OCR Text |
Show WORLD-WIDE SEARCH ON FOR PLATINUM WASHINGTON, April 19. The department de-partment of commerce today started a world-wide search for platinum, needed for making high explosives and for many peaceful industries in the United States. Co-operation of manufacturing man-ufacturing jewelers of the country has been obtained to the extent of using the present supply as sparingly as possible pos-sible during" the remainder of the war. No large articles of platinum, such as mesh bags and cigarette cases will be made hereafter, in lino with this policy and all of the metal, which is nine times as precious as gold, that can be 6hared to the trades will be relinquished re-linquished by the jewelers. Foreign commercial attaches have been asked to Investigate conditions in Australia, Tasmania and Borneo (chief sources of supply), Columbia and Russia, with a view to increasing American importations. The geological geologi-cal survey also is combing the United States and Alaska for possible new sources. |