Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-05


America countries, which market has
hereto been only in part utilized BY our
exporters. -. -.
Fuel oil has a large use in naval
warfare of today, yet the tying up Of
the big tank steamers on both the
Atlantic and Pacific seaports is al
ready embarrassing the oil producers
of this country who depend so largely
upon the export trade In all the forms
of petroleum, crude and refined On
the other hand, Russia, our strongest
rival in oil production, must suffer
more complete and longer continued
interruption Of exports, which should
tend to enlarge the market for our
oil. .--~.. !
The supply of cheap foreign barry
ties has prevented the development of
many good deposits of that mineral,
but with the consumers on the Allan
tic seaboard already looking for do
mestic supplies. some of the southern
mines should be reopened to supple
ment the outputs of those already In
operation.
The closure of the European market
leaves but one buyer for the radium
ores of Colorado and Utah, which is
decidedly to the disadvantage of the
miner. Had the legislation introduc-
ed in Congress been promptly enacted
the United States government would
probably have been buying these ores
at this time. -
''While the United States leads in
coal Mines" continued the Secretary,
the six European nations now at war
happen to be the six next largest
coal mining countries, producing to-
gether over half the worlds coal. IN.
reference both with the mining and
the commerce of these nations must
necessarily increase the demand for
our coal at least in the neutral coun-
tries OF the world. And coal Is onr
one resource about which there need
be no anxiety The United States Is
now producing 40 pct of the worlds
supply of coal, and the reserves yet
to be drawn exceed, so far as known,
those Of all the rest of the world conn
bined. 1t is not generally known.
however, to what an extent we have
/ been depending upon Europe, princi-
Ipaliy Germany, for many of the chem
ical products derivable from coal, and
which we have been permitting ID go
to waste, in the most reckless man
ner. Coal tar obtained in the manu-
facture of coal gas, and Of coke Tin
retort ovens) is capable of producing
hundreds of chemical products. but
the chemical industries dependent
upon coal tar as raw material have
had little development in the United
States. Our imports of coal tar pro-
ducts in 1913 were valued at 11,-0O0,-
900 at initiating points and when they
reached the ultimate consumer prob
ably cost double that amount. If the
present war continues any length OF
time the American consumer VIII have
/ to do without aniline colors and dyes,
4 certain drugs, and numerous other
coal tar products or the American
manufacturers will undertake to sup.
ply these essential commodities which
] have hitherto carried the label, Made
lin Germany
i THE Panama canal is opened In
time to help us in many ways. Bolt
via, for instance, is one of the greatest
4 tin producing countries in the world,
i but it's heaviest expectations have
been to Europe, and the United States
stt'has been getting its supply of mate
rails for the manufacture of tin plate
and tin allows from London and Liv-
erpocl. With the suspension of Euro
pean industry and the opening Of the
canal, there is no good reason why we
SHOULD not now step in, bring Bolivia's
4 tin ore to this country and manufac-
I ture II.
i Would this change of supply mean
higher prices in this country"
mot necessarily" replied Mr.. Lane.
During the period OF transition from
one supply to another, and the initial
development of new sources of mate.
rial, cost of production might possibly
be slightly enhanced, but with a new
production and distribution system,
wholly domestic. once established.
There Is no reason why prices should
be higher, and no reason why fluctu-
ations in prices in other countries
/ should so affect our industries or
prices of our products to home con-
j sumers."