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OCR Page 1 of 2DIARY
Book 533
May 28, 1942
- A -
Book Fage
Airplanes
Shipments to British Forces - Kamarck report -
5/28/42
533
130
Alien Property Custodian
Division of functions with Foreign Funds Control -
memorandum for FDR (never used) - 5/28/42
262
Australia
Negotiation of dollar telegraphic transfers, etc. -
American Consulate General, Sydney, report -
5/28/42
268
- B -
Billboard on Treasury Lawn
See Financing, Government: War Savings Bonds
- D - -
Davis, Meyer
See Financing, Government: War Savings Bonds
- 7 -
Financing, Government
Proposed increase in Treasury bill program -
Bell-Haas memorandum - 5/28/42
174
Non-defense Economies: Pending legislation with
possibility of non-defense economies - - Foley
report - - 5/28/42
179
War Savings Bonds:
Billboard on Treasury lawn:
HMJr-Mahan conversation - 5/28/42
44
HMJr-Kuhn
#
- 5/28/42
45
Davis, Meyer: Mrs. FDR-Treasury correspondence
concerning participation in program - 5/28/42
164
- G -
General Counsel, Office of
Report of projects during March 1942
203
- I -
India
Dollar accounts for American military forces -
New Delhi--United States correspondence - 5/28/42..
276
Inflation
Inventory Situation - Haas memorandum - 5/28/42
251
Inventories
See Inflation
Regraded Unclassified
- L -
Book Page
Lend-Lease
United Kingdom: Reciprocal aid (Lend-Lease in reverse) -
Conference; present: HMJr, Wickard, Bell, White,
Hicks, Hendrickson, Wheeler, Acheson, Achilles,
McCloy, Franks, Hansel, Hendren, Cox, Ecker, Roston,
Coe, and Rosenthal - 5/28/42
533
78
a) British gold and dollar position, May 15
through December 15, 1942.
124
b) Stimson-HMJr correspondence on three alternative
methods for handling problem of diversion from
foreign dollar financed contracts to United
States Army
120
c) Payments to armed forces abroad discussed
78
d) Phillips' conversation with HMJr and White
concerning relief from balance due on British
commitments in United States before Lend-Lease -
5/29/42: See Book 534, page 36
- M -
Military Reports
British operations - 5/28/42
282
Coordinator of Information report:
The War This Week, May 21-28
285
Kamarck summary - 5/28/42
286
- S -
Silver
For HMJr's statement on industrial use of silver,
before Subcommittee of Special Senate Committee on
Investigation of Silver, see Statements by HMJr
Stabilization Fund
Swiss France: 1 million purchased from Central Bank
of Turkey at rate of 23.26 - 5/28/42
177
(See also Book 539, page 286 - 6/16/42)
Statements by HMJr
Before Subcommittee of Special Senate Committee on
Investigation of Silver, on industrial use of silver -
5/28/42
43
a) Table - United States monetary stocks of silver
as of April 30, 1942.
41
Switzerland
For purchase of Swiss francs from Central Bank of
Turkey, see Stabilization Fund
- T -
Turkey
See Stabilization Fund
- U -
Book Page
U.S.S.R.
Shipment of planes and tanks to - Kamarck report -
5/28/42
533 265
United Kingdom
See Lend-Lease
- W -
War Savings Bonds
See Financing, Government
1
May 28, 1942
8:50 a.m.
TAXES
$ Present:
Mr. Gaston
Mr. Sullivan
Mr. Blough
Mr. Kuhn
Mrs. Klotz
H.M.JR: When was this finished, gentlemen?
MR. GASTON: Just after I left the pictures last
night.
H.M.JR: You mean you went back and worked on it?
MR. GASTON: No, the girl was typing it.
H.M.JR: Thank you, Herbert, for staying so late.
Who else was here so late?
MR. SULLIVAN: Roy.
MR. BLOUGH: I was at Ways and Means. I don't
want to take any credit.
H.M.JR: Let's do a part at a time, shall we, Herbert?
MR. GASTON: All right.
H.M.JR: "I have come before this committee tonight
to tell you of some instances of what seem to me to be
particularly unpardonable attempts to evade wartime
taxation and to report what the Treasury is doing and
proposes to do to stop these practices. In all of the
instances I shall cite the method used--"
This sentence, "In all of the instances I shall cite
the method used--"
2
-2 -
MR. GASTON: "In all of the instances I shall cite--"
or just cut out "I shall cite."
H.M.JR: You want to cut out, "I shall cite"?
MR. GASTON: Yes, we don't need that. It is con-
fusing.
H.M.JR: "In all of the instances the method used
was to inflate corporation operating expenses--" You
tax fellows, do you like it that way? I don't like
that, "to inflate corporation operating expenses."
MR. BLOUGH: Well, take out "corporation" and
"operating."
MR. KUHN: Inflate expenses.
MR. GASTON: Yes, you don't need it.
H.M.JR: ".....was to inflate expenses for the evident
purpose of avoiding normal and excess profits taxes on
corporation earnings." All right?
MR. GASTON: Yes.
H.M.JR: "The devices used include the payment of
excessive salaries, distribution of unearned bonuses
and payment of excessive sums for purported services or
for supplies to persons closely connected with the
management of the companies involved."
You have got two "excessives" there, "excessive
salaries" and "excessive sums." I don't like it from there
on. I don't think it is clear enough - "distribution
of unearned bonuses," and couldn't you just say, "and
for services to persons closely connected with the manage-
ment of the companies involved"?
MR. GASTON: The point is that the sums they paid
were excessive, as in the case of the rents paid.
H.M.JR: All right.
Regraded Unclassified
3
- 3 -
MR. SULLIVAN: You can change the second "excessive"
to "unreasonable, and put across the same idea.
H.M.JR: You might want the emphasis. You could
go over that again. Do you think all of those things
should be in "purported services or for supplies to
persons closely connected with the management of the
companies involved"?
MR. BLOUGH: I am afraid that is true; it is going
to be a little hard going there.
MR. GASTON: We can simplify that sentence.
H.M.JR: I think that is too long. It should be
simplified.
MR. GASTON: They ought to get the idea their salaries,
their bonuses, their payments that were earned for things
they were supposed to have done, such as the rent--
MR. BLOUGH: These are all understood, really.
H.M.JR: Could I have that sentence a little bit
simpler? I want that paragraph with the "devices," - I
want it simplified.
"The effect that these practices, if successful,
would have on the revenue of the Government, the revenue
we need 80 urgently in the war effort, will of course
be obvious to members of this committee. Even if the
recipients of these excess payments should fully declare
them as personal income, the amounts represented would
escape corporate profits and excess profits taxation.
We do not intend that this shall happen. We do not
intend that any of these practices shall succeed. We
believe that Congress has already given to the Bureau
of Internal Revenue power to deal with cases of this
kind, but we should like you to know what we propose to
do and to ask your counsel and support. If
I don't like that. I don't like that sentence,
"The effect that these practices, if successful--" It
is too long and choppy. You have got too many ideas
- 4 -
there.
MR. BLOUGH: Except for purposes of emphasis you
could pass over to the beginning of the next page and
leave out all of that.
MR. KUHN: We can start by saying, "We do not intend
that any of these practices shall succeed."
MR. GASTON: You see, you leave out the explanation
which you want to get over to the public - what the
effect is.
H.M.JR: Let me just give you my impression and
then you fellows can go in a huddle. How is that, Herbert?
Give these other fellows a chance to have a crack at it,
Herbert?
MR. GASTON: Sure.
H.M.JR: "I know that this Committee and the Congress
are resolved that no man and no corporation shall be per-
mitted to make exorbitant profits out of the war effort.
It is the responsibility of the Congress to draft legis-
lation to achieve that purpose. It is our responsibility
in the Treasury and in the Bureau of Internal Revenue to
employ all the powers the Congress has given us to see
that all taxes are fully, honestly and justly collected
and that by no form of trick or chicanery is any one
taxpayer permitted to escape his just share and thus to
throw unjust burdens on others."
You know what I think? I think that is the place
to open up, "I know that this Committee--" I just
wonder if that shouldn' be the opening paragraph and
put them in a good humor.
MR. KUHN: And then go to tell why you appear before
them?
H.M.JR: Yes.
MRS. KLOTZ: It is 8. good suggestion.
Regraded Unclassified
5
- 5 -
MR. GASTON: I think that is an idea.
H.M.JR: They are sore about this "P.M." thing,
see, and then if we want to make it a little bit stronger,
I might - just put it down on a piece of paper, "I know
that this Committee under the leadership of Chairman
Robert Doughton."
MR. BLOUGH: This is the Joint Committee.
H.M.JR: "Under the chairmanship of Mobert Doughton--"
"Under the able chairmanship--" some little bouquet there,
that opens him up, and he is going to grin all over,
then relax and be in & good humor. Am I right?
MR. BLOUGH: Honest, able, fearless--
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes.
H.M.JR: Just open up with that. Do I have to say
something about George, too?
MR. SULLIVAN: No. You see, the chairmanship
alternates, one session it is with the chairman of
the House Ways and Means, and the next session the
chairman of Senate Finance. But I can tell him why
you did it - George, I mean--
H.M.JR: No.
MR. GASTON: I have a feeling it would be too obvious.
H.M.JR: Pₙt it in and we can take it out.
MR. BLOUGH: Nothing is too obvious for Doughton.
H.M.JR: Put it in anyway. I have been bothered
all night about that thing, so let's put it in, Herbert,
It is very easy to take it out.
MR. GASTON: Right.
Regraded Unclassified
6
- 6 -
H.M.JR: But if I start off that way - I have done it
before - he sits back and grins all over. It makes all
the difference in the world in the reception I get.
MR. BLOUGH: We should say that "young" man, that
would make him feel better.
1
H.M.JR: You wouldn't say "our responsibility" -
however, it is our responsibility.
MR. BLOUGH: I wouldn't.
MR. KUHN: I like it that way.
H.M.JR: "We have come upon the instances I shall
mention to you through a special investigation--" Through
a "special" or through an "accelerated"--
MR. GASTON: This is a special examination. It isn't
the regular examination of returns.
H.M.JR: "We have come upon the instances I shall
mention to you through a special investigation of the
1941 returns of corporations holding war contracts.
Reports of the examination of 32 returns are now
available. In seven of them we found the following
state of affairs:
"1. The sole owner of a manufacturing corporation
entered into a contract as an individual to become its
sales representative. His compensation as sales agent
was $1,656,000."
Am I seeing figures? Is that one thousand or one
million?
MR. GASTON: One million six hundred fifty-six
thousand.
H.M.JR: Who was that?
MR. SULLIVAN: Cannon Manufacturing Company.
- 7 -
MR. GASTON: It is a different Cannon. This man
makes spark plugs.
H.M.JR: My God!
MR. GASTON: Not the towel Cannon, no.
H.M.JR: I was going to say you fellows had gone
haywire - Doughton's district - haywire or smart.
"Consolidation of his earnings with those of the
corporation will result in increasing the corporation's
income tax by $1,117,000.
"2. "All stock in this corporation is held by
three families. Excessive salaries were paid to office-
stockholders.'
MR. GASTON: That should be "officer-stockholders."
H.M.JR: I think I would put "Company A, "Company B."
MR. KUHN: That is right. One corporation may think
they are all the same iniquitous company.
H.M.JR: Put "Company A," and "Company B" instead
of "1," "2," etcetera.
MR. GASTON: That is right.
H.M.JR: "The Revenue Agent has recommended dis-
allowance of $82,000 in salaries, and the company has
already agreed to a disallowance of $58,000."
What company is that?
MR. SULLIVAN: Lansdowne Steel and Iron Company.
H.M.JR: "3. This corporation paid $31,104 in rent
in one year to the wife of the President for 8. property
she had acquired for $45,412. A brother of the principal
stockholder, without special training or ability, drew
a salary of $15,000 8. year and a son and daughter,
- 7 -
MR. GASTON: It is a different Cannon. This man
makes spark plugs.
H.M.JR: My God!
MR. GASTON: Not the towel Cannon, no.
H.M.JR: I was going to say you fellows had gone
haywire - Doughton's district - haywire or smart.
"Consolidation of his earnings with those of the
corporation will result in increasing the corporation's
income tax by $1,117,000.
"2. "All stock in this corporation is held by
three families. Excessive salaries were paid to office-
stockholders."
MR. GASTON: That should be "officer-stockholders."
H.M.JR: I think I would put "Company A," "Company B."
MR. KUHN: That is right. One corporation may think
they are all the same iniquitous company.
H.M.JR: Put "Company A," and "Company B" instead
of "1," "2," etcetera.
MR. GASTON: That is right.
H.M.JR: "The Revenue Agent has recommended dis-
allowance of $82,000 in salaries, and the company has
already agreed to a disallowance of $58,000."
What company is that?
MR. SULLIVAN: Lansdowne Steel and Iron Company.
H.M.JR: "3. This corporation paid $31,104 in rent
in one year to the wife of the President for a property
she had acquired for $45,412. A brother of the principal
stockholder, without special training or ability, drew
a salary of $15,000 a year and a son and daughter,
Regraded Unclassified
8
- 8 -
just out of school, got $7,500 a year each."
Wait a minute. We have got to go back. Company A - -
what does it make?
MR. BLOUGH: That is the spark plug--
H.M.JR: Let's say it is spark plugs- "Company A,
manufacturer of spark plugs."
MR. GASTON: Want to identify them that--
H.M.JR: "hat is the matter with that? You have
got to give it some kind of a flavor. You don't know
whether he is making lawnmowers or what. What do you
think, John, is that too hot?
MR. SULLIVAN: Let's see if we can labèl them,
and not too closely - "automotive equipment."
MR. KUHN: "Making a vital part of airplane engines."
MR. GASTON: These people - we have already said, "all
war contracts."
H.M. JR: We have got to make it & little bit hot.
Try it that way, "Company A, manufacturer of a vital
part of an airplane. Company B--" What was Company B?
What was the second company?
MR. GASTON: Lansdowne--
H.M.JR: Steel Company?
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, Lansdowne.
MR. BLOUGH: It would be safe to say it makes steel.
H.M.JR: Steel - and the third Company - what is
the third company?
MR. SULLIVAN: Switlik Parachutes.
Regraded Unclassified
9
- 9 -
H.M.JR: Then I would say something about a vital
part necessary to the pilot.
MR. SULLIVAN: Pilot's equipment.
MR. KUHN: Vitally necessary pilot's equipment.
MR. GASTON: Airplane equipment.
H.M.JR: No, for the pilot.
MR. SULLIVAN: Cannon makes connector parts.
H.M.JR: I mean, you have got to put in a little
bit--
MR. BLOUGH: Yes, and these outfits are really
small fellows, not the big ones, They couldn't be
identified.
H.M.JR: What is the fourth company?
MR. BLOUGH: In fact, I think the principal worry
is they may say, "This is just peanuts."
H.M.JR: "4. This company paid dividends of
$40,000 in 1940 and $100,000 in 1941, but salaries totaling
$128,000 in 1941 to the President, his wife and his mother.
Of the total capital of 100 shares each of the brothers
transferred 45 shares to his wife in 1940."
What company is that, John?
MR. SULLIVAN: Uebelhoer.
H.M.JR: What do they make? In each case give enough
and don't be too finicky. I mean, if it is something
for a pilot, say "Vital parts necessary for a pilot.
I don't think, Roy - you see, you have dealt with
billions so long that if a person reads about fifty-
six thousand dollars, I don't think that is--
MRS. KLOTZ: A small corporation.
Regraded Unclassified
10
- 10 -
MR. BLOUGH: That one is not 80 bad.
H.M.JR: "5. From 1938 to 1940 the salaries of
stockholders and relatives of stockholders in this
closely held corporation increased 523 per cent. Excessive
salaries for 1941 have been disallowed to the amount of
$568,000."
What is that company?
MR. SULLIVAN: Some forge company.
H.M.JR: Put down "steel forgings."
The next company, six.
"Three principal officers of this corporation took
salaries of $100,000 each, which have been reduced to
$35,000 each."
"Which have been," or "which we have"?
MR: BLOUGH: "Which we have disallowed." We haven't
reduced the salary.
H.M.JR: "Which we have disallowed."
"Salaries and bonuses of $516,000 in all were found
to be excessive. The inventory was deficient by $300,000,
research expenditures of $115,000 were charged which had
actually been made by a predecessor corporation, and
$142,000 due from the War Department was not included
in accounts receivable."
What does this company make?
MR. SULLIVAN: That is Jack and Heintz.
H.M.JR: What do they make?
MR. SULLIVAN: Airplane stocks.
11
- 11 -
MR. BLOUGH: Airplane starters.
H.M.JR: That had some other juicy details. You
have left out buying those presents for people.
MR. SULLIVAN: Sixteen thousand dollars for watches,
and photographs, and for picnics.
MR. BLOUGH: That is just ordinary extravagance. It
is picturesque and we could afford to put it in, but
there is this difference--
H.M.JR: Put it in, will you please?
MR. SULLIVAN: Nineteen hundred dollars for football
tickets.
H.M.JR: Pₙt those in, all three, definitely.
MR. GASTON: That labels Jack and Heintz.
H.M.JR: What of it? What are they going to do,
sue me?
"The principal owners of this corporation increased
their salaries from $12,000 and $15,000 in 1939 to
$72,000 and $90,000 in 1941.. The royalty rate on the
patent jointly held by them was increased, with the
result that royalties paid increased from $87,000 in
1939 to $1,179,000 in 1941."
What company is that?
MR. SULLIVAN: Link Aviation Devices. They make
the Link Trainer.
H.M.JR: The Trainer?
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, sir.
H.M.JR: Well, "a device"- you can't say, "a device
for training pilots," that is too close, isn't it?
12
- 12 -
MR. SULLIVAN: We will find & label for each one.
H.M.JR: And don't forget to put in the picturesque
stuff on Jack and Heintz.
"You will note that I have not named any of the cor-
porations or the individuals concerned. I leave it to
this Committee to decide whether that should be done.
Personally, I am inclined to believe it would have
a very wholesome effect to do so when the facts in each
case have been thoroughly established."
If they haven't been thoroughly established, why
are they here?
MR. GASTON: Yes, I just thought of that. Let's
cut that out.
H.M.JR: "Personally I am inclined to believe it
would have a very wholesome effect to do so." O.K.,
and leave the rest out.
"Assistant Secretary Sullivan and Commissioner
Helvering are here tonight to give you further details
of the results of some of these preliminary investigations.
They stand ready to come before you from time to time and
to report what further investigations have revealed, and
I hope you will invite them to do so."
Instead of "I hope," say, "I am sure, or "I am con-
fident that you will invite them to do so."
MR. SULLIVAN: "I know you will be glad to have them."
H.M.JR: Something like that.
"It should be noted that these cases all deal with
returns for 1941. It is of course true that all of the
contracts for war work covered by these 1941 returns
were signed before the United States was attacked and
declared war and that nearly all the earnings represented
in the tax-dodging devices attempted were pre-war earnings."
Regraded Unclassified
- 13 -
13
That may be true, but they made out their returns
after December 7.
MR. SULLIVAN: Not all of them. Jack and Heintz'
fiscal year ends October 31.
H.M.JR: Do you think it is necessary to put this
in?
MR. SULLIVAN: Read the rest of the paragraph.
H.M.JR: "But I think that changes the situtation
very little. An attempt to evade lawful taxes while we
were actually at war would be only a slight degree blacker
than attempts to evade taxes to raise the funds for arming
and equipping our land and sea forces when we stood in
imminent danger of attack."
That is all right. Do you think that is necessary?
I suppose so.
MR. KUHN: That would be the argument they would use
in coming back.
H.M.JR: Yes, that takes it out of them. Do you have
doubts about it, Ferdie?
MR. KUHN: The only thing I never like is the notion
that we weren't attacked before Pearl Harbor. All those
people who understood the war knew Hitler was out for us,
attacking us in many ways.
H.M.JR: You can argue that with Herbert - just a
small point. You can take it out if you want.
MR. KUHN: I think that paragraph should be in, be-
cause it is going to be your rebuttal of the attack they
are making.
H.M.JR: "It may be that these instances are an isolated
few and that not many more of the same kind will be found.
I sincerely hope that will be the case. I am wholly con-
fident that the great and overwhelming proportion of
Regraded Unclassified
14
- 14 -
American corporations are too patriotic even to con-
sider such practices.
"We propose to take two courses of action:
"(1) Where we find excessive expenditures which
have the effect of reducing corporate tax liability
they will be disallowed, the corporation will be compelled
to include the amounts in earnings, and at the same time
the recipient will be required to pay full personal
income taxes on the amounts received."
MR. KUHN: Split that in two sentences.
H.M.JR: Instead of "We propose to take two courses
of action, I would put in here, "I am appearing before
you today--" What I am saying now isn't the way I want
to say it - something for a vote of confidence and
approval of this action.
MR. GASTON: I had earlier approval on the thing, and
John felt and Roy felt that it ought not - we ought
not toask them for approval.
MR. SULLIVAN: You are there to inform them of what
you are doing. You don't have to ask approval. The
thing I am afraid of, there are only ten men on this
Committee and when the going gets--
H.M.JR: Only ten?
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, the top five on Ways and Means,
and top five on Senate Finance. When there are only ten
men, big companies can concentrate on them. You don't
want to be in a position so anybody can obstruct you in
the future.
H.M.JR: I thought there would be thirty or forty.
MR. SULLIVAN: The ranking three on both committees
and the two ranking Republicans.
H.M.JR: Incidentally, I listened to one radio and
they had a good announcement of what I was going to say
tonight - this morning on the radio.
- 15 -
15
MR. SULLIVAN: I don't know where they have gotten it.
The boys have been in to me.
MR. KUHN: I talked to Chick Schwarz, telling him
what was brewing, what was going to come up.
MR. SULLIVAN: Well, it is all right.
H.M.JR: What I told them was, I said that Chick
Schwarz, Kuhn, and Sullivan should get together. Those
were my instructions. I said that Chick Schwarz, Sullivan
and Kuhn should get together and handle it.
MR. SULLIVAN: Well, it is all right anyway, because
I said to everyone - "Well, now, Irving, how would you
feel if I gave this to George Bryant alone?"
H.M.JR: If they didn't get to you it is all right.
It didn't do a bit of harm anyway.
MR. KUHN: That is right. John was tied up. I saw
Chick after 8. meeting here yesterday, and the boys all
felt that this had to do with the Ways and Means Committee
on the tax bill.
H.M.JR: I see they had the story in the Wall Street
Journal.
MR. SULLIVAN: The two things that we want to avoid,
and that they both have in their minds, is, first, we
are trying to accomplish this twenty-five thousand dollar
ceiling; secondly, that we are trying to administratively
get the kind of an excess profits tax bill we want.
MR. KUHN: Chick had that yesterday.
H.M.JR: "We propose to start immediate examinations
of the books of corporations having war contracts to
determine whether excessive expenditures are being made,
without waiting for the normal procedure of the receipt
and analysis of annual returns and their reference to
field offices for inquiry. By this step we expect to
check at an earlier stage unlawful practices of this
sort, whether they have been entered into innocently or
for the definite purpose of evading taxation."
- 16 -
16
"We propose"? I would say, "We have" - it isn't
"propose."
MR. GASTON: I understand that what we are proposing
to do is something different. We are proposing to start
examinations.
MR. SULLIVAN: We started six weeks ago.
MR. GASTON: I thought in addition to this 1941 stuff
we were going to do examinations of what they are doing
currently.
H.M.JR: No, no. If it is true, I haven't heard of
it.
On this thing instead of "We propose," would you
mind putting it, "We have."
MR. GASTON: "We will extend," "we will continue
to examine--
H.M.JR: Or "We are."
MR. GASTON: Well, instead of up above, "We propose
to take two courses of action," "We are taking two courses
of action."
H.M.JR: that is right, Herbert.
MR. SULLIVAN: Then, "We have started."
H.M.JR: Then on page seven, "By this step we expect
to check at an earlier stage unlawful practices of this
sort, whether they have been entered into innocently or
for the definite purpose of evading taxation.'
That is all right.
MR. GASTON:* Yes.
H.M.JR: "The disallowance of excessive expenditures
does not represent a new procedure. In applying the law
and regulations which permit the deduction only of ordinary
and necessary business expenses for the purpose of ascertain-
ing profits the Bureau of Internal Revenue has had occasion
17
- 17 -
in the past to disallow expenditures which seemed to
lack sound business justification and to be in effect
distributions of profits. The problem, however, has under
present conditions assumed major importance because of the
huge increases in income of a great number of corporations
holding war contracts."
MR. BLOUGH: That "has had occasion in the past"
gives the impression that it might have happened once or
twice, and I wonder if we could put in an adjective there
that would indicate it has been a fairly common practice.
H.M.JR: What do you mean?
MR. BLOUGH: This just indicates that maybe once or
twice they had in the past disallowed expenditures.
H.M.JR: Have they done it often?
MR. KUHN: There is a long list of such cases. I
would take this paragraph and split it into sentences,
say, "The law and regulations permit the deductions of
ordinary business and necessary business expenditures,
and so forth, then "The Bureau has disallowed expenditures"
and so forth, "and there is a long list of court cases in
which the Bureau is upheld."
MR. SULLIVAN: We don't need to cite those cases.
H.M.JR: You say you propose to take two actions on
six, and then you go and say "In the examination the follow-
ing principles." Does that hang together?
MR. GASTON: All this refers to are the principles
followed in making disallowances.
MR. SULLIVAN: I think this is extremely important,
Mr. Secretary, because without this you are just scolding
and not helping. Now, in these principles you lay down
the guideposts by which you are going to judge their con-
duct, and I think that this is the constructive part of
your talk.
18
- 18 -
MR. GASTON: I think so. It tells the corporations
what they can expect.
H.M.JR: That is under one and two on page six?
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes.
MR. BLOUGH: No. He is on page seven.
H.M.JR: What are one and two?
MR. BLOUGH: One and two are really the two sides
of the same thing. One is that we will examine them;
the other is when we catch them, we will disallow them.
MR. GASTON: Number one says we will disallow them;
number two says that we are going to extend these examin-
ations to find these cases for disallowance.
MR. SULLIVAN: We are doing it earlier than we
otherwise would do it.
H.M.JR: Anyway, reexamine that thing and see if they
do hang together. I am not sure that they do, but re-
examine them.
"Deductions claimed for greatly increased salaries
and extraordinary bonuses paid to officers or employees
will be disallowed unless the taxpayer proves that the
payments are, in fact, for services actually rendered
and are reasonable.
"In determining whether the payments are reasonable,
it will be assumed that reasonable compensation is only
as much as would ordinarily be paid for like services by
like enterprizes under like circumstances."
I take it that is technically correct.
MR. SULLIVAN: These are excerpts from the language
of court decisions.
H.M.JR: All right. "The factors that will be consid-
ered in determining the reasonableness of such payments
19
- 19 -
are the duties performed by the recipient, the character
and amount of responsibility, the time devoted to the
enterprise, and the peculiar ability or special talent of
the particular officer or employee. Where the payments
are to relatives or to shareholders, the taxpayer must
show that family considerations have not influenced the
amount paid and that the payments are not distributions
of profits in disguise. Large profits attributable to
causes entirely unrelated to the activities of the
officers or employees, which are not unusual in these
abnormal times, do not of themselves justify or warrant
large salary payments.
"Deductibility of rents, or royalties paid to share-
holders depends upon whether such charges are in fact
fair and reasonable payments for the use of property and
are not merely a device for distribution of profits. Any
shareholder should be entitled only to a fair return on
his investment in the property which he permits the cor-
poration to use.
"The deductibility of payments to pension trusts is
governed by section twenty-three P. of the Internal
Revenue Code. If payments to such trusts are reasonable,
their deduction will be allowed. If the payments are
unreasonable in amount, or if the trust is not created
for the exclusive benefit of employees, or if it is a
device to distribute profits to shareholders, the deduc-
tions will be disallowed. It is also our purpose to
set up a barrier to deductions of large salaries, bonuses,
or insurance premiums for officers under the guise of
payments to & pension trust.
"The deductibility for income tax purposes of
costs of repairs depends upon whether the expenditure is
actually for repairs, or is in fact a capital expenditure
which should be added to capital investment or charged
against reserve for depreciation, since the costs of
repairs are deductible while capital expenditures are
not. We must guard against the tendency during high
profit years to make extensive improvements and to charge
the cost of such improvements against profits under the
caption of repairs.
Regraded Unclassified
20
- 20 -
"It will be our policy to scrutinize carefully the
items claimed as deductions for expenditures for repairs.
We shall disallow such deductions where it is not shown
that the expenditures are in fact for repairs instead of
for improvements or betterments which should be capitalized."
I take it this is all technically correct.
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, sir. That language was furnished
by the Bureau and fought and bled and died over.
MR. BLOUGH: As far as I know, it is all right. I
have gone over it pretty carefully.
MR. GASTON: Number four is one that will make them
sit up and take notice.
MR. BLOUGH: Except that the standard is an extremely
general one.
MR. SULLIVAN: The cases we found aren't going to
support us in this.
H.M.JR: What do you mean?
MR. SULLIVAN: On four - I suggest taking it out.
MR. BLOUGH: This was in yesterday morning's draft.
MR. SULLIVAN: I suggested taking it out.
H.M.JR: Why?
MR. SULLIVAN: Because the Washington representative
cases we found so far we found to be fairly reasonable.
MR. BLOUGH: This won't hurt any, though. The fact
that you haven't found any cases to throw out doesn't
mean it isn't wise to mention it.
H.M.JR: Wouldn't you leave it in?
MR. BLOUGH: I would leave it in. If we were trying
to give examples of everything, I wouldn't.
Regraded Unclassified
21
- 21 -
H.M.JR: "Expenses or allowances paid to obtain
Government business, including fees paid to Washington
representatives or for other professional services."
