Imperial Valley press., 1937-07-14
WAR SCARE BRINGS
BATTLE FOR STEEL

LONDON, (UP)-A world scram-
bic for steel is the result of the
stupendcus armaments race which
is now in progress.
From all parts of the work.
come reports of a shortage of iron
and steel Britain needs more for
its rearmament plan; the United
States producers are pressed TO
cope with the rising tide of orders;
Germany is strictly rationing
steel, and France is exporting
mere One result may be TO ham
dicap Japan in the threatened
naval building race.
Here is a world survey of the
situation:
Great Britain
The British ship building, mo-
tor-car manufacturing engineer
ing and general building trades
are already feeling the effects OF
the world shortage of steel which
threatens to hamper Britains re-
armament plans.
We are watching the raw ma
terial supplies very closely, and it
is hoped that We shall find some
country ready TO export to Britain
before the end of this year" Sir
William Larke, director of the
British Iron and Steel Federation,
declared. with all the steel pro-
ducers of the world running close
to capacity great strain Is being
thrown upon supplies of pig iron
and scrap"
Although steel production in
Britain reached a record height
last year, great increases Of i'm
ports from the continent were
necessary tc meet British needs.
The Iron and Steed Federation is
keeping a close hand on price,
and some system of rationin9
available supplies of steel accord
ing to relative national Importance
Of construction for which the Steei
is required can be expected from
the strong steel trade organization
Energetic steps are being taken
TO increase production, and these
are hoped to overcome some of the
difficulties soon.
For instance, all available scrap
metal is to be released Immediately
for tht use of the British iron and
steel industry World demand for
iron scrap and waste has been in
creasing and there has been
sharp rise in British exports with
consequent shortage in the home
market. Everything indicated a
coming sharp rise in prices, thus
increasing the burden of the re-
armament plan but the agreement
is expected To check this.
United States
The shortage of steel in the
United States is becoming so great
that British inquiries are being
ignored. Steel producers are unable
to fill orders which are rapidly ac-
cumulationg, especially since the
settlement of the motor strike and
the resumption of production by
General Motors.
France
French iron is helping to arm
Britain and Germany. Demands
from these two neighbors helped
to raise the total of French iron
ere production in 1886 TO 80, ,208,-
900 tons, nearly 100000 tons
more than the previous year The
shortage of steel, which was noted
when Britain's rearmament pro-
gram began, resulted in an in
crease OF British imports from
France i'm the course OF a year.
Germany, however whose arms
program in Frances worst con-
Germ. was responsible for the larg-
est single rise in the catalogue OF
French exports Germany import
ed 1898 900 tons of French ore in
1896, compared with 100000 tons
IN the previous year. This fngure
for 1929 was only 2.6680O0 and in
the depression year of 1892 fell as
low as 7l2.00O tons.
Belgium and Luxembourg. which
rank high among Europe's steel
and armament eenters, still top
the list OF customers for French
iron mines with total consump-
tion OF i0.li0,0O0 tons. Although
the French mines have reached
their highest production figure
sinee the depression they have
siill 20 approach the level Of 50,-
7si 900 tons OF 1929
Germany
strict ratio,lnc of Steel 50