Evening star., 1942-03-03
Developing Of West's S
Resources for War
Urged in Forum
Ickes and O'Mohoney
Point to Opportunity in
Metal Stores and Power

The natural resources OF the
United States were discussed last
night bv Secretary of the Interior
IckeS and Senator O'Mahoney,
Democrat. Of Wyoming on the Ma
tional Radio Forum, sponsored by
The Star and broadcast over the
Blue Network. The program was
heard locally over Station WMAL.
The following is the text of the
forum discussion:
Senator OMahoney: If this war
Is to be won for freedom, America
will have to produce more.
We know now that every nation
resisting the Axis is depending upon
America to produce the implements
of war. The Dutch in the East In
dies and the AuStralians-Rus
China and England are looking to us
for help which we must send. We
are rightfully committed also to the
defense of the whole Western Hemi-
sphere.
When the great scope Of this pro-
gram for the defense of democracy
is thus revealed to us. we know that
we must make use of all of our re-
sources.
We have delayed too long. More
than 10 years ago Japan invaded
Manchuria to obtain raw materials
for this war. For eight years Ger
many has been preparing for this
war, and she has amassed the most
| limo mont fhot hos
been assembled. Because Hitler
knew that he would create the crisis
which is now at hand, he began the
invasion of Russia last June in his
search for raw materials. The Jap
anese hordes are now swarming into
that area of the Southwestern Pa
cific upon which the whole world
has heretofore depended for tin and
rubber and part Of its oil The
Japanese are still seizing raw ma
terials for the war.
Development Neglected.
The totalitarian nations thus have
made 1t clear that they know the
value of resources for war. Here in
our own country. however. we have
neglected to develop raw materials;
the very raw materials to obtain
which the Axis powers have plunged
the whole world into total war.
Nearly a year ago the United
States Senate passed my resolution
directing public attention to the
great opportunity which is ours.
The Secretary of the Interior, Har-
old L. Ickes. gave his full co-opera-
ton to the Senate Public Lands
Committee. The experts of the &C.
illogical Survey and the Bureau OF
Mines at his direction Immediately
furnished the Senate committee
facts and figures which they had
been gathering during many years.
Tonight Secretary Ickes has been
good enough to come here to out
line the program which he has laid
before the Senate and the Nation
for the full mobilization of the un-
developed mineral resources OF the
West.
No section, no State, no commu-
nifty in the whole Nation can be
indifferent to this program. Unless
we mobilize our resources at once
we cannot make the arms which
the free nations must have from us
to win. German and Japanese
U-boats have already made danger
Gus, shipping lanes Of both the
Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans
which are used to bring raw ma
terials from other lands. Our own
shipping program is just beginning,
so we have no recourse but to turn
our attention now to every needed
mineral deposit wherever it may be
and, if necessary, to adopt legisla-
ton for the large scale production
of the strategic and critical minerals
upon which victory depends.
Action Proposed.
1t gives me great pleasure, there
fore. to have this opportunity to
share a few minutes on the air with
Secretary Ickes, who has had the
vision and the courage to lay down
a definite program to do the job
which we see now must be done.
Mr.. Secretary, won't you outline
lust what you have proposed to the
Senate Public Lands Committee?
Secretary Ickes: I proposed action,
Senator O'Mahoney. In that report
to you, the chairman OF the Senate
committee, I showed how the De-
partment of Interior, which In