I brought you in once before, Sullivan, and Helve.
I don't see why I should bring you in again.
MR. GASTON: That was just an attempted conclusion.
I think we might find some general sermon.
MR. KUHN: We ought to have a conclusion to show
how you are going into secret session.
H.M.JR: There ought to be a sermon at the end.
I think that this, on the whole, is pretty good now,
Herbert.
MR. KUIIN: How about the advertising, Mr. Secretary?
It is just another policy there. I think you are going
to put an awful chill into a lot of the genuinely pa-
triotic advertising which we are asking for.
H.M.JR: Look, don't approach me this way. If we
left it out and didn't mention it, it would be conspicuous
by its absence.
MR. BLOUGH: Let me suggest one very good reason for
putting it in. We are trying to avoid legislation to
put special restrictions on advertising. We don't want
it if We can help it. But there is a good deal of avoid-
ance of the excess profits in this way. If this would
accomplish the result, it would be so much better.
MR. KUHN: The advertisers are still being asked
and are agreeing to do more than just keep their trade
name before the public for public patronage after the war.
H.M.JR: Frank Knox said to me, "Henry, you are leav-
ing yourself wide open, you have got to take advertising
from somebody for .Var Bonds, and then go over the income
tax." They will say, 'Mr. Morgenthau, we did this adver-
tising for you, how can you jump on us?'"
Regraded Unclassified
22
- 22 -
MR. GASTON: I was just going to ask whether our
War Bond advertising would be legitimate under that rul-
ing we have laid down there.
H.M.JR: All right, if it isn't, then better strike
it out now, better kill it.
MR. KUHN: Unless you put in, "If they are not
directed to continue public patronage or to fulfill
public purposes. If
MR. SULLIVAN: Ferdie, your question here isn't
whether you are going to kill War Bond advertising. The
question is whether under the law an advertiser who boosts
War Bonds is in any different tax position than the fellow
who just boosts his own product.
H.M.JR: That is the point.
MR. SULLIVAN: We can't give a tax subsidy to a
company who is helpful to us.
MR. KUHN: No, but he is in a different position
under this explanation. Under this explanation if Macy's
advertise their own products it is O.K.; but if they
advertise War Bonds, it is not O.K.
MR. SULLIVAN: That is right.
MR. KUHN: There you are. It is a clear conflict
of all we have been doing with the advertisers.
H.M.JR: Then the quicker we kill it, the better,
because certainly as we go into this thing, and the
fellow has spent fifty thousand dollars in advertising
War Bonds, and John Sullivan comes along and disallows
it, where does it leave me?
MR. GASTON: Let's suppose that Jack and Heintz
make a profit of three million dollars; they have profits
on the books, expect profits, of three million dollars,
80 they decide they are going to have to pay ninety-four
excess profits. They decide, "What we will do with that
Regraded Unclassified
23
- 23 -
three million dollars is that we will spend two and a
half million in a program of War Bond advertising, and
on the bottom of each of those War Bonds we will say,
'This advertisement contributed by Jack and Heintz,
makers of airplanes and automobile starter motors.
MR. KUHN: They don't put that on.
H.M.JR: Let me say this, Ferdie, and I am beginning
to get angry - I told Frank Knox that Harold Graves, in
his position in reorganizing Internal Revenue, wouldn't
accept one penny of advertising if in any way it would be
subsequently disallowed; and if he has done it, then it is
absolutely criminal. It is absolutely criminal, because
Harold Graves - I know you. .don't, but Harold Graves knows
this business inside out, and if 1 am in the position
that we have taken this thing and then Sullivan has not
to disallow it, it is absolutely criminal on the part of
Harold Graves, because he knows this stuff. He is a
lawyer. He can practice before the Washington bar, spent
two years in this thing, and so forth and so on. It
would be the most criminal thing, on his part, to sit
there day after day and accept this stuff. God damn it -
excuse me, ladies - we went all through this thing on Texas
Oil Company, and they came and asked them whether it would
be all right before they gave us this thing last year on
the program. The War Bond people told them it would be
all right. It isn't as though Harold doesn't know.
If I am on a hot spot, the quicker 1 get out from
under it, the better. God almighty, we have got six
hundred lawyers in the Treasury; and if we have been
taking stuff which Sullivan is going to throw out, then
under my rule, "Let the chips fall where they may," the
War Bonds would get it first, and they should. So don't
stand here pleading something which is illegal. You
had better take a look at the stuff right away, if I can't
rely on Graves. God, Graves knows this thing inside out.
MR. KUHN: I think there is an answer to it. Let's
ask Graves about it. I think there is an answer to it.
Regraded Unclassified
24
- 24 -
H.M.JR: Well, he is sick, he can't get at it.
MRS. KLOTZ: There must be an answer. I mean, there
is no question about it.
H.M.JR: Then why all this? Why put the thing on
me? I am not a lawyer. Why not find out before you
write it up? You have had this thing since day before
yesterday. Why always wait until the last second, when
here I have to go before a Silver Committee at ten
o'clock. I have General Marshall for lunch. I have got
the War Department and State at three. I am right up
against a gun and you bring up an important thing for me--
MR. KUHN: It was out yesterday, wasn't it?
H.M.JR: Putting it out doesn't help any if we
have been doing something that makes us a party in crime.
That doesn't help any by leaving it out. I mean, if
what we are doing and letting advertisers get around
paying their income tax by advertising War Bonds and
Sullivan is going to disallow it, taking out the statement
doesn't help matters any.
MR. SULLIVAN: Let's take a look at it, Mr. Secretary.
H.M.JR: I mean, everything is always left to the
last minute. Here I am, right up against the gun, and
here is an important thing. God, I fought and bled for
this War Bond thing until I am getting a bellyful. Of
all the incompetence I ever saw.
I think if this is legally and technically correct
about the advertising, it should stay in. If the War
Bond people have been breaking the law, God help them.
That is all that I can say.
MR. GASTON: I think the rule we have got to apply
is simply this, that we will have to take this War Bond
advertising as ordinary good-will advertising by a firm,
as ordinary institutional advertising, have to interpret
it as such, and if with the War Bond advertising their
total advertising expenditures are excessive in relation
Regraded Unclassified
25
- 25 -
to their present and future business, they have to be
disallowed, regardless of whether they are war Bond
advertisements or general institutional advertisements.
In other words, what they contribute in the way of
advertising has got to come out of a regular legitimate
appropriation for institutional advertising.
MR. KUHN: I think that is the way it was done.
MR. GASTON: I think they state it SO.
H.M.JR: I think so. In fact, I wanted - but I say
now, if the War Bond people, if Harold Graves, with his
eyes open, has been a partner in assisting these companies
to evade income taxes, he has got an awful lot of explain-
ing to do to me.
MR. GASTON: I don't think so.
H.M.JR: That is the indication from what the man
is saying.
MR. SULLIVAN: Listen, after all, you have known
Harold a long while and never known--
H.M.JR: Why does Kuhn bring it up at this late
hour?
MR. KUHN: I am objecting to the language.
H.M.JR: No, you are objecting to - what you said
is on the record. It kills all of our War Bond adver-
tising.
MR. KUHN: No.
H.M.JR: Yes, you did, Ferdie, and if what you say
is true, then Graves has been permitting these fellows
to try to evade their taxes.
MR. BLOUGH: What was the word you didn't like?
Regraded Unclassified
26
- 26 -
MR. KUHN: The words "public patronage?" I don't
think that was ever intended under the law. This
advertising is institutional advertising that creates
goodwill. It isn't the same as Macy's advertising for
public patronage.
H.M.JR: This was the whole plea that Frank Knox
made, and I was confident he was wrong.
MR. KUHN: "If they are extravagant and are not
directed to continued public goodwill."
MR. BLOUGH: No, no, you couldn't have that, because -
take these airplane companies, they are just wasting money
hand-over-fist, and advertisements in some of these big
journals on a reasonable purpose of public patronage,
present or future, are not justifiable. On the basis of
some vague notion of goodwill, maybe they are.
MR. GASTON: I don't know about that. I think they
are all ambitious to be the big manufacturers in the
future.
The airplane business is going to be a big business,
and they want to keep their names before the public.
There is another aspect of it. They like to glorify what
they are doing.
MR. BLOUGH: That is what they are doing, and enjoy
it. Well, I would prefer - my own feeling would be, let
these technical people take a look at this and see if
there is any objection to some minor companies.
H.M.JR: Will you give me a written opinion on what -
get a dozen different types of advertising which have
been done for War Bonds over the name of different com-
panies. Give mea technical, legal opinion on whether
this will be allowed or disallowed.
MR. SULLIVAN: What the ruling of the Bureau would
be?
H.M.JR: Yes, because I will be asked that the first
thing tomorrow morning.
Regraded Unclassified
27
- 27 -
MR. BLOUGH: It will all depend on how much they are
doing, and not just the type.
H.M.JR: John, get your boys on it. The other thing
they are going to ask me is this: "What about this
Toland thing?" Do you think you will have an answer by
tonight?
MR. SULLIVAN: On that particular company? They
telephoned yesterday morning.
H.M.JR: Will you make every effort so before I go
on the Hill I will have that. The only time I can see
you gentlemen again will be two o'clock. Would you,
all of you, please, shut off the - do nothing else? I
have never been in a worse spot. I am in a terrible spot.
You did a nice job, Herbert.
MR. GASTON: I just tried to get an idea of organiza-
tion.
H.M.JR: I think if you could give it what the
President calls a little "snapper" to it--
MR. GASTON: Yes, yes, and I think we--
H.M.JR:
but this is a nice job, and it is laying
down to the American businessman the principles that we
are going to follow.
MR. SULLIVAN: The standard we expect them to comply
with.
H.M.JR: One of you write this down. Say, "In
appearing before you and giving this out to the public,
I am trying to be constructive. I am trying to be con-
structive so as to give the honest businessman a guide-
post by which he can - or a chart, by which he can go.'
MR. KUHN: That would go right in at the beginning
of the principles.
Regraded Unclassified
28
- 28 -
H.M.JR: "Morgenthau said this. God, what is he
going to allow?" Well, I am up there to say this to the
committee, to give a chart to American business under
war conditions on how the Treasury is going to enforce
these rules. See?
MR. SULLIVAN: That is right.
MR. BLOUGH: It is your wish that I stay away from
the Hill and work on this or not?
H.M.JR: My God, yes. I mean, I am asking you all -
you can go down to my dining room, anywhere. Why don't
you go in the poster room where there is no telephone?
MR. GASTON: Too accessible.
H.M.JR: No, no, nobody goes in there. I will put
a guard in there. Herbert, nobody is allowed in that
room. There is a nice table in there.
MR. GASTON: We can go in our room and say I am not
there for anybody and that is all there is to it.
H.M.JR: Will you do that?
3d dreft,
5/28/42
8:45am
I have come before this committee tonight to tell
you of some instances of what seem to me to be particularly
unpardonable attempts to evade wartime taxation and to
report what the Treasury is doing and proposes to do to
stop these practices. In all of the instances I shall
city the method used was to inflate corporation operating
expenses with the evident purpose of avoiding normal and
excess profits taxes on corporation earnings. The devices
used include the payment of excessive salaries, distribu-
tion of unearned bonuses and payment of excessive sums
for purported services or for supplies to persons closely
connected with the management of the companies involved.
The effect that these practices, if successful,
would have on the revenue of the Government, the revenue
we need so urgently in the war effort, will of course
be obvious to members of this committee. Even if the
recipients of these excess payments should fully
declare them as personal income, the amounts represented
would escape corporate profits and excess profits
30
- 2 -
taxation. We do not intend that this shall happen.
We do not intend that any of these practices shall
succeed. We believe that Congress has already given
to the Bureau of Internal Revenue power to deal with
cases of this kind, but we should like you to know what
we propose to do and to ask your counsel and support.
I know that this Committee and the Congress are
resolved that no man and no corporation shall be per-
mitted to make exorbitant profits out of the war effort.
It is the responsibility of the Congress to draft legis-
lation to achieve that purpose. It is our responsibility
in the Treasury and in the Bureau of Internal Revenue
to employ all the powers the Congress has given us to
see that all taxes are fully, honestly and justly
collected and that by no form of trick or chicanery is
any one taxpayer permitted to escape his just share and
thus to throw unjust burdens on others.
We have come upon the instances I shall mention to
you through a special investigation of the 1941 returns
of corporations holding war contracts. Reports of the
examination of 32 returns are now available. In seven
of them we found the following state of affairs:
Regraded Unclassified
31
- 3 -
1. The sole owner of a. manufacturing corporation entered
into 8. contract as an individual to become its sales
representative. His compensation as sales agent was
$1,656,000. Consolidation of his earnings with those
of the corporation will result in increasing the
corporation's income tax by $1,117,000.
2. All stock in this corporation is held by three families.
Excessive salaries were paid to office-stockholders.
The Revenue Agent has recommended disallowance of
$82,000 in salaries, and the company has already
agreed to a disallowance of $58,000.
3. This corporation paid $31,104 in rent in one year
to the wife of the President for 8. property she had
acquired for $45,412. A brother of the principal
stockholder, without special training or ability,
drew a salary of $15,000 a year and a son and
daughter, just out of school, got $7,500 a year
each.
4. This company paid dividends of $40,000 in 1940 and
$100,000 in 1941, but salaries totaling $128,000
Regraded Unclassified
31
- 3 -
1. The sole owner of 8. manufacturing corporation entered
into a contract as an individual to become its sales
representative. His compensation as sales agent was
$1,656,000. Consolidation of his earnings with those
of the corporation will result in increasing the
corporation's income tax by $1,117,000.
2. All stock in this corporation is held by three families.
Excessive salaries were paid to office-stockholders.
The Revenue Agent has recommended disallowance of
$82,000 in salaries, and the company has already
agreed to a disallowance of $58,000.
3. This corporation paid $31,104 in rent in one year
to the wife of the President for & property she had
acquired for $45,412. A brother of the principal
stockholder, without special training or ability,
drew a salary of $15,000 a year and a son and
daughter, just out of school, got $7,500 & year
each.
4. This company paid dividends of $40,000 in 1940 and
$100,000 in 1941, but salaries totaling $128,000
32
- 4 -
in 1941 to the President, his wife and his mother.
Of the total capital of 100 shares each of the
brothers transferred 45 shares to his wife in 1940.
5. From 1938 to 1941 the salaries of stockholders
and relatives of stockholders in this closely held
corporation increased 523 per cent. Excessive
salaries for 1941 have been disallowed to the amount
of $568,000.
6. Three principal officers of this corporation took
salaries of $100,000 each, which have been reduced
to $35,000 each. Salaries and bonuses of $516,000
in all were found to be excessive. The inventory
was deficient by $300,000, research expenditures of
$115,000 were charged which had actually been made
by a predecessor corporation, and $142,000 due from
the War Department was not included in accounts
receivable.
7. The principal owners of this corporation increased
their salaries from $12,000 and $15,000 in 1939
to $72,000 and $90,000 in 1941. The royalty rate
on the patent jointly held by them was increased,
33
- 5 -
with the result that royalties paid increased from
$87,000 in 1939 to $1,179,000 in 1941.
You will note that I have not named any of the cor-
porations or the individuals concerned. I leave it to
this Committee to decide whether that should be done.
Personally I am inclined to believe it would have a very
wholesome effect to do so, when the facts in each case
have been thoroughly cotablished.
Assistant Secretary Sullivan and Commissioner Helver-
ing are here tonight to give you further details of the
results of some of these preliminary investigations.
They stand ready to come before you from time to time
and to report what further investigations have revealed,
and I hope you will invite them to do so.
It should be noted that these cases all deal with
returns for 1941. It is of course true that all of the
contracts for war work covered by these 1941 returns
were signed before the United States was attacked and
declared war and that nearly all the earnings represented
in the tax-dodging devices attempted were pre-war earnings.
But I think that changes the situation very little. An
Regraded Unclassified
34
- 6 -
attempt to evade lawful taxes while we were actually
at war would be only a slight degree blacker than
attempts to evade taxes to raise the funds for arming
and equipping our land and sea forces when we stood in
imminent danger of attack.
It may be that these ins tances are an isolated few
and that not many more of the same kind will be found.
I sincerely hope that will be the case. I am wholly
confident that the great and overwhelming proportion
of American corporations are too patriotic even to con-
sider such practices.
We propose to take two courses of action:
(1) Where we find excessive expenditures which
have the effect of reducing corporate tax liability
they will be disallowed, the corporation will be compelled
to include the amounts in earnings, and at the same time
the recipient will be required to pay full personal
income taxes on the amounts received.
(2) We propose to start immediate examinations of
the books of corporations having war contracts to deter-
mine whether excessive expenditures are being made,
35
- 7 -
without waiting for the normal procedure of the receipt
and analysis of annual returns and their reference to
field offices for inquiry. By this step we expect to
check at an earlier stage unlawful practices of this
sort, whether they have been entered into innocently or
for the definite purpose of evading taxation.
The disallowance of excessive expenditures does
not represent a new procedure. In applying the law and
regulations which permit the deduction of ordinary and
necessary business expenses for the purpose of ascertain-
ing profits the Bureau of Internal Revenue has had
occasion in the past to disallow expenditures which
seemed to lack sound business justification and to be
in effect distributions of profits. The problem, however,
has under present conditions assumed major importance
because of the huge increases in income of & great
number of corporations holding war contracts.
In the examination of returns from this standpoint,
the following general principles will be followed:
1. Salaries and Bonuses Paid to Officers
or Employees, and Rents and Royalties
Paid to Shareholders.
36
- 8 -
Deductions claimed for greatly increased salaries
and extraordinary bonuses paid to officers or employees
will be disallowed unless the taxpayer proves that the
payments are, in fact, for services actually rendered
and are reasonable.
In determining whether the payments are reasonable,
it will be assumed that reasonable compensation is only
as much as would ordinarily be paid for like services by
like enterprises under like circumstances. The factors
that will be considered in determining the reasonablenass
of such payments are the duties performed by the recipient,
the character and amount of responsibility, the time
devoted to the enterprise, and the peculiar ability or
special tanent of the particular officer or employee.
Where the payments are to relatives or to shareholders,
the taxpayer must show that family considerations have
not influenced the amount paid and that the payments are
not distributions of profits in disguise. Large profits
attributable to causes entirely unrelated to the activities
of the officers or employees, which are not unusual in
these abnormal times, do not of themselves justify or
warrant large salary payments.
37
- 9 -
Deductibility of rents or royalties paid to share-
holders depends upon whether such charges are in fact
fair and reasonable payments for the use of property
and are not merely a device for distribution of profits.
Any shareholder should be entitled only to a fair return
on his investment in the property which he permits the
corporation to use.
2. Payments to Profit Sharing
or Pension Trusts.
The deductibility of payments to pension trusts is
governed by section 23(p) of the Internal Revenue Code.
If payments to such trusts are reasonable, their deduction
will be allowed. If the payments are unreasonable in
amount, or if the trust is not created for the exclusive
benefit of employees, or if it is a device to distribute
profits to shareholders, the deductions will be dis-
allowed. It is also our purpose to set up a barrier to
deductions of large salaries, bonuses, or insurance
premiums for officers under the guise of payments to a
pension trust.
Regraded Unclassified
38
- 10 -
3. Payments for Repairs.
The deductibility for income tax purposes of
costs of repairs depends upon whether the expenditure
is actually for repairs, or is in fact a capital ex-
penditure which should be added to capital investment
or charged against reserve for depreciation, since the
costs of repairs are deductible while capital expendi-
tures are not. We must guard against the tendency during
high profit years to make extensive improvements and to
charge the cost of such improvements against profits
under the caption of repairs.
It will be our policy to scrutinize carefully the
items claimed as deductions for expenditures for repairs.
We shall disallow such deductions where it is not shown
that the expenditures are in fact for repairs instead
of for improvements or betterments which should be
capitalized.
4. Expenses or Allowances Paid to
Obtain Government Business, In-
cluding Fees Paid to Washington
Representatives or for Other
Professional Services.
39
- 11 -
Whether deductions for items of this class will
be allowed depends upon whether they meet the test
laid down in the Internal Revenue Code, that is,
whether they are necessary and ordinary and reasonable.
If such items are considered exorbitant or unreasonable,
they will be disallowed as deductions. Many of the
factors that apply in determining the deductibility
of salaries and bonuses will apply also in determining
the deductibility of items of this class. Particular
attention will be given to deductions for payments which
are against public policy, and all such deductions will
be disallowed.
5. Amounts Paid for Advertising.
The test of whether expenditures for advertising
are deductible is whether they are ordinary and necessary
and bear a reasonable relation to the business activities
in which the enterprise is engaged. If they are extrava-
gant and are not directed to continued public patronage
which might reasonably be expected in the future the
payments will be disallowed as dedictions. Amounts
Regraded Unclassified
40
- 12 -
paid to keep the corporate name or the trade marks or
names of its products before the public, in conformity
with the past practice of 8. corporation, will be allowed
as deductions, provided the amounts expended therefor
are not extraordinary and are not disproportionate to
amounts so expended in the past.
With this statement of the problem we have before
us and the manner in which we propose to deal with it,
I should like to ask you to permit Mr. Sullivan and
Mr. Helvering to present the details of some of the
examinations they have already made.
41
May 28, 1942
This is what the Secretary took with
him to the Hill this morning for his meeting
with the silver Senators.
42
TABLE I - United States Monetary Stocks of Silver (April 30, 1942)
Millions of Omess
Short Tons
Silver held in Treasury
2,900.6
99,438
Silver outside the Treasury
408.9
14,018
Total
3,309.5
113,456
TABLE II - *Estimated Monetary Stocks of Silver of
Other Countries (January 1, 1941)
China
480
1,646
India
950
3,257
Other countries
1,530
5,245
Total
2,960
10,147
*Includes coin held by the public. Does not include
890 million ounces not allocated to monetary or non-
monetary uses.
TABLE III - Classification of Treasury Holdings of
Silver (May 21, 1942)
ilver bullion held for silver certificates
1,160.4
39,780
Alver dollars held against silver certificates
371.8
12,746
Bullion at cost
1,360.5
46,640
Subsidiary coin in the General Fund
9.8
336
Bullion in the General Fund at recoinage value
.001
-
Total Treasury holdings of silver
2,902.5
99,503
TABLE IV - Sources of Treasury Holdings of Silver
Bullion at Cost (April 30, 1942)
Silver Purchase Act Silver
1,246.1
42,719
Proclamation Silver
35.5
1,217
Act of July 6, 1939
78.3
2,684
*Silver Ordinary
4.9
168
Total Silver Bullion at Cost
1,364.8
46,788
*Disposable by the Treasury.
TABLE V - Estimated Production, 1942
World production
245.0
8,390
United States production
62.0
2,123
United States imports
120.0
4,110
BLE VI - Estimated Demand Including Military
Bearing materials
14.6
500
Chemical industry
20.0
685
Containers (returnable)
102.1
3,500
Dental and medical
2.9
100
Electrical industry
58.3
2,000
Solder
67.1
2,300
Miscellaneous
14.6
500
Decorative arts (silverware, jewelry, etc.)
49.6
1,700
Total
329.2
11,285
Non-consuming uses
Bus bars
1,166.8
40,000
Other non-consuming uses
583.4
20,000
Regraded Unclassified
Pgs 671 675 43
SILVER
HEARINGS
BEFORE A.
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SPECIAL
COMMITTEE ON THE INVESTIGATION OF SILVER
UNITED STATES SENATE
SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
PURSUANT TO
S. Res. 187
(74th Congress)
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE
SENATE TO INVESTIGATE THE ADMINISTRATION, AND
THE ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL EFFECT,
OF THE SILVER PURCHASE ACT OF 1934
MAY 5, 6, 8, AND 28, 1942
Preference Rating Order No. P. 56-a
PART 9
Printed for the use of the Senate Special Silver Committee
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
73052
WASHINGTON : 1942
Regraded Unclassified
70
SENATE SPECIAL SILVER COMMITTEE
ELMER THOMAS, Oklahoma, Chairman
OT
EDWIN c. JOHNSON, Colorado
CHARLES L. McNARY, Oregon
PAT McCARRAN, Nevada
HENRIK SHIPSTEAD, Minnesota
SHERIDAN DOWNEY, California
JOHN THOMAS, Idaho
JAMES E. MURRAY, Montana
ALBERT A. GRORUD, Secretary
II
Regraded Unclassified
CONTENTS
Statement of-
Page
Batt, William L
591
Bradbury, Charles L
636
Carr, Hon. Ralph L
645
Conover, Julian D
602
Jones, Hon. Jesse H
709
Knowlson, J. S
638
Knorp, Albert
616
Malone, George W
648
MacBoyle, Errol
629
McCarran, Senator Pat
506
Morgenthau, Hon. Henry, Jr
671, 675
Murphy, Matt
632
Nelson, Hon. Donald M
673
Nelson, Wilbur A
513, 540, 600
Palmer, Robert 8
621
Strickler, Dave P
641
III
Regraded Unclassified
100
OF
-
100%
THE
-
wat
nichielas
incime,
(nidemster) Y
180 there
Regraded Unclassified
PREFERENCE RATINGS FOR MINING MACHINERY
AND EQUIPMENT
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1949
UNITED STATES SENATE,
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON SILVER,
Washington, D. C.
The special committee met at 10:30 a. m., pursuant to call, in
room 424, Senate Office Building, Senator Elmer Thomas of Okla-
homa (chairman) presiding.
Present: Senators Thomas of Oklahoma (chairman), Johnson of
Colorado, McCarran, Thomas of Idaho, Downey, and Murray; and
Albert A. Grorud, secretary to the committee.
Present also: Senators Millikin and Bunker.
Present also: The following members of the House of Representa-
tives: Hon. Harry L. Inglebright (California), Hon. Lawrence Lewis
(Colorado), Hon. William S. Hill (Colorado), Hon. J. Edgar Cheno-
weth (Colorado), Hon. James G. Scrugham (Nevada), Hon. Compton
I. White (Idaho), and Hon. John R. Murdock (Arizona).
Present also: Governor Ralph L. Carr (Colorado).
Present also: Dr. Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator; Dr. Marcellus
H. Stow, Deputy Administrator, and F. L. Eaton, attorney, Ma-
terials Division; and Shaw Livermore, principal industry economist,
Office of Progress Reports Division, War Production Board; Mr.
Julian D. Conover, secretary, American Mining Congress, Washing-
ton, D. C., Mr. A. W. Dickinson, the American Mining Congress,
Washington, D. C.; Mr. Albert F. Knorp, secretary, California
Chapter, American Mining Congress, 300 Montgomery Street, San-
Francisco, Calif.; Mr. James A. White, director, Rocky Mountain
Metals Foundation, Washington, D. C.; Mr. Robert S. Palmer,
secretary, Colorado Mining Association, 204 State Office Building,
Denver, Colo.; Mr. George W. Malone, managing director, Industrial
West Foundation, Wasbington, D. C., and San Francisco, Calif.;
Mr. Errol MacVoyle, chairman, State Mining Board, California; Mr.
J. C. Kemprance, Mining Association of California, 381 Bush Street,
San Francisco, Calif; Mr. Matt Murphy, inspector of mines, State
of Nevada; Mr. Charles L. Bradbury, president, New Mexico Miners
and Prospectors Association, 912 Ridgewest Drive, Albuquerque,
N. Mex.; Mr. R. E. Whitten, care of Owyhee Hotel, Boise, Idaho;
Mr. David P. Strickler, president, Cripple Creek Development Co.,
Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mr. Thomas A. Copeland, Cripple Creek,
Colo.; Mr. Merrill E. Shoop, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mr. Edward
D. Dickerman, Leadville, Colo., and Mr. H. M. Bratter, Washington,
D. C.
The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.
487
Regraded Unclassified
438
SILVER
SILVER
439
This is a meeting of the Senate Special Committee on Silver. This
committee is in session by virtue of a resolution of the United States
You are invited to appear at that hearing And testify before said committee.
It is to be regretted that on account of the small appropriation made available
Senate, known as Senate Resolution 187, of the Seventy-fourth
for the committee's use, no allowance can be made for witness fees or traveling
Congress. For the record, I will have a copy of the resolution placed
at this point.
expenses. Dated this 13th day of April 1942.
(Resolution No. 187 referred to is as follows:)
Respectfully,
ELMER THOMAS, Chairman,
(8, Res. 187, 74th Cong., lot poss, Aug. 16, 1935)
ALBERT A. GRORUD, Secretary,
Senate Special Silver Committee.
RESOLUTION
The CHAIRMAN. This particular hearing was called to consider just
Resolecd, That a special committee of five Senators, to be appointed by the
one phase of the silver program. An order has been issued by the
President of the Senate, in authorized and directed to confer with the Secretary
War Production Board which has had and may have more effect
of the Treasury relative to the administration, and the economic and commercial
effect in the United States and abroad, of the Silver Purchase Act of 1934, Public
upon silver mining than we now may appreciate or may now under-
Law 1178). Numbered 438, Seventy-third Congress, approved June 19, 1934 (48 Stat.
stand. It seems that under this order 8 number of silver mines me
be closed, or if not closed, severely restricted. So, for the record, the
The said special committee, or any subcommittee thereof duly authorized by
order will be placed at this point.
the special committee, in further authorized to hold such hearings, to sit and Act
at such times and places during sessions and recesses of the Senate in the Seventy-
(The order referred to is as follows:)
fourth and succeeding Congresses, to employ and call upon the executive depart-
ments for clerical and other assistants, to require by subpena or otherwise the
PART 002-MINES
Attendance of such witnesses and the production of such correspondence, books,
Preference Rating Order P-56 (as Amended March 2, 1948)
papers, and documents, to administer such oaths, to take such testimony, and to
make such expenditures as it deems advisable, The cost of stenographie services
Section 982.1 is hereby amended to read as follows:
to report such hearings shall not be in excess of 25 cents per hundred words. The
§ 982.1 Preference Rating Order P-56. For the purpose of facilitating the
expenses of the committee, which shall not exceed $10,000, shall be paid from the
acquisition of material for continued and expanded operation of Mining Enter-
contingent fund of the Senate, upon vouchers approved by the Chairman.
prises in the public interest and to promote the national defense, preference
The said special committee shall report to the Senate as soon as practicable the
ratings are hereby assigned to deliveries of such material upon the terms hereinafter
results of the Investigations, together with its recommendations.
set forth:
(Membership of committee increased to nine, by motion of Senator
(a) Definitions. (1) "Person" means any individual, partnership, association,
Pitman, January 17, 1939.)
business trust corporation, governmental corporation or agency, or any organized
group of persons whether incorporated or not.
