Show no one seems to know who this summers person is nor how he happens to tid be connected with the war industries board as his name is not included in the published list of those comprising that board probably he be is some undersecretary under secretary who secured his position through political influence and who has been delegated to answer correspondence spon dence of the board however a little brief authority like a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and his responsibility apparently went to his head the little knowledge knowledg ge is evident when he speaks of extinguishing the lead industry with its annual production of more than a billion pounds so little in fact that it is microscopic and his authority also is problematical ma nia one cannot help wondering what other products lie he would substitute for this vast quantity of lead copper or silver probably or perhaps gold or even platinum or maybe lie he knows of a metal which is procurable in unlimited amounts and of which the balance of the world is not cognizant summers must be a valuable man to the government just at this time for he pro probably knows of substitutes for other necessities also such as gasoline potash explosives perhaps even for food and his advice will be eagerly sought by the administration however what is to be gained by allowing a pinhead like that to offer an affront to a great industry even though he does expose woeful ignorance and un unmitigated mitigate nerve in doing so are there not intelligent men on that board who can answer courteous questions in a courteous way or are they all as ignorant of raw products and of the count rys industries as this specimen the various calls upon the patriotism of the nations citizens have proven that the mining sections are in the front rank every time even though the west does make less noise and fuss about the success of the various drives than do the east and south some resentment is excusable in a case like this of course the better way to regard the matter is that it is trivial and of no consequence but when a man likes himself as well as mr mitchell does it is sometimes necessary to hold a mirror up to his face As to the price of lead if it is necessary to refer the question to a committee which knows nothing about metals or in mining ining we suggest that the wiser course is for the government to fo eliminate the speculators and allow the law of supply and demand to settle the matter C G ballantyne formerly of 0 honolulu arrived in salt lake on the dinst and assumed charge of operations at the property of the montana bingham consolidated mines company at bingham utah H he e brought his family with him and will establish his residence in salt lake city |