Tombstone epitaph., 1919-01-19
MANGANESE MINERS
 ASK FEDERAL RELIEF

olutions were passed. representing | the opinion of delegates from 22 states. l that the spirit and intent of the min | erasl control act should be carried out | as a matter ofjustice. The secretary | of the interior was asked to render a l final decision as to what might be 1, done. and in response to a committee appointed 10 ascertain his views he explained that he felt that further leg isia;ion was necessary 10 give him fall warrant to act under the changed conditions. He suggested that the minaSals act be amended so that it might be applied for liquidation of losses incurred by the producers Of the war minerals.
 It is a fact that millions Of dollars have been spe2; ty patriotic men in his country in the erection of plants for the production of potash and in developing other mineral resources. trusting in the faith and honor of the United States government. and that Inder no circumstances would they have spent a dollar on these enter prises in the fact of the foreign com pe.ition which would have prevented such industries being developed profitably. They were urged and per shaded by many government agencies, including the department of the inte- rior. 10 use strenuous efforts to pro- vide these essentials for the nation. and it was universally understood that
 they would be protected by the war
 minerals bill that was then pending
 How can the administration explain
 i,s Shortcoming if this obligation is
 no, frankly and honestly met.
 America should be made industrial
 y independent The collapse oi these
 industries. now that they have been
 called into being. would exert dis
 couraging influence upon the people. !; is necessary that they should be reco.npensed for the money they have
 lost. but tack of that lies patriotic
 effort for the national welfare of ap-
 preciation. and the only way 10 do . this is to sustain the industries. IL was
 stated al the meeting by MT. Lord of the department of labor that test of national strength is the ability to meet any emergency. through coop erative efor:. and that these respons- es by the mining people of the country
 should no, be neglected by the gov
 ernment The industries were entitled 1 10 chance to do their part for the ! future development of the country.
 and the government was in duty bound 10 see that they had that chance When the resources of | America had been shown. in any in stance. 10 be inadequate. it was time
 70 see about importations to make
 good the deficiency. That applies to any industry. We do not want state ! socialism. but protection to the pro- [ duc:ive power of the country is not socialism; !; is the protection to op- i por;uni;y for private effort in order to make ourselves self-sustaining It might seem. in a narrow view of self | interest, to some of the larger indus. i tries that they were being benefited | by having cheap foreign raw materials accessible, but in the end they were i preventing the growth of the country
 os-u ci ct-fcs ahuoStiicS thdt "os'u make a combined demand that would more than offset the advantage of a
 little reduction in the first cost of a
 portion of their supplies.
 ! As one means for insurii.g balance Of protection and encouraeemen; of i the related industries, N- Lord in { sisted that i, was as i1.Doitan. that
 there should be unity of action among | the owners of tine mines as aTong the
 employees. Organization of t,.e m .tal industries for mutual help would Icac.
 advantageously upon every phase of
 the work. IL would inspire confidence
 among the workers and facilitate O.
 operation for the highes: industrial
 ends; it would terminate tnat kind
 Of competition that makes the opera.
 tors the easy victims of their own sys-
 tenn through the effort to grab the
 market away from others. In this sys- ' tenn are the elements of selftestruc-
 ton that create panics and prostra- ffon of husipess cane nvos acfiv,