The CHAIRMAN. The resolution provides for the appointment of &
(2) "Mining Enterprise" means (i) Any plant actually engaged in the extrac-
special committee of five Senators. We operated under the resolution
tion by surface, open-pit, or underground methods, or in the beneficiation, con-
with five Senators for the first few years of the committee's existence,
centration, or preparation for shipment of the products of mining activity, but
but on January 17, 1939, Senator Pittman made a motion to amend
not including any plant more than 30 percent of the production of which in dollar
value consists of gold and/or silver;
the resolution by increasing the number from five to nine. At the
(if) Any plant wholly engaged in the processing and burning of refractories;
present time provision is made for a committee of nine members, but
(iii) Any prospecting enterprise for the discovery or exploration of new or
there is one vacancy, and the membership is as follows:
additional mining projects.
Myself, Senator Thomas of Oklahoma, chairman of the committee;
(3) "Operator" means any person operating a Mining Enterprise, who holds
a Serial Number issued in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b).
Senator Edwin C. Johnson of Colorado; Senator Pat McCarran of
(4) "Supplier" means any person with whom a purchase order or contract has
Nevada; Senntor Sheridan Downey of California; Senator James E.
been placed for delivery of material to an Operator or to another Supplier.
Murray of Montana; Senator Charles L. McNary of Oregon; Senator
(5) "Material" means any commodities, equipment, accessories, parts, assem-
Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota; and Senator John Thomas of Idaho.
blies, or products of any kind.
(6) "Maintenance" means minimum upkeep necessary to continue the work-
There future. is one vacancy that will probably be filled in the very near
ing condition of equipment used by an Operator in the operation of a Mining
Enterprise at its then current rate of production or operation.
Pursuant to the authority contained in the resolution, the commit-
(7) "Repair" means the restoration of property or equipment used by an
tee saw fit to fix this date and hour for a special bearing, and I will
Operator in the operation of a Mining Enterprise to a sound working condition
after wear and tear, damage, destruction, or failure of parts or the like have made
place in the record nt this point a. copy of the notice of this hearing.
the property or equipment unfit or unsafe for service.
(The notice of the hearing referred to is as follows:)
(8) "Operating Supplies" means material which is essential to and consumed
in the operation of property and equipment used by an Operator in the operation
UNITED STATES SENATE,
of a Mining Enterprise and which is generally carried as Operator's stores and
SENATE SPECIAL SILVER COMMITTEE,
charged to operating expense account. The term does not include raw materials
Washington, D. C.
which enter into or form part of the finished product.
NOTICE OF HEARING
(b) Certification of mining enterprises. (1) Domestic Mining Enterprises.
The agency designated by the Governor or other chief executive officer of each
Resolution The Senate 187, Special Silver Committee authorized under and virtue of Senate
State, territory, or possession of the United States, including the Commonwealth
ton, D. C., at Seventy-fourth Congress, will hold a public by at Washing-
of the Philppines, shall furnish to the War Production Board a certificate setting
May 1942. room 424, Senate Office Building, at 10:30 B. hearing on the 21st day of
forth the names of the persons operating Mining Enterprises within such State,
relating to Subject, preference rating order No. Pôfl-a m., 1942,
territory, or possession. The War Production Board will thereupon issue a Serial
ment, and related material subjects entering into the production of mining machinery of March and 2, equip-
Number or Numbers to each such person who may be approved by the Director
of Industry Operations. Any person aggrieved by failure or refusal of A State
Agency to certify him M an Operator may apply in writing to the Director of
Regraded Unclassified
440
SILVER
SILVER
Industry Operations for issuance of & Serial Number. The Director of Industry
441
Operations may thereupon take such action as he deema appropriate. Serial
Numbers may be cancelled by the Director of Industry Operations in appropriate
(e) Application of preference ratings-(1) Application of A-1-a or A-1-c rating
by operator. An Operator, in order to apply the A-1-a preference rating assigned
cases. (2) Foreign mining enterprises, The Director of Industry Operations may, in
by paragraph (c) (1) (i) or the A-1-c preference rating assigned by paragraph (e)
his diseretion, issue a Serial Number or Numbers to A person operating & Mining
(1) (ifi) must communicate with the War Production Board, Washington, D. C,
Enterprise outside the limite of the United States, its territories, and possessions
Ref.: P-56, describing the material needed for emergency repair and the nature
and may cancel any such Serial Number.
of the emergency, or the reasons why advance provision in necessary to avert
(3) Standards. In issuing, denying, or cancelling Serial Numbers, the Director
breakdown or suspension, and such other Information as may be required. The
of Industry Operations will consider the importance to National defense of the
Director of Industry Operations will notify such Operator, whother, and to what
present and prospective output of materials to be produced, the consumption
extent, its application is approved, and 8 copy of such notification shall be fur-
of essential materials by the Mining Enterprise in its operations, the necessity to
nished by the Operator to its Supplier to evidence the A-1-A or A-1-0 rating.
the Mining Enterprise of obtaining priorities assistance, and the available after-
(2) Application of ratings by an operator to deliveries of machinery or equipment.
native methods of obtaining such assistance.
An Operator, in order to apply the ratings assignable under paragraph (e) (1) (v),
(e) Assignment of preference ratings. Subject to the terms of this Order, the
must communicate with the War Production Board, Washington, D. C., Ref.:
following preference ratings are hereby assigned; provided, that no preference
P-56, describing the machinery or equipment needed and the reasons why such
rating is assigned to the delivery of any machinery or equipment, or repair parts
machinery or equipment is essential for the proper operation of the Mining Enter-
therefor, unless such machinery and equipment are used primarily to maintain
prise. The Director of Industry Operations will notify such Operator whether
or to increase the existing production of the Mining Enterprise, and not primarily
its application is approved, and if approved, shall assign a Preference Rating
to reduce operating costs. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the use of
thereto; a copy of such notification and assignment of rating shall be furnished
by the Operator to his Supplier.
any other or higher rating to which any person may be entitled by reason of Any
other Preference Rating Certificate or Order.
(3) Standards. In acting on any application pursuant to paragraph (e) (1)
(1) As to deliveries to an operator. (i) A-1-a to deliveries of material for repair
or (2), the Director shall consider the importance to national defense of the
of property and equipment used in and essential to the operation of a Mining
material to be produced by the machinery, equipment, or other material for
Enterprise, when and only when there has been an actual breakdown or suspen-
which rating is requested, and the consumption of scarce materials in the
construction thereof.
sion of operations because of damage, wear and tear, destruction or failure of
parts, or the like, and the essential material is not otherwise available.
(4) Application of other ratings by operator or supplier. An Operator in order
(ii) A-1-0 to deliveries of repair parts for machinery and equipment of the
to apply the A-1-c preference rating assigned by paragraph (c) (1) (if), the A-8
types listed in Schedule A hereto; provided, that such repair parts are for use in
preference rating assigned by paragraph (e) (1) (iv), or the A-10 rating assigned
a Mining Enterprise less than 30 percent of the production of which in dollar
by paragraph (c) (1) (vi), or a Supplier in order to apply any preference rating
assigned by paragraph (c) (2), must endorse the following statement on the
value for the previous calendar quarter WAS derived from any one or more of the
following:
original and all copies of the purchase order or contract for such material, signed
Sand (except foundry sand), gravel, crushed stone, and slag, Including all
Supplier: by B. responsible official duly designated for such purpose by such Operator or
commercially recognized forms of these products;
Materials for & Mining Enterprise, Rating A-
under Preference
Clay of all types, except those used for refractories and ceramics for electrical use;
Rating Order P-56, Serial No.
and in compliance therewith.
Bullding and ornamental stone of all types;
Gypsum, tale, state (except for electrical use), and all raw material
(Name of operator a Supplier)
for the manufacture of lime and calcareous cements.
By
Such rating shall be applied by any Operator only to deliveries in any calendar
(Atthorized signature)
quarter of a quota consisting of such dollar value of repair parts as may be ex-
pressly authorized by the Director of Industry Operations after application by
If the material in for export outside the limits of the United States, Its territories
such Operator in form prescribed by the Director of Industry Operations. For
and possessions, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, or the Dominion of
the first calendar quarter of 1942 such quota shall be the dollar value of repair
Canada, such endorsement shall also contain the sentence:
parts which bears the same ratio to the dollar value of repair parts delivered to
dated This material is for export and is covered by Export License No.
the Operator in the last calendar quarter of 1941 ne the dollar value of the Opera-
tor's production in the first calendar quarter of 1942 bears to the dollar value of
Such purchase order or contract so endorsed shall be delivered to the Supplier
the Operator's production in the last calendar quarter of 1941.
of such material. Such endorsement shall constitute a representation to (he
(III) A-1-c to deliveries of repair parts for essential productive facilities to
War Production Board and the Supplier with whom the purchase order or con-
other Mining Enterprises and/or for other types of machinery and equipment up
tract in placed that such purchase order or contract in duly and properly rated
to the minimum required to make reasonable advance provision to avert an actual
in accordance herewith. Such Supplier shall be entitled to rely on such repre-
breakdown or suspension as described in paragraph (e) (1) (i),
sentation, unless he knows or has reason to believe it to be false. Any such pur-
(iv) A-8 to deliveries of material for other repairs to, for maintenance of, and
chase order or contract shall be restricted to material the delivery of which is
for operating supplies for, property and equipment used in and essential to the
rated in accordance herewith. With respect to any purchase order or contract
operation of a Mining Enterprise.
for such material placed before the effective date of this Order, such preference
(v) to deliveries of essential machinery and equipment, whether or not included
rating may be applied by delivering to the seller a duplicate copy of such purchase
in Schedule A, such preference ratings as the Director of Industry Operations may
order or contract 80 endorsed.
from time to time assign to particular orders for such equipment submitted to
(5) An Operator or Supplier placing any such rated purchase order or contract,
him for approval in the manner described in paragraph (e) (2) below.
and the Supplier of the material covered thereby, must each retain endorsed copies
(vi) A-10 to deliveries of material for all other repairs, maintenance and
of all such purchase orders or contracts, and certificates and notifications made or
operating supplies.
received pursuant to this paragraph (e), for & period of two years from the date
(2) Aa to deliveries to a supplier. Deliveries of material which will be delivered
thereof, for inspection by authorized representatives of the War Production Board.
under any preference rating assigned by or pursuant to paragraph (e) (1) are
(or physically incorporated into material which will be delivered) to an Operator
(6) Restrictions on deliveries by supplier. No Supplier shall deliver machinery,
equipment, or repair parts to an Operator or another Supplier under any rating:
assigned the same preference rating an that assigned to the delivery to the Operator.
(i) Unless such Supplier has received from such Operator or such other Sup-
make assigned may be applied by (1) An Operator, or (2) A Supplier to enable it to
(d) Persona entitled to apply preference ratings. The preference ratings hereby
plier all certificates and notifications required by paragraph (e),
(li) If such Supplier knows or has reason to believe that such material is not
property rated under the terms of this Order.
tracts to an Operator or to another Supplier deliveries on purchase orders or con-
endorsed or otherwise identified pursuant Lo paragraph (e),
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
442
SILVER
443
must report forthwith to the War Production of the Board terms of the details of
SCHEDULE A
A any Supplier such attempt to apply any rating in violation The preference this Order.
(f) Restrictions on application of rating. (1) ratings hereby
As to all machines listed below, the rating provided herein likewise applies to
assigned (i) Unless shall the not material be applied: to be delivered cannot be secured when required with-
equipment items, accessories, and tools customarily sold with such machines.
Aerial tramway equipment
Air compressors for mine use
out such rating;
for an Operator in and essential to the operation of a Mining of the Enterprise; amount
(ii) the operation, maintenance, or repair of the property or equipment used by
To obtain deliveries greater in quantity or on dates earlier than required
Air distribution equipment
Assaying and testing laboratory equipment at the mine
Ball-casting machines
(iii) By a Supplier to obtain material in excess necessary to
Boxcar loaders
make rated deliveries.
Cages and skips
Restrictions on inventory. No Operator shall accept deliveries other (whether or
Car dumpers-rotary or end
(g) rated pursuant to this Order) of operating supplies or material which
Equipment for Cleaning plants
will not increase such Operator's inventory of such operating supplies or other material
Equipment for concentrating plants
amount greater than the minimum necessary for the efficient operation of
Conveyore-shaking, belt, chain, or gravity type, including duckbills and other
his to an business, and the ratio of inventory to current production shall in no event
self-loading heads
exceed the ratio of average inventory to average production for the years 1938,
Cutting machines-cable reel and self-propelling transportation trucks therefor
Diamond core drilling machines
1939, and 1940.
(h) Resale of operating supplies and other material prohibited. Except with
Dragline dredges, excavators, and scraper units
specific permission of the Director of Industry Operations, no Operator shall
Dredges-continuous bucket, including pumps
resell any operating supplies or other materials (whether or not obtained pursuant
to rating assigned by this Order) except to another Operator.
Drills therefor and drilling machines, power driven, and reconditioning equipment
(i) Conservation and standardization. Every person affected by this Order
Dust control equipment
shall use his best efforts to effectuate conservation of materials by elimination,
Electrical equipment for mine transportation and power
simplification, or standardization of types, sizes, or forms, or otherwise, and to
Hoists-including room hoists and car pullers
cooperate in any program developed for such purpose by the War Production
Hydraulie monitors, with feed pipe and fittings
Board. The Director of Industry Operations may from time to time issue
Jacks for lifting and roof support
specific directions as to conservation, elimination, and standardization.
Lamps-mine, miners', safety, and ore-exploration types
(j) Relief. In case the productivity or sound working condition of any Mining
Locomotives for mine use
Enterprise is adversely affected by any provision or application of this Order or
Loaders, mobile, including mucking machines
by inability to obtain essential operating supplies or other materials, the person
Equipment for Milling plants
operating such Mining Enterprise may apply for relief to the Director of Industry
Mine cars, track or trackless
Operations. The Director of Industry Operations may thereupon take such
Pit-car loaders and elevating conveyors
action as he deems appropriate.
Equipment for Preparation plants
(k) Records, audit, and reports, Each Operator and each Supplier shall keep
Pumps, pipe and fittings for mine drainage or material transport
and preservo for a period of not less than two years accurate and complete records
Rock dusting equipment
of all transactions affected by this Order and shall submit from time to time to
Safety and defense equipment
audit and inspection by duly authorized representatives of the War Production
Sand dryers
Board. Each Operator and each Supplier shall execute and file with the War
Scraper loaders
Production Board or other designated agency, such reports and questionnaires
Sheaves and sheave blocks
as the War Production Board shall from time to time require. Until otherwise
Shovels, power
directed, each Operator shall file with the designated State Agency on or before
Shuttle cars, track or trackless
the 10th day of each month & report on form PD-119 of purchases made during
Slusher hoists and scrapers
the preceding month pursuant to the ratings granted by this Order.
Steel sections for support of mine openings
(1) Violations. Any person affected by this Order who violates any of its pro-
Storage batteries for mine use
visions, or a provision of any other Order, regulation, or other directive of the War
Tanks and bins for storage of mine products
Production Board may be deprived of priorities assistance, or subjected to such
Tipples and head frames
other or further action as the Director of Industry Operations may deem
Track and track accessories for mine transportation
appropriate.
Equipment for Treating plants
(m) Revocation or modification. This Order may be revoked or modified by the
Trucks, tractors, and trailers for mine use
Director of Industry Operations at any time 88 to any Operator or Supplier. In
Ventilation equipment
the event of revoeation, or upon expiration of this Order, deliveries already rated
Waste disposal equipment
pursuant to this Order shall be completed in accordance with said rating, unless
Weighing equipment, including automatic devices
the rating has been specifically revoked with respect thereto, No additional
Wire rope for haulage and hoisting
applications of this rating to any other deliveries shall thereafter be made by the
[F. IL Doc. 42-1800; Filed, March 2, 1042; 11:51 a. m.]
Operator or Supplier affected by said revocation or expiration.
(n) Amendment of prior order. The provisions of Preference Rating Orders
The CHAIRMAN. While it is true that we will consider only one
P-22 or P-100 shall not apply to deliveries to which a preference rating is assigned
phase of the silver program in this hearing, I think it might be well to
by this Order.
place in the record some of the more important laws that are now on
(o) Effective date. This Order shall take effect immediately and shall continue
in effect until revoked. (P. D, Reg. 1, amended December 23, 1941, 6 F. R. 6680;
the statute books, inasmuch as the hearing may be broadened later
W. P. B. Reg. 1, Jan. 26, 1942, 7 F. R. 561, E. 0. 9024, Jan. 16, 1942, 7 F. R. 329;
to take in other phases of the silver program. So, without objection,
E. O. 9040, Jan. 24, 1942, 7 F. R. 527; sec. 2 (a), Pub. Law 671, 76th Cong., 3d
I will ask that the record contain a portion of Public, No. 10, Seventy-
Sess., ILH amended by Pub. Law 89, 77th Cong., 1st Sess.)
third Congress, approved May 12, 1933. At that time we placed an
Issued this 2d day of March 1942,
amendment to the agricultural bill, giving the President vast powers
J. 8. KNOWLSON,
Director of Industry Operations.
over money, both gold and silver, and paragraph 2 on page 151 of the
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
444
445
Federal Reserve Act of 1913 with amendments contains the particular
(g) The Secretary of the Treasury La authorised to make rules and regulations
portion of this amendment that relates to silver. So, I will ask that
for carrying out the provisions of this section.
paragraph 2, appearing on pages 151, 152, and a portion of 153, be
The CHAIRMAN. I might suggest that under this law we now have
inserted in the hearings at this point.
vast power over silver. The President is authorized to do practically
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
anything he sees fit with silver, BO far 0.9 money is concerned. He
(2) By proclamation to fix the weight of the gold dollar in grains nine-teaths
has the power under this statute to make the silver dollar of any size
fine definite fixed ratio in relation to the gold dollar at such amounts M he finds
and also to fix the weight of the silver dollar in grains nine-tenths fine at 8
he sees proper, and he has the power to open the mints to the free and
unlimited coinage of silver.
from his investigation to stabilize domestic prices or to protect the foreign
sary commerce against the adverse effect of depreciated foreign currencies, and to
I might say in passing that William Jennings Bryan made a national
provide for the unlimited coinage of such gold and silver of the ratio 80 fixed, or in
campaign on this particular issue and that while he failed to accom-
the Government of the United States entere into an agreement with any
plish the enactment of the law he had in mind, it is now a statute of
government case or governments under the terms of which the ratio between the
the United States, and all that the President has to do is prepare an
value of gold and other currency issued by the United States and by any such
order and sign it and the minte can be opened this afternoon to the
government or governments is established, the President may fix the weight of
the gold dollar in accordance with the ratio so agreed upon, and such gold dollar,
free and unlimited coinage of silver in any ratio the President might
the weight of which is 80 fixed, shall be the standard unit of value, and all forms of
see fit to fix, either coining the present sized standard silver dollar
money issued or coined by the United States shall be maintained at a parity with
or a smaller dollar.
this standard and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to maintain
In addition to the statute I have just referred to, I will ask that the
such parity, but in no event shall the weight of the gold dollar be fixed 50 M to
reduce its present weight by more than 50 per centum.
record contain at this point the text of the Silver Purchase Act of
Sec. 44. The Secretary of the Treasury, with the approval of the President, is
1934. That is found on pages 227, 228, 229, 230, and 231 of the same
hereby authorized to make and promulgate rules and regulations covering any
book I have just referred to, namely, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913
action taken or to be taken by the President under subsection (a) or (b) of section
with amendments.
43.
Sec. 45. (a) The President is authorized, for 8 period of six months from the
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
date of the passage of this Act, to accept ailver in payment of the whole or any
part of the principal or interest now due, or to become due within six months after
[PUBLIC-No. 438-73p CONGRESS]
such date, from any foreign government or governments on account of any
(H. 0745)
indebtedness to the United States, such silver to be accepted at not to exceed the
price of 50 cents an ounce in United States currency. The aggregate value of the
AN ACT To authorise the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase nilver, Issue silver certificates, and for
silver accepted under this section shall not exceed $200,000,000.
other purpose
(b) The silver bullion accepted and received under the provisions of this section
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
shall be subject to the requirements of existing law and the regulations of the
America in Congress assembled, That the short title of this Act shall be the "Silver
mint service governing the methode of determining the amount of pure allver
Purchase Act of 1934,"
contained, and the amount of the charges or deductions, If any, to be made; but
SEC, 2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that the
such silver bullion shall not be counted AB part of the silver bullion authorized or
proportion of silver to gold in the monetary stocks of the United States should be
required to be purchased and coined under the provisions of existing law.
increased, with the ultimate objective of having and maintaining, one-fourth of
(e) The silver accepted and received under the provisions of this section shall
the monetary value of such stocks in silver,
be deposited in the Treasury of the United States, to be held, used, and disposed
SEC. 3. Whenever and BO long as the proportion of silver in the stocks of gold
of as in this section provided.
and silver of the United States is less than one-fourth of the monetary value of
(d) The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause silver certificates to be issued in
such stocks, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to purchase
such denominations as he deems advisable to the total number of dollars for which
silver, at home or abroad, for present or future delivery with any direct obliga-
such silver was accepted in payment of debte. Such silver certificates shall be
tions, coin, or currency of the United States, authorized by law, or with any funds
used by the Treasurer of the United States in payment of any obligations of the
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, at such rates, at such times, and
United States.
upon such terms and conditions as he may deem reasonable and most advan-
(e) The silver so accepted and received under this section shall be coined into
tageous to the public interest: Provided, That no purchase of silver shall be made
standard silver dollars and subsidiary coins sufficient, in the opinion of the Secre-
hereunder at a price in excess of the monetary value thereof: And provided further,
tary of the Treasury, to meet any demands for redemption of such ailver cortificates
That no purchases of silver situated in the continental United States on May 1,
issued under the provisions of this section, and such coins shall be retained in the
1934, shall be made bereunder at a price in excess of 50 centa a fine ounce.
Treasury for the payment of such certificates on demand. The ailver 80 accepted
Sec. 4. Whenever and 80 long as the market price of silver exceeds its monetary
and received under this section, except 50 much thereof as is coined under the
value or the monetary value of the stocks of silver is greater than 25 per centum
provisions of this section, shall be held in the Treasury for the sole purpose of
of the monetary value of the stocks of gold and silver, the Secretary of the Treasury
aiding in maintaining the parity of such certificates as provided in existing law.
may, with the approval of the President and subject to the provisions of section 5,
Any such certificates or reissued certificates, when presented at the Treasury,
sell any eilver acquired under the authority of this Act, at home or abroad,
shall be redeemed in standard silver dollars, or in subsidiary silver coin, at the
for present or future delivery, at such rates, at such times, and upon such terms
option of the holder of the certificates: Provided, That, in the redemption of such
silver certificates issued under this section, not to exceed one-third of the coin
interest. and conditions as he may deem reasonable and most advantageous to the public
required for such redemption may in the judgment of the Secretary of the Treas-
SEC, 5. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to issue silver
ury be made in subsidiary coins, the balance to be made in standard silver dollars.
certificates in such denominations as he may from time to time prescribe in & face
(f) When any silver certificates issued under the provisions of this section are
amount not less. than the cost of all silver purchased under the authority of
redeemed or received into the Treasury from any source whatsoever, and belong
section 3, and such certificates shall be placed in actual circulation. There shall
to the United States, they shall not be retired, canceled, or destroyed, but shall be
be maintained in the Treasury AS security for all silver certificates heretofore or
reissued and paid out again and kept in circulation; but nothing herein shall
hereafter issued and at the time outstanding an amount of silver in bullion and
prevent the cancelation and destruction of mutilated certificates and the issue of
standard silver dollare of a monetary value equal to the face amount of such
other certificates of like denomination in their stead, as provided by law.
silver certificates. All silver certificates heretofore or hereafter issued shall be
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
446
447
legal tender for all debta, public and private, public charges, of the taxes, duties, and
of the transferor's regular business of furnishing silver bullion for industrial,
standard silver dollars; and the Secretary of the Treasury in authorized to coin
dues, and shall be redeemable on demand at the Treasury United States in
professional or artistic use and (a) not resulting from B change In the market
price of silver bullion, or (b) offect by contemporaneous losses incurred in trans-
standard silver dollars for such redemption.
actions in interesta in silver bullion determined, in accordance with such regula-
SEC. 6. Whenever in his judgment such action is necessary to effectuate the
tions, to have been specifically related bedging transactions; or (2) offset by con-
policy of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury in authorized, with the approval
temporaneous lossen attributable to changes in the market price of silver bullion
of the President, to investigate, regulate, or prohibit, by means of licenses or
and incurred in transactions in mlver foreign exchange determined, in accordance
otherwise, the acquisition, importation, exportation, or transportation of silver
with such regulations, to have been hedged specifically by the interest in silver
and of contracts and other arrangements made with respect thereto; and to require
bullion transferred. The provisions of this subdivision shall extend to all transfers
the filing of reports deemed by him reasonably necessary in connection therewith.
in the United States of any interest in silver bullion, and to all such transfers
Whoever willfully violates the provisions of any license, order, rule, or regulation
outside the United States if either party thereto is a resident of the United States
issued pursuant to the authorization contained in this section shall, upon convie-
or is a citizen of the United States who has been a resident thereof within three
tion, be fined not more than 810,000 or, If A natural person, may be imprisoned for
months before the date of the transfer or If such silver bullion or interest therein is
not more than ten years, or both; and any officer, director, or agent of any corpo-
situated in the United States; and shall extend to transfers to the United States
ration who knowingly participates in such violation may be punished by & like
Government (the tax in such cases to be payable by the transferor), but shall not
fine, imprisonment, or both.
extend to transfere of silver bullion by deposit or délivery at n United States mint
SEC. 7. Whenever in the judgment of the President such action le necessary to
under proclamation by the President or in compliance with any Executive order
effectuate the policy of this Act, be may by Executive order require the delivery
issued pursuant to section 7 of the Silver Purchase Act of 1934, The tax under this
to the United States mints of any or all silver by whomever owned or possessed.
subdivision on transfers enumerated in subdivision 4 shall be in addition to the
The silver so delivered shall be coined into standard silver dollars or otherwise
tax under such subdivision. This subdivision shall apply (1) with respect to all
added to the monetary stocks of the United States as the President may deter-
transfers of any interest in silver bullion after the enactment of the Silver Purchase
mine; and there shall be returned therefor in standard silver dollars, or any other
Act of 1934, and (2) with respect to all transfers of any interest in silver bullion on
coin or currency of the United States, the monetary value of the silver no delivered
or after May 15, 1934, and prior to the enactment of the Silver Purchase Act of
less such deductions for seignlorage, brassage, coinage, and other mint charges
1934, except that in such cases it shall be paid by the transferor In such manners
as the Secretary of the Treasury with the approval of the President shall have
and at such time as the Commissioner, with the approval of the Secretary of the
determined: Provided, That in no case shall the value of the amount returned
reasury, may by regulations prescribe, and the requirement of 5 memorandum
therefor be less than the fair value at the time of such order of the silver required
of such transfer shall not apply.
to be delivered as such value is determined by the market price over & reasonable
"As used in this subdivision-
period terminating at the time of such order. The Secretary of the Treasury
"The term 'cost' means the cost of the interest in silver bullion to the trans-
shall pay all necessary costa of the transportation of such silver and standard
feror, except that (a) in case of silver bullion produced from materials containing
silver dollars, coin, or currency, including the cost of insurance, protection, and
silver which has not previously entered into industrial, commercial, or monetary
such other incidental costs as may be reasonably necessary. Any silver withheld
use, the post to a transferor who is the producer shall be deemed to be the market
in violation of any Executive order issued under this section or of any regulations
price at the time of production determined in accordance with regulations issued
issued pursuant thereto shall be forfeited to the United States, and may be seized
hereunder; (b) in the case of an interest in silver bullion acquired by the transferor
and condemned by like proceedings ss those provided by law for the forfeiture,
otherwise than for valuable consideration, the cost shall be deemed to be the cost
meixure, and condemnation of property imported into the United States con-
thereof to the last previous transferor by whom it was acquired for 8 valuable
trary to law; and, in addition, any person failing to comply with the provisions of
consideration: and (c) in the caso of any interest in silver bullion acquired by the
any such Executive order or regulation shall be subject to a penalty equal to
transferor (after April 15, 1934) in & wash sale, the cost shall be deemed to be the
twice the monetary value of the silver in respect of which such failure occurred.
cost to him of the interest transferred by him in such wash sale, but with proper
Sgc. 8. Schedule A of title VIII of the Revenue Act of 1926, as amended
adjustment, in accordance with regulations under this subdivision, when such
(relating to stamp taxes), is amended by adding at the end thereof a new sub-
interesta are in silver bullion for delivery at different times.
division to read Ad follows:
"The term 'transfer' means & sale, agreement of sale, agreement to sell, memo-
"10. SILVER, AND so FORTH, SALES AND TRANSFERS.-On all transfers of any
randum of sale or delivery of, or transfer, whether made by assignment in blank
interest in silver bullion, if the price for which such interest in or is to be transferred
or by any delivery, or by any paper or agreement or memorandum or any other
exceeds the total of the east thereof and allowed expenses, 50 per centum of the
evidence of transfer or sale: or means to make a transfer as 60 defined.
amount of such excess. On every such transfer there shall be made and delivered
"The term 'interest in silver bullion' means any title or claim to, or interest in,
by the transferor to the transferee a memorandum to which there shall be affixed
any silver bullion or contract therefor.
lawful stamps in value equal to the tax thereon. Every such memorandum shall
"The term 'allowed expenses' means usual and necessary expenses actually
show the date thereof, the names and addresses of the transferor and transferee,
incurred in bolding, processing, or transporting the interest in silver bullion as to
the Interest in silver bullton to which it refers, the price for which such interest is
which an interest is transferred (including storage, insurance, and transportation
or is to be transferred and the cost thereof and the allowed expenses. Any person
charges but not including interest, taxes, or charges in the nature of overhead),
liable for payment of tax under this subdivision (or anyone who acts in the matter
determined in accordance with regulations issued hereunder.
