al resources than has taken place in all previous history. Here in 
the United States the per capita consumption of minerals has 
multiplied ten times in only forty years. The problem of freedom 
of replenishment is not incidental, but of basic importance to the 
prosperity of the greatly magnified mineral industry which can 
be easily foreseen for the future. Any restrictions, national or 
international, which interfere with the necessary searching of the 
sarth are in principle undesirable, 
We believe that the aid and supervision of governments may 
be desirable in connection with exploration work, so far as they 
do not destroy the opportunity for private effort, but we further 
believe that government agencies cannot be substituted in ıhis 
field for private initiative. 
In regard to this necessary activity of exploration we stand for 
equal opportunity and the open door—national and international. 
Equal opportunity and the open door are considered as implying, 
among other things, that, except under conditions of national 
crisis, there shall be no restriction on the issuance of mining 
licenses and concessions to foreigners or the transfer of concessions 
to foreigners; and that there be no restrictions on the nationality 
of the shareholders, managers, or directors in companies owning 
mining and exploration rights and concessions, allowing thereby 
the free purchase and acquisition by individuals of any nationality. 
The right ofnations to control their own natural resources in times of 
war is of course paramount. There may be other special and local 
circumstances which might make such control desirable in times 
of peace. For the most part, howerver, all large mineral operations 
are by incorporated companies and the company being a creature 
of the state, the state may and usually does define very exactly its 
right and powers and in this way protects its own interest. 
5. Freedom of Exploration is to be Preserved in Backward Countries 
Where backward countries possess important mineral supplies 
needed by the world we can see no escape from the conclusion, 
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