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OUR MINERAL RESERVES.
PRESENT DEMAND FOR INFORMATION.
The readjustments in the world’s commerce necessitated by the
European war have already imposed new conditions on many in
dustries. Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane early brought
to the public attention the importance of these readjustments with
reference to the mineral industry. The following excerpts from his
published interview of August 1(‘> will serve to outline some of the
new developments to be expected :
A direct benefit to tlie United States from the European war will he its effect
in making the people of this country realize to ¡1 greater extent the value of
its mineral resources. It is entirely possible so to utilize these resources and
expand our industries that the label “ Made in America ” will become familiar
in our own foreign markets. Of an importance second only to that of the food
supply is the supply of mineral products necessary to meet the requirements
of Twentieth century civilization. One of the first effects of (he war has been
to make us realize tlie interdependence of nations in the matter of food supply.
Most of the countries now at war are dependent upon importation of foodstuffs,
and we have cause for self-congratulation in the United States that we are
able to feed, ourselves. What we possibly have not so fully realized is that
we are nearly as independent in the possession of essential mineral resources,
and that the interference with manufacturing caused by interruption of the
flow of importations of many necessary raw materials may be overcome almost
wholly by development of neglected resources in our own country.
It has been easier and perhaps cheaper to import mineral products and ma
terials from other countries than to go to the trouble and expense of developing
our own resources of the same nature. Forced to the latter course by suspen
sion of commerce from other countries, I believe that American enterprise and
energy will almost at once turn to the development of the native resources,
rather than permit production to lag and supply to be diminished in any
industry. At present these deposits and resources are locked up out of use.
To open them to use when the supply from other countries is cut off means to
make American industries using these materials independent of the rest of
the world, and business men will not neglect the opportunity to make our
industries safe from the interruptions of war we are now experiencing. When
they have found the domestic supply and begin its use, they will not return to de
pendence upon the foreign supply, and thereafter good or bad times in (he
United States, so far as the maintenance of industries is concerned, will be
more independent of foreign complications.
Already the copper industry has felt the injurious effect of war, and produc
tion has been curtailed. While considerable copper is consumed in the muni
tions of war, (he constructive arts of peace furnish a far better world market
for American copper than will the destructive art of war. In the case of zinc,
however, the effect of the European war is the opposite. Still, it is within the
limits of probability to expect a loss of a half million tons in the foreign pro
duction of zinc, or nearly half the world’s output, with beneficial effect upon (he
recent overproduction in the United States, especially as affording the oppor
tunity (o export zinc and galvanized-iron products to South American countries,
which market has hitherto been only in part utilized by our exporters.
Fuel oil has a large use in naval warfare of to-day, yet the tying up of the
big tank steamers on both the Atlantic and Pacific seaports is already embar
rassing the oil producers of this country, who depend so largely upon the
export trade in all the forms of petroleum, crude and refined. Ou the other