ILA agent or broker for any such person) who is B party to any such transfer, or
"The term 'memorandum' means B bill, memorandum, agreement, or other
who in pursuance of any such transfer delivers any silver bullion or Interest
evidence of a transfer.
therein, without a memorandum stating truly and completely the information
"The term 'wash sale' means a transaction involving the transfer of an interest
herein required, or who delivers any each memorandum without having the proper
in silver bullion and, within thirty days before or after such transfer, the acquisi-
stamps affixed thereto, with intent to evade the foregoing provisions, shall be
tion by the same person of an interest in silver bullion. Only 60 much of the inter-
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall pay B fine of
est 80 acquired 18 does not exceed the interest so transferred, and only 80 much of
not exceeding $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both. Stamps
the interest 80 transferred se does not exceed the interest 80 acquired, shall be
affixed under this subdivision shall be canceled (in lieu of the manner provided in
deemed to be included in the wash sale.
section 801) by such officers and in such manner as regulations under this subdivi-
"The term 'silver bullion' means silver which has been melted, smelted, or
sion shall prescribe. Such officers shall cancel such stamps only if it appears that
refined and is in such state or condition that its value depends primarily upon the
the proper tax is being paid, and when stamps with respect to any transfer are eo
silver content and not upon its form."
ranceled, the transferor and not the transferee shall be liable for any additional
Ssc. 9. The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to issue, with the
tax found due or penalty with respect to such transfer. The Commissioner shall
approval of the President, such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the
abate or refund, in accordance with regulations issued bereunder, such portion of
Treasury may deem Decessary or proper to earry out the purposes of this Act,
any tax hereunder na he finds to be attributable to profits (1) realized in the course
or of any order issued hereunder.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
448
SILVER
449
BKc. 10. As used in this Act-
The (erm "person" means an individual, partnership, association, or COD-
Sec. 4. (a) Each United States coinage mint shall receive for coinage into stand-
and silver dollars any silver which such mint, subject to regulations prescribed by
poration: The term "the continental United States" means the States of the United
the Secretary of the Treasury, is natisfied has been mined subsequently to July
States, the District of Columbia, and the Territory of Alaska; the
1, 1939, from natural deposite in the United States or any place subject to the
The term "monetary value" means & value calculated on basis of $1 for an
jurisdiction thereof.
amount of silver or gold equal to the amount at the time contained in the standard
(b) The Director of such mint with the consent of the owner shall deduct and
retain of such silver 80 received 45 per centum as seigniorage for services per-
gilver dollar and the gold dollar, respectively;
The term "stocks of silver" means the total amount of silver at the time owned
formed by the Government of the United States relative to the coinage and de-
by the United States (whether or not held as security for outstanding currency
livery of silver dollars. The balance of such silver 80 received, that is, 55 per
of the United States) and of silver contained in coins of the United States at the
centum, shall be coined into standard silver dollars and the same or any equal
number of other standard silver dollars shall be delivered to the owner or de-
time outstanding;
The term "stocks of gold". means the total amount of gold at the time owned
positor of such silver, and no provisions of law taxing transfers of silver shall ex-
tend or apply to any delivery of silver to & United States mint under this section.
by the United States, whether or not held as a reserve or ne security for any
The 45 per centum of such silver 80 deducted shall be retained as bullien by the
outstanding currency of the United States.
Treasury or coined into standard silver dollars and held or disposed of in the same
Sec. 11. There is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the
manner BE other bullion or silver dollars held in or belonging to the Treasury.
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $500,000, which shall be avail-
(e) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorised to prescribe regulations to
able for expenditure under the direction of the President and in his discretion,
carry out the purposes of this section. Such regulations shall contain provisions
for any purpose in connection with the carrying out of this Act; and there are
substantially similar to the provisions contained in the regulations issued pur-
hereby authorized to be appropriated annually such additional sums as may be
suant to the Act of Congress approved April 23, 1918 (40 Stat. L., p. 535), known
necessary for such purposes.
as the Pittman Act, with such changes as he shall determine prescribing how silver
Sec. 12. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly
tendered to such mints shall be identified as having been produced from natural
reserved. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person
deposita in the United States or any places subject to its jurisdiction subsequent
or circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder of the Act, and the application
to July 1, 1939.
of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 13. All Acts and parts of Acts inconsistent with any of the provisions of
Approved, July 6, 1939.
this Act are hereby repealed, but the authority conferred in this Act upon the
The CHAIRMAN, In addition to the statute 'that we have just
President and the Secretary of the Treasury is declared to be supplemental to
placed in the record, the secretary of the committee has communi-
the authority heretofore conferred.
cated with the Treasury Department, asking for data with regard
Approved, June 19, 1934, 9 p. m,
to silver. The Treasury has sent to us a vast amount of data which
The CHAIRMAN. Third, I will place in the record without objection
will be considered by the committee, and such parts as the committee
& copy of the last act passed by the Congress giving domestically
deems proper will be added to the record at this point, I do not
mined silver its present status. The present status is that all silver
desire to make any special request, but after the committee has had
mined domestically can be turned over to the Treasury and sold for
n. chance to consider this data, we will pick out that portion which
71 cents-plus per ounce, I will ask that that entire act, found on
we think it might be advisable to add to the record.
pages 307 and 308, be placed in the record.
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, May 4. 1942.
[Punic-No. 165-76rn Coxo.]
Hon. ELMBR THOMAS,
United States Senale, Washington, D. C.
[Chapter 260-1st Session)
MY DEAR SENATOR: This is in reply to your letter of April 14, 1942, requesting
the Treasury Department to provide the Senate Special Silver Committee with
(H.
material relating to gold and silver, a chronology of legislative and Executive
AN ACT To extend the time within which the powers relating to the stabilization fund and alteration of
acts affecting monetary policy, and & statement setting forth policies of the
the weight of the dollar may be exercised
Government with respect to the purchases of gold and silver from March 4, 1933
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
to date.
America in Congress assembled, That subsection (a) of section 10 of the Gold
There are enlosed herewith the following tables:
Reserve Act of 1934, approved January 30, 1934, as amended, is further amended
1. Silver purchases under the act of June 10, 1934, showing new production
by striking out the period at the end of such subsection and adding thereto the
silver, trading silver, and inventory silver.
words "and to the Congress."
2. Net imports, mint acquisitions, and Treasury purchases of foreign silver,
Sec. 2. Subsection (e) of section 10 of the Gold Reserve Act of 1934, approved
1933 to date. (That portion of the table which refers to silver imports since
January 30, 1934, as amended, is further amended to read as follows:
October 1941, is confidential.)
"(c) All the powers conferred by this section shall expire June 30, 1941, unless
3. Monetary stock of gold and silver, showing ratio of monetary stocks, 1934
to date.
the President shall sooner declare the existing emergency ended and the operation
of the stabilization fund terminated."
4. Foreign silver coins-price of silver at which it becomes profitable to melt
Sec. 3. The second sentence added to paragraph (b) (2) of Section 43, title
each coin for its silver bullion content, at its exchange rate.
III, of the Act approved May 12, 1933, by section 12 of said Gold Reserve Act of
5. Newly mined domestic silver, nationalized silver, and foreign silver acquired
1934, as amended, is further amended to read as follows: "The powers of the
since January 1, 1934.
President specified in this paragraph shall be deemed to be separate, distinct, and
6, Silver seigniorage since January 1, 1934.
continuing powers, and may be exercised by him, from time to time, severally or
There is also enclosed a chronology of legislative and Executive acts affecting
together, whenever and as the expressed objects of this section in his judgment
the monetary policy of the United States from March 4, 1933, to date.
may require: except that such powers shall expire June 30, 1941, unless the
The policy of this Government with respect to purchases of gold and silver
President shall sconer declare the existing emergency ended."
from March 4, 1933, to date has been set forth in the speeches, messages, and
I
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
450
SILVER
451
of the President and the Secretary of the Treasury, of the embodied in the
2
217 $1,217
8
19
5
1,285
&
11
$
R
Cost
6,456
54
statements legislation on gold and silver, and fulfilled in the practice Treasury in the
If 808
457
77,025
651
772 165,772
51, 51,236 236
IRE 'VE THE "II
909 °F
786 33,786
ML
purchases full understanding of gold and silver. of the Government's policy with respect to gold and silver
A hardly possible without an examination of the selected statements is which are
Total
3, 3,167
210
115
of 1771
ET
18
26
12
145
3
is enclosed. In brief, however, the gold and silver purchase one-fourth policy as follows:
Ounces
16, 284
120
1,212
of
146, 146,463
123, 123,010
352,718
128, 128,281
$2.00 of
19,612
82,246
563,245
The Treasury purchases all gold at $35 & fine ounce less of 1 percent
cent and regular mint charges, principally for the purpose settling international
and regular mint charges and sells gold at the same price plus of one-fourth of 1 per-
Cost
balances. In the past 6 months, our sales of gold to foreign countries have sub-
stantially exceeded our purchases of gold from foreign countries. have Our purchases of
1942
newly mined domestic gold have continued, although they not fully offset
Ounos
our net sales of gold to foreign countries, so that our gold monetary stocks have
been declining.
The Treasury aequires newly mined domestic silver at 71.11 cents per fine ounce
Cost
ISSS
1,054
2478 of
175
3,988
4,157
2.496
80
2, 2,576
10,712
in accordance with the provisions of the act of July 6, 1939. In acquiring silver,
the objective of the Treasury is to minimize fluctuations in the open-market price
TABLE 1.-Recapitulation of all silver purchases by sources from the enaciment of the Silver Purchase Act on June 19, 1934 to Apr. 18, 1948
[Figures are shown in thousands only. When 500 or under, the amount has been dropped, when over, it has been added. This applies to both the ounos and the dollars on this
1941
Ounces
805
900 °F
7,075
500
of silver while making progress toward attaining the objectives of the Silver
11,385
171 :
131 7,131
822
7,359
30, 30,615
Purchase Act. In pursuance of these objectives, the Treasury has temporarily
ceased purchasing foreign silver because the domestic demand for silver for war
and other industrial purposes is now absorbing all imports and is exerting upward
Cost
zers
35
1,249
4,690
169°F
11,012
14,112
4,085 085
1,213
30,422
pressure on the price of open-market silver. On the other hand, purchases of
newly mined domestic silver are adding to our silver monetary stocks.
1940
Ounces
947
100
3, 3,565
Very truly yours,
13,414
13,410 of
31, 31,436
40, 285 40,285
11,672
194°C
15,135
86, 86,856
D. W. BELL,
Acting Secretary of the Treasury.
43
9
$
22
Cost
1,130
3, 3,719
452
10, 707 10,707
217 17,217
266 10,266
8189
106°C
6,809
1939
1,250
100
16
12
3
NEW-PRODUCTION SILVER
Ouness
4,253
0.19 of
1,201
25, 25,395
484 41,484
25, 137 25,137
12.136 of 136
968 °F
100'21
83, 632 83,632
(Ounces 0.999 fine)
US
8
IS
176
g
9
II
5
summary
Cost
1,012
5, 5,492
12 12,441
26, 26,063 063
10, 10,031
6, 6,272
509'1
7,875
$3.96 d,
1938
165
210
115
400
12
15
26
2,329
655 12,655
11
Ounoss
28, 28,932
15, 15,001
128'00 128
2.11 al
14, 14,439
3,728
18,167
101,151
Cost
$630
768
K
3,697
us
23, 23,491
913 28,913
7,026
4,360
119'1
6,037
976 41,976
1937
Ounces
706
OCT
8, 261 8,261
109
64,595
611 15,611
9,759
122°C
of
13,485
269'08 269 'DS
$351
3
Cost
643
164'8
48
24,935
29, 29,833
d A.418
3, 3,350
687
200%
39, 288 39,288
1936
Ounees
770
145
1,426
8.42 of
DOT
55,464
66, 66,335 335
008'11
7,497
009°C
8,997
291'28
Cost
$62
48, 684 48,684
48.76 $
226
1,154
1,154
June 19. 1934 to
50,126 126
Dec. 31, 1935
Ounces
100
7,812 É
77, 612 77,612
434
2, 2,071
2, 2,071
80, 117
Source as reported
Countries south of the United
Argentina
Argentina and Chile
Argentina and others
States:
Bolivia
Chile
Cuba
Cubs and others
Ecuador
Ecuador and others
El Balvador
Honduras
Nicaragus
Various
Mexico
Mexico by agreement
Total countries south of
United States
Peru
Total various countries not
identified
Under agreement
Canada:
Others
Total Canada
Total new production
silver
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
452
SILVER
453
Cost
$154, 307
$3,167 167
301,917 917
15, 15,050
a
750 15,750
107
46,617
382,690
142 220,142
196'T
1,017
118'6
931 232,931
621 615,621
1, 020, 722 1,020,722
TABLE II.-Net imports, mint acquisitions, and Treasury purchases of foreign silver,
1933 to date
Total
7,431
000 35,000
19G
402
35, 35,000
172
Ounos
To, 75.495
646, 086 646,086
502, 297 502,297
of 2,687
2, 2,875
24,816
531,675 675
[In millions of ounces]
306,
1,177,761
of
Year and month
Treasury
Mint no-
Net Im-
purchases
quisitions
ports I
of foreign
of foreign
Cost
silver
silver
1942
1933
117.7
Ounces
1934
170.8
216.
172.5
1935
525.7
508.8
494.4
1936
393.7
186.1
$282
918
271.9
$001
1,200
1,200
12,612
1937
194.
288. 9
241.5
TABLE 1.-Recapitulation of all silver purchases by sources from the enactment of the Silver Purchase Act on June 19, 1934 to Apr. 18, 1918
Cost
NOTE-The figures showing ounces and cost appearing in this statement represent the ounces and cost of the silver contracted to be purchased. Actual deliveries vary alightly
in ounces and cost shown herein does not include expenses of shipping, insurance, handling or other charges. The total cost of the silver purchased, including shipping, Insurance,
1938
516.8
443.7
355.4
1939
177.4
158.9
282.8
1940-January
15.4
805
12.8
14.0
1941
Ounes
1, 1,974
2,620
3,425
3,425
36,014
February
10.9
13.0
20.9
March
14.4
15.3
11,8
April
13.0
11.7
17.4
May
12.6
17.6
12.7
232
$4.072 x
1,800
54
1,854
2,086
41,480
June
10.8
6.0
6.3
Cost
July
15.3
6.6
13.4
August
11.2
4.7
10.4
September
129
6.7
10.3
1940
25, 613 25,613
663
DMB
BIG 5,
155
Outioes
5, 5,298
5,961
118, 118,430
October
13.6
9.7
8.0
November
13.3
7.4
5.6
December
13.0
7.0
:
1041-January
12.1
9.2
$11,543
$13,787
6,156
19, 19,943
943 19,943
65, 65,778 778
February
7.1
3.2
4.8
March
9.8
3.6
Cost
6.0
April
8.9
26
3.9
May
7.8
4.3
4.7
1939
Ounces
27, 635 27,635
33,341 of
14, 14,317 317
47, 47,658
47, 47,658
158, 945 158,945
June
11.1
3.6
6.1
3.8
8.6
August
9.6
2.9
(Qunces 0.999 fine)-Continued
TRADING AND INVENTORY SILVER
July
12.3
OTHER PURCHASES OF SILVER
8.7
September
8.6
1,5
7.6
October
1.5
6.5
Cost
$10, $10,516
$2, $2,875
856
15,050,
22
18,853
115,530
3,655
119,185
138,038
192,523
November
is
3
4.1
December
3.7
1942-January
8.3
1938
24, 24,356 356
1,949
February
Ounes
6,687
35,000
190
43,826
265,892
8,499
274,391
318, 318,217
3.4
724 443,724
March
28
Total
2,046.9
2,037,1
Cost
$5, $5,059
15,750 750
20,809
512 58,512
A.S.I. of
321 79,321
129,586
I Based upon the Commerce statistics of monthly imports and exports of silver converted to ounces by
&
dividing by the average monthly price of silver in New York M given by the Bureau of the Mint. Bilver
1937
from the Philippine Islands received by the United States mints under the classification of newly mined
Ounees
18,420
11,806
35, 35,000
46, 46,806
130,026
130,026
176,832
288,944
domestic silver is included in these figures of net Imports.
Source: Treasury Department, Division of Monetary Research.
$3,955
R
Cost
3,988
'018
30,157
45
30, 30,202
34,190
83,910 910
TABLE III-Monetary stocks of gold and silver
1936
[In millions of dollars. on basis daily Treasury statements revised)
22,699
9,050
ES
Ounes
9, 9,123
66, 975 66,975
100
075 67,075
198 76,198
186,059
Ratio of
Gold ($35
Silver
silver to
Dec. 31, 1935
$103. 864
$60
June 19. 1934 to
057 292,057
107
46,584
338,808
=
Cost
1,961
2,035
340,843
494,833
End of fiscal year or month
per fine
($1.29+per
gold and
fine
silver in
ounce)
ounce)
monetary
stocks
Ounees
185, 336 185,336
81
993 469,993
172
75,422
545, 668 545,668
115
3, 3,687
3, 3,802
549, 549,470
923 814,923
1934
7,856.2
898.2
10. 3
1935
9,115.6
1,463.1
13.8
1936
10,608.4
2,249.5
17,5
1937
12,318.8
2,542.1
17.2
1938
12,963.0
3,066.4
19.1
1939
16,110.1
3,605.2
18.3
17,031.0
3,817.6
17.6
Source as reported
New York: Total trading sil-
1940-January
ver and inventory silver
February
18,177.0
3,850.7
Dominican Republie
Mexico, special purchase
Banco de Mexico in New
Kingdom of That (Siam)
Total of other purchases of
17.5
March
18,433.1
3,873.1
17.4
April
18,769.9
3,901.6
17.2
May
19,208.9
3,924.6
17.0
Various countries:
Canada
London
Others
Grand total
June
19,963.1
3,939.6
16.5
York
Subtotal
Subtotal
handling and other charges is $1,026,292,000.
July
20,462.5
3,963.7
16.2
August
20,912.8
3,982.6
16.0
Stain
Far East:
China
India
Japan
September
21,244.4
4,002.2
15.9
Silver
October
21,505.5
4,022.9
15.8
November
21,800.8
4,038.9
15.8
December
21,994.8
4,060.0
10.0
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
454
SILVER
455
TABLE III.-Monetary stocks of gold and silver-Continued
TABLE IV.-Silver coins of foreign nations and the melting point of each-Con.
Ratio of
Gold ($35
Silver
ailver to
Country
Bilver coin
Fine silver
Melting
End of fiscal year or month
per fine
($1.20+per
gold and
content
point
ounce)
fine
silver in
ounce)
monetary
stocks
Cente per
Ounces
50 koruny -
fine ounce
Caschoslovakia
22,116.8
4,078.6
20 koruny
,324
15.0
211.66
1941-January
22,
22,231.9
4,092.5
15.5
Denmark
None
February
22,367.8
4,107.6
Dominican Republic
18.8
4,120.8
Ecundor
50 sucres
March
22,505.8
580
60.49
15.5
2 sucres
April
of
22,574.9
4,135.8
232
60.49
15.5
Bucre
May
of
22,024.2
4,148.7
.116
00.49
15,5
50 centavos
June
22,674.7
4,167.9
.058
60,49
15.8
July
Egypt
20 plastres
22,719.4
4,188.1
750
127.97
15.6
August
10 plastres
22,760.9 22,
4,207.1
.375
127.97
15.6
September
& plastres
22, 22,799.7
4,221.5
.188
127.97
15.6
October
2 plastres
22,785.3
4,232.7
.075
127.97
November
15.7
Half crown
22,730.6
of
4,244.8
Erie
340
147.90
15.7
December
Florin
22,747.2
4,257.1
.272
147.90
15.8
1942-January
Shilling
.136
22,704.8
4,267.5
147.90
15,8
February
1 22,687.4
Estonia
2 krooni
14,272.4
.192
274.75
March
115.8
Kroon
.096
274.75
Finland
None
France
20 france
.437
121.23
I Preliminary.
10 france
.218
121.23
Germany
5 relchamarks
Bouroe: Treasury Department, Division of Monetary Research, Apr. 20, 1942.
.402
497.65
2 reichsmarks
.141
497.65
Greece
None
TABLE IV.-Silver coins of foreign nations and the melting point of each
Gustemala
25 centavos
.193
129.60
10 centavos
.078
129.60
Because of the existence of foreign exchange controls, prohibitions upon the
5 centavos
.039
129.60
Halti
None
export of coins, and emergency war legislation, and also because many of the coun-
Honduras
Lempira
362
138.24
tries of the world have been occupied by foreign powers, the representative melting
50 centavos
.181
138.24
points for many of the world's coins are no longer available. Therefore, in the
20 centavos
.072
138.24
Hungary
5 pengö
.514
190.32
table below the melting points are shown as of August 1939, and are determined
2 pengo
.206
190.32
on the basis of the coinage systems and exchange rates that existed on that date.
Pengo
.103
190.32
No allowance is made for the costs of melting or transporting the coins.
Iran
5 rials
.665
43.73
2 rials
.266
43.73
Rial
.183
43.73
16 rial
.067
43.73
Silver coin
Fine silver
Melting
Traq
200 fils
579
161.74
Country
content
point
50 fils
.145
161.74
20 fils
.058
161.74
Italy
None
Cente per
Japan
do
Outsces
fine ounce
Latvia
5 lats
.670
141.47
Argentina
None
2 lats
.268
141.47
Australia
Florin
0.336
111.46
Lat
1.34
141.47
Shilling
.168
111.46
Lithuanis
10 litu
.430
391.70
Sixpence
.084
111.46
5 lito
.215
301.70
Threepence
.042
111.46
2 litu
.086
391.70
Belgium
50 franes
.481
353.43
Lites
,043
391.70
20 france
.240
283.10
Mexico
Peso
.385
53.39
Bolívia
Boliviano
.386
9.72
so centavos
.193
43.39
50 centavos
.193
9.72
20 centavos
.077
53.39
20 centavos
.077
9.72
Netherlands
235 florins
.578
228.96
Brazil
100 milreis
Florin
.231
228.96
5 milreis
so oents
.115
228.96
2 milreis
.129
86.20
25 centa
.074
180.02
British India
Rupee
.344
87.28
10 cents
.029
183.39
и rupee
.172
87.28
New Zenland
Half crown
.228
206.88
34 rupee
,086
87.28
Florin
.182
206.88
Bulgaria
100 leva
.322
373.25
Shilling
.091
206.88
50 leva
.161
373.25
Sixpence
.045
206.88
20 leva
.064
373.25
Threepence
.023
206.88
Canada
.600
166.66
Niesragua
Dollar 1
None
160.60
Norway
50 cents
.300
do
Panama
25 cents
.150
166.66
Balboa
774
129.28
166.66
50 centesimos
362
138.24
10 cents
.060
5 cents .
.030
166.66
25 centesimos
.181
138.24
Chile
None
10 centesimos
.072
138.24
Colombia
Paraguay
50 centavos
.362
79.48
Peru
None
20 centavos
.144
79.48
Sol
402
47.28
10 centavos
.072
79.48
50 centavos
.201
47.28
Costa Rica
Cuba
None
- Silver Jublice commemorative coin.
Peso
,774
124.11
No longer colned but still in circulation.
40 centavos
.290
133.21
- I These have been withdrawn in both Crechia and Blovakia.
20 centavos
.145
133.21
Equal in weight and fineness to United States coins.
10 centavos
.072
133.21
I Withdrawn In 1940.
. In 1940 the standard fineness was reduced to 0.500.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
456
457
TABLE IV.-Sileer coins of foreign nations and the melting point of each-Con.
TABLE V.-Silver of specified classifications acquired by mjnts and assay officer-Con.
Fine silver
Melting
Newly mined
Silver coin
domestic
Nationalized
Country
content
Foreign
point
Total
Calendar year or month
Cente per
Ounces
Dollars
Ouness
Dollars
Ounces
Dollars
Ounres
Dollars
Ounces
fine outice
10 slote
.530
358.22
Poland
5 slote
.265
358.22
1941-Continued.
.106
September
7.2
358.22
A1
2 slote
7.6
29
14.8
8.0
.335
October
4.6
3.2
10 escudos
125.94
6.8
2.6
11.1
Portugal
5 escudos
.146
November
4.5
3.2
8.8
145.60
4.1
1.6
8.6
234 escudos
.073
145.80
December
5.8
4.8
17
3.7
L8
9.5
5.6
100 lel
-145
497.68
1942:
Rumania
.386
January
6.0
124.42
4.3
2 kronor
3.3
1.4
9.3
4.7
5.7
Sweden
1 krona
.198
124.42
February
3.4
3.4
1.4
8.1
4.8
.096
124.42
March
5.1
3.6
50 ore
28
1.2
7.9
4.8
25 ore
.047
128.68
10 ore
.019
128.08
& franca
.403
279.29
I Acquired at 64.64+ cents per fine ounce until Apr. 9, 1935; at 71.11+ centa per fine ounce from that date
Switzerland
2 francs
.268
167.42
until Apr. 23, 1935; at 77.57+ cents from Apr. 23, 1935, to Dec. 31, 1937; at 61.64+ centa per fine ounce from
1 frane
.134
167.42
Dec. 31, 1937, to July 1, 1939: and at 71.11+ cents since July 1. 1939.
so contimes
.067
167.42
- , Acquired at 50.01 cents per fine ounce. Executive proclamation of Aug. 9, 1934, repealed Apr. 28, 1938.
100 pissters
.320
234.21
Acquired at various prices averaging approximately 52 cents per ounce.
Turkey
50 pissters
.160
234.21
.080
Treasury Department, Division of Monetary Research, Apr. 20, 1942.
25 plasters
234.21
United Kingdom
Half crown
.227
257.18
Florin
.182
267.18
TABLE VI.-Seigniorage on silver (cumulative from Jan. 1, 1984)
Shilling
.091
257.18
Rixpence
.045
267.18
[In millions of dollars]
Threepence
.023
257.18
Uniquay
None
Veneruela
5 bolivares.
.723
217.72
Bouroes of seigniorage on silver bullion revalued I
2 bolivares
.269
234.39
Bolivar
.134
234.99
Potential
50 centimes
.06/
234.39
Seignior-
Misoel-
seignior-
Newly
25 contimes
.033
234.39
End of calendar year
age on
laneous
silver and
allver (in-
mined
Newly
Silver
National-
age on
Yugoslavia
50 dinari
.580
219.00
mined
Purchase
ised silver
Total
silver bul-
or month
to dinari
207.11
minor
cluding
ailver
.112
coins
silver (act
Act of
(proela-
selgnior-
lion at
silver bul-
(procla-
June 19,
ation of
are on
cost in
lion held
mation
July 4,
Aug. 9,
silver
general
June 14,
Dec. 21,
1989)
1934
Source: Treasury Department, Division of Monetary Research, Apr. 21, 1942.
