| OCR Text |
Show H WASTE MUST STOP. H That tho present prodigious waBto H of tho nation's natural resources must H stop nt onco It wo nro to continue to M prosper, Is tho warning given to tho H people of tho United States by J, A. m Holmes, chief of tho technologic M branch of tho United State geological H survoy, who has Just returned to M Washington nfter n thrco months' In- M spectlon trip thiough the west H Holmes, who Is an expert ou fuels and H ono of tho best known scientists In H tho country, toured tho entire west at m tho Instanco of tho government to H learn Justt how serious tho conditions H Ho returns with tho statement that H In tho mining operations of tho pres- m ent nearly half of tho total coal sup- H lily Is being loft under ground; that H water, tho most vnluablc of all niln-j m oral resources, as u suurco of power H is being wasted day nfter day and H year after year to tho extent of mil- H lions of horsepower, and that forest H fires have burned moro lumber than H has been used In tho building of H homes or In tho Industries. H "Ono of tho great national problems H Is tho conserving of tho fuel re- H sources," says Holmes. "At tho pros- H ent rato of Increase In consumption, H tlio better part of tho fuel supply of H tlio country will bo gone by tho end H of tho present century unless tho j proper steps aro taken. H "Tho futuro ascendancy of Amcrl- H enn Industries will depend largely on H our manufacturers being ablo to e- B euro cheap fuel. Tho vnluo and cost H of labor will uover bo reduced In tho H Unltod States to what thoy nro In for- H olgn countries; but this fact renders H nil tho moro essential In tho struggle H for Industrial and commercial bu- H premacy that tho manufacturers of M this country bo nblo to obtain fuel H ' aupplles cheaper than they aro to bo H had In othor countries, H J "Tho world recognizes Americans ns tho most wu'stcful of people . In Ht tho utilization of their resources. Ccr- H ' talnly no nation received 10 rich an M tahcritnnco as did tho United Statos H In Its combination of soil, forest, ell- H mate, streams and ralnoral resources. H Tliu nation has lltornlly grown up In M luxury. Out of tho very abundance of H Uieso resources wo lmvo developed an H Udlfferonco to economy and tho habit H of wasto. Wo lmvo destroyed our M gnmo for Irs hides and horns; our fbr- ivrts for their tan bark or n pittance M of tho lumber thoy would yield; and M meanwhile, with a thoughtless lndlf- H foronco wo have allowed forest fires H to burn moro lumber than wo lmvo M used In tho building of homes or In H tfco Industries." |
