Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1963-02-07

was forced to &C
cept the propos-
ais Of the mining Everett LuOma
companies because of the desperate
unemployment conditions on the
Range.
This action on the part of the
union Is a result Of a refusal on
the part Of the union to recognize
their real problems. The mining
companies argue that cheap labor
in foreign countries, especially
Venezuela, places Minnesota in an
unfavorable competitive position.
What Minnesota must therefore do,
according to the mining compan-
les, is give tax concessions so that
there would be greater incentive
for the companies to mine Mime
sofa.
The United Steel Workers Union
should have taken the following
factors into consideration for a
possible key to a solution to their
problem before the situation on the
Range became critical. Specific
dangers Of the taconite amend
mend will be discussed in a later
column.
~ The present instability of
the Venezuelan government. Be
cause Of the extremely low stand
ard Of living Of the peasantry in
Venezuela, Venezuela is in constant
danger Of revolution.
If a revolution would occur,
American mining companies would
lose this prime source Of iron ore.
Because Of this unstable situation,
they would attempt to take out of
Venezuela as much Of the ore as
possible even though 1t were more
expensive to mine than the ore of
1NOT IIlcI1 MlIul6SOId.
During this time, however, they
would be expected to use this i'm
portation of ore as a weapon to
secure themselves beneficial condi-
tons on the Range. The taconite
amendment attempts to guarantee
that Minnesota will be benefited
as little as possible from its own
natural resources if at any time
restrictions are placed on Venezue-
Ian ore.
(2) The relevance Of the condi-
tons Of the working class Of Vene-
zuela to those Of Minnesota. AS
Stunning that the sole reason for the
imports of ore from Venezuela is
because it is cheaper, why Is 1t
cheaper? One reason is because
the miners in Venezuela are merely
being paid pittance for their
labours. The United Steel Workers
Union should only support candi-
dates for public office who are in
terested in raising the living con-
ditions Of Venezuelan miners. Now
in effect what they do Is support
candidates who wish to maintain
competition by lowering the level
of American miners to that of the
Venezuelan miners.
(S) Lack Of q steel industry
within Venezuela If the mining
companies would permit Venezuela
to have its own steel industry,
Venezuelan ore could be used with
in Venezuela and not shipped to
the United States to compete with
the ore from Minnesota.
The reason for this lack Of in
dustry Is obvious. The low wages
within Venezuela create an I'M
stable situation which makes in
vestment Of capital by the corp
crate interests dangerous. The pa
radox is that these corporate in
terests are also the ones who pay
the low wages that create the I'M
stable situation. Because Of the
stable situation within the United
States, the ore is shipped to the
United States. 1t certainly should
be in the interests Of the United
Steel Workers Union to search for
solutions to this paradox. AS it is
now, the union Is merely an unwill-
ing tool Of the mining companies
against the interests Of the miners
and the state of Minnesota.