| Show Failure in Pr Presenting Zinc Lead-Zinc Re Rm Termed Blow low By Dr Robert W W. Bernick Tribune Dus Business Editor j The tal failure allure lure of the United States Bates Tariff Commission to make recommendations ons as ae Instructed by the U. U Senate 1 te on n r relief for 1 industry is le disappointing on many score scores J First r t the majority on the ilie commission com corn I I mission f found und that in their opinion op op- they had no obligation to act as an arm atm of Congress in to making mak ing hag specific recommendations The net effect of this Is la to cut some come of the ground out from under under under un un- der the western mining senators and congressmen in framing leg legg The moral and statistical support of a commission finding Binding would have helped In getting tar ill Iff l legislation gisl through the Congress Con Con- Congress gress and In seeking presidential approval It la is a certain that the refusal of the Tariff Commission in this regard will again highlight the need rated for reform of the agency lI particularly the elimination of so so- called split decisions of recent years which have confused Industry industry in In- and government alike aUke and impaired the meaning of Tariff Tarm I Commission review Secondly the commission ac ac- action action tion is another blow at western resource development Singularly Important for West Area A victory vittori on 1 lead ad and zinc would have given hope nope that inequities inequities in ins equities affecting other metals and raw materials might be in Ill inline line line for for relief The mining industry Is le a a. singularly singularly sing sing- Important one for the states of Alaska Utah Idaho Nevada Arizona New Mexico Montana Colorado and portions of California Washington and Oregon Not only does the extraction of ore from the ground gound Its processing processing process process- ing and refining produce substantial substantial substantial sub sub- taxable wealth mining has for tor years been a principal employer For every everyone one man working in a mine or reduction plant four others have jobs as a result Despite the he gambles Inherent In mining the the history of the west clearly discloses that major mines have been a 6 keystone to the economy eco eco- tomy nomy of the area Diversification alone into light fight manufacturing or the age both of which are greatly Influenced b by defense contracting and the future of this weapon or that weapon In the national arsenal ar- ar senal does not answer solely the problem as to where our children will find employment or when In f fact lct will we find the necessary tax revenues to educate educato those children 7 Thirdly lead and zinc are but two metals imperiled by foreign Imports which have been stimulated stimulated as a matter of US U.S. foreign policy polley on the postwar world with grants gifts loans and various various wet tl other types of aid to the tune of mote more than two billion dollars Tungsten Antimony Chrome All AU Gone Aa As a consequence the West is no longer pr producing tungsten or antim antimony ny There is 1 a fundamental I world oversupply supply of copper from the standpoint of capacity imports of potash Sh have restricted restrict restrict- ed td expansion and reduced earnings earn earn- ings Inge of western potash producers Imports of materials are increasing Chrome mining is dead Manganese developments have hue dwindled to one or two wo Quicksilver production n la Ie at atthe atthe atthe r the mercy of foreign ca cartels controlled con con- trolled by two governments friendly to the US U.S. Uranium exploration has ended and this segment of ot the domestic industry while assured of minimal minimal mini mini- mal operations through 1966 la za totally dependent on a hoped for break through in reactor technology technology tech tech- which would make nuclear power competitive with other energy en en- ergy orgy sources Congress the administration and the mining industry have talked endlessly in the tho postwar post period About the tho necessity of a a. national mineral policy But nothing nothing nothing noth noth- I ing has been done Everyone In West Holds A Stake Meanwhile mines fill up with water the art of the industry Inthe in inthe inthe the hands of the mining population population i tion falls faUs into disuse college students shun studies in mining engineering and extractive metal metal- for the relatively greater security of f other branches of science clence exploration is largely dead because no one can be persuaded persuaded per per- to put money into new projects of doubtful future pro pro- lit under conditions that now ex ex- ut it tax funds and taxable private private vate property are reduced The issues no longer are merely ones Involving mine owners and andI I stockholders mine and I mining unions I Everyone who lives in the West Vest has a a. stake in this matter malter |
