The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-08-30
GERMAN MONOPOLY
SMASHED BY WAR
American Genius Answers Kaisers
Boast that World Depended on Him
fer Potash.

Washington, D. C.-The opening o.
q great potash field at Searles Lake
California, where it is estimated TWEEN
ty million tons of potash are available
for the uses of this nation, is the Amer
lean answer to Germany's claim o.
monopoly or this essential product
necessity in time of war and peace.
The kaiser is quoted as Boosting t
his American dentista between the
latter's jabs at an imperial tooth, that
Germany controlled the potash supply
of the world. This boast was made
since the outbreak of the war, anC
Germany did have a monopoly of the
supply, with the United States as hel
best customer until American re-
sourcefulness met foreign monopoly
Today, under the potash land leas-
ing bill which was rushed through
congress at the present session, 3d.
coo acres at Searles Lake are under
lease. Experts Of the geological sur
vey estimate this great bed will pro-
duce twenty million tons with inciden-
tai production ON the side, of soda,
borax and salt.
In the leucite rock hills Of Wyoming
near Green river, an even greater es-
timated deposit has been found, and a
company has made application to the
government for approval of a half-mil-
lion dollar plant to extract and refine
this necessary mineral.
AT Salt Lake, Utah, three potash
plants are just getting under way.
Several small lakes in Nebraska have
been found to contain deposits and de-
velopment has begun there. Recently
the interior department has granted
nearly forty permits to prospeetors
and explorers, who are traversing the
Western desert basins in search of ad-
ditional fields. All this is possible
under the new potash leasing law,
throwing open the public domain to
wartime development and development
after war shall cease.
By American enterprise, combating
long-established German monopoly,
has not stopped there. 1t has been
discovered that potash may be produc-
ed as by-product of cement manu-
facture. The process was devised by
government scientist. 1t means a
cheaper manufacture of potash and
expectations are there will be no limit
TO this by-product with the perfection
of production methods. One cement
concern has already reversed the rela-
tionship, and is now making cement as
a by-product, while turning its main
attention to potash production.
Before the war the United States
bought from Germany about 24O, 00O
tons Of potash annually. Its account
with the German monopoly was larger
than that Of any other nation. The
bulk Of this potash went into the man.
ufacture of fertilizers. Potash was
about $48 per ton before the world war
began. Germany gradually raised the
price until it became prohibitive-
eight or ten times the original cost
and the United States increased its
efforts to encourage domestic produc-
ton and shakes off German monopoly
for all time-just as America intends
to remain forever free Of the German
dye monopoly
Even before the outbreak of the world
war, however, the geological survey
had begun its explorations for potash
fields. The earlier finds were impossi-
BILE of development because of the ex-
pense involved. Additional legislation
and funds for exploration were need
ed, and the war and a potash shortage
brought from congress, at the behest
of Secretary Lane, Director George
Otis Smith of the geological survey,
and other scientists, necessary legisla-
ton and development machinery.
Aside from its uses as fertilizer
basis, potash is essential to industry
in time of both war and peace. 1t is
used in the manufacture of both glass
and soap, in the manufacture of dyes
and the tanning industry. The metal
lurgical industry of the west uses large
quantities of potassium salts. The
shortage of potash therefore, not only
was felt in the agricultural sections,
but in industry as well.
To a limited extent potash is used
in the manufacture of munitions, but
the proportion is small compared to
that required for agriculture and the
industries. The manufacturers of fer
tilizer, of course have heretofore used
the great bulk of the German supply,
and the geological survey has inter
esting figures showing the vastly in
creased yields on farm lands enriched
With potash fertilizers.
Passage by congress of the potash
lands and mining bill, prepared in the
Of the interior, has stinu-