Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1918-08-10
COUNTRY FACING
 GOLD SHORTAGE
Bonus Believed Only Way to
 Prevent Shutdown of the Mines to Prevent Disaster Mining Congress Acting

The American Mining congress, composed of 75 per cent of the pro- ducing operators of the country, is sounding AF alarm intended to secure early relief for gold producers in the United States There is danger that unless some such relief is accorded by congress thousands of gold miners will be out of employment and millions of dollars worth of equipment will lie idle until cost of production can be adjusted. The Mining Congress is act ing promptly to prevent disaster, Re- ports from such camps as Cripple Creek indicates that while producers dislike to stop operations of proper ties and producing forces which have been years in organization, not wheel will be turning in most of the district in three months unless some relief is agreed upon.
 Startling Situation
 Startling figures have just been placed before Senator Henderson and Congressman Foster, chairmen, re- spectively, of the Committees on Mines and Mining, by James F. Callbreath, secretary of the Mining Congress, and the attention of several administration leaders and officials is being called to the situation.
 All gold producers in the country are called to conference which opens in Reno, Nev., August 12. Governor Boyle, of Nevada, will preside, and Secretary Callbreath will assemble and present to the conference concrete suggestions assembled from producing mines showing conclusively that un- less the administration quickly meets the situation gold production will be automatically shut off, and this with in short time.
 In an interview with group of western senators Mir. Callbreath said:
 Shortage Dangerous
 "Wa are spending annually more than our total indebtedness at the be- ginning of the war. We are more thar doubling our gold obligation this year but are making no provision to in- crease the supporting gold reserve The worlds obligations are only about Hu6H times our gold reserve. Our fl nancial position is still most enviablt as compared with our allies. The golc reserves of the world are approxi mately $1O,OOO,OOO, ,OOO, while the tota indebtedness is being increased t' ? $125,000,0 100000. The increase is abou $40,000,000,000 annually. Before thu war the United States possessed ap proximately $1,750,O 100000 in gold, am today we have increased our reserv to about $3,5OO,OOO,OOO against an in debtedness of $8,00O,000,000. This in debtedness is based upon the gold sup ply.
 Critical Period
 'In 1915 we produced a little owe s1O1, ,000,000, and this, in the face o greater need, fell to less than $S5, 5,000, 00G in 1917. The production will fal 35 per cent below that figure thi year under present conditions. w are told by Secretary McAdoo, tha next to munitions and food, gold i the most important of our natural re sources as war necessity and, fac ing as we do, the most critical tim in tie financial condition of the entir \ world, I consider that there must b some very earnest and prompt con Heideration given to the gold situation hpe eminent Colorado mining engi places the average increase of op eratiig cost at 67 per cent. It cost an aye,age of $3O an ounce to produc gold. its value is fixed at $2O.67 Tn mass of gold is produced from low grade mines.
 Bonus Is Remedy
 te gold miners of Australia ar
 Ihg the British government for bonus of $10 per ounce for gold pro Fduced curing present conditions. Whil F various plans have been suggested, in cluding remission of taxes and re duced transportation charges to gol producers, there is a strong predic tion in the west that a similar bonu will be the only practical and effec tive relief which can be accorded wit sufficient promptness to prevent more serious falling off in productio than present demands will allow" G0ID[N nR0ec METhle