1934)
revalued
fund -
1934)
1933)
TABLE V.-Silver of specified classifications acquired by mints and assay officer
1934
4.5
48.7
0.4
31,1
28.8
128.7
132.5
[In millions]
1935
18.5
48.7
16.8
226.2
34.5
326.2
274.6
1936
46.1
48.7
36.0
302.7
34.7
422.1
397.9
1937
63.7
48.7
58.0
366.7
34.7
508.1
541.6
Newly mined
1938
69.5
48.7
74.9
457.7
a
domestie
Foreign
Total
34.7
616.0
758.8
1939
91.7
48.7
87.3
42
530.7
34.7
705.6
Calendar year or month
1940:
950.6
January
92.9
48.7
87.5
6.3
533.8
34.7
711.0
961,5
Ounces
Dollars
Ounces
Dollars
Ounces
Dollars
Ounces
Dollars
February
93.9
48.7
87.5
7.7
538.3
34.7
716.9
March
972.1
94.7
48.7
87.5
9.5
542.3
34.7
722.7
987.6
April
95.5
48.7
87.5
11.0
546.4
34.7
728.3
998.1
1934
21.8
14.1
110.6
55.3
172.5
86,5
304.9
155.9
May
97.2
48.7
87.5
12.6
549.2
34.7
534.3
345.5
June
732.7
1,009.6
1935
38.0
27.3
2.0
1.0
494.4
318.2
98.4
48.7
87.6
14.2
550.5
34.7
735.7
1,017.4
1936
61.1
47.3
.4
.2
271.9
150.8
333.4
197,9
July
99.8
48.7
87.6
15.9
553.4
34.7
740.3
1,025.0
1937
70.6
54.6
241.5
108.7
312,2
163.4
August
103,3
48.7
87.6
17.2
555.8
34.7
744.0
1,031.0
1938
61.6
42.2
September
355.4
156.9
417.1
199.1
107.3
48.7
87.0
18.5
557.2
34.7
746.7
1939
60.7
39,9
282.8
120.9
343.3
160.4
October
1,040.1
IILO
48.7
87.6
21.3
559.8
34.7
752.1
November
1,047.3
1940:
117.3
48.7
87.6
23.3
561.1
34.7
755.4
1,051.5
January
7.3
5.2
14.0
5.7
21.3
10.9
December
122.2
48.7
IMI:
87.6
25.7
562.7
34.7
709.4
1,055.8
February
4.5
3.2
20.9
7.8
25.4
ILO
March
11.8
17.4
5.4
January
5.6
4.0
125.3
4.4
48.7
87.6
27.7
564.7
34.7
763.4
1,062.9
April
4.5
3.2
17.4
6.3
21.9
9.5
February
127.0
48.7
May
March
87.6
29.6
565.9
34.7
766.5
1,069.8
5.1
3.6
12.7
4.5
17.8
&1
128.3
48.7
87.6
81.5
567.0
June
4.6
3,6
6.3
22
10.9
5.5
April
34.7
769.5
1,004.9
132.6
48.7
87.6
33.5
568,1
34.7
772.6
1,076.2
July
6.8
3.8
13.4
4.7
19.2
8.5
May
137.2
48.7
June
87.6
35.6
569.1
34.7
775.7
1,070.1
August
4.3
3.0
10.4
3.7
14.6
6,7
143.5
48.7
87.6
37.1
570.7
34.7
778.8
September
July
1,079.5
4.7
3.4
10.3
3.6
15.0
7.0
149.4
48.7
87.6
39,1
572.7
34.7
782.8
1,079.8
October
7.9
5.6
8.0
28
8.4
August
15.9
155.1
48.7
87.6
41.0
574.9
34.7
786.9
1,087.3
November
as
September
6.8
4.8
2.0
124
162.0
5.6
48.7
October
87.6
43.5
576.5
34.7
791.0
1,080.8
December
7.2
5.1
9.0
3.2
16.2
8,3
109.2
November
48.7
87.6
45.1
578.3
34.7
794.4
1,085.5
1941:
176.4
48.7
December
87.6
46.4
579.4
34.7
796.8
1,090.7
January
6.5
4.6
7.9
28
14.4
7.4
1942:
182.1
48.7
87.6
48.3
580.4
34.7
799.7
1,089.0
February
5.9
4.2
4.8
1.7
10.7
5.9
March
4.1
6,2
January
5.7
21
11.7
188.5
48.7
87.6
50.2
581.3
34.7
802.5
1,094.2
April
6.0
5.9
February
6.3
192.4
48.7
57.6
51.6
582.1
34.7
804.7
1,096.3
4.5
May
3.9
1.4
10,2
March
6.5
4.6
4.7
1.7
IL2
6.3
195,3
48.7
87.6
53.3
582.9
34.7
807.2
1,097.8
June
4.3
3.1
July
al
13
10.4
&
6.5
4.6
August
8.6
3.2
15.1
7.8
6.7
8.7
3.3
15.4
8.1
I These Items represent the difference between the cost value and the monetary value of silver bullion
4.8
revalued and held to secure allver certificates.
, The figures in this column are not cumulative; as the amount of bullion held changes, the potential
seignlorage thereon changes.
Source: Treasury Department, Division of Monetary Research, Apr. 20, 1942.
Regraded Unclassified
458
SILVER
SILVER
459
EXTRACT FROM A RADIO ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT OCTOBER 22, 1938
But because, in terms of foreign currencies, our products had become BO much
I repeat what I have said on many occasions, that ever since last March the
more expensive, we were not able to obtain our fair share of the world's trade,
definite policy of the Government has been to restore commodity price levels.
It was, therefore, necessary to take measures which would result in bringing the
industry once more to give work to the unemployed. It has the been to make possible
The object has been the attainment of such a level as will enable agriculture and
dollar back to the position where A fair amount of foreign currency could again
buy our products; that is, to make the dollar cheaper in terms of pounds, francs,
the payment of public and private debts more nearly at price level at which
or marks. This was the process which commenced in March 1933 and which had
they were Incurred. It has been gradually to restore a balance in the price
to be continued until that level was reached. It was not desirable to make this
structure 80 that farmers may exchange their products for the products of in-
level too low, because then our own importers would find it difficult to buy for-
dustry on a fairer exchange basis. It has been and is also the purpose to provent
eign merchandise. But it was clear that the level had been too high, and we
wanted to find the appropriate level.
manent welfare and security of every class of our people ultimately depends on
prices from rising beyond the point necessary to attain these ends. The per-
By joint resolution (Public Res. 10, approved June 5, 1933), the Congress de-
clared invalid all gold clauses contained in bonds already issued or thereafter to
our attainment of these purposes.
Obviously, and because hundreds of different kinds of crops and industrial
be issued, and authorized the payment of these bonds in ordinary legal tender.
occupations in the huge territory that makes up this Nation are involved, we
This joint resolution was a necessary step in effectuating the Government's con-
cannot reach the goal in only A few months. We may take 1 year or 2 years or
trol of the monetary system. The preamble of the resolution itself contained the
statement of policy, namely, that the holding of, or the dealing in, gold affects
3 years.
No one who considers the plain facts of our situation believes that commodity
the public interest, and is therefore subject to public regulation and restriction,
prices, especially agricultural prices, are high enough yet.
and that the gold clauses in bonds obstruct the power of Congress to regulate the
value of the money of the United States.
Some people are putting the cart before the horse. They want B. permanent
revaluation of the dollar first. It is the Government's policy to rentore the price
My message to the World Monetary and Economic Conference also stated the
level first, I would not know, and no one else could tell, just what the perma-
monetary objectives toward which we were working-"giving to those (national)
nent valuation of the dollar will be. To guess at & permanent gold valuation now
currencies a continuing purchasing power which does not greatly vary in terms
would certainly require later changes caused by later facta.
of the commodities and need of modern civilization." I there pointed out that
When we have restored the price level, we shall seek to establish and maintain
the important problem was not the temporary fixing of exchange, but etabiliza-
a dollar which will not change Its purchasing and debt-paying power during the
tion of each nation's currency, conservation of metallic reserves, and the restora
succeeding generation. I said that in my message to the American delegation
tion of world trade by removal of existing commercial embargoes.
in London last July, and I say it now once more.
There can be no doubt on the part of persons familiar with the facts that by
Because of conditions in this country and because of events beyond our control
the end of 1933 the more immediate emegrency goal of the administration, to
in other parts of the world, it becomes increasingly important to develop and apply
remedy the crisis which confronted it in March 1933, had been accomplished-
the further measures which may be necessary from time to time to control the
the restoration of public confidence. The sound banks of the country had been
reopened and were functioning normally; money and gold which had been with-
gold value of our own dollar at home.
Our dollar is now altogether too greatly influenced by the accidents of Inter-
drawn from hoarding had been redeposited. The dollar was functioning regularly
national trade, by the internal policies of other nations, and by political dis-
AS an instrument in international trade, and was gradually and soundly readjust-
ing itself to the value of world ourrencies.
turbance in other continents. Therefore the United States must take firmly in
its own hands the control of the gold value of our dollar. This is necessary in
Measures for permitting the dollar to find its proper place in relation to foreign
order to prevent dollar disturbances from swinging us away from our ultimate
currency had, as we have seen, taken two forms, First, the suspension of gold
payments and the prohibition of shipments of gold to support the dollar abroad
goal, namely, the continued recovery of our commodity prices.
As a further effective means to this end, I am going to establish a Government
had detached the value of the dollar in foreign exchange from its previous gold
value. Second, the gradually increasing price paid for gold, in relation to which
market for gold in the United States. Therefore, under the clearly defined
authority of existing law, [ am authorizing the Reconstruction Finance Corpora-
all currencies may be directly or Indirectly measured, likewise operated to change
the foreign exchange value of the dollar. To illustrate, if today the price of gold
tion to buy gold newly mined in the United States at prices to be determined
in the London market were 7 English pounds for an ounce of gold, and the price
from time to time after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the
paid by the United States were $35 for an ounce of gold, It would be easy Lo seo
President. Whenever necessary to the end in view, we shall also buy or sell gold
that the price of 1 English pound would be approximately $5.
in the world market.
In the foregoing address, I pointed out that this measure of improvement did
My aim in taking this step is to establish and maintain continuous control.
not mean that our work had ended but that it was becoming "increasingly im-
This is a policy and not an expedient.
portant to develop and apply the sound measures which may be necessary from
It is not to be used merely to offset a temporary fall in prices. We are thus
time to time to control the gold value of our own dollar at home.
continuing to move toward B managed currency.
Therefore, the United States must take firmly in its own hands the control of the
You will recall the dire predictions made last spring by those who did not agree
gold yalue of our dollar
in order to prevent dollar disturbances from
with our common policies of raising prices by direct means. What actually
swinging us away from our ultimate goal, namely, the continued recovery of our
happened stood out in sharp contrast with those predictions. Government
commodity prices."
credit is high; prices have risen in part. Doubtless prophets of evil still exist in
By January 1934 these "sound measures" had been developed and were ready
our midet, But Government credit will be maintained and B. sound currency will
to be tried, We were ready "to take firmly in our own hands the control of the
accompany & rise in the American commodity price level.
gold value of our dollar," which was done by the Gold Reserve Act of 1934,
which I recommended in my message of January 15, 1934.
A NOTE ON THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS OF OCTOBER 22, 1933
428-129. Source: The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, vol. II, pp.
The depreciation of foreign eurrencies, prior to 1933, had had the effect of mak-
ing the dollar more expensive in terms of those foreign currencies. Thus it took
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, APRIL 19, 1938, OF THE
more pounds, more franes, or more marks to buy A dollar than it had formerly and,
DISCONTINUANCE OF THE INACTIVE GOLD ACCOUNT
since the prices of our export products are determined in terms of dollars, it took
more pounds, franca, and marks to buy our export products. The effect of this
On December 22, 1936, the Secretary of the Treasury stated that, after confer-
had been to contribute to the serious decrease in our foreign trade, not because
ring with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, he proposed to
our own prices, in terms of dollars, had risen, nor because our products were of
take appropriate action with respect to net additional acquisitions or releases of
an inferior quality, nor because we did not have sufficient products to export.
gold by the Treasury Department whenever it was deemed advisable and in the
public interest to do so.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
460
SILVER
461
the Board pursuance of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, today announces that the
In of that policy, the Secretary of the Treasury, after conferring with
I believe that you can supply more matisfactory answers to these questions than
inactive gold account has been discontinued.
anyone else and I should therefore appreciate your replying to them at your earliest
convenience.
Very sincerely yours,
ROBERT F. WAGNER.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, DECEMBER 22, 1936,
WITH RESPECT TO NET ADDITIONAL ACQUISITIONS OR RELEASES OF GOLD BY
March 22, 1939.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Hon. ROBERT L. WAGNER,
The Secretary of the Treasury, after conferring with the Board of Governors of
United States Senate,
the Federal Reserve System, announces that he proposes, whenever it is deemed
Mr DEAR SENATOR: In your letter of March 14 you ask several important
advisable and in the public interest to do so, to take appropriate action with respect
questions. These and similar questions, relating to gold and foreign exchange,
to net additional acquisitions or releases of gold by the Treasury Department.
have been asked so frequently that I welcome this opportunity to answer them
This will be accomplished by the sale of additional public-debt obligations, the
and to make clear the policy of the Government with respect to these matters.
proceeds of which will be used for the purchase of gold, and by the purchase or
As you say, the questions raised involve technical matters which cannot be
redemption of outstanding obligations in the case of movements in the reverse
adequately handled in & page or two. However, I shall be M brief as in possible
direction.
with materials of such complexity.
1. Who owne the gold now in the Treasury!
For Immediate Release, Thursday, March 23, 1939.
Press Service No. 16-83.
Title to all gold held by the Treasury, now amounting to about $15,000,000,000,
is vested in the United States.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
A large part of this gold ($12,336,858,533 on March 15, 1939) is held as security
for gold certificates (or credita payable in gold certificates) issued to and held by
Washington
the Federal Reserve banks pursuant to the Gold Reserve Act, Such gold cer-
tificates may be redeemed in such amounts of gold bullion as, in the judgment of
Secretary Morgenthau today made public the following letter from Senator
the Secretary of the Treasury, are necessary to settle international balances or to
Robert F. Wagner, chairman of the Banking and Currency Committee of the
maintain the equal purchasing power of every kind of United States
Senate, and his reply thereto:
currency.
UNITED STATES SENATE,
The remainder of the gold held by the Treasury is accounted for as follows:
COMMITTEE ON BANKING AND CURRENCY,
March 14, 1939.
Gold reserve, held pursuant to law 88 & reserve against United
States notes and Treasury notes of 1890
$156, 039, 430
Hon. HENRY MORGENTHAU,
Allocated to the stablisation fund
1,800,000,000
Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C.
Gold in general fund (against which gold certificates or credits
MY DEAR Mr. SECRETARY: My interest in our monetary policy as chairman of
have not as yet been issued):
the Sonate Committee on Banking and Currency has, of course, been intensified
(a) Balance of increment resulting from reduction in the
by the committee's present consideration of my bill (S. 910) to extend certain
weight of the gold dollar
142, 288, 196
monetary powers. I should like your help in answering a number of questions
(b) In working balance
547, 899, 564
which have arisen both before and during our consideration of the bill.
I ask these questions with no critical intent, but solely with the hope of clarifying
The Treasury disposes of gold in the following ways:
the whole subject. I realize that they relate to problems which are somewhat
(a) For use in industry, profession, or art. Any person needing gold for any
complex and technical and that any comprehensive answer may of necessity be
such purpose can purchase gold from the Treasury.
somewhat lengthy. Nevertheless, I feel that a satisfactory discussion of them
(b) For the purpose of meeting the international balance of payments. To
would be very helpful to the Congress and the public and I would appreciate
this end the Treasury sells gold to the members of the Tripartite Accord and to
your going into some detail.
their stabilization funds and fiscal agencies. The Treasury also may sell gold
The questions that seem to me most pertinent are these:
to foreign central banks upon application and under special conditions.
1. Who owns the gold now in the Treasury?
Neither Americans nor foreigners can obtain gold from the Treasury for the
2. How much of the gold in the Treasury has been purchased with funds
purpose of hoarding.
obtained from the sale of interest-bearing obligations of the Government?
2. How much of the gold in the Treasury was purchased with funds obtained from
3. Why has so much gold come to the United States in the past 5 years?
the sale of interest-bearing obligations of the Government?
4. Is it true that gold comes here in large amounts because the Treasury is pay-
The Treasury pays for gold with the cash assets in the general fund, specifically
ing a higher price than other countries for gold and because it buys gold at &
out of the Treasury's deposit account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New
fixed price?
York. The account is normally compensated by the deposit with the Federal
5. How much gold do you think we will get?
Reserve bank of gold certificates or gold certificate credits issued against the
6. Why doesn't the Treasury stop buying gold?
gold then acquired.
7. Of what use to us is this large stock of gold? Is there any likelihood that
Up to December 22, 1936, it was the policy of the Treasury to issue to the
we will get so much of the world's gold that we will "get stuck" with it?
Federal Reserve bank gold certificates or gold certificate credits against the full
8. Isn't it true that foreigners are getting shares of our productive industries
value of the gold acquired. Under this procedure the purchase of gold by the
and giving us in return gold that we have no use for?
Treasury did not involve any increase in the Federal debt either directly or
9. What action, if any, should be taken with respect to the gold situation?
indirectly. Shortly after December 22, 1936, however, the Treasury Depart-
Should we, for example, return to the gold standard of pre-1933?
ment adopted & different procedure with respect to new gold purchases. Gold
10. Did devaluation of the dollar in 1934 have an unfavorable effect on our
purchased was placed in an "inactive gold" account and paid for from the general
imports?
cash balance of the Treasury without issue of additional gold certificates against
11. Who in England and France has the power of altering the gold value of
the new gold acquisitions.
their currencies and what is the extent of that power?
This procedure was departed from several times, however, by the issuance of
12. Is there any basis to the contention that the power to devalue operates to
gold certificates against gold released from the "Inactive" account or against
undermine the businessman's confidence so as to deter him from making loans and
gold acquired but not placed in the "inactive" account. The "inactive" account
investments in the United States?
Regraded Unclassified
462
SILVER
SILVER
463
discontinued in April 1938, and at that time the Treasury issued $1,400,000,000
The answer to the first of these two questions, together with & description of the
was in gold certificate credits to the Federal Reserve banks against the gold released
kinds of capital coming here, was given in some detail in my letter to Senator
from the "inactive gold" account and thus increased its cash balance by that
amount. Since that time the Treasury has followed a policy of Issuing gold
Vandenberg of September 22, 1936, a copy of which is enclosed for your
convenience.
certificates periodically for additional gold acquired. Gold purchases are per-
In section 3 of that letter the causes of capital importe into the United States
mitted to accumulate in the general fund in varying amounts before gold certify.
are set forth as follows:
cates are issued against them. On March 15, 1939, there WAS in the general
"(a) Capital withdrawn from abroad by American owners because of the greater
fund $548,000,000 of gold purchases against which gold certificates had not yet
security or the more attractive field for investment offered the capital at home.
been issued but which had been paid for by checks drawn on the Treasury account
The return of these funds to the United States-much of which left the country
with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
in 1030-32-in, of oourse, an indication of the relative strength of our recovery
3. Why has so much gold come to the United States in the past 5 years!
and of the prevailing confidence in the future of American industry and American
financial institutions.
Gold comes into the United States in settlement of the balance of international
payments arising out of all transactions between the United States and all foreign
(b) Funds sent to this country by foreigners who likewise felt that American
countries. These international transactions include exports, imports, shipping
securities offered A more attractive or more secure investment opportunity than
did investments available to them elsewhere.
services, tourists' expenditures, capital movements, interest payments, etc.
When the demand for dollar exchange increases more rapidly than the supply of
"(c) Repurchase by foreigners of some of the foreign securities which Americans
dollar exchange resulting from these transactions, the price of dollar exchange on
had purchased during the post-war decade and were now glad to get rid of even at
the foreign-exchange market rises. It may rise to & rate at which it becomes
low prices. This was particularly true of the securities of certain countries where
profitable for bankers and dealers, foreign and American, to ship gold to the United
nominal high exchange rates were coupled with devices whereby the nationals of
States, sell the gold to the Treasury for dollars, and then sell these dollars on the
these countries were encouraged to repatriate these securities at an exchange
profit to themselves, or where maintenance of debt service was provided for only
foreign-exebange market.
internally but not for foreign holders.
Therefore, to answer the question why large amounts of gold flow to the United
States it is necessary only to explain why United States dollar exchange is BO much
"(d) Need created by increasing foreign trade for larger working dollar balances
to be kept in American banks by foreign banks and traders. Our international
in demand.
A survey of our balance of payments for the last few years reveals at once that
trade during 1984 and 1935 increased by one-third over the 2 years previous,
the greatly increased demand for dollar exchange which has taken place during
It is to be expected that this greater volume of foreign trade transactions would
call for larger working dollar balances.
the past 5 years is largely a consequênce of the huge flow of capital to the United
States and, more recently, of the large "favorable" trade balance. None of the
"(c) Fear prevailing in some countries abroad of confiscation of property or of
other categories of Items in our international transactions can be held responsible
loss through inflation of their local currencies led during this period to & flight of
for the substantial net increase in the demand for dollar exchange during this
capital from some of the countries whose economic and political situations have
period. In fact, for several important categories the net demand for dollar ex-
been threatened by disturbances with which you are doubtless familiar.
change decreased. It is the flow of capital to this country, particularly before
"(f) Lastly, funds sent to this country by speculators in the hope or expectation
1938, upon which our attention must be focused if we are to understand the chief
that an exchange profit will be possible If and when the currencies of their coun-
tries become depreciated in terms of the dollar.
reason for the large gold inflow.
The following figures show the contrast between the large recorded inflow of
"These are the causes which account for most of the capital inflows. Yet
capital in the past 5 years and the persistent and large outflow of capital in the
these capital inflows would not have resulted in such large sums being due to the
United States were it not for the virtual cessation of foreign investments by
years preceding:
Million outflow
Million inform
Americans. Wherens in the years prior to the depression, annual foreign Invest-
1928
-850
1934
+380
ments by Americans of more than a billion dollars were common, since 1931 the
1929
-217
1935
annual sums invested abroad have been negligible; nor does it appear that the
+1,837
1930
-752
1936
+1,141
investment." United States will approach in the near future the predepression volume of foreign
1931
490
1937
+800
1932
192
1938
Since the above WILH written (September 1936) nothing has occurred to alter
+369
substantially the trend of capital movemente or the reasons for them. With the
1933
-336
exception of one 9-month period, capital has continued to flow to the United
The capital inflow in the years 1935 through 1937 was the major factor respon-
States in large volume. During that 9-month period, October 1937, to June 1938,
sible for the inflow of gold, for it amounted in total to $3,500,000,000 or 86 percent
there was a new outflow of short-term capital of over $1,000,000,000, but the flow
of the value of gold imported during that period.
was reversed during the fall of 1938, and more than & billion of short-term capital
The trade item did not become important from the point of view of gold inflows
has since come to the United States.
until the last quarter of 1937. From 1934 to 1937 the excess of our exports over
Capital will continue to flow into the United States lo large amounts 80 long M:
imports averaged only $250,000,000 & year. (Incidentally, if silver importa were
(a) The opportunities for secure and profitable investment in foreign countries
included in our merchandise imports, which is the procedure followed by many
are not great enough to attract American capital abroad;
countries in the world, our excess of exports over imports would have amounted
(b) The prospects of continued recovery here appear satisfactory to foreigners;
to only $80,000,000 a year in this period.) In 1938, however, the favorable trade
(e) The political situation abroad remains disturbed;
balance greatly increased and was the dominant factor inducing the large flow of
(d) There is possibility of further depreciation of some foreign currencies.
gold into the United States. The excess of exports over importe
Whether the flow of capital into the United States will continue to take the form
totaled $1,134,000,000-the largest we have had in 17 years. This increased
of gold or whether it will gradually assume the form of goods and services rather
"favorable" balance of trade, together with other items, was responsible for the
than gold depends upon the rapidity with which the mechanism of adjustments of
net inflow of gold in that year of $1,600,000,000 of gold.
international accounts operates, In earlier decades this adjustment process
Thus it in evident that because there was a large inflow of capital in recent
operated tolerably well and with fair speed to transform international movements
years, and in 1938 & large excess of exports over imports, there was a great increase
of net balances Into movements of goods and services. This adjustment process
in the net demand for dollar exchange; and because of this large increase in the
served to keep gold movements between countries relatively small in volume.
net demand for dollars there was a large inflow of gold. Therefore, in the final
In recent years, however, this mechanism has operated badly and haltingly.
analysis your question: "Why has NO much gold come into the United States"
Moreover, it has had to operate under sudden and large capital and trade shifts
reduces itself to the questions: "Why did so much capital come to this country
which differed from those of earlier decades not only in magnitude but in character.
during the past 5 years?" and "Why did we have 60 large a 'favorable' trade
To put it graphically, the mechanism of adjustment has had a heavier load to
balance in 1938?"
carry, the road has been uphill, and the incline has grown steeper.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
465
464
The reasons and nature of this change taking place in the effectiveness of the
To dispose briefly of another common misconeeption. It has been sometimes
so-called adjustment process of international accounts are matters too technical
claimed that gold comes here because the United States pays & fixed price for
to warrant disouseing in this letter. Suffice to any that because the numerous
gold, whereas other countries buy gold at varying prices. The mere fact of fixity
obstacles to rapid adjustment still prevail in virtually all countries with free
of the price of gold in terms of any given currency has little to do with the move-
exchanges any large movement of capital to the United States in the near future
ment of gold. For example, England does not have a fixed price of gold, and yet
will doubtless take the form largely of an inflow of gold.
her net imports of gold In some of the past few years were greater than ours.
The significance of this fact as an explanation of the continuing flow of gold to
Belgium has had & fixed price for gold for 2 years, yet her reported gold holdings
the United States cannot be empahsised too strongly, As compared with the
are no higher now than they were 8 years ago. Moreover, our gold price, although
decades prior to 1930, there are now different relationships between international
fixed in terms of dollars, is not fixed in terms of other currencies. When, for
movements of capital and of gold, changes in domestic price levels, trade changes,
example, ao Englishman sella gold to the United States, the number of dollars be
contraction and expansion of credit, and changes in the volume of business
geta may be fixed, but the amount of sterling be gets, if be converts the dollars
activity. Realization of this basic economic change la necessary to appreciate
into sterling. is not fixed; it fluctuates with every change in the sterling-dollar
the need for treating present day problems of gold and the capital flows quite
exchange rate. The amount in his own currency which an Englishman or a
differently than was appropriate prior to 1920. Monetary experience of those
Frenchman receives when he sells gold is not fixed whether he sells his gold in
years, perficularly in its international aspects, does not auffice for safe guidance
New York, London, or Paris.
So far in answer to this question the discussion has been based on the interpre-
for present day policy.
tation of the phrase "higher price" (L) meaning a higher monetary price. If,
4. Is it (rue that gold comes here in large amounts because the Treasury is paying a
however, the phrase is to be understood to mean-as is doubtless intended by
higher price than other countries for gold, and because it buys gold at a fixed price
many who put the question-a "higher price" in terms not of money but of goods
This is a question we frequently hear. Unfortunately it is not wholly clear
and services, then the question becomes A quite different DDE, It should then be
just what it meant since the phrase a "higher price for gold" may be interpreted
phrased as follows: "Is it not true that gold comes to the United States in large
in two quite different ways, and the answer to each of the two interpretations
amounts because we give more goods and services for a dollar (or its monetary
would be arrived at through quite different lines of reasoning.
equivalent in foreign currencies) than does any other country?"
If the question be interpreted to mean that gold comes to the United States in
The answer to this question le likewise "No," though less unqualifiedly NO because
large amounts because we pay a higher price than other countries do in terms of
adequate statistical data for a categorical answer are not available.
a money price (L C,, in terms of dollars) then the abswer is definitely "no". The
The purchasing power of the dollar in the United States in terms of goods can
United States pays the same price for gold, allowing for arbitrage and transports-
be compared with its purchasing power in other countries only very roughly and
tion costs, that any other country does-no more and DO less. We do not pay any
only with respect to those goods which do (or easily might) move from country
higher prices for gold than does England or France or Belgium or India.
to country, With respect to "service" comparison of the purchasing power of
The price of gold that is permitted to move freely in international channels of
the dollar in the United States and elsewhere relates chiefly to shipping services
trade is (and must be) virtivally the same the world over. An Englishman who
and the expenditures by tourists.
sells gold in London geta the same return in pounds and shillings for it-with
Now it is extremely difficult to measure the differences in purchasing power of
small variations to be explained in a moment-as he would get were he to send the
gold or currency as between different countries even with respect to such goods
same gold to New York or to Amsterdam or to Paris or to Bombay to be sold.
and services. Fortunately, for the purposes of the question we are examining,
Right now, for example, he would get about 148 shillings for an ounce of gold in
no such measurement is necessary. Were it true that an ounee of gold had a
the London gold market. If he ships that gold and sells it to the United States,
significantly higher purchasing power over American internationally traded goods
he geta 835 an ounce (less one-fourth of 1 percent). When he converts the dollar
than over foreign goods, indirect but definite evidence would be revesled In our
proceeds of the sale of that ounce of gold back into sterling and deducts the ex-
trade figures. Our export excess would have so increased since 1933 that either
penses of shipping, he gets approximately the same amount of sterling as he would
we would have drained the outside world of all its monetary gold or we would
have obtained had he sold the gold at home-namely, about 148 shillings. In
have foreed other countries to adopt strict exchange or import controls or much
other words, when a foreigner translates the dollars he geta from the sale of his gold
higher tariff schedules. No such developments have occurred. Foreign coun-
back to his own currency, he finds that the price of gold in almost the same in
tries still have large gold holdings; many of them have not significantly heightened
London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Johannesburg. We pay dollars for gold, England
their barriers against imports of the world.
pays sterling, Holland pays guilders, etc., but when conversion from one currency
Convincing evidence that we do not pay is higher price for gold than do other
into another la made at the prevailing exchage rates we find that an ounce of gold
countries in terms of goods and services is contained in the record of our balance
brings approximately the same price in one country Be in another.
of International payments on current account. For the years 1934 to 1937,
I say approximately the same price. There are slight relative variations in the
inclusive, the balance of payments with respect to the pertinent commodity and
price AH between different countries, variations which inevitably result from
service items was in the aggregate unfavorable by $1,200,000,000, as far as the
changes in the supply of and demand for foreign exchange. Any change, no matter
records show. Unfortunately, however, our international accounts, though more
how slight, in the relationship of the supply of foreign exchange to the demand will
complete and reliable than those of other countries, are still subject to a substan-
bring about a change in the price for foreign exchange. The fluctuations of ex-
tial margin of error. In each year there has been a substantial "residual" item
change rates, together with the fluctuations in the price of gold in terms of foreign
(i, unaccounted for) which during the 4 years in question totaled approximately
currencies, result in the occurrence of relative fferences in the price of gold in
1½ billion dollars due the United States. Some portion of this favorable balance
different national money markets when computed in terms of & single currency,
must be allocated to trade and services-how much it is impossible to know.
but these relative variations can occur only within narrow limits.
