraft program.