New-York tribune., 1919-10-12
II. s. Steel Mills
Unable to Meet
Foreign Demands
Books So Filled With Or.
ders That Export Supply
of Semi-Finished Product
Is Now Extremely Small

3coks of American steel mills are
"a full Of orders for finished products
that the majority of them require all
~ their semi finished steel for their
own use ir making these products,
snd the amount that is available for
sxport is therefore extremely limited,
according TO a survey of the situation
made for the executive committee of
tho International Trade Conference,
which will be held at Atlantic City
during the week beginning October 20.
Facts about the steel situation in
The United States and Europe were
gather. d by the metals committee
which was appointed to meet foreign
United States Chamber of Commerce.
F. A S. Clarke. pres ident of the Con-
solicited Steel Corporation, William
Butterworth, president OF Deere 4 Co.;
John P Elton, of the American Brass
Co.: J. Leonard Repiog.c, of the Win r
ton Steel Company and former steel
man on the War Industries Board
II r. Wagner. OF the American Smeit-
ing & koAnng Company, and w b.
Thompson, of the Inspiration Consoli
dated Iopped Company, are among the
mem ers Of the metals committee.
Early Estimates Overoptimistic
"While the tonnage of steel 10 be
purchased in this country by Europe
for reconstruction purposes will fall
far below the rather optimistic esti-
mates that were made just after the
armistice was signed, there is no ques-
ton that for the next year or two the
requirements of all European coun-
tries for steel will be far in excess of
the capacity cf the local mills to sup
p.y them and the only reason that
larger orders have not been placed in
this country in the last six months
is because of the unfavorabie trend O.
exchange, which. combined with the
comparatively high freight rates,
makes the cost of our steel to the
French, Italian and Belgian buyer SO
per cent higher than the current prices
in this coUAtry.'
The survey includes special study
of the needs of Great Britain, France
Italy and Belgium.
Aeea. ui-e Nreat Britain. ii says:
"Deiore the war, England's finishing
capacity for iron and steet products
was in excess of her producing capac-
lty. so that n 1918 she imported near
ly a million tons of semi finished steel
such as skelp, sheet bars, billo anc
slabs These semi-fnished products
were imported indifferently from the
United States, Germany or Belgi um, de
pending upon where they could bt
bougAt cheapest.
During the war her finishing ca
pacity was very much increased, anC
to-day is probably over 20 per CEN
greater than her producing capacity
Therefore, as soon after the armistlce
was signed as her mills we're able t(
,hange over from the production Of
munitions to the manufacture of com
mercial steel. there were very largo
purchases of semi-fnished products
made in this country5'this being the
only source of supply
Booked Up.
To-day the books of the American
mills are so full OF orders for finished
products that the majority of chem
require all of their semi-fnished stee
for their own use, and therefore. while
there is the same demand in England
fo~ this class of material, the quantitie,
which the mills in the United State,
can furnish have been much curtailed
an the long run this must inevitabl.
result in the reduction Of the outpu
CT finished steel products in England
which will probab y be reflected in tn
smaller tonnage that Great Britain will
have to offer for export"
France IS deferring her physical re
construction until her own mills ar
able to turn out sufficient steel o
until exchange rates permit the pur
chase o. steel in this country, accord
ing 20 the report, which says:
"Whi'o - the close Of the war mos
CT the French steel mills were intac'
France had deva tated district thirt
mlos WIDE extending for many mile
along her northeastern frontier. Her
no, ony factories and similar struc
tures of all kinds had been blown u
and destroyed in important manufat
turins centres like Lille, Nancy an
Roubaix. but the very railway line
themselves, with all their bridges, sts
tions and warehouses. so that her n"
cessltes for steel for reconstructio
were greater than those of any othe
European country.
"ln anticipation Of the award
Lorraine with its great deposits {
iron ore and many steel mills, and {
the Saar valley with it's great CO,
fields, the policy Of the French gov
ernment for the first six months afte
the arm vice was signed was to pr
yer. The importation Of steel fro
abroad with view Of giving wor
Immediately to returning soldiers.
vas found. however, that the tonnas
CT s-ceI required was so great ar
transportation from the newly acquire
territory so uncertain that the on
way tnai the reconstruction wol
COZ q proceed was by importing stee
30 that governmental restrictions we
removed AS q result inquiries Fl
iarge tonnage were received in tn
ecun'ry, bu. most Of them did not d
ve'op iIto orders because of the CO
tirued 'fal' in exchange This ma,
ne cost # the steel so much high
than Il could be purchased for
france nat, from an economic stan
po.nt, !, seemed wiser to defer son
o. the reccngtruction work"
Belgium an Exporter
Despite the great destruction
belgian mills b. the Germans duril
TIE "ar the committee reports tn
stuff!cicnt mum Der of mills are
ser. &C again 10 permit Belgium
oiser s,eei for export. Be.gium's be
gee. works are in the PROVINCES
hainaut and Liege.
Ia :, devoid Of coal. is trying
use water power to operate her htc
m'is' whoie ontpat was greatly
eTesscd during the var Before t
e.h' .ct Bay was heavy import
ei s,eel from Germany. To aid t
qeve'opment Of the domestic mills I
taian government may increase I
'a1hs On certain steel products.
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