The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-12-24

II 90 NJ h-lNS Ameil-
cas- laundering steel mills are lit
orally burning up old production
Iecords. Every 80 minutes OF the
day more than enough metal Is
produced to build and completely
equip one OF the Nays new des-
troyers.
At the present rate il is highly
probable that almost 80 million
tons OF steel ingots and castings
those mighty sinews OF war. will
have flowed forth from this ma
tons mills in 1943. Never before
in the worlds history has there
been such a continuous flow OF
steel.
Huge Total Last Year
The previous peak in production
was set in 1912, when a total of
S6,03l. 1871 tons made the Axis die
tatorships gulp nightly and look
warily toward their own factories.
bbA ms Nhio part year NuOsc aAlS
factories have repeatedly felt the
demolishing effects OF United Ma
lions bombings.
While Americas soldiers in over
alls on the home front lighted new
fires TO increase the production OF
steel over here, Americas soldiers
in khaki set devastating fires
which are believed to have measur-
ably cut production over there.
In World War | the maximum
prohibition was 50.467.SS0 tons,
achieved in 1917. The peacetime
peak was 63,205,490 tons, set IN
1929.
Strikes Slowed Work
II is possible the 1943 record
breaking production mark might
have been even higher had 1t not
been for four strikes in the ma
tons coal field. 1t is hard to
measure precisely the effect Of the
coal strikes upon steel production,
but one source has estimated the
lost production to be approximately
$4,000 tons for the year Others
have set the figure as high as $780,
600 tons.
Americas production OF IL mil
lion tons of alloy steel, anticipated
by the end OF the year, also will
set a new record. About one-third
OF this will consist Of the low-alloy
group known as the National Emer-
gency or NE steels.
Generally speaking NE steels con-
tain two or three alloys, such as
nickel, chromium, molybdenum and
manganese, instead of larger guam
titles OF only one or two alloys.
These steels, created since Pearl
Harbor, have already stood the
test OF actual combat and are speci'
fed for many tank and gun parts.
Manage to Get Materials
The new records can in part be
attributed TO the fact that the gov
eminent has continued to construct
new furnaces for steel companies
and that these same steel com
panies have managed to keep q
continuous flow Of the raw mate
rails which eventually mean wal
materiel going from the mines to
the white hot furnaces.
This later item is no metn &C
complishment when it is realized Il
takes four tons OF raw materials
to produce one ton OF finished
steel.
The end OF 1913 will see an In
crease OF approximately IA millior
tons in blast furnace capacity ovel
the production at the beginning o.
the present decade. 1t has beer
estimated that about Is per cent 81
the War Production Boards 81.
400, 900, 900 program to build facil;
ties for the steel industry is now
completed. All OF which may mean
bigger and better production rec
ords during 1914.
Steel company officials report de
mands for plates and sheets. prin
cipally for use in ship construc
ton. continue TO be greater than
supply, but that war demands have
not been sufficient to eat up all the
available alloy steels, structure
shapes and some wire products.
Heavy Loss In Manpower
L. 8. steel production is. o
course greater than that OF all thu
rest Of the world combined. Blu
the United Nations will soon b.
able to depend upon approximately
one and one-hslf million tons Of
steel annually from Latin America