Bisbee daily review., 1918-06-02
MINES CONTINUE AT HIGH SPEED DESPITE
 DISAPPOINTMENT

is the attitude of the War Industries Board in seeking maximum output of the metals and refusing price for these covering the increase in costs The natural inclination is to interpret this position as meaning that there is ar overproduction of metals in sight and that the appeal for maximum pro ductiou is not made in earnest. This might be believed if it were not known that there is no surplus of copper in any market of the world but on the other hand an actual shortage every where. The non-essential industries are getting no copper, and have not for many months, notwithstanding which the distributors of the metal are hard put at the end of each week to find the copper to fill the require ments of contractors engaged on gov ernment work Another thing the min CTS know is that the output of copper is declining in spite of their best ef- forts anu that the tendency must in the nature of things continue in that direction until higher metal price will permit reopening the lower grade bod ies and the diversion of effort to find ing more high grade instead of mining it exclusively.
 The Eastern View
 The best eastern opinion, as gath cred from financial writers. seems to be that the Industries Board is actuat- ed by the belief that the larger mines can operate at profit of fair kind to their owners and keep up equipment maintenance and betterments on the present price of the metal, which in most instances is true; and that labor is now paid sufficient to enable it a fair profit in the larger camps, which is not as true. So diagnosing the sit uation, the eastern writers say that the Board arrives at the conclusion that by leaving the metal price where it is the smaller producers will find It necessary to close down, their labor thus being released to the larger mines and enabling them to more than make up the difference in pro- dEction. The theory is right as far as 1t goes, but it fails to take in consid- eration the fact that the large mines are not suffering from shortage ot labor but from shortage of room i:. which to work labor The room is reg ulated by the extent of their areas of high grade and cannot be expanded at WILL It Is not to be denied, however. that increase in skilled labor such as the pick of the forces of smaller prop critics would provide, would be desir- able and helpful. as extra-skilled labor always IS. but the simple release of this character of labor by the closing down of small mines would not bring 1t into the hands of the large mines. The skilled labor would continue to go, as it has been doing for some months, to the higher paid labor fields engaged on government contracts.
 AN OVERLOOKED ELEMENT
 Herein in another element the War Industries Board appears to have ov- erlooked. It is one that has operated more than any other single extrane- ous item to make the going hard and to slow down production during the lest several months. Mechanics are not lacking to fill the vacancies. but they do not bring the efficiency to the jobs that the old men gave them. Master mechanics of some of the big producing properties have had more trouble in keeping going during the last few. months than ever before in their lives, and the.- situation is fast growing worse. They, perhaps more than others, had hoped that an ad- vance in metal price would be made that would enable ar advance in wag- es that would let them compete for the skilled help of which they are in so much need
 The Miners View
 The only way the miner has been able to figure the situation out has involved the extension of the stimu Jus of far profit for all operators and operatives. large and small. Under such stimulus, the investor in new properties would be encouraged to push forward his research for re- sources in metals against the day of need, while the established producer would go into his lower grade ores and mixing these with the high grade pro duce a larger metal tonnage, while at the same time finding opportunity to pick up development in the high grade areas and make up for some part of the merciless depletion that has been forced m its high grade. The miner is of course seeing the practical side, which happens to be the side that is responsible for the output of metal. Theory may hold that all that is rec essary % get the metal is to throw the miners into the ground, that the numbers crowded down to shaft will regulate the amount of ore sen; up; but the miner knows tbat there Is room for just so many men and no more 15an feet down. or 1900 or 2D0) feet down. and that there is just 70 much ore there to be taken out and that every pound removed is a pound less left in the reserve. and sf5t there is limit to all reserves. The miner wants Co make maximum output of metal during the war and is going to do his best unfalteringlv. regardless of conditions imposed upon him, but he cannot at this time see clearly bow he IS goinL to manage it If ne IS kept out of his pick in the skilled labor market and at the same time restrict 1 cd tO the sale of his high grade in- stead of permitted 10 sell all of his goods.
 GOLD ORE PRODUCES