The border vidette., 1929-03-02
MANGANESE ORE TARIFF IMPOR.
TANT TO NATION

Sir Robert Hadneld, the eminent
British metallurgist, in a recent
publication on manganese, quotes
an ancient Chinese proverb:
They who own the iron of the
world rule the world He con
tinues, 1T would also seem safe
to add that they who own the
manganese of the world have
largely in their hands the con.
troll of steel of satisfactory quail
ity such as is now necessary to
meet modern requirements"
The World War brought home
to the steel making nations the
vital importance of manganese
orc. Manganese is absolutely
essentisl In the manufacture OF
steel. There is no substitute.
The United Btates produces 46%
OF the worlds steel. Each of
the stesl making nations is at.
tempting TO determine and safe I
guard its supply of manganese
10 Meet an emergency. Eng
land, With foresighted policy, is
lending encouragement to the
development of manganese mines
| in India and Africa. France,
having no manganese, is spend.
ing, each year, many millions Of
dollars in acquiring and storing
within her borders large quaint.
ties of manganese ore. The U.
s. draws g large part OF her
supplies from Russia, India,
Africa and Brazil. This course.
it is recognized, is attended with
some peril. What II the ave.
nues of supply were cut off? A
world power that is not entirely
independent ss to its steel sup
ply runs the risk Of forfeiting its
place in this age Of steel. Sc
curity in respect to manganese
has it's Importance In peace as
we'll as war. So
The United States has within
her boundaries enormous quanti
ties Of low grade manganese
ores. This is required in the
development Of mines and the
application Of processes neces
cary to treat these ores. Devel.
opment in the last few years
have determined that, ores now
being produced from our low
grade deposits are, after being
treated, higher in grade than
ores produced any place IN the
world. Our reserves OF these
low grade ores are extensive but
SO have . supply of high grade
product available in On emergen.
Icy requires an adequate tariff
protection in times of peace.
The Secretary OF War in his
1927 report TO the President, re-
commended purchase OF 600. 900
tons of manganese ore to be held
as an emergency stockpile. This
would require an outlay OF many
millions of dollars BY the gov.
ernment. The only alternative
J is the development OF domestic
production, which can best be
accompanied by an adequate pro
tective tariff on manganese ore
and metals. This tariff when
| passed on to the ultimate con-
sumer is almost negligible. To
the average automobile owner IL
Is about one dime-a small sri
4 butte TO pay for our national
security and industrial indepen.
i dence. !.
i Congress now considering
tariff readjustment.l will deter.
mine the future Of the infant
manganese industry and the in.
dependence of the nation With
regard 30 our manganese supply.
Certain steel interests are op
posing the proposed duty on
manganese ores while at the
same time ask for additional in.
crease Of duties on their steel
products. It is short-sighted
policy which dictates opposition
to q proper tariff on q material
so inc portant TO our nation.
We have enormous reserves,
we have successful methods of
treatment now in operation and
is is OF great importance that
sufficient tariff projection be
granted TO encourage the fur.
ther development and produc
tion from our known domestic
resources.
Hanford Macnider, former As.
! sistant Secretary of War, head
!. of Industrial preparedness divi.
sion, in commenting on the i'm.
portance of the domestic manga.
nese industry, writes. Manga.
nese is essential to the produc-
ton OF steel and without steel