Weekly journal-miner., 1917-06-06
COPPER OUTPUT IS CURTA|[ED
 BY STRIKE
PRODUCTION OF THE RED METAL WOULD HAVE BEEN RECORD-BREAK- FER FOR STATE IF STRIKE HAD BEEN AVOIDED.

BISBEE, June 2.-But for the labor trouble at Jerome, Arizona's copper output in May would have exceeded the highest production of any previ- ous month. As it is, May will fall below April in output June will be around ten million pounds short of April unless the difficulties are settled quickly at Jerome and the mines there returned to full output.
 United Verde Extension, which would have been credited with about six million pounds of the 100000 pounds that Jerome was expected to work up to in May, will probably not be able 10 get back into full produc tion under the very best of circurn- stances for a couple of months. A year may be required. This depends upon the extent to which flooding has occurred in the mine, about which there IS as yet no means of deter mining accurately.
 United Verde has had no less than l5O men at work since the strike was called and has been able to keep pumps going and workings clear Since the middle of this week it has had upwards of POO men at work This force has managed an output of around 500 tons of ore the day and with the orc bcdded at the shelter in advance of the trouble at the mines this supply has kept the reduction plant moving. It will have to ma tcrially curtail the operations shortly unless the mines pick up in output The latter attainment is wholly de- pendent upon the return of men to work or the requirement. of new labor It has not been indicated that the company will attempt, at least until ployes to change their attitude and return to their jobs, to further un- settle conditions by bringing in new men. Such course is said to have con Sideration of other copper districts in the State in mind as well as the wish to be liberal with former employees who have joined either willingly or ] through intimidation in the closed shop movement.
 How far the movement may extend l in the State and what inroads it may make upon the copper output this month through the enlistment of other districts than the Jerome, remains to | be seen. The threat of the agitators l directing the Jerome trouble was to ! extend it to every district, and it is ! known that in each of the producing districts more or less organization has been perfected preliminary to a gen. cral strike call The turn taken at Jerome, however, in the development of violence has had sobering effect l as has also the growing sentiment in the State that the introduction of a new labor issue during wartime, par ticularly with the main support com- ing from foreigners and others an tagonistic to the government, cannot but have sinister look.
 Copper is the great indispensable l basic of all munitions. Arizona is ! the greatest single copper producing division in the world Going at the rate that 1t was during the first half Of the month of May, Arizona would | have produced in 1917 one-half of the ! two billion pounds of copper which it has been estimated that the American continent will make in this year. It may be that this great prize danglcd by Arizona in its big metal production enhances the interest of many Aus trianS and other pro-Gcrman residents | of the mining district who have been prominent in the diSscnsion at Jc- | rome. This is not uncommon be- | lief, associated with which is the be- licf that agitators have shrcwdly even though diSloyally availed themselves of the prejudice against the United States and its Allies among the for cign residents.
 This complexion of things is re- sponsiblc for the demand which has | arisen in all of the districts for the protection of the copper industry by the Federal government through the | presence of troops. on the ground that the metal may become so ncces- Sary to the government at any time | as 10 make a shortage nothing less than very great catastrophe.