Evening star., 1922-08-13
IT NOW is WESTWARD.HO
FOR u. S. MANUFACTURERS
Great Water-Power Development Prom
ises Relief From Congestion and Fuel
Problems of the East.

ing developed on a big scale in Cali
fornia. and there is every prospect,
according to Mr.. Merrill, that it will
be extremely successful Plans are
on foot for the production of allu-
mfnum from imported bauxite.
The lumber and woodworking in
dustries will find their natural habi-
tat in the far west. although some al
lied industries such as the manufac-
ture of wheels and furniture depend
ent upon hardwood supplies will
doubtless remain where they are be-
cause the timber of the west is prac-
tically all soft wood trees.
There is now practically no weav-
ing Of cotton or woolen goods done
in the west. The possibilities are
good for weaving factories, especially
as the wool supply comes from the
west.
The mining industry Of Idaho, Mon
tana and Arizona is looking up TO the
likelihood Of cheap hydro-e electrical
power. They are going to get it be-
fore long. Mr.. Merrill says, and then
they are quite likely to go into the
production of semi-finished products.
such as rods, plates and wires, ms .ead
of sending the pig copper to eastern
mills. That is one of the large in
dustries awaiting the development Of
the Colorado river project.
Alaska Needs Transportation.
Projects in the state of Washing
ton and in Alaska have been given
permits under which 1t is planned to
work up schemes for development Of
power in paper production. Mr.. Mer-
rill says that the Federal Power Com
mission hopes that they will soon
succeed in working it out.
What can be done in Alaska 10
largely a question of transporta ZION.
They have cheap water power. They
have cheap timber right on the coast
and can load directly at the dock
into sea-going vessels. They will
have no rail shipments, and that will
be a material saving. Freight rates
from Alaska into the states are very
high. 1T looks like a very good pos
sibility for a new kind of industrial
development in Alaska" says Mr..
Merrill, after a careful and expert
study of the situation.
AS against this westward trend Of
some industries the east has a firmly
laid manufacturing foundation that
will be hard TO undermine. % 1t
has the population and uses the prod
uct close by with established lines
of commerce to all the markets of
the world for the exportable surplus.
(2) Until recently it has had rela-
lively cheap power. t3) 1t is ad-
vantageously near raw material sup
plies. Iron and steel. it must be
noted. enter most largely of all raw
materials into the processes of manu-
facture.
Use Electrical Power.
Regarding the quick thrill for in
dustry. the easily switched on electri-
cal power-there the Pacific coast
challenges the world. There is more
use per capita of electricity in Cali
fornia than anywhere else in the
world. The domestic uses of cleo
tricity all along the Pacific coast are
unrivalled anywhere. The water
power development of the west is
growing by leaps and bounds. and is
being used for interurban railway
transportation, for industrial pur-
poses. for irrigation pumping and for
domestic conveniences. Ninety per
cent Of the industries located in Cali
fornia are electrically operated, and
no other section of the entire world
has ever achieved such a percentage.
There Is much more intensive use OF
electricity along the Pacific coast
than anywhere else. They have the
cheapest power-and it is calling to
American industry harrassed by the
mounting costs for coal.