The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-11-13

AS men come MANNED and wrecked
out OF war. 40 not infrequentiy do In
dustries emerge with their founda-
lions shattered This statement by
Walter Douglas. president OF the
Phelps Dodge corporation. In the Oc-
tober Issue OF The Mining Congress
Journar' II used 10 describe The con-
dition of the copper and affiliated in
dustrier following the cessation OF
hostiiltiea In Europe.
Mr.. Douglas doubts whether any
other OF the country'a Industrial bull
warks got no complete a scorching
out OF the world War as copper. ThiH
was due 10 the fact that copper was
Withdrawn almost entirely from tho
arts OF peace and devoted to the pur-
poses OF war.
when nations decide 10 annihllate
each other" says MIR. Douglas. Cop
per assumes an even greater import
ance than gold. You might. prob
ably could. kill a mar with gold. but
!; would not be easy. you simply can
not XIII a man In a scientific. up 20
date without copper. Az a
facetiOus writer once said. The ma
ton that goes to war without a good
stock Of copper Ii worse off than e
would be without a board Of
strategy"
Copper sought First.
When the United States entered the
war lite first demand. almost. was on
the copper and brass indust ries. Mr..
Douglas recalled. Overnight the great
producing organization OF the Ameri-
can copper companies were enlisted
IN the national service. Under in
tenHive pressure the mineB OF Michi-
gan, Montana and Arizona began to
nnarE forth that AAuWlfs. suN.Asa -
the shelters and %reflneries establish
ed new records for output. the rolling
mills went on a 24-hour-day working
basis. and there started into the am
munition factories OF the country n
flow OF copper, brass and bronze
sheets, tubes and ross, such as the
country had never witnessed before,
and In all likelihood never will see
again.
Il sometimes wonder" Mr.. Douglas
adds. how many people understand
the fields which copper and brass
abandoned In u few hours in order
to do It's part In war service. In a
score OF industries representing an
annual consumption OF copper and
copper alloys running into hundreds
OF millions OF pounds an almost dis
Gstrous condition was created. There
was no copper for them. The gov
eminent needed II all and none was
disposed to question It's right 20 all
that could be produced.
Therefore, when copper brass.
bronze and other copper alloys Joined
the colors. industry demanded some
thing 60 take their places. And here
IL whore a flood OF substitutes was
turned loose to provide the building
roofing, plumbing. hardware and
other industriea with the means Of
continuing operations. But / say un-
rcscrvodly that 1t Is not rood business
to continue the use Of Substitutes for
copper and copper products in the
fields where they are -pre-eminent.
now h a copper is plentiful"
Large Investments
Hundreds OF millions OF American
dollars are invested In the copper and
brass industries. Great plants have
been are Mr. Douglas believes
that II Is OF national Importance that
these huge Investments be kept busy.
and pending the adjustment OF Eu-
ropes economic difficulties they must
depend In large measure on domestic
consumption.
Some idea Of the enormous growth
Of the copper Industry may be gath
sered from the fact that while in 1895
the smclter output from domestic
ores was about $780, 600 900 pounds, by
1915 It had Jumped to 1925. OOO. 900
pounds, and In 1918. under the pres
sure Of war needs, reached approXi-
mately $500. OOO, 900 pounds. Also
the importance OF the United States
as "A copper producing country may
be gagged from the fact that while
In 1895 the mine output OF copper
represented bl.b per cen OF the