But even if we allocated the whole residual item to commodity and service items-
These slight relative variations in the price of gold as among various markets
which would be an extravagant allowance-there would result only a small bal-
which make possible a profit in shipping gold from one country to another would
ance due the United States for those items during the 4 years in question-
continue whether we paid $10 an ounce for gold, or $50, or $60. Slight variations
$400,000,000 for the 4-year period. This constitutes too small a sum relative to
in the dollar-sterling, dollar-frane, dollar-guilder rates, etc., do give dealers small
the magnitudes involved in our balance of payments to justify the claim that an
profita when selling gold in one market rather than another but those variations
ounne of gold can buy more here than elsewhere.
operate an among all countries and at all levels of prices for gold; they are not
There is little basis, therefore, for the contention that an ounce of gold could
peculiar to the United States alone, nor to the $35 price for gold. Exactly the
in general buy more goods and services in the United States than elsewbere from
same condition prevailed when the price of gold was $20.67 an ounce and when
the years 1934 to 1937, inclusive. Or to put it in simpler and more accurate
other countries had a fixed price of gold, It is the normal mechanism which has
terms, the United States did not achieve any special competitive advantage in
always prevailed and must inevitably prevail so long as gold is the International
international markets as a consequence of its external monetary policy. The
medium of exchange.
change in the gold value of the dollar in 1933 merely helped the United States
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
466
SILVER
467
to did experience 5 sharp increase in our trade balance. Exports, as pointed
regain its earlier position. In 1938 the trade situation appeared to change.
the public's confidence in the value of gold.) The leading gold producing areas
out But most of this increase cannot be attributed to any changed relationship of
We earlier, exceeded imports in 1938 by some $800,000,000 more than in 1937.
would be hard hit and some might even be involved in a major economic arisis.
A closely related question that has frequently been asked in: "Should not the
the dollar to other currencies because the exporte excess arose The from a sharp de-
price of gold be reduced? In not $35 an ounce too high & price for gold?" Pos-
crease United States more marked and earlier than in other countries caused & tempo-
in imports, and not from an increase in exports. recession in the
elbly the simplest way to answer this question in to examine the consequences
decrease in our purchases from abroad greater than the simultaneous decrease
that would ensue from an increase in the gold content of the dollar (or, to phrase
it another way, from a decrease in the monetary value of gold).
rary in our exports. This gap may be expected to narrow BE recovery proceeds.
A reduction by Congress in the monetary value of gold would probably not
The only sense in which it might be said that we give more for gold than other
be BE calamitous ne a complete embargo. It would limit the extent of possible
countries is that in addition to $35 an ounce we also give peace, security, prospects
depreciation of gold (or appreciation of the dollar in terms of foreign currencies)
of higher returns on investment, and better speculative opportunities, with the
and the paychological disturbance caused by the change would not be as potent,
result that foreign espital funds flow here in the shape of gold. It in these values
yet it would have disadvantages serious enough to render resort to any such
that constitute the chief factor conducive to a flow of gold to the United States,
action most unwise. If the reduction made in the price of gold were small, our
5. How much more gold do you think un will gar?
trade-and-service balance would not be much affected over the next year or 80,
How much we will get depends upon the extent and direction of changes In our
nor would the inflow of capital cease. Once the drop in the price of gold was
balance of trade and services, upon the output of new gold, and upon the trend
regarded by the rest of the world 88 definitive, the subsequent effect in capital
Imports would be virtually nll. Our securities would continue to be bought for
of capital movements.
Since capital movements are 80 sensitive to international political and economic
the same reasons that they are bought now and dollar balances on foreign ac-
developments, one can only hazard a guess 88 to their future trend. At this
count would also continue to increase for the same reasons that they are increas-
moment it looks pur though the European situation will remain BO disturbed the
ing now. But, were a small deeline in the price of gold to be regarded by numerous
to postpone for some time any substantial repatriation of foreign balances. It
domestic and foreign investors and exchange speculators SMI being but the first of
also appears as though early resumption of American lending abroad such full
& series of drops, the result might well be to attract more, not less, funda to the
would cause a gold outflow is extremely unlikely.
United States, and to intensify the inflow of gold-the very thing it is designed
As for our balance on commodity and service items, the fear of war and the
to check. Speculators would rush to buy dollars and hold them here in anticipa-
tion of the next appreciation. Thus the effect on capital movements, both
preparation for war by foreign nations are likely to sustain our exports and reduce
American tourist travel in Europe and Asia-both developments making for
long-term and short-term, might more than offset the effect on trade and service
items; Instead of getting less gold we would find ourselves getting more.
additional gold inflows. On the other hand, continuance of our recovery here
On the other hand, were the monetary value of gold to be cut with one stroke
will tend 10 increase our imports and to increase American tourist travel in the
substantially, and definitely-say, for example, to 825 an ounce-the effect would
Western Hemisphre, I believe the latter trend will outweigh the other and
be quite different from that described above. Such a step might reduce the
that on commodity and srevice account the net balance due us will be less in 1930
than it was last year. On the other hand, capital inflows will probably be large
volume of gold imports and perhaps give rise to an outflow of large dimensions;
80 that, on the whole, it appears that in the near future the United States will con-
but, the economic effects on our economy of the change in the foreign exchange
value of the dollar would be little short of disastrous. The 40 percent increase
tinue to get gold, perhaps in as large volume as in recent years.
in the price of American currencies to foreigners would constitute & severe handi-
Current world gold production (outside the United States) now amounts to
cap upon our exports. Our exports play a role in the level of business activity
over $1,000,000,000 per year. The bulk of this newly-mined gold can go only
much in excess of the magnitudes involved and so great an appreciation of our
to a few countries. Most countries now utilize practically every available dollar
curretley in terms of other currencies would be bound to curtail our exports seri-
of foreign exchange to purchase imports or to make additional payments on
ously. In the past 6 months the dollar has appreciated in terms of other leading
outstanding foreign debte, Much as they would like to acquire gold, and much
currencies by some 5 percent and price movements In the various countries have
as they need it, they want to acquire additional imports even more. Therefore,
not been such as to offset this competitive disadvantage to us. The appreciation
it is to be expected that until current hostilities and intensive preparedness for
of the dollar has not been due to A change in the dollar price for gold but rather
wars cease, and until the world economic situation improves, the bulk of the
to a depreciation of foreign currencies in terms of gold. You will note that our
newly mined gold will be added to the monetary stocks of only a few countries
exports during January 1939 were more than 40 percent less than they were in
and the United States will get B substantial share of it.
January 1938. Although it la too soon to ovaluate the full significance of the
6. Why doesn't the Treasury stop buying goldt
decline, it is not unreasonable to assume that the less favorable position of the
A simple way of stopping gold from coming into the United States would be for
dollar in terms of other currency (i. e., higher prices of foreign currencies in terms
of gold) contributed to the drop in exports.
the Treasury to announce to the world that we will not buy any more gold for
Our imports on the other hand would, in the event of a reduction in the price
the time being. But, such a step, taken unilaterally, would have disastrous
of gold to 825 an ounce, be 30 percent cheaper. Our domestic producers would
effects on our economy. It would disrupt the foreign exchanges and gold bullion
then be exposed to greatly sharpened competition in the American market from
markets and would very soon cause such drastic disturbances in international
foreign producers both because the prices in dollars of imports would be less, and
trade and even in the domestic sphere ELH seriously to impede the recovery of
also because the numerous ad valorem duties would constitute smaller protection.
business,
Foreigners would have & greater advantage in this market but unfortunately
Present relationships among the various leading currencies would be upset.
even this would be of dubious value to them. The ability of Americans to buy
The dollar probably would appreciate immediately in terms of other leading our-
goods, whether imports or domestic goods, depends chiefly upon the state of
rencies. At present, when the demand for dollar exchange increases, foreigners
business activity here. It is chiefly for that reason that our imports during the
need only obtain gold (either at home or on the London market), ship it here and
recession of 1938 dropped to to almost one-half and that our imports began to
obtain dollars in exchange, Thus an increased demand for dollar exchange
increase in the fall of 1938. Thus, though the sharp appreciation of the dollar
relative to the supply is met. Tf, however, this means of securing dollar exchange
would make foreign goods cheaper in this country, our imports might actually
were removed, dollars would rise in value indefinitely in terma of other cur-
be less than during the previous period and instead of benefiting the rost of the
rencies, While it is impossible to know in advance what rates of exchange would
world we would be hurting world business as well AS our own.
finally emerge, we can be certain of at least one thing-that no country would
Judging from past experience we could not expect the prices of domestic com-
benefit from the ensuing international monetary disruption.
modities and services to move either at home or abroad with sufficient rapidity
Were the United States, moreover, to declare a complete embargo on gold
to adjust quickly and fully to any substantial alteration in exchange rates.
imports, it might deal IN serious blow to the value of gold as a monetary medium.
For many months, perhaps for years, the economic position of large groups of
(Such action coming at a period when there was discussion of the possibility of
American producers, including farmers, would be worsened and there would be
world overabundunnnce of gold might have repercussions which would disturb
widespread unemployment. The combined effect on our domestic economy
of a sharp drop in exports and of increasing competition in the domestic market
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
469
468
keenly felt. Domestic prices would begin to fall. the Many corporations
Small countries, which are not precluded by political and prestige considera-
would be loss of business and profits. In times such as present these short-
(lons from holding their reserves in the form of foreign-exchange assets, can get
run importance. To brush aside, as some are prone adjustments to do these short-
would effects-and suffer by short-run we mean from & few months to several years-are
along more or less satisfactorily without gold. But they can do so only because
the countries whose currencies they hold as reserve assets do have large amounts
of paramount on the ground that in the long-run appropriate the real will take
of gold reserves.
run place effects is to ignore the unstable world in which we live and problems which
Some countries (operating with very little gold or foreign-exchange assets)
confront us from were day we to to reduce day. the price of gold and were it to result In an outflow
have been pointed to BA illustrations of the phenomenon that countries can carry
on foreign trade and settle international transactions without resort to gold, and
of gold On the contrary, were gold to leave the United probably
Moreover, there is no reason to believe that the countries who States most it need would gold would
that gold is rapidly becoming obsolete even for this monetary role. Those who
make this claim completely misread the experience of those countries. These
get it. resting place in the very countries whose currencies would for the moment
very countries do in fact need and prise gold more and seek It more anxiously,
find B most secure, Certainly no gold would flow to Latin the Halkans American countries
than do countries that use gold frooly to settle balances of international payments.
appear substantial amount, nor would the Far East or obtain more
It je their inability to obtain gold which forces them to adopt & far less satisfac-
in any The loss of gold by the United States would not correct the serious mal-
tory alternative method of adjusting their balance of international payments;
gold. distribution. It would rather operate only to take away some from the United
namely, the adoption of strict exchange control, of clearing agreements, of barter
States which has too much and to add it to the holdings of other countrice which
schemes, and the imposition of severe penalties against evasion and all the other
likewise have too much.
business and liberty destroying procedures necessary to make the system work.
Thus we are confronted with the fact that though we should like to receive less
There is no one thing which demonstrates more effectively the superiority of
gold and even to get rid of substantial amounts of the gold we already have, there
gold as a means for settling international balances than the experience of those
is, under the existing circumstances, no acceptable alternative to the policy we
countries that have tried to get along without it.
have been pursuing. In the case of all the proposals we have examined, the
Without either gold or exchange controls, exchange rates would be very unstable.
remedy has always been worse than the disease, The best way to reduce our gold
Any change in the balance of payments would have to be taken care of by inter-
inflow on commodity and service account in for us to have full recovery so that our
national borrowing or lending, or the exchange rates would have to move to the
imports will rise more rapidly than our exporte.
point where the sums to be paid and the sums to be received were equated.
7. Of what use to us is this large stock of gold! In there any likelshood that we will
Because we have abundant gold reserves we do not have to apply exchange restrie-
get ao much of the world's gold that we will "gel stuck" with ill
tions, and broad changès in our balance of international payments can take place
without interfering with the stability of the dollar exchange.
Gold performa two monetary functions. First, it serves as a specie base for the
All these points have been granted by some critics, but they maintain that to
monetary system. Secondly, it serves as the medium for settling International
fulfill both these functions much less than $15,000,000,000 worth of gold would
balances, These are distinct and separate functions, The present gold stock of
sufflce. There is some merit to that contention, yet the future of international
the United States in about $15,000,000,000. The question you ask, therefore, is
political and economic relationships is much too uncertain to justify our taking
In $15,000,000,000 of gold more than enough to accomplish these two functions
the steps which would be necessary if we were determined to reduce our gold
which gold now performs in our economic system?
holdings.
It is doubtless true that we have more gold than we need to provide a specie base
One important factor to bear in mind in considering our gold policy in the
for our monetary system. Our laws require that a 40-percent reserve In gold cer-
psychological reaction of the public to a continuing loss of gold. Should a
tificates be held against Federal Reserve notes in circulation and A 35-pereent
country be undergoing loss of gold over a considerable period of time, there is
reserve in gold certificates or lawful money against deposits of Federal Reserve
likely to result impaired confidence in that country's currency and in the stability
banks. These legal reserve requirements are based on the assumption that gold-
of its monetary system long before it has exhausted the gold it possessed in excess
reserve requirements operate as A control of the volume of means of payment, as a
of legal or traditional reserve requirements. This has happened time and again
protection against excessive issue of notes, and expansion of bank credit. At
throughout the world. Without greater ability to forecast future political and
present, however, gold and gold-certificate holdings are so far in excess of these
economic developmente than is vouchsafed us, it in impossible to say with certainty
legal requirements that they can hardly be said to constitute a protection against
that we have too much gold. We can say with some assurance, however, that we
undue expansion of our currency and credit. We now have enough gold to permit
have enough gold to meet all likely contingencies, and that we are in B. strong
an enormous expansion of credit and currency even after generous allowance for
position to defend the stability of our credit structure and of the dollar against
the outflow of gold that might accompany such an expansion. Legal reserve 10-
any quick change in our international balance of payments, including any largo
quirements do not of themselves necessarily protect us against an undue expansion
withdrawal of foreign capital.
of the volume of money and the monetary authorities must be prepared, when and
The danger that gold will no longer be used as a medium of international ex-
if the ocrasion arises, to apply appropriate supplementary control. This is DE-
change is so remote as not to merit serious consideration. Other countries will
pocially likely to be true when gold holdings are as great as they now are.
surely continue to accept gold in the settlement of favorable balances of pay-
But it is desirable that the reserves be above the minimum required by law.
ments, because gold is as important to them as it is to us. England has over
Otherwise in n period of business recovery the limitations on the expansion of notes
$3,000,000,000 of gold. France has almost as much; Holland, Switzerland, and
and deposits which the gold reserve would impose would operate to curb the rise
Belgium and many other countries have what are for them large holdings of gold.
in business activity, or an outflow of gold would tend to initiate a contraction of
It is in the interest of these countries B8 much as it is in our own interest to con-
credit, Irrespective of the legitimate needs of business. It is clear, therefore, that
tinue to rely on gold as an essential part of their monetary system. Moreover,
some excess of gold above the legal minimum is needed to protect our domestie
we must not overlook the fact that nations producing substantial quantities of
economy against effects of fortuitous inflows and outflows of gold. We now,
gold have important vested interesta in the continuation of gold as a monetary
however, have more gold than is necessary to insure this protection.
metal. The British Empire alone produces about half the world's gold. Even
The second and more important monetary function of gold je its employment
countries that produce relatively small amounts of gold find that those small
as a means of settling international balances among nations. Gold has been
amounts are an important source of national income to them.
used for this purpose from time immemorial, and modern governmente have as
yet found no satisfactory substitute; nor is there any sign that a satisfactory
8. Isn't il true that foreigners are getting shares of our productive industries and giving
substitute will be found in the near future.
us in return gold that we have no use for?
Important commercial countries which carry little or no gold stocks have diffi-
The amount of American securities which have been recently acquired by resi-
culties in settling their international payments. They have to see to it that their
dents of foreign countries has been much less than is generally supposed. During
imports and exports are maintained in a certain relationship to each other. To
the past 4 years the total of net foreign purchases of American securities amounted
achieve that and to keep their foreign exchange rates from fluctuating wildly
to only $1,200,000,000, as follows:
they frequently have to maintain strict exchange controls so as to restrict met-
1935
$317, 000, 000
1937
$245,000,000
chandise imports and the movement of capital.
1936
601,000,000
1938
49,000,000
Regraded Unclassified
470
SILVER
SILVER
471
There in addition, an increase in direct investments by foreigners as
reported was, by the Department of Commerce of about $175,000,000 during this
movements are not 50 general or so rapid as to adjust economic conditions quickly
period. Altogether, the total amount of investments the by foreigners 4. In American
to changes in erchange rates, and such movements AB would occur would take the
securities or directly in American industry during past years has been less
form of falling prices, particularly prices of agricultural products and raw mate-
than one-fifth of the gold sent here during those years.
rials. From experience we know that such price movemente have disastrous
These sums do not, of course, represent the total of foreign capital which bas
effects upon incomes, profits, and the level of business activity. We might be
into the United States. Short-term funds owned by residents of foreign
precipitated into & depression rivaling the 1930-33 experience. There can be
come countries increased by $1,800,000,000. The bulk of these were demand deposits,
DO question, therefore, of returning to & gold dollar with the pre-1933 content.
which do not constitute acquisitions of shares in American industry and which
The answer to question 6 above contains & full discussion of the foreseeable effects
do not earn any interest.
which would result from any substar tial increase in the gold content of the dollar.
The acquisition of American securities by foreigners paid for with gold representa
Even if what were proposed were & return not to the old gold value but to a
& transaction which admittedly is, under existing circumstances, of dubious
pre-1033 gold standard with the present gold content of $35 an ounce, such a
advantage to the United States. Yet, given the relatively minor importance of the
step would be unwise at this time. Our present monetary system differs from
problem to date, we have not been able to convince ourselves that any of the
the pre-1933 gold standard in three respects other than gold content. First,
possible remedies which we have 60 far examined gave promise of sufficient benefit
our currency in not convertible into gold coin, secondly, there are Government
to the national economy to offset their disadvantages,
controls over the movement of gold in and out of the country, and thirdly, there
On the other hand, it should be pointed out that if foreign holders of American
is Executive authority to change the gold content of the dollar,
securities liquidate their holdings and withdraw the proceeds, either gold or goods
Convertibility of currency would, in my opinion, have no substantial advantages.
(and services), would necessarily be the resultant medium of withdrawal. If the
Virtually every country in the world has recognized this fact and has withdrawn
vehicle of transmission were gold, its loss, in view of our large gold holdings could,
the privilege. For in normal times there is nothing to be gained by the right to con-
of course, be regarded with equanimity. If the medium of transmission were
vert currency into gold, whereas at all times conver.lhility have the potential dis-
goods, either because of direct purchases with the proceeds of the funds or because
advantage of creating a possible source of internal gold drain which would come
of the operations of the adjustment process, the resultant increase to our exports
into play at the very time when It would be most injurious, Internal hoarding
at a time when there exists a large volume of unemployed labor and other idle
of specie reserves has been, in the experience of many countries, one of the most
resources would have favorable effects on our economy.
important reasons for the weakening of currencies. Though the prospect of such
a contingency in the United States seems at this time remote, it would neverthe-
9. What action, if any, should be taken with respect to the gold situation? Should time
less always be A possibility under a convertible currency system. Moreover,
for example, return to the gold standard of pre-19931
in the event that there should develop an emergency situation calling for a further
The maldistribution of the world's gold is a reflection of the disturbed economic
change in the gold content of the dollar, the existence of private gold holdings
situation throughout the world and the chaotie international political situation.
would create unnecessary difficulties.
Redistribution can come only with progress toward the solution of the basie
At present the movement of gold out of the country is in effect subject only
problems confronting world international relations.
to the restriction that it must be for the purpose of settling international balances.
In our study of this matter we have examined literally scores of proposals
Gold moves freely to satisfy legitimate commercial and financial needs, The
directed toward possible action to redistribute the world's gold. The major
present powers of control over the movement of gold provide a safeguard that
eonclusion we have drawn is that any measure which would take the form of
enn instantly be used in the contingency of an international crisis.
restrictions on the flow of gold into this country would have, at this time, detri-
The power to change the gold content of the dollar should be lodged in an
mental effects upon our economy.
authority which can, in case of necessity, act swiftly and in a manner which will
What disadvantages may be associated with the gold inflow are fortunately
minimize the disturbances resulting from any change, This power should
only of minor magnitude, and should, moreover, be attributed to the factors caus-
always be available; its existence contributes to the maintenance of stable exchange
ing that inflow rather than to the inflow itself. Foreign ownership of American
relationships, which make the exercise of the power unnecessary.
securities may, however, serve as & source of disturbance to our security markets
It is important to realize that rumors of an impending change in the value of
in times of stress; similarly with short-term foreign capital sent here. On the
a currency, or any public discussion by responsible officials that such a change
other hand, the third factor responsible for the gold inflow to the United States-
might be made, would in themselves be enough to induce large flows of capital
our export excess-does yield a gain.
either into the country or out of the country, depending upon whether the pros-
The large inflow of gold in recent years has been a major factor in increasing
peet is for an increase in the value of the dollar or for a decrease in the gold con-
excess bank reserves. These reserves do in some degree operate to stimulate an
tent of the dollar. Discussion in committees would be advance notice to specu-
expansion of loans by banks and to keep the interest-rate structure lower-both
latore that such setion might take place. The more fact that it might take
developments helping somewhat to promote a higher level of business activity.
place would be sufficient to induce the flow of capital, because if the change did
Nonetheless, the prospect of continued large inflowe of gold has been B. cause of
not actually occur, the speculation would have cost only the email charges at-
some concern on the part of those who consider B large volume of excess reserves
tending any exchange transaction. Indeed, congressional discussion would etim-
as constituting a potential danger of inflation, though I do not regard this problem
vilate speculators to engage in activities of a sort which would of themselves
as one of immiediate import,
tend to force Congress to take the action which had been in contemplation, even
The only immediately disturbing aspeel of the gold problem is the loss of gold
if on its own merits and in the absence of the situation created by the operations
by foreign countries. The countries losing gold may be adversely affected by the
of the speculators, a negative decision would have been in order. The liquida-
loss and some of the adverse effects would impingo indirectly or us. This is to be
tion of foreign holdings of American capital might, under such circumstances,
deplored, but the factors producing this situation are external to us and beyond
easily be powerful enough to disrupt the security exchanges and to introduce a
our control, acting alone.
chaotic situation in markets and in business generally. Since the prospect of
With respect to the suggestion that the United States return to the gold stand-
devaluation would arise only under circumstances which were disturbing in any
ard of pre-1933, I must state definitely that such a move would be harmful to the
case, the outflow of espital would simply make bad things worse.
American people and of no value to the people of other countries. In the first
It therefore appears desirable that the Executive should have the power to
place, A return to the pre-1933 gold standard would mean & return to the $20.67
alter the gold content of the national currency unit, in the public interest, and
an ounce price for gold. This, in the absence of similar changes in the gold value
within clearly preseribed limits, as it is in most of the countries in the world, so
of other currencies, would represent a depreciation of approximately 40 percent
that If an emergency situation should require its exercise, it could be exercised
in all foreign currencies in terms of the dollar.
quickly, and without the necessity of prior publie discussion and its concomitant
It is obvious that an increase in the cost of the dollar to the foreigner by 70
invitation to speculative activities.
percent and a decrease in the cost of foreign currencies to the American importer
by 40 percent would seriously disrupt our foreign and domestic trade. Price
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
473
472
10. Did devoluation of the dollar in 1984 have an unfavorable effect on our imports?
not be permitted to decline much or sharply in response to & marked depreciation
Under one set of circumstances devaluation of a currency it will Induce an In-
of foreign currencies. This added assurance of domestic price stability should
crease ports. Devaluation of the dollar in 1934 did contribute to an in United
in imports and under a different set of circumstances increase may decrease In-
operate as an encouragement to investment.
The present attitude of the owner of capital toward the prospective value of
the dollar is one of full confidence. This is borne out by the eagerness of the
States
The imports. value of American imports varies, in the main, with domestic business
public to invest In long-term fixed-interest bonds at almost the lowest Interest
When business is good in the United States, our imports are high;
rate in the history of this or any other country. The fact that people are willing
activity. business is bad, our importe are low. For example, between 1929 and 1932
to invest hillions at low rates of interest, and run the risk of depreciation of the
real value of the bonds which would accompany any sharp rise in the general
imports two-thirds. Again in 1938, owing largely to the recession prevailed through
when dropped from $4,400,000,000 to $1,300,000,000, a which decrease of more than
price level, suggests that they have confidence in the way which counts most;
namely, by their willingness to risk their capital.
most of that year, our imports dropped more than one-third. On the other hand,
The assertion that the continuance of the power to change the gold content
during the years of recovery-1934, 1035, 1936, and 1937-our imports FORE from
of the dollar generates lack of confidence and hesitation in the business world is
the low of 1,3 billion dollars to over 3 billion dollars. Increases or decreases in
not, T am convinced, based on factual considerations. Rather, it seems to me,
the total value of a conntries imports are due to changes in prices as well as to
it stema from an effort to reestablish the validity of monetary theories that are
changes in quantity. A sharp drop in the prices of imported commodities which
ill adapted to the circumstances prevailing in recent years.
competitive with domestic products has economic repercussions which are
Monetary disturbances in the world today arise from causes almost entirely
are disturbing to the country receiving the imports. At a time when business
outside our control. The effect of these disturbances on our monetary system
netivity very is declining, any potent source of further price declines serves only to
has been such as to reflect greater confidence in the American dollar than in any
lower still further the level of business activity and to increase unemployment.
other currency. This tribute to the soundness of the dollar, taking the form of
The best way to Increase our imports is to increase our national income. Any
huge transfers of funds in the United States, creates an unbalance which in the
measure which serves to promote recovery increases our imports and contrariwise
only factor in the situation which gives us any cause for real concern. The
any measure which serves to reduce business activity operates to reduce our
powers we possess have been sufficient to prevent any significant damaging effect
imports. As a eonsequence of falling prices and declining business intensified by the
on our domestic system. The monetary powers granted to the President by
the Congress have been employed in such a way as to be powerful forces for
widespread depreciation of other currencies in 1931-33, we bought less because
stability rather than instability in the domestic economy and in the international
our national income was less notwithstanding the greatly lowered cost of imported
field alike.
goods. Even though depreciation of the dollar made imported goods more
Sincerely,
expensive, the improvement in business activity which followed devaluation was
HENRY MOBOENTHAU, Jr.,
one of the factors responsible for the rise in national income and the consequent
Secretary of the Treasury,
increase in imports. Whether or not depreciation of a currency will lead to In-
creased or decreased imports depends upon the conditions which precede such
depreciation, and upon other measures which accompany it, as well as upon the
[For immediate release.]
renction of other affected countries.
GOLD, AND THE MONEY OF THE UNITED STATES
11. Who in England and France have the power of altering the gold value of their
currencies and what is the extent of that power?
An Address by Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury, Washington,
In England the British treasury has the power to alter the sterling price of gold
D. C., Friday, May 3, 1940
through its operations in the gold market. There is no statutory restriction on
One thing you will hardly need to be told about our mopetary system; that is,
the extent to which the British treasury can change the sterling price of gold.
that the American dollar is the soundest unit of currency in the world. Its value
Similarly, the French treasury, through the mechanism of its foreign exchange
is unquestioned here at home and it is not questioned any where etao in the work.
and gold operations, can alter the frane price of gold without any statutory restric-
It is a solid rock of strength and stability amid all the monetary pressed
tions. In addition, the Council of Ministers is authorized to fix ultimately by
by aggression and war. It is more than & domestic currency It base In
decree the gold content of the frane. As yet, they have not done so, The Council
the last few years more and more an international currency. People through Due
of Ministers, in other words, can decide whether or not there should be any statu-
the world who are driven by disaster and fear to hoard currency profer to Yoard
tory gold value for their currency and under existing law can fix that value at
the currency of the United States, when they can get it.
any amount it. wishes.
We have tried through many means to facilitate stability to the currencies of
18. In there any basis to the contention that the power to devalue operates to undermine
the world. An outstanding example is the Tripartite Accord which we initalted
the businessman's confidence ao as to deter him from making loans and invest-
in September 1936. In all, six of the leading democracies of the world have
ments in the United States?
subscribed to the principles of that accord. Unfortunately, the progress we were
making in the field of international finance and trade has been interrupted by the
A factor that more than any other will increase the confidence of businessmen in
eataclyam in Europe.
the future is the assurance that business will improve; a development contributing
One of the most striking developments of these recent years has been the
substantially to that expectation would be the prospect of a stable or moderately
universal confidence in the American dollar BE one of the very few certain things
rising price level. What businessmen fear with regard to the dollar is not that the
in a highly uncertain world.
price level in the United States may remain stable or rise but that the price level
Some of our citizens who admit the strength of the dollar and the world's
in the United States may fall (i. e., that the purchasing power of the dollar may
confidence in our currency now suggest that confidence in our dollar has resulted
rise.)
in this country receiving too much gold.
