Evening star., 1923-08-23
GREAT EFFICIENCY
IN COPPER MINING
Consumption Also at High
Rate-Eyes on Ford in
Automobile World.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Spec.al Dispatch 10 The star.
NEW YORK, August 23.-Althoush
the price of copper continues to hover
around the l4-cent mark. one of the
chief problems Of the mine owners
of the west has been solved. Eff
cheney OF labor in the mines has
shown marked Improvement and now
is higher than at any time since the
mines were closed down during the
depression of 1921.
This Is due, mine executives say,
to the fact that since purchases of
silver under the Pittman act ceased
some months ago, silver producers
nave been making more careful Sc
lection OF labor. retaining only the
best men. The result has been a
distinct gain in general efficiency.
Domestic consumption of the red
metal mas been sustained by the tre-
Imendous electrification and power
projects under way and by building
construction, although the increased
competition is giving keen anxiety
10 eastern manufacturers of copper
products.
Developments I'm West.
Manufacturers of the Naugatuck
valley in Connecticut and In other
sections of New England watched
with close attention the formation
OF the Brenner-Moxley- -Mervis Com
pany of Chicago. and the beginning
OF construction Of 100000 copper
wire and rod mill in that city. I'm
. Ill that project was formulated there
was no mill manufacturing copper
rods between the Naugatuck valley
and Montana. Rumors, still uncon-
Armed, that the American Brass Com
pany contemplates erection of a cop
tper wire mill in Kenosha, Wis also
Froused apprehension in the east.
Most OF the New England manufac-
; nurers. however, have come to the
conclusion that these projects have
arisen in reply to expansion of de-
mand rather than through the possi-
.bllfty of capturing markets now held
ny the eastern makers. So long as
say there is room for both.
The copper ore producers. however.
regard the outlook as uncertain in
view or the unsettlement in Europe
surplus and, together with the owners
or lead and zinc properties they are
watching the automobile factories and
building construction for any slack
ening in the activities of these con-
' suming industries.
Auto Manufacturers Watch Ford.
As September l approaches. the at
tention of the automobile manufac-
turers is turned toward the Ford
company in the hope of obtaining
some mixing as to whether any
change In prices is contemplated. 1t
IL known that the largest producer
ATTENDS to increase production to 49,
u00 cars day and II is expected that
900 Fords will be- turned out in
september unless production Is inter
ferred with by a slight change in the
model Orders still total above 200, 900.
Although there have been no changes
IN the prices of cars in the Ford class,
- N A. hA a.. bot
change by Ford will be quickly fol-
lowed by the others. The majority
OF the Detroit plants are again near
Ing capacity production, the increase
being due largely to a demand for the
new models. The August output will
compare favorably with some of the
banner spring months and Septen-
per's outturn will be higher still.
The present daily production records
indicate better than anything else
that there is no slump in the industry.
The care with which manufacturers
are Studying conditions. however.
may be estimated by the fact that the
Chevrolet Company has 3SS field men
reporting conditions by telegraph
each Monday.
Question Coal Commisslon's Powers.
Close students of the anthracite
coal situation indicated a belief to-
day that efforts by the Federal Coal
Commission TO fix the blame" for
failure OF operators and miners TO
reach an agreement might be fol-
lowed by legal action against the
commission by the party on which
kulpability was placed. The commits
zion. they pointed out, was formed
purely as fact-finding body and was
not empowered to pass judgment on
the rights and wrongs of possible
controversies. Attempts to "fx the
blame" some believe, would therefore
place the commission in the position
Of exceeding its powers and lay it
liable to court action.