The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-20
MINT IS AGAIN
 MAKING DOLLARS
20 Million Have Been Coined Since Late in March, the
 Treasury Announces
By Associated Press

Washington June l9.--coinage of silver dollars has been resumed by the mint after a lapse of seven wears. and inc work of replacing the 279,- 900, 900 standard silver dollars taken from the treasury during the war to sell to Great Britain has been begun.
 Since late in March treasury off cials said tonight, approximately 20, 900, 900 silver dollars have been coined. Tn the same period core catcs were issued, and federal reserve notes and treasury certificates se curing them retired. This process, officials said would probably con tInue for the next five years, until the treasury's reserve of silver dollars is back to it's pre-war basis.
 The mint, officials explained ceased coining silver dollars in 1914. when the supply of metal purchased under the coinage act was exhausted. Further authority to make the dollars was not forthcoming until 1918. when Congress passed the Pittman act to enable the sale of melted dollars to England for The relief of the silver famine in India.
 Under the terms of the act, Director of the Mint Baker sold to England 279 100000 silver dollars. amounting to 20S0O0, ,000 pieces of silver. at S1O2ia an ounce plus the market price of the copper content in the dollar The 11z cents. MT Baker ex- plained tonight, paid for the cost of melting and transportation and the cost of recoinage.
 s Million Month
 The work of refilling the hole lef in the treasurys vaults, Mir. Baker said, was now well under way, the mint striking off silver dollars at the rate of about 5000, 900 to 10,000.o00 a month Since May, 1920, the mint has bought about 55.000.000 ounces of American silver al $i an ounce and will continue to make it's purchases at this price until the treasurys stock is replenished.
 Despite the fact that the Pittman act requires the mint to pay S1 an ounce for its silver. Mr. Baker de- clared. queries are constantly re- ceived demanding why the govern ment pays so much more for it's sil- yer than the market price The price was fixed by the act, he stated, to stabilize the price of silver when there were indications of its reach ing unheard of heights during the war As a result of the governments action in confining the treasury's purchases to silver. buth produced and reduced in this country, the American silver mining industry was protected from overwhelming for eign competition, MT. Baker said. Be-
 ,.t tot. Ia l. yer was sold to England, the govern ment is breaking a little better than even on the transaction he added.
 Romantic War Incident
 The inside history of the Pittman act sales. treasury officials recalled. was what former Secretary Glass de- scribed as one Of the romantic in- cidents of the war" In 1918, off cials said. Great Britain's Mesopo- tamia campaign was threatened hy the silver famine in India. Silver, India's monetary standard, was hoarded and hidden by the natives in the hills.
 The British government under war conditions could not get the metal to keep up it's silver reserve. German propaganda. seeking to drive wedge between India and the empire and block Englands plans in Meso- potamia, was spreading the report that the government could not re- deem it's paper currency.
 The British ambassador laid nis country's plight before this govern ment. Director of the Mint Baker suggested that the standard silver dollars lying idle in the treasury could be used to meet the situa ton, and the certificates outstanding against them replaced by federal re- serve notes. Prompt action was needed. The Pittmaa act was passed