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Show Car of Silver Ore Goes to War Silver, the turbulent metal, may go to war. Instead of lying idle like Its companion com-panion metal gold, silver is likely to join with copper, lead and zinc and is helping the democracies in their struggle to win the war. Tons of the white metal may be made a.-ailable to industry to take the place of other metals which have become scarce during the current crisis. In many instances it is being used to replace copper, as it is a good conductor of electricity and various other vital uses. Under the plan silver is to be loaned by the treasury department to the war production board for the duration of the war. During its career silver has been the subject of more controversies both nationally and internationally than any other metal. It has been "kicked" about politically since it was demonitized in 1873, yet it has always come back to take its place in the sun. There are a few academic economists eco-nomists in the east who still believe be-lieve that the western silver miner was plundering the United States treasury when prices of from 64.5 to 77.57 an ounce were placed upon the white metal. The hue and cry went up that the western silver bloc in congress put one over on their colleagues in congress. The facts are that the silver purchase pur-chase act of 1934 made a nice profit for the treasury. Prices paid to the silver miner for his metal were about half of the 1.29 per ounce which the treasury department received re-ceived when it became coinage. Since the silver purchase act. the stock of silver in the United States has been built up to 3,280,000,000 ounces. ; This huge stock of metal, to- gether with the gold reserves, is j one of the most comforting factors in the thought of post-war economy. This metallic base is one of the strongest insurances against inflation infla-tion and worthless money. A cur- j rency backed by the huge stock of ! silver and gold in the United States vaults will always be of value. In addition many economists be- Iieve that it will yet play a vital role in the war before it is over. ' j The Orient, particularly China and : India, hold the largest hoarded j stocks of the white metal and their money is of vital concern to the world in general. |