MUNITIONS FOR ALLIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 282, 7 May 1915, Page 6

MUNITIONS FOR ALLIES.

WHAT AMERICA IS ])()!>!<!. PURCHASES REACT! £Bo,cao,i:oU. GUARDS OX AI'.MS FACTORIES. One billion dollars • (or £20(),0()(!.0!:<) i is a conservative estimate of the value uf the trade in arms, ammunition, and war supplies between the Allies of Ei:r ope and the manufacturers in the Unite,! States during the first year of the war. It has not been possible for American 'manufacturers to furnish war supplies to Germany, because of the interruption of trade relations with that country. During the past six; months the Allies have bought from the United States £SO, (100,11(10 worth of war (supplies. Many of the manufacturers in the United States hold contracts with the British, French, and Russian Governments which have at least nine months, and in some instances two years longer to run.

So enormous has the trade in war supplies grown that the Government ollieiuls in charge of export statistics for the Department of Commerce admit the incorrectness of their figures. Those in. charge of the Domestic and Export Commerce Lutvaii at Washington confess that the figures issued by the Department convey no idea of the tremendous (radio in war supplies.

.Practically all war material destined for the use of the Allien is now shipped by the American manufacturer or producer to Canada, where, it is transhipped' in British bottoms to England. Even war supplies for France and Russia are delivered in Canada, shipped to England and distributed from there. OfHhc four hundred and odd million dollars already spent or contracted for, the following industries have secured the bulk: — £ Arms, ammunition, explosives 20,000,000 Iron and steel 15,000,000 Textiles, hosiery, sweaters, etc., ' 0,400,000 Automobiles 4,400,000 Chemicals, niedecines, supplies 1,250,(l r IO Leather, shoes, harness, etc., 3,000,000 Miscellaneous, including beef, Hour, etc., 30,000,00!) Total to Ist February .. 8(i,(i30-,000 TAKE TOTAL OUTPUT. The Allies, through ' agents and by direct correspondence, have bought up or contracted for practically the entire output of the factories of the United States manufacturing arms, ammunition and ex-plosives.

In few instances are these supplies sold direct to the foreign (lovernments noiv at war. They are generally bought through a broker or agent, and the greatest secrecy is maintained. Even the manufacturers who have received orders for supplies of this sort for the armies abroad are extremely reticent for fear there may be interruption to it. All such material is contraband. .Manufacturers of arms, ammunition and explosives will not admit that they have received orders of any kind. Their factories are guarded to such an extent that entrance is impossible. In all arms and ammunition factories even the workmen are compelled to -have passes on which their photographs are affixed In order to get by the guards, wiio not only watch the entrances to the factories, but practically surround them. There are seventy-live factories in the United States manufacturing firearms and ammunition exclusively. These employ in normal times about 20,000 persons, but now, when every factory is working double and triple time, the number of employees Jias increased to about 50,000. The manufacturers of firearms and ammunition do not make explosives. This is a separate industry, and consists of about 103 establishments scattered through twenty-one different States. The capital employed in this industry is about £5,000,000, and the normal production is 'J, ->0,000,000 pounds of explosives, but this output has been doubled because of the war orders. Additions and new factories have been established, and in many of the gun-cotton and high explosive plants three shifts of men are being worked in order to iill orders.