The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1941-01-30
Faces Shortage
In Vital Metals
Government Acts to Build
Reserves; Manganese,
Tin, Offer Problems.

WASHINGTON. - virtually COM
plete dependence on foreign sources
for tin and manganese may COM
plicate efforts of the governments
national defense administrators to
build up large emergency reser-
voir Of strategic war materials for
the United States. according to min
eral experts.
Unlike chromium and tungsten,
which the government plans to buy
In large quantities. tin and manga
nese are produced in very limited
quantities in this hemisphere. Large
quantities Of all will be needed for
the defense program.
Heretofore, government experts
said, more than three-fourths Of the
tin used in the United States has
come from British Malaga. with the
remainder divided between England,
the Dutch East Indies, the Neither
lands and Bolivia. Except for that
Of Bolivia, the supply from these
sources is likely to be curtailed and
even completely shut off because Of
the war. they believe.
SHELTERS Not Available.
Even if Bolivia could supply all
the tin required by the United States,
neither country has commercial
smelters capable of refining what the
experts termed refractory and re-
bellious" Bolivian ore.
The situation in regard to man.
ganese is similar. In 1889, Ameri-
can industries required more than
1872, ESQ tons Of the metal-essential
for hardening armor-plate steel.
Main sources of manganese ore have
been the African Gold Coast and
British India. Minor quantities are
produced in the Philippines and
Brazil.
Tin and manganese, the expert
said, undoubtedly will provide Ed
ward r. Stettinius Jr., materials CO.
ordinator Of the national defense
commission, with his most difficult
problem. President Roosevelt has
said fears Of such shortages are hys-
terical and that Stettinius has the
situation under control.
Under the strategic materials act
passed at the last session Of con-
gress 500, 900. 900 was to be spent
over the next 10 years for essential
wartime commodities not readily
available in this country. Approx
mately $1,000, 900 has been spent in
the current fiscal year.
More Funds Sought.
With the invasion Of Belgium, Hol-
land and France, the administration
decided it was essential to the ma.
tional defense to speed up purchases
of strategic materials. Since May
10 the President has sent two re-
quests to congress for SAT. 500, 900
for the acquisition Of such supplies.
Another 500, 600, 900 would be avail
able indirectly if needed under
terms Of the 1941 fiscal year military
and naval appropriation bills.
Experts regard the tin situation
as the most acute. During 1899 in
dustrial consumption in the United
States totaled approximately 10000
tons of pig tin. Since last Septem-
Der the government purchased 6,124
tons at a cost Of more than $6,000,.
600. But this would not be suffi-
cient to last more than a few days
If the country found itself at war. ex.
perts said.
The rubber situation is more in.
definite. but probably not so seri-
Gus, experts said. The procurement
division has no quota on rubber,
since all imports are handled on a
barter basis for American cotton by
the state and agriculture depart
ments.
Chromium ore, necessary for the
manufacture of armor plate and
highly important in the manufacture
Of tool steel, is fortunately widely
distributed over the earth's surface,
the experts said, with the Philip
pines and Cuba among the major
,,roducerc