The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-09
RADIUM MONOPOLY
DEFENDED BY LANE
Ore Lands Should Be Held for
All, Secretary Writes to
Gov. AmmOns.
COLORADO FEARED PLAN
Modified X-Ray Treatment for
Cancer Urged by DR..
Anderson.
COLORADO FEARED PLAN

WASH INGToN. Jan S.--Franklin K
Lane. Secretary of the Interior. insists
that thc conservation in the United States
of lands containing radium bearing ores
should he indorsed by Congress In the in
Serest of the public health.
In "A letter addressed to Gov. Ammons
OF Colorado the Secretary declares that
radium possesses great qualities as a
curative agency for cancer and other dis
crs"s and that owing to the scarcity OF
the mineral 1t is highly important that
al sources OF supply may be SO admins
tered that radium may be made available
TO the poor as well as TO the rich. Secre-
tary Lanes letter to Gov. Ammons, made
public to-day, was written as a result Of
protests made by the state OF Colorado
against the proposal OF Mr.. Lane that
lands supposed to contain radium should
be withdrawn from entry by home
steaders.
Secretary Lane made such a recon-
mendation to the House OF Representa-
tives following the announcement by
medical authorities that radium had been
found TO be etiicacious as a remedy for
cancer
Feared for Progress Of state.
In protesting against the passage of a
law such as that proposed by Secretary
Lane Colorado officials said that the
progress of the State had been retarded
by Withdrawals OF lands heretofore made
and that an extension of the policy would
be condemned by the people. Mr.. Lane
denies this contention and informs the
Governor that the purposes Of the Gov
ernment are misunderstood.
THE withdrawal policy will not affect
existing claims or entries legally inter-
osted and maintained In good faith"
Secretary Lane wrote to Gov. AmmonS
Continuing Secretary Lane wrote:
Moreover the proposed legislation 10
not mandatory. but simply authorizes the
President in his discretion to control the
disposition and utilization of radium bear
ing lands. 1t is thus possible to limit or
modify any Withdrawals. and il would be
my intention to recommend the exercise
OF this power only TO the extent of re-
tanning In public ownership sufficient
acreage OF lands believed to be valuable
Tor their radium content to insure the
American people getting the radium they
need at the least possible cost and with
the least possible delay. feel that our
citizens have right to demand this
preferential consideration
Inc vi tne FtueFal Government
should be, and am sure Will be, directed
to the promotion of all mining Of radium
ores in Colorado and Utah and in every
way conducive to the protection of
Americas interest in the product Early
exhaustion OF these deposits in the sense
that We speak of exhaustion of other
mineral Resources tx not something to be
feared. The radium once extracted from
the ores becomes available for continued
use without appreciable loss, is essentially
OF undimii!shing usefulness and thus be!
comes a permanent addition to the needed
supply. The same radium that IL placed
at humanity's service to-day may be used
for many generations.
II am sure you will appreciate the fact
that in endeavoring through this legisla-
non TO perform duty to the whole
american people. 1 am endeavoring also
10 safeguard and even promote the in
terests OF Colorado. As the Supreme
Court of the United States has expressed
II, referring to another mineral resource.
there appears "A new welfare. a welfare
winch transcends that OF any State and
In which the welfare of each State is
made the greater by division OF its
resources. natural and created, with every
other State and those OF every other
State with it,"
Meetings Of the House Committee on
Public Lands and Mines and Mining will
Oe held next week to consider the radium
land tH recommended by the Secretary
Of the Interior.