Evening star., 1924-01-16
LUMBER AND STEEL.
ALREADY IN JAPAN
Heavy U. S. Shipments viii
Be Great Help Following
Latest Earthquake.
by j. C. ROYLE.

special Dispatch to The Star.
NE" YORK, January 16.-The fact
that large shipments Of lumber, steel
ana other supplies have been shipped
20 Japan in the last six weeks and
are now available for use there or
are In transit will prove Of tremen-
dous benefit in coping with the sit
uation brought about by the latest
earthquake which has shaken that
country. While much of this raw ma
terial was intended for permanent
reconstruction work In the district
shaken by the September disturbance,
1t Is of such a character that it can
be made to serve for immediate tenn
porary repairs.
business Little Harmed.
So far as American business men af-
filiated with Japanese trade have
been able to learn. the latest seismic
disturbance has not materially dam
aged the great silk and tea produc-
Ing districts. While the damage to
lines undoubtedly Ewill throw Japa-
nese industry into confusion. the
latest temblor. it is thought here.
VIII not permanently affect Japanese
pTOQuct1On.
There is small question. however.
that 1t will add to the balance Of
trade now standing heavily In favor
OF the United States. Huge orders
for steel sheets. lumber, rails and
electrical supplies and machinery
and there is every. indication that
these will be still further increased
by the most recent disaster.
Confidence in the ability Of Japan
full for supplies necessary for re-
construction has not been shaken in
the slightest. Even the silk market
here has been only slightly affected.
Some houses suspended trading until
more definite news of the extent Of
the damage in Japan could be Sc
cured, and some raised prices about
10 cents pound. but many traders
maintained prices ut the level cur
rent previously.
Silk for Immediate Needs.
Silk stocks In storage and In the
are regarded as sufficient for imme
diate needs and have recently been
augmented by large shipments from
the orient totaling about s2o.000.o00
In value. These facts served to allay
fears of a shortage.
American insurance companies prac-
ttcally were unaffected. and even the
English underwriters suffered COM
rates put into effect after the Sep
tember quake have been adequate to
protect the companies involved.
The damage to electric power lines,
electric railways and street car serv-
Ices and telephone and telegraph
lines apparently was heavy, but the
Mitsubishi Electric Manufacturing
Company, which was formed by the
Westinghouse Electric and Manufac-
turing Company in conjunction with
IN
ton and will be able to turn out
electrical goods right in the country,
under Westinghouse patents. Ameri-
can firms also are in a position to
furnish additional equipment prompt
ly. Engineers of the Westinghouse
staff now are acting as advisers in
the reconstruction of the electrical
systems In Japan and their services
undoubtedly will be utilized in the
present emergency.
Oil Blockade Probably Short,
Whether or not a protest from the
American State Department to the
de la Huerta faction in Mexico IL
eFeetfve In raising the embargo on
shipments into and out Of Tampico,
which went into effect today, is not
believed in oil circles that shipments
Will be long interfered with. The
Tampico oil fields are the goose which
lays the golden egg in Mexico. Neither
side Is anxious to see them injured, as
tiC SOurCc
OF cash revenue to those In power
Tankers do not usually go into the
port of Tampico itself They load
from the roadstead through pipe lines
The de la Huerta faction has no
ships and would have difficulty in
interfering with vessels, but is able
to make the blockade effective by
seizing the pipe lines on land. How
ever, they demand that export taxes
be paid to them and they can scarce
1y hope to gain such revenue IL they
permit no exports. In times past
similar situations have occasionally
been met by paying to both sides. It
is regarded as probable. however that
the Obregon government will make q
special effort to clear the Tampico
district of rebels and SO adjust the
situation.