The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1941-01-24
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sIETrINIUs STOPS DENYING
SHORTAGE OF STEEL

apparently has become gun-shy.
Having seen his denials Of short
ages In strategic materials blow up
In his face, he is resorting to a new
technique in the case Of steel.
It took only a few days for his
solemn statement that there was no
aluminium shortage to be refuted by
Sen. Joe O'Mahoney, chairman Of
the monopoly investigating commit
tee. Even less time elapsed be-
tween his denial of zinc and brass
deficiency and the issuance Of a
presidential order barring their ex-
port.
The holly controversial steel is
sue has been Stettinius worry for
months. AS far back as last sum-
mer he was warned by experts that
the nations vast defense program,
to say nothing of frantic British or
ders, required an immediate expan-
sion Of steel plant capacity. 1t was
pointed out that present U. S. ingot
capacity is approximately SO, 000, 900
tons, Of which normal consumer
needs for l941 would be around
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600 tons for armament.
This obviously was far from
enough. The B ritish alone will
have to get at least 100000 tons
OF American steel this year to keep
their war industries supplied.
With several notable exceptions,
the steel industry baked at build
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take care of all requirements with
out the Is or 20 per cent expansion
that was urged. In this stand it was
vigorously supported by Walter S.
Tower, president of the American
Iron & Steel Institute, also a dollar
a-year adviser on Stettinius' staff.
But the pooh-poohing of Tower,
salaried official of the steel indus
try, was sharply challenged by Prof.
Melvin G. d'Chazeau of the Univer-
sity OF Virginia, another Stettinius
steel adviser. An outstanding
authority without any industrial tie
ups, D'Chazeau urged immediate
plant enlargement.
This inner battle ragged for weeks,
with Stettinius sitting blinking in the
middle while deliveries continued to
fall further and further behind.
He finally did move after the Pres
ident took an indirect poke at the
steel barons in his message to con-
gress, nd the "Bie Four" defense
CHIEFS bowed him up with their
demand that Industry must subor-
dinate Its concern over possible fu-
ture effects Of tremendous expan.
sion." ~.
Stettinius acted by passing the
buck. He designated Gano Dunn,
head of the ]. C. White Engineering
company. and dollar-a-year man
on his staff, as neutral arbiter"
to decide between Tower and
D'Chazeau.
Dunn Is the Impartial expert
who last year slashed a proposed
iva power expansion for defense
purposes nearly rs per cent, and
was overruled by direct order of
Roosevelt on the insistence of other
defense heads.
Some insiders are betting that it
won't be long before steel is put on
the priorities list and consumer use
sharply curtailed. They base this
on the fact that even if new plants
are ordered, it will take a year be-
fore they get into production.
BUY BRITISH MOVEMENT =.
Behind the flood Of Help Britain
Buy Something British" window
posters, which have sprung up all
over the country, is an amazing
story Of a nationwide movement
started singlehanded by a young
Portland, Ore, advertising man only
two months ago.
His name Is Robert Smith and the
idea came to him when he took out
his wallet for a bill to donate to the
British relief fund. He noticed that
his wallet was tattered, and it struck
him that by buying a new one of
British make he would be making
definite contribution to England's
war resources.
Young Smith figured there must
be thousands of others who felt the
same way, and decided then and
there to call 1t to their attention.
The first thing he did was to team
up with q close friend, David Rob
inson, an attorney and leader in
Portland welfare organizations.
With Robinson handling organization
and Smith promotion the move
ment gathered strength like a roll
ing SNOWFALL.
In the two months the movement
has been under way it has prairie
fired to % states with more than $50
local branches. Dazed by the phe-
nomenal success of his idea, young
Smith attributes it entirely to the
strong feelings Of the average man
in the street"
THINGS DIPLOMATIC
A career in the U. S. Foreign
Service begins at $500, plus an av-
erage Of $1,000 for rent. Top pay
is $40, 900 and rent While there
is no requirement that candidates
be college graduates, one third of