Show U. U u S. S Steel Head Views Future of Geneva Mill Plant Able to Compete With Any in Nation If Markets Freight Rates Are Favorable The U U. S. S Steel Corp would like to see the Geneva Steel Co plant contribute creditably to the economic growth and welfare of Utah and its neighbor states said Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Ben Ben- I jamin F. F Fairless U. U S. S Steel Corp president who made a thor thor- ough inspection of the giant workings near Provo Thursday He came here from San Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco Wednesday with W. W A. A Ross president Columbia Steel Co es especially especially especially es- es to see the He will leave for San Francisco Thursday Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day night to attend the wedding of his son and later return to his headquarters in the east Personally I think we are going going gong go go- ing ng to have haire a lot of business after the war but it will not start the day after the war var ends he re re- re- re minded Plant Can Compete In discussing the status of the Geneva plant in a press conference I late ate Wednesday afternoon at the Hotel Utah Mr Fairless declared Geneva can make steel in competition competition com corn petition with any steel teel plant in inthe inthe the Jie nation He then pointed out that the plants plant's operation on a profitable basis depends on the postwar steel market in the west freight rates and other factors In his prepared statement Mr Fairless asserted U S. S Steel is in the business of manufacturing and selling seIling steel products anywhere It has never confined its operations to any particular particular par- par locality and it has always been ready and willing to under under- t I take the manufacture of steel wherever there was a reasonable prospect of doing it at a profit Today U. U S. S Steel operates steel making facilities in nine states tates As bu and nd present operators operators operators opera opera- tors of Geneva steel plant we naturally naturally naturally nat nat- are very much interested in its future We should like if possible possible possible pos pos- sible to see this plant contribute I creditably to the economic growth and welfare of Utah and its ts neighbor neighbor neighbor neigh neigh- I bor states While today the plant is gov gov- I gov-I owned and it is not for forUs forus forus us to say what should be its disposition disposition disposition dispo dispo- or use after the war so much greater would be our interest if subsequent developments should make it possible for lor us to participate participate participate pate in such a constructive postwar postwar post post- w war r development Mr Fairless said prewar prewar consumption consumption consumption con con- of steel in the 11 western western west west- em ern states totaled tons annually and that the present producing capacity is tons Branded as Bunk Mr Fairless branded as pure bunk the charges made recently at a hearing of the senate small business committee in San Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco that U. U S. S Steel would want to box up the Geneva plant and ship it east He said that if the Geneva plant had come into existence as a normal normal normal nor nor- mal business development there would be less discussion and speculation speculation speculation lation today about its future use Since the plant is owned by the government it is for the government government gov gov- alone to determine what disposition shall later be made of these facilities So far as provided provided provided pro pro- vided in any existing agreements U. U S. S Steels Steel's connection with the Geneva plant terminates with the conclusion of the war |