Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1927-10-08
'ODDIE IN FIGHT
TO HELP MINING
Nevada Governor Taking
Counsel with Citizens Re-
garding Request for Spe-
cial Legislative Session.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.-Senator
and Mrs Tasker Oddie of Nevada,
Who have many friends and rela-
tlves in Los Angeles and other
sections OF California, arrived in
Washington yesterday and are set
isd for the winter in their home
E. 2123 Leroy Place. Senator
Idle came to urge proper and
sufficient appropriations for the
Bureau of Mines and the Geologi-
cal Survey. In this campaign for
alequate = funds he represents the
solid ranks of all those in the
United States interested in the
mineral development, now and in
| the future, to a point where the
nited States will be Independent
If other nations for all metals and
chemicals needed for industry and
science.
Senator Oddie in indicating to-
day that lie would make a deter
mined fight for more money for
mining and geological research by
i the Federal government said:
"Our mineral industry is of
equal Importance with our agri-
cultural industry, although its an
nual production is only about So
/ 900 100000, as against about $12,-
+ 900 5000 for agriculture. Raw
mineral products furnish over 80
per cent of the freight for our
transportations systems.
Duty Neglected
"Our government is guilty OF
gross discrimination against and a
shameful neglect of it's duty to-
ward the mineral industry. 1t pro-
! lies annual appropriations for
+ The agricultural industry of $128,-
i aG0, 900 and only apout $4.600,000
Or the mineral industry.
! The mineral industry of the
United States employs approx
mately 100000 workers, includ-
ing 10000 engaged in the steel
industry, 100000 in coal mining
and 735,0OO in the oil industry.
We may assume that these work
ers account for a family OF five
7 )ersons each, so that the total
number of our citizens directly
apendent upon the mineral in
/ !ustry> may" be- said to approx
rate 100000, or about per
/ cent OF the countrys' entire popu-
lation. The Bureau Of Mines Is
/ the Federal agency, which repres'
enLs this vast industry, with its
legions of workers and billions of
dollars of annual production. A
/ he present time, the total amount
at disposal of the Bureau of Mines
! all annual purposes, is roundly
J ..1,750,OOO. There Is no question
/ but that this sum if absurdly in,
adequate from the standpoint OF
the trem 4ndous interests involved
/ Need of Funds
( "Yeoman service has long been
rendered tc all the mineral in.
dustries through the production
statistics prepared by the United
1 States Geological Survey and pub
iHshed in the annual mineral re-
/ sources volumes. 1t was hoped
that when this work was trans
! ferred to the Bureau of Mines
lin the Department of Commerce
! the scope of the work would be
greatly increased, but unfortunate
! only slight new appropriations
were made for this purpose. | am
convinced that if both the Bureau
of Mines and the Geological Sur
vey had been. equipped with ade-
uuate funds we would today be
materially further advanced in the
solution of the Mississippi flood
problem. 1t is also highly prob
able that we should have avoided
the uneconomic condition prevail
ng in the oil and coal industries
"a condition resposible for the
loss of hudreds of millions of dol
lars a year."