PURPOSE: To make the generation of arcs quick and sure by changing over short arc welding to pulse arc welding in the stages of starting and ending of said welding and applying a high frequency voltage between a wire and the arc prior to the pulse arc welding in the stage of starting.

CONSTITUTION: A wire 1 is fed continuously, and short circuiting and arcing are repeated alternately between the wire and the work, whereby the work is subjected to welding of a short arc type. In the stage of starting and ending of said short arc welding, the welding is changed over to the pulse arc welding by the welding currents 4, 5 wherein pulse currents are superposed on base current. further, prior to the pulse arc welding in the stage of starting, a high frequency voltage 6 is applied between the wire 1 and the work, so that an arc is induced between the wire and the arc.