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WAR PRODUCTION BOARD Salvage Division 275 South Virginia Street Reno, Nevada IN REPLY REFER TO: October 8, 194-3 Mr. Walter S. Bracken Union Pacific Railroad Company Las Vegas, Nevada Dear Mr. Bracken: UNCLE SAM HAS ISSUED A CALL FOR MORE SCRAP METALS AND OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED IN WAR PRODUCTION. JJ§Y®4a has been given a quota of 12,000 tons of scrap iron and steel for the last six months of 194-3, and we will have to depend upon industry to furnish about 65$ of this amount. This means that 7,800 tons of good usable, number one and number two, heavy melt­ing steel and cast iron must flow from our railroads, mines, manufacturing plants and other industries in the State of Nevada, into production channels. You may or may not have been present at our State Industrial meeting in Reno on the 29th of September, but some rather interesting facts were brought out. Among these were the following: 1. There is only a 60-day inventory of scrap iron and steel on hand at the present time, in the major foundries. 2. Compared to 194-2, the production of pig iron is off 8%. 3. Ammunition production in 194-3 will double that of 1942. This is true of plane manufacturing and ship (war) building also. 4. Merchant shipping for 1943 will total 20,000,000 tons as compared to 12,000,000 tons in 1942. Frankly, the Army and Navy are concerned about the apparent complacency of people and business firms on the Home Front. They are afraid that too many of us are ’’letting up" in our efforts to do a job that is necessary in keeping up maxmimum production. We ask that you spread the word whenever you go that scrap is needed and needed badly, and that the next three months are terrifically important with respect to our success in this veiy essential volunteer effort. Very truly yours, Industrial Salvage Area Committee