The Washington times., 1937-11-30

of articles on scrap iron and
steel as q factor in the TedrnlG-
ment race of tDorld powers.
BY FRED PAISLEY
Scrap for war in 1887, as re-
flected in United States export
figures thus far, will exceed the
combined total for the II years
from 1928 to 1888.
In that period, about $1,000
tons were shipped to various coun-
tries. Estimates based on the first
nine months Of this year indicate
the 1897 exports will exceed A.
100000 tons.
JAPAN IN LEAD
And now as in the past the No.
/ customer is Japan. The empire
of the Rising Sun, pushing her
army ever further into Inner Mon
golia and China, sighting her ma
val guns against the sea frontiers
of western powers, is building the
mightiest war machine in world
history.
Into the open hearth furnaces
of the Governments ontrolled steel
plants on closely guarded Kyushu
Island 60 the pickingS Of the Amer
ican Junk heap-the odds and ends
tossed away by housewives, such as
old bedspringS, kitchen utensils
and tin cans; the leavings Of the
industrial phase Of a mechanical
civilization such as boilers, pumps,
pipes, farm tools and automobile
frames and parts.
FIvE-YEAR PROGRAM
All for conversion into NUM-
tions, some for the Japanese army,
some for the navy, which latter
now has five-year replenishment
program totaling more than 500
million dollars.
Scrap, 1t should be explained,
has been a prime ingredient of
ingot steel production since the
open hearths replaced the Bes-
semer converters.
Japan discovered scrap as a by
product Of our wasteful national
economy long before other nations
did. She was quietly picking it up
in dribletS on the Pacific Coast as
far back as 1912--ten years before
the signing Of the Nine Power
reaty.
BUYS OLD SHIPS
But 1t wasn't until the middle
twenties that she embarked on a
large scale program. Then, along
with the junk heap activities of
her agents, she began buying old
ships and loading them with scrap
for q one-way voyage to Japan.
There, the cargoeS as well as the
ships were melted into iron and
steel.
Most Of the vessels have been
bought at Pacific Coast ports from
private shipping interests. A COM
plete roster never has been COM
piled, but the list includes among
others the Star Of Iceland, the
Star Of Zealand, the Star of Lap
land, the Star of Shetland and
the Star of Holland, all in the
fishing and packing trade.
There were other purchases, re-
vealed occasionally by such items
as the following:
TOKYO, March IS (A.P0.
The United States submarine
depot ship Savannah will ar
rive here soon under command
of q Japanese naval officer.
The ship, purchased by a Japa-
neSe firm, will be scrapped to
provide iron and steel for Japan'S
new naval building program"
PURCHASES SOAR
Full steam ahead for this drive
on the American junk heap was
given in 1928 when Japan'S pur-
chases Of scrap scared to 100000
odd tons, more than double the
total amount bought in the five
preceding years, from 1928 to
1927. Our scrap exports in 1928
shot up to some $4,000 tons,
twice those Of 1927.
With the exception Of the three
depression years of 1880 to 1882
inclusive, the exports have con.
tinued to climb ever since.
Summed up, the estimates are
that for this year the exports of
scrap will be greater by more than
10 times the average yearly ex-
ports from 1923 to 1888 inclusive.
The result is bitter controversy
whether the United States should
supply Japan with so much ma
terial for military purposes.
Another article In this series