The Cordova daily times., 1918-07-23
COPPER WAR ESSENTIAL

Copper j. q metal that must be used
III vast quantities for War purposes
II j. sale to- -1y that at lea, 90 per
cont of the ,atjre production OF this
country is now going into war work.
directly and indirectly The remain
in4 10 per ccuj Is going to the indus
tries for necessary work on this side
In times OF peace approximately 81
per cent of the output has been used
in this country, the balance in Europe.
Copper might be called popular
metal, because Of its adaptability and
availability when used as IS the case
in large quantities in the form of wire
for telephone, for telegraph, for cleo
inc lighting, for electric transmission
OF power, because it is the best known
conductor of electric current. Other
metals have been tried out for this
purpose without complete success
nothing has been found to take its
place and give anything like the same
results in use. and when because OF
changed conditions it must be re-
placed the old wire is sold at prac-
tiCally the price of new copper. 1t is
therefore not only an essential but an
economical article of commerce. III
blends with spelter, tin, aluminium and
other metals, constituting a large and
essential part of nearly all forms Of
munitions, and is used extensively in
many other lines of war work, such as
ships. locomotives, cars, aircraft. etc.
For three years the allies drew the
major part of their requirements from
this country. the balance coming from
Spain. Australia, South Africa ana
Japan. For the past year. and IN
greater degree during recent months,
the scarcity OF ships has cut OFF much
of the supply from these sources, ana
this country is expected to provide
practically the entire requirements of
allies. the United States government
and the industries. For the past nine
months-since prce-tiXing was inau'
guratcd-the producers have re
sponded to this demand to the utmost
of their abili.v regardless of cost OF
production. or of well-Ordered develop
ment of their properties, and with but
one thought to get out the copper
In this period. labor disputes had to
he settled. WAGES had to be advanced,
costs of all kinds have gone UP leaps
and bounds. due in part to the neces-
sitv OF maintaining maximum output
in order to meet increasing demands.
Many causes have contributed to the
difficulties of sustaining this needed
Droduction at the highest level such
as the general and universal shortage
OF efficient labor: the difficulty in Sc
curing supplies and fuel; and. perhaps
most of all, the embargoes placed by
the railroads during the early months
of the year, which caused tie-up OF
large quantities of unrehned metal,
which, DelnS subsequently ici'"''''
now overtaxes the capacity of the
eastern refneries.
There is danger in the situation in
that there are no available stocks OF
refined copper, so that any accident
or misfortune to any of the principal
refineries would render conditions
critical at once.
Copper is equally important in wal
work as steel and coal; perhaps more
urgently demanded because of the rel
atively smaller supply. 1t Ia wei
known that not only now. but lookint
ahead to the future. there promises
to he a shortage of steel and coal. Al
to copper, the orders now on books
OF the selling agencies are far in ex
cess OF supply. and the oversold posi-
ton of the metal that has existed To-
the past nine months is likely to con
tinue far into the future.
Given the two conditions "a, shor
supply, (2). urgent demand, It seems
to be imperstively necessary TO fn'