Bisbee daily review., 1919-01-12
MANGAN ESE MINERS ASK FEDERAL RELIEF

| At the meeting Of the manganese ! producers recently in Washington res | olutions were passed, representing the | opinion of delegates from 22 states. that the spirit and intent of the min erals control act should be carried out as a matter of justice The sec retaTy of the interior was asked to render a final decision as to what might be done, and in response to committee appointed to ascertain his views he explained that he felt that | further legislation was necessary to give him full warrant to act under the changed conditions. He suggested that the minerals act be amended so that it might be applied for the liqui- dation of losses incurred by the pro ducers of the war minerals.
 It is a fact that millions of dollars have been spent by patriotic men in this 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 under no circumstances would they have spent a dollar on these enter pTises in the face of the foreign com petition which would have prevented such industries being developed prOfitably. They were urged and per suaded by many government agencies. including the department of the in terior. to use strenuous efforts to pro vide these essentials for the nation. 10 they would be protected by the war minerals bill that was then pending How can the administration explain it's shortcoming if this obligation is not frankly and honestly met?
 America should be made industrial ly independent. The collapse of these industries, now that they have been called into being, would exert a dis cOuraging influence upon the people. It is necessary that they should be recOmpensed for the money they have lost, but back of that lies a patriotic effort for the national welfare that should meet with evidence of appre- citation, and the only way to do this Is to sustain the industries. It was stated at the meeting by Mir. Lord of the department of labor that a test of national strength is the ability to meet any emergency, through CO., operative effort. and that these re- sponses by the mining people of the country should not be neglected by the government The industries were entitled to a chance to do their part for the future development of the country. and the government was in duty bound to see that they had that chance. When the resources of America had been shown, in any in- stance. 10 be inadequate. 1t was time 10 see about impOrtatiOns to make good the deficiency That applies to any industry. We do not want state socialism. but protection to the pro- ductive power of the country is not socialism: it is the protection to op- portunity 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 tries that they were being benefited by having cheap foreign raw materials accessible. but in the end they were preventing the growth of the country and of other industries that would 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 insuTing a balance of protection and encouragement of the related industries Mir Lord in sisted that it was as important that there should be unity of action among the owners of the mines as among the employees. Organization of the metal industries for mutual help would react advantageously upon every phase of the work. It would inspire confidence among the workers and facilitate cooperation for the highest industrial ends; it would terminate that kind of competition that makes the operators the easy victims of their own system through the effort to grab the market away from others. In this system are the elements of self-de- structiOn that create panics and pros tratiOn of business. A sane protec- tive policy can be developed only by association Of the interests that con stitute the commercial strength of the country, and such association should have power to direct and regu-
  late, and not merely to pass resolu- tions that depend upon the initiative of some one outside to make them effective.
 While steps are being taken 10 se- cure an amendment to the minerals control act in accordance with the expressed desire of Secretary Lane. this. if passed. would result only in reimbursing the miners for their out lay. lt would have no effect upon the continuance of operations. It would leave us where we were before the outbreak of the war
 In 1917 the domestic product was only about One-siXth of the total con sumption of manganese This year it had grown to One-third. and next year it would come close Co supplying our total requirements. During the first six months of this year, according 10 a communication from the United States geological survey. the output of this country was 13e 554 tOns Of