New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-06
End of Shortage
Of Steel Plates
For Ships Seen
Prediction Made After the
President Confers With
Officials
[StoF Correspondence

WASHINGTON, April 5.-Following
conferences to-day among the Presi-
dent, Chairman Hurley, of the Ship
ping Board. Senator Fletcher, chair
man of the Senate Commerce Commit
tee and Bernard N. Baruch, chairman
of the War Industries Board, it is pre-
dicted that the existing shortage of
ship plates in Eastern yards would be
remedied within the next two weeks.
The Shipping Board has ordered an
inventory of the available ship plates
in every steel yard in the country At
the same time the War Industries
Board has ordered q check on the pro-
ductlon of all steel mills manufacture
ing for the Emergency Fleet Corpora
ton. Officials of the steel industry be-
lieve that there is no actual shortage
of ship plates, but that the difficulty
has developed through improper dis
tribution of the steel mill output.
The recent large order for steel cars,
placed by che railroad administration,
it is said, may Interfere with the
emergency requirements of the Ship
ping Board. In fact, it is anticipated
that this order will have to be curtailed
to some extent. Some yards, it is
stated, have supply sufficient to keep
them operating at maximum capacity
for three months; other yards are
without the requisite steel to support
present operations.
TIL actual status of this situation will
be definitely determined in the survey
now being made of the yards by the
Fleet Corporation. If necessary, it is
stated, as an emergency measure, the
Fleet Corporation will reship steel from
the oversupplied yards to those need
ing plates for their immediate require
mcnts.
The shortage of steel in the yards,
it is stated, is largely a matter of the
smaller pieces. Steel mills have given
priority Of manufacture to the larger
plates, and in some cases have neglect
ed orders of the smaller pieces, which
are quite as essential to operations in
the yards. This situation will be rem
edied it was stated at the Shipping
Board to-day, even if it becomes neces-
sary to have daily reports of progress
on orders from every steel mill in the
country.
Heretofore both the War and Navy
departments have maintained forces Of
inspectors at the steel mills to speed
up production and check progress on
orders. These representatives, it was
stated to-day, are to be withdrawn, and
IN their places representatives of the
War Industries Board will be substi-
tuted. The latter inspectors will serve
the Shipping Board as we'll as the
War and Navy departments. This will
elimi ale, it is expected, the advantage
thus far enjoyed by the War and Navy
departments in securing priority of
manufacture.
Investigation Of the ship-plate short
age has developed steel transportation
extravagances, which are now being
remedied. For example, the American
international Corporation has been
transporting ship plates from Eastern
plants to Omaha, Neb.; Peoria, H., and
Minneapolis for fabrication. These
materials were then returned East for
use in the shipyards. During the lat
ter stage of their advancement to the
shipyards they have been routed
through congested areas. which has de-
layed their delivery. This difficulty.
except for such steel as is now in
transit, has been eliminated by order
Of the Shipping Board.