From past experience we know that falling prices have disastrous effects upon
During the last 6 years We have acquired about $10,000,000,000 of gold from
our economic system. The national income declines, business profits disappear,
abroad.
the security of loans is undermined and the level of business activity falls. If the
Why has so much gold come to the United States?
businessman could be assured that price levels will not fall sharply, he would
In the first place, we have exported many billions of dollars' worth of goods
have greater confidence that business profits and the value of investments would
and services in excess of the amounts we have imported. Secondly, large amounts
be maintained and consequently be would be more willing to make investments
of foreign funds have come to this country to be placed and kept on deposit with
and loans. At no time in modern history have lenders hesitated to lend during
our banks. Foreigners have sent their funds here for safekeeping because of the
times of stable or moderately rising prices and at no time has their desire to lend
peace, stability, and security which this country enjoys.
increased during A period of substantially falling prices. The power to devalue
Thirdly, foreigners have made large investments in American industries because
should thus constitute for the businessman an added assurance that prices will
they regard American business as a safe and profitable investment. Finally,
Regraded Unclassified
474
SILVER
SILVER
475
Americans have been withdrawing their funds from abroad and liquidating their
foreign investments in large sums because they prefer the dollar to any other
Of course, should basic conditions alter, should we be confronted with new and
unforeseen economic and political developments, the Government will necessarily
currency. It in for these reasons that we have had 50 large & favorable balance of pay-
take such action as will best protect American interesta, It is to be prepared for
ments; it is for these reasons that gold has come and is continuing to come to
such contingencies that the powers with respect to gold operations have been
the United States.
kept flexible. The Treasury is constantly observing, analysing, and studying
Gold moves from country to country not as a commodity but as a means of
the course of events in their relation to monetary problems in which this country
payment, the one final medium through which international settlements are made.
is interested. But nothing has yet appeared which would warrant any change
The continued acceptance of the gold that comes here la the only sound course
in our gold policy.
of action open to us. There are, it in true, other courses of action theoretically
There is only one sound way in which we can work to reduce the inflow of gold
possible, but they would all have disastrous consequences.
and to promote the return of at least a part of the wealth it represents to useful
Take, for example, the proposal so frequently made to 08 that we etop buying
service in the lands from which it came. That way is to do everything in our
gold. It has the charm of simplicity. All that we have to do is to lesue an appro-
power to contribute to the return of peace to the world and to encourage recon-
priate Treasury order. But let me tell you what I think would happen. Dollars
struction and the restoration of normal trade, With the restoration of enduring
abroad would instantly become very searce and more costly, and the foreigner
peace and economic stability abroad the gold problem will solve itaelf. Our
would find it much more expensive to buy American goods, For example, the
great export surplus will drop-not because we shall sell less abroad but because
British pound, the Canadian dollar, the French franc, the Dutch guilder would
we shall buy more. Foreign capital will be gradually repatriated-not because
at once sharply depreciate. A chain of forces would be set in motion which would
we drive it out but because it is attracted home by the reemergence of security
disrupt our trade, seriously discourage what remains of world commerce and re-
abroad. Our investors will once again Invest their funds abroad-not because of
move from world finance the strongest element of stability.
the searcity of opportunity at home but because of greatly enhanced opportunities
The cessation of gold purchases would have the following three immediate
for sound and profitable investments in other lands. And finally our tourists
effects of great importance to us:
will spend hundreds of millions more in foreign countries.
Firstly, the sale of American products in foreign markets would be made much
These are the developments which will automatically and gradually direct the
more difficult. This would not apply so much to war materials, which foreign
flow of gold away from the United States. These are the developmente upon
countries want 80 urgently, but it would hit hard our export of hundreds of agri-
which we must concentrate. We must concentrate on the promotion of further
cultural and industrial commodities not vital to the conduct of the war. Wo
recovery here and pesce and security abroad not in order to correct the gold
would lose heavily in the very markets we will badly need when the war is over.
situation, but because prosperity, peace, and security are in themselves the supreme
Secondly, there would result an immediate flood of imports of cheapened
ends of governmental policy. That their attainment will also solve the world's
foreign goods, which would deal an even more serious blow to labor, industry,
gold problem is only & byproduct, but an important one.
and agriculture in America, The very items which compete with our domestic
I should like finally to turn to the question of the continued usefulness of the
products would deluge our home markets. Meat and dairy products, textiles,
gold we have and the gold we are going to get. This is a matter that is troubling
and hundreds of other articles would at once be subjected to greatly intensified
some people.
competition from abroad.
Let me reassure you once and for all. As long as there are independent nations,
Thirdly, Americans who have investmente abroad would find that they had
and as long as there is international trade in goods and services, so long will it be
suffered substantial dollar losses overnight just as foreignera with investments
necessary to settle International balances. Gold is the international medium of
here would find that they had windfall gains overnight.
exchange par excellence. Ita acceptability is universal; its utility as International
So you see this eimple remedy is, in effect, a proposal that would completely
money survives changes in economic systems. It is used and needed just as much
disrupt our foreign exchange and our trade and greatly increase unemployment
by the freest democracies (M) by the most rigid distatorshipa-as much by capitalist
in this country. And eo with the other naive proposals which some well-meaning
economies % by socialist economies, It la the refined instrument of international
eitizene suggest B9 a remedy for our accumulating gold stocks.
exchange of goods and services, M well ne an essential ingredient in the more
Shall we follow their advice and cut the price for gold? A moderate cut would
complex international financial transactiona-an Instrument that has functioned
be ineffective, and a cut in price sufficiently large to have a significant effect on
without challenge for hundreds of years. Every foreign country wishes it had
the gold inflow would introduce the same conditions as would follow prohibition
more of it; no foreign country likes to lose any of it; all countries accumulate it A8
of gold imports. This also would cause a serious decrease in our trade and a big
soon as they can afford to do so. And the fact that some countries find it possible
increase in unemployment.
to conduct their international trade without gold does not mean that they prefer
Shall we, as some have suggested, discriminate against certain countries in our
to do so any more than people reading by candlelight do ao because they prefer
purchases of gold? Such a policy would not even have the virtue of effectiveness.
candles to electricity.
The active cooperation of practically the entire world would be required to prevent
Gold does not lose ita value because some countries are forced to resort to clear-
any one country's gold from entering the world's markets and reaching the United
ing arrangements, barter, import controls, and other substitutes. All these
States. Obviously this would be impossible even in normal times, let alone at 5
substitutes are admittedly worse alternatives. They are methods of conducting
time such as this. Besides, the value of gold is proportionate to its unqualified
trade and finance which will only be adopted when & country does not possess
ure and acceptance as an international medium of exchange, To limit its accept-
adequate gold holdings. Governmenta resort wholly to these substitute methods
ance would mean to reduce its usefulness.
for keeping & country's balance of payments in equilibrium only during times of
There is yet another alternative which has always been open to us. Instead of
great and prolonged strees and instability, and only when for one reason or another
taking gold we could have granted credit, Americans could again have accumu-
they have been unable to prevent the loss of most of their gold holdings. All
lated huge unsettled claims abroad. We have had experience with that system
countries would like to have more gold, and the countries which have the least are,
extensive experience-in the decade that ended with the economic collapse of
you will find, countries which are striving most to add to their gold holdings.
1929. It is doubtful that Americans would want to repeat that experience.
They do 80 because they know that an adequate supply of gold promotes economia
For the excess of gooda we shipped and for the dollar credits we granted we
strength and furthers financial stability.
have taken gold in the last 6 years instead of promissory notes. The phrase
To be sure, if the political picture of the world should undergo a drastic change
"good as gold" still has real meaning in the world. I prefer the gold to pieces of
in the future, no that instead of 50 or 60 independent nations there should exist
foreign paper. I think most Americans agree with me.
only one or two groups dominated by ruthless powers, then international trade
Our gold policy in carefully adjusted to the realities of is complex world situation.
and finance may assume the character of domestic trade. There would cease to
There have been many glib suggestions for changing that policy. Examination of
be independent monetary systems, as there would cease to be independent foreign
each of these suggestions has revealed, as in the examples I have mentioned, that
policies. Balances between countries would be settled as balances between our
in the effort to remedy fancied evils they would bring on real disaster.
States are now settled-that is, by transfers of deposita. Under such circum-
stances it might well be that gold would no longer be needed. But under those
eircumstances life would be 80 different that the possible loss In the value of gold
would, I am sure, be the least of our troubles.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
477
476
Certain governments may boast of the day when independent be made democracies will
proclamation of December 21, 1933, bringing our current domestic production of
I, for one, have no fears that such boasts can medium good. I am
silver into the Treasury, as well as placing this Nation among the first to carry
disappear. confident that gold will continue to be used as the in of international
out the agreement on eilver which we sought and secured at the London Confer-
as as I am that the majority of nations will succeed economic maintaining their
ence. We have since acquired other silver In the interest of stabilization of foreign
payments With the return of peace and of normal and political
exchange and the development of a broader metallic base for our currency. We
relationships, independence. the present barriers to the free flow of goods, capital, and services
seek to remedy a maladjustment of our currency.
will be gradually fowered, and gold will inevitably play its indispensable role in
In further aid of this policy, it would be helpful to have legislation broadening
the authority for the further acquisition and monetary use of silver.
making that result possible.
One word more-the exchange we made and are making in return for gold is &
I, therefore, recommend legislation at the present session declaring it to be the
good bargain for us. It has enabled us to increase employment and recovery.
policy of the United States to increase the amount of silver in our monetary stocks
It has made possible the utilization of labor, capital, machinery, and resources
with the ultimate objective of having and maintaining one-fourth of their mone-
that would otherwise have been idle. We have expanded our exports and en-
tary value in allver and three-fourths in gold.
couraged our domestic industry. And, moreover, we have at the same time
The Executive authority should be authorized and directed to make the pur-
chases of silver necessary to attain this ultimate objective.
acquired the safest physical asset in the world.
There are some alneere people who have been disturbed by stores that this
The authority to purchase present accumulations of silver in this country
should be limited to purchases at not in excess of 50 cents per ounce.
country had & monetary policy that threatens to cause loss to the Nation. If
meet such people I hope you will reassure them. You may tell them that
The Executive authority should be enabled, should circumstances require, to
take over present surpluses of silver in this country not required for industrial
you the greatest and richest country of the world has the best and soundest monetary
system and that there is no reason to fear that it will not remain sound,
uses on payment of just compensation, and to regulate imports, exports, and
other dealings in monetary silver.
We can feel entirely comfortable in the possession of B supply of gold with
which we can meet future demands on our monetary system without any shock
There should be a tax of at least 50 percent on the profits accruing from dealing
in silver.
to our economy. We can be prepared also to play the part we ought to play in
We can proceed with this program of increasing our utore of silver for use as a
the reconstruction of the world that must follow the sensoless destruction of
part of the metallie reserves for our paper currency without seriously disturbing
war.
adjustments in world trade. However, because of the great world supply of
silver and its use in varying forms by the world's population, concerted action by
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE PURPOSE OF THE PROCLAMATION ON
all nations, or at least & large group of nations, is necessary if a permanent measure
NEWLY MINED DOMESTIC SILVER
of value, including both gold and silver, is eventually to be made a world standard.
To arrive at that point, we must seek every possibility for world agreement,
On December 21, 1933, the President issued a proclamation under authority of
although it may turn out that this Nation will ultimately have to take such
paragraph (2) of section 43, title III of the act of Congress approved May 12,
independent action on this phase of the matter as its interests require.
1933 (Publie, No. 10). directing the coinage mints of the United States to accept
The success of the London Conference in consummating an International
for deposit newly mined domestic silver subsequent to the date of the proclams-
agreement on silver, which has now been ratified by all the governments con-
tion. retaining 50 percent of such silver as seigniorage.
cerned, makes such further agreement worth secking. The ebb and flow of values
The purpose of this proclamation was to raise and then stabilize the price of
in almost all parte of the world have created many points of pressure for readjust-
silver in order to help (a) increase and then stabilize the commodity price level;
ments of internal and international standards. At no time since the efforts of this
(b) protect our commerce further from the adverse effects of depreciated foreign
Nation to secure international agreement on silver began in 1878 have conditions
currencies; (e) augment the purchasing power of countries using silver; and (d)
been more favorable for making progress along this line.
carry out the undertaking made at the London Conference.-From the Public
Accordingly, I have begun to confer with some of our neighbors in regard to the
Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, volume II, page 539.
use of both silver and gold, preferably on a coordinated basis, as a standard of
monetary value, Such an agreement would constitute an important step forward
toward a monetary unit of value more equitable and stable in its purchasing and
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT ON THE SILVER PURCHASE ACT OF 1934
debt-paying power.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
To the Congress of the United States:
THE WHITE House, May 32, 1934.
On January 11, 1934, 1 recommended to the Congress legislation which WM
promptly enacted under the title, "The Gold Reserve Act of 1934." This net
vested in the United States Government the custody and control of our etocks of
gold as a reserve for our paper curreney and as a medium of settling International
MONEY AND CREDIT
balances. It not up a stabilization fund for the control of foreign exchange in the
interests of our people, and certain amendments were added to facilitate the
Calendar of Important Regulatory Documents; Including Acts of Congress,
International Agreements, Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders,
aequisition of silver.
As stated in my message to the Congress, this legislation was recommended as
Announcements, Regulations, and Instructions of the Secretary of the Treasury,
B. step in improving our financial and monetary system. Its enactment has laid
Supreme Court Opinions. Feb. 27, 1932-Mar. 31, 1942. (Office of the Treas-
& foundation on which we are organizing & currency system that will be both
ury Archivist, Apr. 18, 1942)
sound and adequate. It is a long step forward, but only a step.
Document
Subject
As & part of the larger objective, some things have been clear. One la that we
Feb. 27, 1932: Act Extending eredit facilities to member
should move forward as rapidly BB conditions permit in broadening the metallic
amendment (72-44).
banks, and making Government secu-
base of our monetary system and in stabilizing the purchasing and debt-paying
rities eligible to secure Federal reserve
power of our money on a more equitable level. Another is that we should not
notes until Mar. 3, 1933.
neglect the value of an increased use of silver in improving our monetary system.
Feb. 3. 1933: Act to Amend Federal
Extending credit facilities to member
Since 1929 that has been obvious.
Reserve Aet amendment of Feb. 27,
banks, and making Government secu-
Some measures for making a greater time of silver in the public interest are
1932 (72-326).
rities eligible to secure Federal reserve
appropriate for Independent action by us. On others, International cooperation
notes until Mar. 3, 1934.
should be sought.
Of the former class is that of increasing the proportion of silver in the abundant
motallie reserves back to our paper currency. This policy was initiated by the
Regraded Unclassified
478
SILVER
SILVER
479
MONEY AND Caspir-Continued
MONEY AND CREDIT-Continued
Document
Bubject
Feb.
25,
1933:
Act
re
national
bank
Authorizing the Comptroller of the Cur-
Document
Subject
powers (72-58 Res.).
rency to exercise with respect to
Mar. 7, 1933-Continued.
national banking association powers
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing National or Stafe banking
which State officials may have with
No. 10.
institutions to exercise their usual
respect to State banks, savings banks,
functions to such extent as shall be
and/or trust companies under State
necessary to meet the needs of the
laws, for & 6-month period.
community.
Mar. 6, 1933:
Emergency Banking Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions hav-
Proclamation No. 2039
Declaring a bank holiday, Mar. 6-9,
No. 11.
ing branches in foreign countries or
1933, inclusive,
insular possessions to deposit col-
Order of the Secretary of the
Authorizing the banking institution in
lateral in the United States to secure
Treasury.
the Canal Zone to perform its usual
advances.
banking functions during the bank
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing the issuance of clearing-
holiday.
No. 12.
house certificates against sound asseta:
Do
Authorizing banking institutions in the
of banking institutions.
island of Guam to perform their usual
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions acting
banking functions during the bank
No. 13.
in & fiduciary capacity to transact
holiday.
such business (revoked by regulation
Do
Authorizing banking institutions in
No. 31, Mar. 30, 1933).
American Samoa to perform their
Emergency Banking Regulation
Authorizing Federal Reserve banks to
usual banking functions during the
No. 14.
conduct fiscal agency functions for
bank holiday.
the United States,
Do
Authorizing banking institutions in the
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to inform all
Philippine Islands to perform their
to Federal Reserve Banks-D.
banking institutions that the term
usual banking functions during the
"food or food products" in regulation
bank holiday.
No. 6 may be interpreted to include
Do
Authorizing banking institutions in the
livestock on the way to slaughter.
Virgin Islands to perform their usual
Emergency Banking Instructions
Informing the banks that pawnbrokers
banking functions during the bank
to Federal Reserve Banks-E.
or brokers making loans on collateral
holiday.
are to be considered banking institu-
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
tions within the meaning of the term
No. 1.
make change.
as used in the proclamation of Mar. 6,
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
1933.
No. 2.
allow access to safety deposit boxes.
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to receive cash
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
to Federal Reserve Banks-F.
from collectors of public funds for
No. 3.
return items received after closing.
deposit to the credit of the Treasurer
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to cash
of the United States.
No. 4.
checks drawn on the Treasurer of the
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to cooperate
United States.
to Federal Reserve Banks-G.
with their member banks to facilitate
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to BC-
certain limited banking operations.
No. 5.
cept payments for obligations.
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to handle checks
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to con-
to Federal Reserve Banka-H.
and collection items subject to cer-
No. 6.
duct operations to facilitate the deliv-
tain conditions.
ery of foods (revoked by regulation
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to settle through
No. 28 of Mar. 18, 1933).
to Federal Reserve Banks-I.
the gold settlement fund with other
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
Federal Reserve banks for all author-
No. 7.
create special trust accounts for the
(zed transactions.
receipt of new deposits (amplified by
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to continue their
regulation No. 15, Mar. 8, 1933).
to Federal Reserve Banks-J.
usual functions pertaining to the
Emergency Banking Instructions
Informing the banks of authority given
handling of collateral securing the
to Federal Reserve Banks-A.
the Treasurer of the United States to
deposit of the public moneys of the
make payments in gold only under
United States.
license, etc.
Mar. 8, 1933:
Emergency Banking Instructions
to Federal Reserve Banks-B.
Authorizing the banks to carry on cer-
Emergency Banking Regulation
Extending authority granted under
No. 15,
tain transactions affecting the gold
regulation No. 7 to include redeposita.
settlement fund.
Emergency Banking Instructions
Authorizing the banks to conduct cer-
Emergency Banking Instructions
to Federal Reserve Banks-C.
Authorizing the banks to purchase gold
to Federal Reserve Banks-K.
tain transactions with regard to
Mar. 7, 1933:
or gold certificates.
Mar. 9, 1933:
foreign accounts.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
Proclamation No. 2040
Continuing in force the bank holiday
No. 8.
complete settlement for checks on the
proclamation of Mar. 6, 1933.
Emergency
Banking
books before Mar. 4, 1933.
Regulation
Order Treasury. of the Secretary of the
Authorising banking institutions in the
Authorizing banking institutions to de-
Territory of Hawaii to perform their
No. 9.
liver documents and securities held
usual banking functions during the
for safekeeping.
bank holiday.
Emergency (73-1). Banking Act of 1933
Providing relief in the existing national
emergency in banking.
Regraded Unclassified
480
SILVER
SILVER
481
MONEY AND Cummer-Continued
MONEY AND Commed
Document
Bubject
Document
dubject
Mar. 10, 1933:
Executive Order No. 6073
Concerning the operation of banks.
Mar. 18, 1933-Continued. Banking
Emergency
Regulation
Authorizing unlicensed member banks
Emergency Banking Regulation
Extending regulation No. 10 to provide
No. 27.
to permit withdrawals (not exceeding
No. 10 as amended.
for cooperation between banks in
5 percent).
different communities (revoked by
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Rescinding regulations No. 6 and No. 10,
regulation No. 28 of Mar. 18, 1033).
No. 28.
as amended.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
Emergency Banking Instructions
Informing the banks that deposita of
No. 16.
complete transactions in regard to
to Federal Reserve Banks-L.
the kinds described in regulations
Treasury bills for which payment was
No. 7 and No. 15, are not subject to
due on Mar. 6, 1933.
the provisions of regulations No. 23.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to pay
Mar. 21, 1933: Emergency Banking
Authorizing unlicensed member banks
No. 17.
checks issued prior to Mar. 6, 1933,
Regulation No. 29.
to rediscount or pledge renewals of
Mar. 11, 1933:
notes.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to sub-
Mar. 24, 1933: Act to amend Emer-
Providing for direct loans by Federal
No. 18,
scribe and pay for U. 8. Government
geney Banking Act (73-4).
Reserve banks to State banks and
obligations offered by the Treasury.
trust companies in certain cases, and
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to per-
for other purposes.
No. 19.
mit the release or substitution of col-
Mar. 28, 1933: Emergency Banking
Authorizing member banks in the hands
lateral, when collateral of equal value
Regulation No. 30.
of conservators or State officiale to
is received.
perform limited banking functions,
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing Federal reserve banks to
Mar. 30, 1933:
No. 20.
resume their normal banking fune-
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions acting
tions.
No. 31.
in a fiduciary capacity to transact
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing nonmember banks and
such business, with certain provisions
No. 21.
banks not organized under the laws
(superseding regulation No. 13, Mar.
of the United States or under immedi-
7, 1933, which le hereby revoked).
ate supervision of State authority to
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing unlicensed member banks
resume their normal banking fune-
No. 32.
to permit withdrawals of deposits
tions.
under certain conditions.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing Federal land banks, Fed-
Apr. 5, 1933: Executive Order No.
Forbidding the hoarding of gold coin,
No. 22.
eral intermediate credit banks, joint
6102.
gold bullion and gold certificates
stock land banks, Federal home loan
(revoked by Executive order of Aug.
banks, regional agricultural credit
28, 1933).
corporations, and the Reconstruction
Apr. 20, 1933: Executive Order No.
Relating to foreign exchange and the
Finance Corporation to resume their
6111.
earmarking and export of gold coin
normal banking functions.
or bullion or currency (revoked by
Mar. 12, 1933:
Executive order of Aug. 28, 1933).
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Prohibiting withdrawals from any bank-
Apr. 29, 1933: Gold Regulations issued
Relating to licensing the purchase and
No. 23.
ing institution for purposes of hoard-
under the Executive Orders of Mar.
export of gold (revokes emergency
ing.
10, Apr. 5, and Apr. 20, 1933.
banking regulation No. 25, Mar. 13,
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking Institutions to
1933) (revoked by gold regulations of
No. 24.
cash official drafts drawn on the
Sept. 12, 1933, pt. I).
Secretary of State.
May 12, 1933: Thomas amendment
Providing for financing-and exercising
Regulations of the New York
Governing foreign exchange transae-
(inflation act) (73-10, title III).
power conferred by sec. 8 of article I
Federal Reserve Bank (circular
tions under the Executive or ier of
of the Constitution: to coin money
No. 1176).
Mar. 10, 1933.
and to coin money and to regulate the
Mar. 13, 1933:
value thereof.
Emergency Banking Regulation
Adding to the list of organizations that
June 5, 1933: Gold Clause Resolution
Assuring uniform value to the eoins and
No. 22 (amendment).
may resume their normal banking
(73-10 Res.).
currencies of the United States.
functions, corporations organized un-
June 26, 1933: Instructions from the
Concerning gold for use in industry,
der section 25 (a) of the Federal
Acting Secretary of the Treasury to
profession, or art.
Reserve Act.
all Federal Reserve banks.
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing Federal reserve banks to
July 22, 1933: Agreement entered into
Concerning the mitigation of fluctu-
No. 25.
deliver gold required in trade, pro-
between delegates of India, China,
ations in the price of silver.
fession, or art (revoked by regulations
and Spain, as users of silver, and
relating to licensing the purchase and
Australia, Canada, the United States,
export of gold, Apr. 29, 1933).
Mexico, and Peru, as producers of
Emergency
Banking
Regulation
Authorizing banking institutions to
silver, at the Monetary and Eco-
No. 26.
issue drafts transferring credits.
nomie Conference in London.
Mar. 18, 1933:
July 26, 1933: Allotment agreement
Concerning the amount of silver to be
Executive Order No. 6080
Concerning appointment of conserva-
signed by the United States in con-
withdrawn from the market by the
tors for State banks members of
nection with the silver agreement of
United States.
Federal reserve system.
July 22, 1933.
73052-42-pt.
Regraded Unclassified
482
SILVER
SILVER
483
MONEY AND Cummed
MONEY AND Ommed
Document
Subject
Document
Bubject
Aug. 28, 1933: Executive Order No. Relating to the hoarding, export, and
6260.
earmarking of gold coin, bullion, or
Jan. 15, 1934:
Executive Order No. 6558
Relating to receipt of gold on consign-
currency and to transactions in for-
ment by the mints and assay offices.
eign exchange (revokes Executive
Executive Order No. 6559
Amending the Executive order of Mar.
orders of Apr. 5, and Apr. 20, 1933).
10, 1933, and the proclamation of
Aug. 29, 1933: Executive Order No.
Relating to the sale and export of gold
Dec. 30, 1933, concerning the oper-
6261.
recovered from natural deposits (re-
ation of banks,
voked 1933). by Executive order of Oct. 25,
Executive Order No. 6560
Regulating transactions in foreign ex-
change, transfers of credit, and the
Aug. 31, 1933: Temporary gold regu-
Relating to general provisions and the
export of coin and currency.
lations issued under the Executive
filing of returns (revoked by gold
Order of the Secretary of the
Supplementing the order of Dec. 28,
orders of Aug. 28 and 29, 1933
regulations of Sept. 12, 1933).
Treasury.
1933, requiring the delivery of gold
(articles 1-10).
coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates
Sept. 1, 1933: Temporary gold regula-
Relating to the acquisition of gold (re-
to the Treasurer of the United States.
tions issued under the Executive
1933). voked by gold regulations of Sept. 12,
Announcement of the Secretary of
That, beginning Jan. 16, 1934, the New
orders of Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, 1933
the Treasury (Press Service No.
York Federal Reserve Bank, instead
(articles 11-15).
1-13).
of the Reconstruction Finance Cor-
Sept. 5, 1933:
poration, will purchase all domestic
Temporary gold regulations issued
Relating to the holding and export of
newly mined gold, and the Secretary
under the Executive orders of
gold (revoked by gold regulations of
of the Treasury will purchase from the
Aug. 28 and 29, 1933 (articles
Sept. 12, 1933) (revokes gold regula-
bank equivalent amounts of gold
16-28).
tions of Apr. 29, 1933).
coin.
Temporary gold regulations issued
Relating to the consignment for sale of
Jan. 17, 1934: Instructions from the
Concerning wrongfully withheld gold
under the Executive orders of
gold recovered from natural deposits
Secretary of the Treasury to the
coin, gold bullion, and gold certifi-
Aug. 28 and 29, 1933 (articles
in the United States (revoked by gold
Treasurer of the United States, the
cates delivered after Jan. 17, 1934.
29-35).
regulations of Sept. 12, 1933).
mints and assay offices, and the fiscal
Sept. 12, 1933: Gold regulations issued
Relating to transactions in gold (pt. I
agents of the United States.
under the Executive orders of Aug.
revokes gold regulations of Apr. 29,
Jan. 30, 1934:
28 and 29, 1933.
1933) (pt. III revokes temporary gold
Gold Reserve Act (73-87)
Providing for the protection of the cur-
regulations of Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and
rency system of the United States,
5, 1933) (pts. II and III revoked by
for the better use of the monetary
gold regulations of Oct. 25, 1933).
gold stock of the United States, and
Oct. 25, 1933:
for other purposes.
Executive Order No. 6359
Relating to gold recovered from natural
Provisional gold regulations issued
Relating to transactions in gold.
deposits (revokes Executive order of
under the Gold Reserve Act of
Aug. 29, 1933).
1934.
Gold regulations issued under the
Relating to gold recovered from natural
Jan. 31, 1934:
Executive order of Oct. 25, 1933,
deposits (revokes gold regulations of
Proclamation No. 2072
Regarding the revaluation of the gold
amending pts. II and III of the
of Sept. 12, 1933, pts II and III).
dollar.
gold regulations of Sept. 12,
Amendment to provisional gold
Relating to transactions in gold.
1933.
regulations of Jan. 30, 1934,
Dec. 21, 1933: Proclamation No. 2067
Providing for the purchase of newly-
issued under the Gold Reserve
mined silver by the coinage mints for
Act of 1934.
coinage into standard silver dollars.
Provisional gold regulations of
Do,
Dec. 28, 1933: Order of the Secretary of
Requiring the delivery of gold coin, gold
Jan. 30-31, 1934, issued under
the Treasury.
bullion, and gold certificates to the
the Gold Reserve Act of 1934.
Treasurer of the United States.
Announcement of the Secretary of
That, beginning Feb. 1, 1934, he will
Dec. 30, 1933:
the Treasury.
buy imported fine gold bars through
Proclamation No. 2070
Amending Proclamations of Mar. 6 and
the New York Federal Reserve bank,
Mar. 9, 1933, and the Executive order
and other gold, foreign or domestic,
of Mar. 10, 1933, and all orders and
through mints and assay offices.
regulations pursuant thereto.
Announcement of the Secretary of
That he will sell gold for export to for-
Silver regulations issued under the
Relating to newly mined silver (revoked
the Treasury (Press Service No.
eign central banks when our exchange
proclamation of Dec. 31, 1933,
by the newly mined domestic silver
1-24).
rates reach gold export point.
regulations of Apr. 16, 1935).
Feb. 7, 1934: Announcement of the
That, beginning Feb. 7, 1934, he will buy
Jan. 11, 1934: Order of the Secretary
of the Treasury.
Amending the order of Dec. 28, 1933,
Secretary of the Treasury.
imported fine gold bars and certain
requiring the delivery of gold coin,
gold held in custody by Federal Re-
gold bullion, and gold certificates to
serve banks, through the New York
Jan. 12, 1934: Executive Order No.
the Treasurer of the United States.
Federal Reserve bank; and other
6556,
Amending Executive Order No. 6260 of
gold, foreign or domestic, through
Aug. 28, 1933, relating to the hoard-
mints and assay offices.
ing, export, and earmarking of gold
Feb, 20, 1934: General ruling No. 1,
Authorizing the mints and assay offices
coin, bullion, or currency and to
amplifying sec. 35 (d) of the provi-
to purchase under certain conditions
transactions in foreign exchange.
sional 1934, gold regulations of Jan. 30-31,
gold which was refined from imported
gold-bearing materials.
Regraded Unclassified
484
SILVER
SILVER
485
MONEY AND Carpir-Continued
MONEY AND Cummed
Document
Bubject
Feb.
