New-York tribune., 1918-06-08
pa;ney Charges New York
Agent Advises u. S. War
Industries Board
Accuses Jewellers
Of Prohteering
Declares Protective Asso.
c;ation" Misled Govern
naent as to Supply

nun SuppNeS ol tiiiS couHlIy are con-
.,ol1ed by German interests, so Repre-
,,ntative Rainey, of Illinois, charged on
tse floor of the House to-day. He further
sserted that the kaiser's game is be-
no boosted by the jewelers. Vigilance
fsmmittee, which defeated an attempt
"a impose a prohibitive tax on plati-
,um;n iewelry and conducted nation
vide aupaien to encourage the use
in jewelry Of this metal needed so
badly for war purposes.
The Illinois member charged the War
Trade Board is is badly advised" as to
plstinum, and he connected up with this
ADVICE Charles Engelnard. VINO, he said,
controls absolutely the four firms which
control so per cent of the platinum
business of the United States. Engle-
hard he said, was born in Germany
and married a daughter of W. C. He
raeus, head OF the largest platinum
arn in the world. Heraeus is in busi-
ness, Mr.. Rainey said, at Hanau, Ger
many, and has six sons in the German
army.
a few weeks after our entry into
war Saiu MI. Nancy, L supported
on this floor an amendment to the war
revenue bill proposed by Representa-
tive Longworth to tax jewelry COM
posed in whole or in part Of platinum
$50 per cent.
High Tax Defeated
"This proposition was defeated by
the jewelers. Vigilance Committee.
The jewelers. Vigilance Committee was
organized about the time of our entry
into the war for the avowed purpose
Of protecting jewelers. of the country
in the manufacture and sale of lux
uries against war taxes that might be
deemed by them to be excessive. The
first thing the vigilance committee did
was to establish here in this capital
the most forceful and aggressive lobby
have ever seen heAe
"They represented that we got our
supply Of platinum from Russia, that
Russia was our ally IN this war and
that Russia would soon permit un-
restricted platinum shipments to the
United States. They insisted we had
all the platinum we needed for war
purposes and plausibly called atten-
ton to resolutions adopted by jewel
ers' organizations pledging the supply
Of platinum would be materially aug
mented.
Pledged Patriotic Aid
=, They pledged themselves to assist
the government in bringing the war to
successful conclusion A letter was
read IN the House from Secretary Red
ned commencing the jewellers for
ii Inelr patriotic stand and approving
their promises. The platinum tax
amendment failed.
More than four years have elapsed
SINCE this awful world war started, but
curing that period no nation has pro-
auced prohteers more unpatriotic,
whose efforts have been more uncon-
Eionable, than the jewellers Vigi-
ance Committee, and the 400 jewellery
slaonshments in the United States
s.sohtrlbutlng, which have sustained
them with funds.
The promised efforts of the jewel
Nrs OF the country to conserve plati-
nun. mum failed miserably@ Platinum con-
s anued to increase in value, until to-
usy lne government has placed on it
lalue Of Sl05 an ounce. Those jewel
u lrs VINO held the platinum stocks of
me country, and those dealers who
NEG aelo large stocks without effort on
meIr part. made enormous sums of
money, and while pretending to be dis
eouraging the use of platinm they COM
psehed ITS use by Giscouraging, the use
o. substitutes"
MI M Ralney charged that jewelers.
asse nave advertised extensively to bring
;a ;vuul use OF platinum-set rings. and
!s"eiry interests had denounced as IA
nssncs women behind propaganda to
SNvent the use of platinum in jewelry.
.s ne Pledged fight to put a prohibitory
Si n On platinum in the new revenue
The The worlds supply of platinum
sW" sW.ees rom Russia said Mr.. Rainey.
.a.e me produce here less than one per
"' VI our supply of platinum.
Board Badly Advised
), mere is sufficient evidence to show
s;s.so Se absolute need Of platinum. | now
Wv Ws.uss M the inefficient attempts of our
,.st "sl Trade Board to conserve this i'm
Tas:at sIa.aat metal. The conservation of
ks.ihum, iridium and palladium has
i mn piaced by the War Trade Board
- .Spharge of c. H. Connor.
Ana UT VI. tne frst time since war began |
M eritcising an agency of the govern
as ~ea,. do not question the patriotism
ar. conner or any member of the
ssss sa,e They have had, however, ex-
Nsuulagiy bad advisers and have been
a,ehced ars, by advice from the jewel
OIL. vigilance committee and from
"her sources. 0'''
rnoa .nere is another source of advice
Tun which the War Trade, Board has
tSsshoed; / am unwilling to believe
Wy, Wy lully understand the influences
ths. thsI surround the adviser upon whom
Sovs nave depended since the organiza-
sTt ol tnis important War Board.
n, -ue a herman firm of W. c. Heraeus
man .s headquarters in Hanau, Ger
&s.ss. 1t has a branch in the United
HAS A,,ss controlled by Charles Engel-
S,,ss,. wno has his Office at 80 Church
Sses New York City, and who adver-
~ mat, doing business as Charles
nseinard, he is branch of the Ger
hs nrm. This German firm is the
eess dealer in platinum in the world
s Born in Germany
naaries Engelhard was born in
Hs s Germany, of German parentage
| g. ssme n here twenty-five years ago
v married daughter of this same
en- n .n,eraeus, and she has six broth,
M Ihe German army"
clnt " Engelhard with the Chemists
risS MA .legarding his weekly conferences
nsstane sne War Trade Board on platinum
sEs. he continued:
Assin. also states on his card that his
I'm. SIS Is platinum. There are foul
which control 80 per cent of the
~Bssaanm supplies of the United State.
4 Anss;saa Co., of Newark, N. j.; the
Ton srn SEP Platinum Works, the Irving
New Inelting and Refining Company, 0,
1 IL bsnetssey, and Charles Engelhard, do
Ane'sess All ~ as Charles Engelhard.
Mlutelv ssnese nrms are controlled alb