The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-06-15
NEW KIND OF STACKER

Washington, d. c.. June 15-The
newest type of Stacker and one VINO
is doing his country great amount
of harm, is the man or woman VINO
buys or even encourages the pur-
chase of platinum jewelry, according
to the Bureau of Mines, Department
of the Interior. For the country Is
and for many years will be desper-
ately in need of the scarce and prec-
ions platinum in its industrial work
and must have it if the war machine
is to go full speed ahead.
A plan proposed by the Federal Oh
ficials would stop the use of platinum
in jewelry, not only for the war but
for all time. Officials of the govern
ment who are in close touch with the
situation are filled with apprehension
as to the future supply of platinum
AS far as can be learned, it is belleV-
ed that aside from the large amount
of platinum metals in the form OF
manufactured iewelry, large part oil
which is in private ownership, there
is less than twenty-five per cent OF the
normal stock of manufactured platl-
mum in this country available for the
needs of the war.
Tn an effort to fill the immediate
pressing needs of the Government III
it's war program, the War Industries
BOARD has ordered that seventy-hVe
ner cent of the stock of platinum III
the hands of manufacturing jewelers.
he Communicated and also the COM
nlete stock held by refners, import
ers and dealers, but thiss, it is SAID
will only fill a small gap and thar
temporarily.
1t has been hoped by Federal OHIO
ials and chemists throughout the
country who understand the serious
ness of the situation that the whims
of fashion might yield to natlonai
needs and that purchasers of jewelry
would demand gold and silver or a
white alloy and so release platinum
for its heighest use, but the results
have been disappointing.
The American Chemical Society. an
organization composed Of the lea'Ine
10000 chemists of the country, when
Is also back of this movement, has is
sued an appeal to the people not un-
der any circumstances either during
the war or after the war to use platl'
mum jewelry, but to conserve this uni
que and fast dwindling metal n)w
priced at five times the cost OF gold
for the exclusive use of the chemica
and other necessary industries The
first purpose will be to obtain a ruff
ficient supply of platinum for the
needs of the war, and then to retain
the production of the future for the
industries. II is clail'e dthat even
before the war, as result OF this I'M
reasonable craze for platinum in jew
elry, the highly importa' { work OF TIC
chemists has been curtailed and re-
search work, especially in the uni
versities, handicapped by inability To
meet the constantly rising pri o.
platinum.
"The utmost importance Of the en-
tire country coming to full aid ser
ious understanding of the dire need
of platinum in the industries and es-
pecially the war industries, is appar'
ent to all technical and scientific
men," said Van II. Manning. Directo'
of the Bureau of Mines, hut, unfortu
nately. the people generally have moi
the proper conception of the situd
ton. This condition has risen natur
ally through the insistent advertise
ment of platinum jewelr ,, the buyeri
being unaware OF the need OF plati
mum in the industries.
"The scarcity of platinum through
out the world and its high price Is ap
parently due almosrsolely to the fac
that the women OF this and othel