Great Falls tribune., 1921-02-20

ganizations other than the metal trades
section are interested in what tran
spires, thought it might be wei, ~
addition to having the metal trades
representatives, to invite others nero
at the same time, and therefore, MI
Chope, l think, asked for representa-
tives of the organizations, other tnan
the metal trades, to be present at Inih
meeting. That explains the SITUATION
to this date.
/ limo For Understanding.
Il think that the time has come
when we should have very l.ahf
talk about our labor situation in Mon
tana, and we should endeayor, II T. u
possible to do so. to arrive at some very
necessary understanding with reference
20 the relations between the MINING
organizations in the state and the di1,
ferent labor organizations. Wah'
you to feel that / am talking to you
| lust as frankly as I can; l have no
| chip on my shoulder; / am look ng FOR
and desire 40 trouble of any kind. Ihe
operators of Butte and of Montana do
not wish to take advantage of the 1n-
! dustrial situation that exists; it IS
matter that we deplore as deeply rs
possible. that the condition of our BUS
| mess and our industries is such as TO
have made necessary the very great
curtailment that has taken place III
metal production in this state, and the
consequent unemployment caused
thereby. If it were possible by amy
means at our command to correct the
! situation and put things on more
nearly normal basis, / assure you we
would put forth every effort to pro-
| mote such q situation rather than the
| reverse.
In considering the matter. however,
that We have before US. it is necessary
| that you should try and understand our
situation as clearly as poslble as well
as that We should try to understand
yours. 1t is desirable, / think, at
times like this for men to get togeth-
er in a spirit Of cooperation rather
than disruption, and l want you to feel
that it is in such sincere spirit that
l am talking to you. You know what
the metal situation has been since the
close of the war. You are engaged in
metal mining, copper and zinc. md
what applies to one metal generally
applies to the other except, perhaps,
that for the moment zinc is even in a
worse position than copper. =.
Metal Situation.
You understand in a general way
the conditions, but in order that we
may have a somewhat comprehensive
view Of it, l am going, If you will per-
nit, to review the situation under
which we have been operating since
the armistice closed the period of ex-
traordinary activity in metal mining
over two years ago. We tried to op-
crate at top speed during the war
years, and we had difficulty at times
when operation was profitable and
when it was what was of more i'm
portanee, very necessary for war pur-
poses, to continue doing SO. The pc
Rod Of industrial activity was marked,
perhaps. by as much difficulty in op-
Grating in the copper mines in Montana
as in conducting any industry in the
country. We felt then, and we feel
now, that the interference with opera
tions was unwarrant~d and unjust. The
strike of 1917 wassa a wholly unwar-
ranted strike. as was also the strike
that came later in 1918 and the 1919
strike. The result was very costly to
all the mining companies, and to the
men who might have been employed. It
put us in position where we lost i'm
portant months Of operation, when
both the men and the company could
have enjoyed a greater prosperity than
they did. However that may be, we
were practically operating under or
ders from the United States govern
ment, and the result was that we were
obliged even at a time when the war
was drawing to close, to continue
at 100 per cent production.
When the armistice was signed in
November, 1918, the copper companies
had surplus of millions of pounds of
copper produced under conditions that
should have brought price OF 20 cents
per pound. As q matter of fact when
the armistice was concluded on the
18th of November, the total orders of
all the copper producers of the United
States were only about 45,OO0,OOO
pounds of copper. so that we were left
holding large amount of copper, and
at that time each allied government
had also a large amount of copper; so
that in addition to the copper that we
had produced, and which was held by
the producers. there were many mil
lions of pounds in scrap and copper in
the hands Of the allied governments.
mM Future Uncertain.
Now, if conditions had been good
if industry had resumed immediately |
it would have been a somewhat diff |
cult proposition without having the |
business 60 to pieces. but the most |
fears have been realized; |
instead of business becoming better it |
has become worse; business in this |
was good but. business abroad |
had been destroyed and the rehabili- !
tation of Europe. due to the political !
agitation and the revolution over there.
instead of becoming matter of months |
has stretched out until now, after more |
than two years since the armistice. it |
is an uncertainty when stable interna-
tional business conditions can be real |
zed. and because more than one-half
Of the American copper had gone into
export trade, it has left the copper
business in situation where it is i'm
possible to re-establish it's prosperity
until the very indefinite happening of
political stability and industrial activ-
ty in Europe becomes realized.
Under these adverse conditions we
have done the best we could so far as
you are concerned The war scale Of |,
wages which had been reduced in
February. 1919, was re-established in
July Of that year to meet increased
living expenses. and remained in force
until last month. The accumulation Of
copper has increased notwithstanding
he fact that curtailment has been
luite general for two years. The Ana
.onda company last year produced
about one-third of what it is capable
IF doing, and should do to secure the
'est operating results. You know we