Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-25
OUTLOOK IN STEEL
INDUSTRY IS GOOD
Gains in Sale of Metal AS
sured as Auto Plants
Resume.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

The glass Is rising in the great ba-
rometer Of business-the steel industry.
Developments to put prices on Q stabil-
lied basis have brought encouragement
to the industry for the immediate fu-
ture. The possibilities and certainties
for the future make this industry stand
out as having only nicked the edge Of
cumulative future demand.
There are definite signs Of increasing
metal demands, according to Luther
Becker, chief Of the Iron and Steel Dr.
vision OF the Department OF Commerce.
He points in confirmation of this state
ment to the fact that several Of the
automobile neutrality-suspicious. the
largest users Of certain sorts Of steel
products-have called back thousands
of workmen to their factories and are
rapidly raising their output schedules
in preparation for the prospective de-
nand for old and new models.
Automobile Industry.
This trend takes on added significance
from the fact that automobile manu-
facturers have Sedulously held produc-
ton to demand during the last year and
have definite assurance OF betterment
in sales. The smaller companies are
following the lead of the larger COM
panies In the effort to stabilize prices,
and the days Of price cutting seem ap-
preaching their end. The uncertainty
which has prevailed has held back or
ders since consumers were continually
waiting for possible further reductions.
The railroads need freight cars, and
there Is every indication that they
mean to buy them. This Will mean o
big tonnage in steel requirements. The
INQUIRIES In prospect are likely to total
$50 900 tons of steel for cars, with ad-
ditional orders for rails, bars, plates
and spikes. This demand may not
come on the market all ut once. put Cne
psychological knowledge OF II win 90 1@f
To establish confidence In the industry:
The steel companies are not In O. bad
position. for while production has been
under normal, prices for pig non ana
scrap also have been low.
The most encouragement found In
the situation, however, lies In the TACT
that hitherto the steel industry has
had to cut down when the pullolne
automobile manufacture ana failtoao
demand slackened. Now new outietS
nave been added. The chief OF these
is the demand for tubular goods slim.
ulated by the construction OF OIL ana
gas pipe lines. The consumption OF
steel for natural gas transportation, ac-
cording to Mr. Becker, Is in It's infancy
Many excellent judges feel that within
a few years natural gas VIII be pipeo
within consuming distance Of half the
population of the country.
Gains Seen Elsewhere.
Leaders in the steel industry antici-
pate that the electrical equipment In.
dustry will expand its consumption Of
steel enormously in the next few years.
It is predicted that within decade
electrical appliances which now are un-
dreamed of except by electrical engl-
neers will be in common use.
The increased use Of steel IN the
construction of homes Is expected 70
call for o large amount Of additional
tonnage, owing to Developments In
steel welding. 1t Is predicted that be.
tween 1000 900 and 100000 tons OK
steel will 60 annually into such con:
struction within flve years, with steel
roofs, steel walls and floors and outsides
of steel alloys in decorative designs. De:
velopmentS In steel furniture and steel
railroad ties are also counted upon 70
increase tonnage.
(copyrisht. lsSo>