The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-06

London. England.--Upon the arriv-
al recently In England OF q we'll
known authority on the zinc industry,
the public interest in the Australian
base metal industry has been rekind-
led The authority in question was
IN close touch with Mr.. Hughes, the
Australian prime minister. to whom
the British nation owes SO muchf for
his strong action In eliminating Ger
man influence from the metal indus
try Mr.. Hughes has given him open
letters Of Introduction In order to the
better enable him to discharge GER,
tain duties in the United Kingdom.
In connection with the zinc industry.
A press representative was given
some interesting particulars concern
Ing Australian base metals. Reviewing
In the first place, what had been
done in Australia to enable complete
control of the metal industry to be
established, the informant quoted the
following official statement:
Following sharply upon the heels
of the unmasking of the enemys po-
sition came in rapid succession a
number OF legislative and administra-
tive acts. which completely freed the
industry from enemy control. OF
these may be cited:
metal contracts with enemy compan-
les and firms by the Commonwealth
government. CA similar procedure was
recently adopted by the Imperial gov
eminent
-. Dissolution OF zinc combine
. purely German combine, which con-
trolled the worlds spelter market, de-
termining price output, and manipu-
lating the market as it pleased in the
interests OF Germany.
"a Complete destruction of the
Aaron Hirsch and other German in
terests which dominated the copper
Industry in Australia
g. Destruction of all enemy agen-
cfes controlling tin, molybdenite,
wolfram. and other metal.
I'm connection with the German
control over lead. zinc and copper,
| it cannot be too strongly emphasized
that % 1t was complete; (2) it af-
fected not only the producer-the
great mining companies-and the
consumers in Britain, and elsewhere,
but by fixing the worlds price for the
metal and eliminating output, which
1t did at will, 1t indirectly controlled
and directly affected employment and
wages-a fact of fundamental inm-
portance; CD the vigorous policy of
luc CoIIInOn wealth. government SER
we'd as an example which, after some
delay was followed by Great Britain.
In this way, q uniform metal policy
all over the Empire was made pos
sible.
The ground having been thus
cleared. and not only the roots but
the seeds of German control and in
fluence destroyed by the government
policy. the work OF construction on q
purely Australian and British foun-
dation-the plan of the edifice pro-
viding for the treatment, as far as
possible. Of all metallic ores in Aus
tralia SO that they could be market
ed In a finished state-was promptly
and systematically taken in hand"
The expert went on to say that the
outlook changed almost daily. There
were SO many current and cross-cur-
rents Mt work which affected the sit
uation. and for obvious reasons he
could not enter into certain details,
however interesting they were, but he
conftned himself to statement of
lfact. In itself interesting enough. The
ipromotfon of the Zinc Producers AS
sociatfon was encouraged by Mr..
Hughes, the Australian Prime Minis
Itsr. 1t was registered on May 20 in
Australia. and subsequently in Eng