Evening star., 1935-02-10
Studies Being Made of
World Raw Materials
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

First -of-the-year summaries Of
stocks Of world raw materials con-
tain some significant references to
the vital problem of our own re-
serves of these materials and an
indication of what we may expect
to be faced with when nature S
stores are exhausted.
The problem is set forth in its
broadest outlines in the mineral sec
ton of the report of the Presidents
Committee on Natural Resources
which has been submitted to Con-
gress. The report recommends that
the Federal Government assist the
mineral industries to attain economic
stability, in order that they may
minimize waste of natural resources
| maintain reasonable wage standards
and protect investments" To make
its efforts increasingly effective. the
| report asserts that the Government
should promote scientific research
relating TO minerals, foster mineral
technology and provide a permanent
planning agency to consider problems
! Of policy.
AS though making a recommenda-
ton for the projected modification
of N. r. A, the Resources Committee
suggests that, in some industries, II
may be necessary to permit the op-
orators to control production an6
| prices.
Surveys of our stocks of q number
of raw materials have been made
| during recent years, with results moi
always comforting to our sense Of
national security. There have beer
world agreements, generally knowr
as cartels, on copper. tin and zinc, ir
the metals, and other understanding,
as to nitrates and rubber among the
producers of the natural forms o.
| those necessities. Nothing as yet
has been done on world scale about
petroleum, although the subject ha!
been discussed at great length or
various occasions. Recently the For,
eign Affairs Committee Of the House
of Representatives decided that a
new survey of American tin resources
should be made with an eye to de.
velop them against possible future
emergencies.
The surveys Of natural resource.
| throughout the world referred tt
above include Canadian government
reports on nickel and platinum, a.
| well as on some of the rarer metals
such as palladium, and continued
efforts through our own Department
of Agriculture and the Bureau o.
Standards of the Department of Com.
| merce to discover or develop native
sources of rubber from which oul
needs could be supplied in cases oi
emergency.
Fear has been increasing that many
of our essential raw materials vii
eventually completely vanish and We
have been treated to terrifying fore.
casts Of what would then happen tC
us. Coal. petroleum and tin are
In this category. Coal, oil and nat
ural gas are different from all the
others under consideration. It Is
pointed out by mineral experts that
| the substance each deals with Is
an Cnreplaceable natural resource.
Another natural resource, lumber
can be grown. Oil, coal and gas
are consumed in use. Moreover, be-
cause they concern future genera
tions, these three resources are. in
the legal phrase, affected with q
| public interest" The opinion Is
growing that these natural resources
should be given status and treated
in a manner analogous to, though
differing from, the status we Amer
leans have already given public
utilities. -
The experts are divided as tc