1934:
Announcement
of
the
That the Governor of the Federal Ro-
Document
Subject
Secretary 21, of the Treasury (memo-
serve bank of New York and the
Aug. 9, 1934-Continued.
randum for the press).
superintendents of the mints and
Executive Order No. 6814
Requiring the delivery of silver to the
assay offices have been advised that
United States mints.
the price to be paid for gold in that
Aug. 13, 1934: Release by the Secretary
Giving the text of orders from the Pres-
prevailing on the day of the deposit,
of the Treasury (Press Service No.
ident concerning the issue of silver
Mar. 2, 1934: General ruling No. 2.,
Authorising the minta and assay offices
2-58).
certificates.
amplifying sec. 35 (d) of the pro-
to purchase under certain conditions
Aug. 17, 1934: Silver regulations issued
Regulating transactions in silver (re-
visional gold regulations of Jan. 30-
gold imported before Jan. 31, 1934,
under the Silver Purchase Act of
vokes silver regulations of July 5,
31, 1934.
and held in customs custody.
1934, the proclamation of Aug. 9,
1934).
Mar. 6, 1934: Act to amend Federal
Extending credit facilities to member
1934, the Executive order of Aug. 9,
Reserve Act amendment of Feb. 27,
banks, and making Government 80-
1934, and the order of the Secretary
1932 (73-115).
curities eligible to secure Federal Re-
of the Treasury of June 28, 1934.
serve notes, until Mar. 3, 1935, and
Aug. 27, 1934: Amendment to regula-
Relating to tax on transfers of interest
thereafter as the President may pre-
tions No. 85, Bureau of Internal
in silver bullion.
scribe, not exceeding 2 years.
Revenue (T. D. 4465).
Mar. 8, 1934: Amendment to pro-
Extending the time to May 1, 1934,
Aug. 31, 1934: General ruling No. 3,
Authorising the mints and assay offices
visional gold regulations of Jan. 30-
during which the transitory provisions
amplifying sec. 35 (d) of the provi-
to purchase under certain conditions
31, 1934.
(secs. 45 and 46) shall be effective,
sional gold regulations of Jan. 30-31,
gold contained in deposits of silver.
Apr. 20, 1934: Amendment to provi-
Extending the time to June 1, 1934,
1934.
sional gold regulations of Jan. 30-
during which the transitory provisions
Sept. 1, 1934: Amendment to silver reg-
Relating to instruments of transfer, and
31, 1934.
(secs. 45 and 46) shall be effective.
ulations of Aug. 17, 1934.
mixtures of "decree" and "non-
May 8, 1934: Order of the Commis-
Requiring consular invoices for all im-
decree" silver.
sioner of Customs, approved by the
portations of gold exceeding $100 in
Sept. 12, 1934: Instruction of the Sec-
Providing for the transfer of title to the
Secretary (T. D. 47056).
value, with certain exceptions.
retary of the Treasury.
United States of newly mined silver
June 19, 1934:
in process, through instruments of
Silver Purchase Act (73-438)
Authorizing the Secretary of the Treas-
transfer.
ury to purchase silver, issue silver cer-
Oct. 22, 1934: Amendment to provi- Relating to gold amalgam.
tificates, and for other purposes.
sional gold regulations of Jan. 30-31,
Regulations issued under title
Relating to tax on transfers of interest
1934.
VIII, schedule A, subdivision 10
in silver bullion.
Nov. 2, 1934:
of the Revenue Act of 1926, as
Executive Order No. 6895A
Amending sec. 2A of Executive Order
added by sec. 8, of the Silver
No. 6814 of Aug. 9, 1934, regarding
Purchase Act of 1934 (Bureau
silver not required to be delivered.
of Internal Revenue No. 85).
Amendment to silver regulations of
Regarding silver not required to be de-
June 22, 1934: Treasury announcement
Explaining the basis on which or the
Aug. 17, 1934.
livered,
(memorandum for the press).
ounceage of silver against which silver
Amendment to Regulations No.
Relating to tax on transfers of Interest
certificates may be issued, on the one
85, Bureau of Internal Revenue
in silver bullion.
hand, and the dollar amount of silver
(T. D. 4491).
certificates to be issued, on the other
Nov. 12, 1934: Regulations
Relating to transactions in foreign ex-
hand.
change, transfers of credit, and the
June 28, 1934: Order of the Secretary
Relating to silver.
export of coin and currency.
of the Treasury.
Nov. 13, 1934: Regulations of the New
Governing foreign exchange transactions
July 5, 1934: Regulations issued under
Governing exportation of silver (revoked
York Federal Reserve bank (Circular
under the Executive order of Jan. 15,
the order of the Secretary of the
by silver regulations of Aug. 17, 1934).
No, 1474).
1934 (superseding Circular No. 1176
Treasury, approved by the Presi-
of Mar. 12, 1933).
dent, June 28, 1934.
Nov. 23, 1934: Regulations of the New
Relating to foreign exchange reports (re-
July 10, 1934: Amendment to regula-
Relating to tax on transfers of interest
York Federal Reserve bank (Circular
ferring to circular No. 1474 of Nov. 13,
tion No. 85, Bureau of Internal
in silver bullion.
No. 1480).
1934).
Revenue (T. D. 4445).
Nov. 26, 1934: General Ruling No. 4
Authorizing the mints and assay offices
July 18, 1934: Amendment to regula-
Do.
amplifying sec. 35 (a) of the provis-
to purchase under certain conditions
tion No. 85, Bureau of Internal
Revenue (T. D. 4450).
ional 1934. gold regulations of Jan. 30-31,
gold filings, elippings, pieces, etc.,
from certain persons engaged in indus-
Aug. 1. 1934: Order of the Commis-
Requiring consular invoices for all im-
try, profession, or art.
sioner of Customs, approved by the
portations of gold exceeding $100 in
Dec. 1, 1934: Instructions from the
Regarding eligibility of silver contained
Secretary (T. D. 47203, amending
value, with certain exceptions.
Secretary of the Treasury to Director
in other materials.
T. D. 47056).
of the Mint.
Aug. 8, 1934: Order of the Commis-
Do.
Dec. 31, 1934:
sioner of Customs. approved by the
Provisional gold regulations of Jan.
Regulating transactions in gold.
Secretary (T. D. 47214).
30-31, 1934, issued under the
Aug. 9, 1934:
Gold Reserve Act of 1934, as
Proclamation No. 2092
Providing for the delivery of silver to
amended.
the mint for coinage or addition to
General Ruling No. 5, amplifying
Authorizing the mints and assay offices
the monetary stocks.
sec, 35 (d) of the provisional
to purchase under certain conditions
gold 1934, regulations of Jan. 30-31,
gold refined from sweeps purchased
from a United States mint or assay
office.
Regraded Unclassified
486
SILVER
SILVIDE
487
MONEY AND Curprr-Continued
MONEY AND Commed
Document
Subject
Document
Bullifect
Feb. 14, 1935:
Amendment to silver regulations Regarding silver salts.
Aug.
28,
1935:
Circular-letter
(New
Referring to circular No. 1474, Nov.
York Federal Reserve Bank).
of Aug. 17, 1934.
1934, re reports concerning transne-
Proclamation No. 2117
Making Government securities eligible
tions in foreign exchange.
to secure Federal Reserve notes until
Sept. 10, 1935:
Mar. 3, 1937.
Regulations (Department circular
Governing the immediate payment of
Feb. 18, 1935: Supreme Court Opinions.
Concerning the validity of the gold
No. 552).
gold-clause securities,
clause resolution of June 5, 1933, with
Regulations (Department circular
Governing the exchange of coins and
respect tions, to the gold clause in obliga-
No. 553).
currencies of the United States.
Nov. 14. 1935: Instructions of the Com-
Relating to the importation and trans-
Apr. 10, 1935: Proclamation No. 2124
Modifying the proclamation of Dec.
missioner of Customs approved by
portation of foreign silver coins
21, 1933, by providing for the dedue-
the Acting Secretary of the Treasury
(amended by Bureau of Customs cir-
tion of 45 percent instead of 50 per-
(Bureau of Customs circular letter
cular letter No. 1524).
cent for seigniorage and services
No. 1473).
performed by the Government,
Nov. 20, 1935: Amendment to regula-
Relating to tax on transfers of interest in
Apr. 16, 1935: Newly mined domestic
Relating to newly mined silver (revokes
tions No. 85, Bureau of Internal Rev-
silver bullion.
silver regulations issued under the
silver regulations of Dec. 30, 1933)
enue (T. D. 4606).
proclamation of Dec. 21, 1933, as
(revoked by silver regulations of
Dec. 12, 1935: Announcement of the
Concerning the date on which the new
amended by the proclamations of
May 15, 1935).
Secretary (Press Service No. 6-42).
type S1 silver certificates will be made
Aug. 9, 1934, and Apr. 10, 1935.
available to the public.
Apr. 24, 1935: Proclamation No. 2125
Further modifying tke proclamation of
Dec. 24, 1935: Amendment to provi-
Adding seca. 8a, 10a, and amending seca.
Dec. 21, 1933, by providing for the
sional gold regulations issued under
16, 18, 21, 26, 27, 36, 43, 44.
deduction of 40 percent instead of
the Gold Reserve Act of 1934.
50 percent for seigniorage and serv-
Jan. 1, 1936: Provisional gold regula-
Regulating transactions in gold.
ices performed by the Government.
tions of Jan. 30-31, 1934, issued
May 15, 1935: Newly mined domestic
Relating to newly-mined silver (revokes
under the Gold Reserve Act of 1934,
silver regulations issued under the
newly mined domestic silver regula-
as amended,
Proclamation of Dec. 21, 1933, as
tions of Apr. 16, 1935) (revoked by
Jan. 10, 1936: Proclamation No. 2153.
Extending powers conferred on the Pres-
amended by the proclamations of
newly mined domestic silver regula-
ident by sec. 10 of the Gold Reservo
Aug. 9, 1934, and Apr. 10 and Apr.
tions of Jan. 10, 1938).
Act of 1934, and sec, 43 of the act
24, 1935.
approved May 12, 1933.
May 20, 1935: Order of the Secretary
Relating to silver.
Mar. 6, 1936: Instructions of the Com-
Relating to the importation and trans-
of the Treasury, amending the order
missioner of Customs approved by
portation of foreign silver coins.
of June 28, 1934.
the Acting Secretary of the Treasury
June 4, 1935:
(Bureau of Customs circular letter
Amendment to the silver regula-
Amending secs. 2 and 103-105, and
No. 1524).
tions of Aug. 17, 1934, as
adding secs. 110-116.
May 18, 1936: Announcement of the
That the United States would make
amended.
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
purchases from the Central Bank of
Instructions of the Acting Com-
Relating to the importation and trans-
Service No. 7-39).
China of substantial amounts of
missioner of Customs, approved
portation of foreign silver coins
silver, and would make available to
by the Acting Secretary of the
(amended by Bureau of Customs cir-
the Central Bank of China dollar
Treasury (Bureau of Customs
cular letters Nos. 1473 and 1524.)
exchange for currency stabilization
circular letter No. 1390).
purposes.
June 5, 1935: Silver regulations of Aug.
Sept. 25, 1936: Announcemnet of the
Regulating transactions in silver.
That the Governments of the United
17, 1934, as amended.
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
States, Great Britain, and France
Aug. 15, 1935: Announcement of the
Concerning the production of a new SI
Service No. 8-53).
have entered into a tripartite declara-
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
silver certificate with changes both in
tion to maintain the greatest possible
Service No. 5-59).
the method of printing signatures and
equilibrium in the system of inter-
in design.
national exchange and to avoid the
Aug. 23, 1935:
creation of any disturbance of that
Banking Act of 1935 (74-305)
Providing for the sound, effective and,
system by monetary action.
Oct. 8, 1936: Order of the Commis-
uninterrupted operation of the bank-
Dispensing with consular invoices for
sioner of Customs, approved by the
United States silver coins,
August. 26, 1935:
ing system, and for other purposes.
Secretary (T. D. 48574, amending
Amendment to provisional gold
T. D. 47214).
Amending secs. 28-35.
Oct. 13, 1936:
regulations of Jan. 30-31, 1934.
Provisional gold regulations of
Announcement of the Secretary of
That he will sell gold for immediate
Regulating transactions in gold.
Jan. 30-31, 1934, issued under
the Treasury (Press Service No.
export to, or earmark for the account
the Gold Reserve Act of 1934,
8-66).
of, the exchange equalization or
as amended,
stabilization funds of certain countries
Aug. 27, 1935: "Withdrawal of the
under certain conditions.
Right to Sue" resolution (74-63 res.).
Authorizing exchange of coins and eur-
rencies and immediate payment of
Announcement of the Secretary of
That Great Britain and France are
the Treasury (Press Service No.
gold-clause securities by the United
complying with the conditions speci-
8-67).
fied in the previous announcement of
States; withdrawing the right to sue
the United States thereon; limiting
today.
the use of certain appropriations; and
for other purposes.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
488
SILVER
489
MONEY AND Cassir-Continued
MONEY AND
Subject
Document
Document
Subject
Nov. 24, 1936:
Announcement of the Secretary of
That the Governments of Belgium, the
Oct. 25, 1937: Regulations (Depart- Governing the exchange of paper cur-
the Treasury (Press Service No.
Netherlands, and Switzerland have
ment Circular No. 55 revised).
rency and coin.
made declarations of adherence to the
Dec. 30, 1937: Proclamation No. 2268
Further modifying the proclamation of
8-93).
principles of the tripartite declara-
Dec. 21, 1933, A8 modified, by provid-
tion of Sept. 25, 1936.
ing that it shall remain in foree and
Announcement of the Secretary of
That the Secretary will sell gold for
effect until Dec. 31, 1938, and by
the Treasury, supplementing
immediate export to, or earmark for
providing for the deduction of 50 per-
the announcement of Oct. 13,
the account of, the treasuries of
cent instead of 40 percent for seign-
1936, and withdrawing the state-
those countries offering to sell gold
iorage and services performed by the
ment of Jan. 31, 1934 (Press
to the United States.
Government.
Jan. 10, 1938: Newly mined domestic
Relating to newly mined silver (revokes
Service No. 8-94).
Announcement of the Secretary of
That Belgium, the Netherlands, and
silver regulations issued under the
newly mined domestic silver regula-
Switzerland are complying with the
proclamation of Dec. 30, 1937.
tions of May 15, 1935).
the Treasury (Press Service No.
conditions specified in the statement
Feb. 14, 1938: Announcement of the
That gold acquired by the mints and
8-95).
of Oct. 13, 1936, as supplemented by
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
assay offices after Jan. 1, 1938, will
the previous statement of today.
Service No. 12-51).
be included in the Inactive gold
That the Secretary will take appro-
account only to the extent that such
Dec. 22, 1936: Announcement of the
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
priate action with respect to net
acquisitions in any one quarter exceed
Service No. 9-20).
additional acquisitions and releases
$100,000,000.
of gold by the Treasury Department
Mar. 28, 1938: Announcement of the
That the Treasury will defer continua-
through the purchase and sale or
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
tion of the monthly silver purchase
redemption of additional public debt
Service No. 12-79).
arrangements with Mexico until fur-
ther notice.
obligations.
Jan. 23, 1937: Act to amend the Gold
Extending the time within which the
Apr. 19, 1938: Announcement of the
That the inactive gold account has been
President may exercise emergency
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
discontinued.
Reserve Act (75-1),
powers relating to the stabilization
Service No. 13-1).
fund and alteration of the weight of
Apr. 28, 1938:
the dollar.
Proclamation No. 2282
Revoking Proclamation No. 2092 of
Extending credit facilities to member
Aug. 9, 1934, except as to the provi-
Mar. 1, 1937: Act to amend Federal
banks, and making Government
sions thereof relating to settlement
Reserve Act, B.S. amended (75-9).
curities eligible to secure Federal
for silver received by United States
Reserve notes until June 30, 1039.
coinage mints pursuant to proclama-
tion No. 2067 of Dec. 21, 1933.
Mar. 11, 1937: Instructions from the
Regarding requirements for entry into
Executive Order No. 7877
Revoking Executive Order No. 6814,
Secretary of the Treasury to col-
the United States of gold exported
dated Aug. 9, 1934, and Executive
lectors of customs.
from Mexico.
Order No. 6895-A, dated Nov. 2,
June 1, 1937: Provisional gold regula-
Regulating transactions in gold.
1934, relating to silver.
tions of January 30-31, 1934, issued
Order of the Secretary of the
Revoking the orders of the Secretary of
under the Gold Reserve Act of 1934,
Treasury.
the Treasury of June 28, 1934, and
as amended.
May 20, 1935, relating to silver, and
July 9, 1937: Announcement of the
That the Chinese Government will pur-
the silver regulations of Aug. 17, 1934,
Secretary, jointly with the Minister
chase from the United States Treasury
as amended.
of Finance of China (Press Service
& substantial amount of gold; that the
Order of the Commissioner of
Revoking T.D. 47214 requiring consular
No. 10-71).
U.S. Treasury will purchase from the
Chinese Government an additional
Customs, approved by the Sec-
invoices for importations of silver,
amount of silver; that the U. S.
retary (T. D. 49535).
with certain exceptions, as amended
Treasury will broaden the scope of
by T. D. 48574.
May 25, 1938: Amendment to regula-
Relating to tax on transfers of interest
arrangements enabling the Central
tions No. 85, Bureau of Internal
in silver bullion.
Bank of China to obtain dollar ex-
Revenue (T. D. 4805).
change for currency stabilization
July 16, 1938: Memorandum for the
Regarding the receipt of newly mined
That purposes. the United States will sell gold to
President from the Secretary of the
domestic silver under the proclama-
July 16, 1937: Announcement of the
Treasury.
tion of Dec. 21, 1933, as modified,
Secretary of the Treasury, jointly
Brazil and that the United States will
after midnight of Dec. 31, 1938.
with the Minister of Finance of Brazil
make dollar exchange available to
Dec. 19, 1938: Announcement of the
That the arrangement announced on
(Press Service No. 10-78).
Brazil for the purpose of promoting
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
July 9, 1937, under which the Bank
exchange equilibrium.
Service No. 15-82).
of China has been enabled to obtain
Sept. 12, 1937: Statement by the Fed-
That the Secretary of the Treasury has
dollar exchange for stabilization pur-
eral Open Market Committee.
released approximately $300,000,000
poses has been extended for a further
of gold from the Treasury's inactive
period beyond Dec. 31, 1938.
Regarding account. the receipt of newly mined
Dee. 31, 1938: Proclamation No. 2317.
Further modifying the proclamation of
Sept. 14, 1937: Memorandum for the
Dec. 21, 1933, as modified, by pro-
President from the Secretary of the
domestic silver under the proclams-
viding that it shall remain in force
Treasury.
tion of Dec. 21, 193, as modified,
and effect until June 30, 1939, and
after midnight of Dec. 31, 1937.
providing that silver to be eligible
must be delivered to the mint by
June 30, 1939.
Regraded Unclassified
490
SILVER
SILVER
491
MONEY AND Cummer-Continued
MONEY AND Owner-Continged
Document
Subject
Document
Subject
Jan. 16, 1939: Newly mined domestic
Relating to newly mined allver (revokes
16,
1940:
Announcement
of
the
silver regulations issued under the
newly mined domestic silver regula-
Apr. Treasury Department (Press Service
That the "official" rate for the British
pound sterling as certified to the
proclamation of Dec. 31, 1938.
tions of Jan. 10, 1938).
No. 20-75).
Treasury Department by the New
Feb. 10, 1939: Internal Revenue Code,
Levying a tax on transfers of interest in
York Federal Reserve Bank is to be
sec. 1805 (76-1).
silver bullion.
used in the collection of estimated
Feb. 11, 1939: Prescribing regulations
Making regulation No. 85, concerning
duties, appraisement of merchandise,
under the Internal Revenue Code
tax on transfers of interest in silver
and the final liquidation of duties
(T. D. 4887).
bullion, applicable to sec. 1805 of the
wherever the conversion of British
Internal Revenue Code.
pounds sterling into United States
Apr. 5, 1939: Act to regulate banking
Relating to banking, banks, and trust
dollars is necessary for such pur-
in the District of Columbia (76-20).
companies in the District of Colum-
poses.
bia, and for other purposes,
May 7, 1940: Resolution to amend see.
Providing for the regulation of foreign
June 20, 1939: Act to amend the Fed-
Extending to June 16, 1942, the period
5 of the Trading with the Enemy Act,
exchange transactions, etc.
eral Reserve Act, as amended
within which certain loans to execu-
BS amended (76-69 res.).
(76-135).
tive officers of member banks of the
June 11, 1940: Act to amend R. 8.
To authorize charitable contributions by
Federal Reserve System may be
5136, as amended (76-583),
national banking associations.
renewed or extended.
July 19, 1940: Treasury announce-
That Great Britain has resorted to ex-
June 30, 1939: Act to amend the Fed-
Extending to June 30, 1941, the period
ment (Press Service No. 21-56).
change control and has concluded
eral Reserve Act, as amended
during which Government securities
arrangements between London and
(76-162).
are eligible to secure Federal Reserve
New York for a system of registered
notes.
sterling accounts, which should tend
July 6, 1939:
toward stabilizing the sterling rate
Act to amend Gold Reserve Act
Extending the time within which the
and protect the American market.
of 1934, as amended (76-165).
powers relating to the stabilization
Dec. 27, 1940: Statement of the Secre-
That an exchange stabilization agree-
fund and alteration of the weight of
tary of the Treasury and the repre-
ment between the United States and
the dollar may be exercised.
sentatives from Argentina (Press
Argentina has been completed.
Newly mined domestic silver regu-
Relating to receipt and coinage by
Service No. 23-5).
lations issued under the act of
United States coinage mints of silver
Apr. 7, 1941: Act to amend the Federal
Relating to foreign accounts in Federal
July 6, 1939.
mined pursuant to the provisions of
Reserve Act, as amended (77-31).
Reserve banks and insured banks.
seo. 4 of the act of July 6, 1939.
Apr. 17, 1941: Treasury announcement
Announcement of the purchase of
July 18, 1939: Act to amend "An act
Relating to foreign building and loan
(Press Service No. 24-63).
$132,000,000 of gold in South Africa
to establish a code of law for the
associations doing business in the
from the British Treasury by the
District of Columbia" and of any act
District of Columbia.
U. S. Treasury stabilization fund.
or acts amendatory thereof (76-193).
Apr. 25, 1941: Statement of the Secre-
That exchange stabilization agreements
July 25, 1939:
tary of the Treasury and the repre-
between the United States and China
Proclamation No. 2342
Further modifying the proclamation
sentative from the Republic of
and between Great Britain and China
of Dec. 21, 1933, as modified, pro-
China (Press Sérvice No. 24-77).
have been signed.
viding that it shall remain in force
June 21, 1941: Act to amend R. 8.
Increasing the amount authorized to
and effect until Dec. 31, 1939, with
3528, as amended (77-117).
be used in the purchase of metal for
respect to silver mined subsequently
minor coins of the United States.
to Dec. 21, 1933, and on or before
June 30, 1941:
July 1, 1939.
Act to amend the Federal Reserve
Extending the time during which direct
Amendment to newly mined do-
Amending secs. 1, 2, 20 (c), and 24.
Act, as amended (77-141).
obligations of the United States may
mestic silver regulations of Jan.
be used as collateral security for
16, 1939.
Federal Reserve notes.
July 26, 1939: An net to amend the act
Amending sec. 6, as amended.
Act to amend the Gold Reserve
Extending the time during which the
approved June 25, 1910, authorizing
Act of 1934, as amended
powers relating to the stabilization
establishment of the Postal Savings
(77-142).
fund and alteration of the weight of
System (76-229).
the dollar may be authorized.
Aug. 5, 1939:
Nov. 19, 1941: Statement of the Secre-
That an exchange stabilization agree-
Act relating to commemorative
Prohibiting the issuance and coinage
tary of the Treasury and the Mexican
ment and & silver purchase agreement
coins (76-278).
of certain commemorative coins and
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
between the United States and Mexico
Act relating to building assoei-
for other purposes.
Service No. 28-56).
have been signed.
Providing for the abatement of per-
Dec. 18, 1941: First War Powers Act,
Amending sec. 5 of the Trading with the
ations in the District of Colum-
sonal taxes from insolvent building
1941, Title III (77-354).
Enemy Act, as amended, providing
bis (76-282),
associations in the District of Colum-
for the regulation of foreign exchange
bia.
transactions, etc.
Sept. 11, 1939: Announcement of the
Secretary of the Treasury (Press
That the French Government as an
Jan. 6, 1942: Announcement of the Sec-
That the Treasury has purchased
Service No. 18-72).
emergency measure has set up a
retary of the Treasury (Press Service
$20,000,000 of gold from the Union
system of exchange control in France
No. 29-43).
of Soviet Socialist Republics.
and French territories and that the
Feb. 27, 1942: Treasury announcement
That the Secretary and the respresenta-
tripartite declaration continues in
(Press Service No. 30-50).
tives from Ecuador have signed an
effect.
agreement for exchange stabilization.
Mar. 27, 1942: Second War Powers Act,
1942, Title XII (77-507).
Relating to the coinage of 5-cent pieces.
Regraded Unclassified
492
SILVER
SILVER
493
The CHAIRMAN: Further, Senator Hayden, of Arizona, has sub-
mitted some data for the consideration of the committee, This
While we hate to see any mines shut down, as we believe that we are going to
need gold and silver very badly in the after-the-war adjustment, we do think that
request will be given due consideration, and if the committee sees fit.
if Washington and authorities believe that gold and silver should be eliminated
at n later time, we will include some of these data, if not all, in the
they should confine it to those producing gold from cyanide plants and allow all
who ship to the smelters to continue operations. Even shutting down those with
permanent record.
(The matter referred to above follows:]
cyanide plants would create & great deal of economic distress in certain parte of
the State, and the quantity of materials which they consume is inconsequential
UNITED STATES SENATE,
in the total picture.
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,
I am trying to get together some additional data to send you, but, inasmuch
May 5, 1948.
as this news broke today, I thought we better pass along the above to you just
Hon. ELMER THOMAS,
as quickly as possible to see what you can do to help in the situation,
Chairman, Senate Special Silver Committee,
With kindest personal regards, 1 am,
Washington, D. C.
Yours very truly,
My DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: I deeply regret that the work of the Senste
CHARLES F. WILLIS,
Committee on Appropriations will prevent me from attending the meeting of the
State Secretary, Arizona Small Mine Operators Association.
Senate Special Silver Committee scheduled to be held this morning at 10:30, in
room 424 of the Senate Office Building, at which time the effect of preference
MARCH 4, 1942.
rating order P-56 in relation to the continued operation of our western mines will
STATEMENT OF CHARLES F. WILLIS, STATE SECRETARY, ARIZONA SMALL MINE
be discussed.
However, I shall be greatly obliged if you will be good enough to allow me to
OPERATORS ASSOCIATION; CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF GOVERNORS, ARIZONA DEPART-
present herewith for inclusion in the record of this hearing before your committee
MENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES
the attached statement prepared by Mr. Charles F. Willis, State secretary of the
Arizona Small Mine Operators Association, 528 Title and Trust Building, Phoenix,
The War Production Board's erackdown on gold and silver mines by curtailing
Arix, in which there is set forth in complete detail the reasons why the issuance
the priority assistance available to them in purchasing essential supplies and
of this order by the War Production Board will be detrimental not only to our
equipment for the maintenance of their operations is a serious blow to small mine
western mining industry but to the entire war effort of the United States.
operators in Arizona and to the mining industry as & whole.
The Board's order was based on a fallacious reasoning that gold and silver are
Yours very sincerely,
CARL HAYDEN,
not important to the war effort because those two metals are not used in the
United States Senator from Arizona,
actual production of planes, tanks, guns, ships, trucks, ete. Analysis shows,
however, that gold and silver production in Arizona and other Western States is
MARCH 4, 1942.
absolutely essential to base metal output.
The Arizona Small Mine Operators Association is preparing a statement
Senator CARL HAYDEN,
appealing to the War Production Board to reconsider its action which virtually
Senate Office Building,
excludes gold and silver mining from priority assistance and will force a curtail-
Washington, D. C.
ment and gradual shut-down of the mines whose output is vital to maximum copper
DEAR CARL: Newspaper releases this morning stated that the War Production
production. Arizona is the leading copper-producing State in the Union, but to
Board had cracked down upon gold and silver mining by denying priorities and
maintain its position it must have suitable fluxing ores which are mined in the
taking back serial numbers on gold and silver mines where the gold and silver was
State's gold and silver properties.
30 percent or more of the dollar value of the ore.
Gold and silver ores in Arizona are siliceous ores-they have a high silies con-
This creates a very serious situation in Arizona and one that is in many ways
tent-and silica is used by the smelters for flux. It is an essential element in the
ridieulous. It seems very ridiculous that you may have an ore that has large
smelting of base ores containing sulfides. How ridiculous it would be to force
quantities of copper, lead, and zine and because there is an extra value on account
the gold and silver mines to shut down and make the smelters aequire their silica
of the gold and silver content you cannot get machinery and equipment. That,
flux from sources which contain no values at all.
however, is not the most serious Arizona situation, although some mines will be
In 1941, small mines in Arizona shipped 110,361 tone of ore to copper smelters,
harmed by it, as there are many mines producing base metals which are sweetened
and of this 93,374 tons, or 84.6 percent of the total consisted of fluxing ores.
by the gold and silver values which make possible the base metal production.
Shipments of smelting ores and concentrates, which were purchased by the
The serious situation in Arizona, however, is that copper smelters absolutely
smelters primarily for their base-metal content amounted to only 16,987 tone or
require siliceous or lime-fluxing ores. These ores are the gold and silver ores.
15.4 percent of the total.
They must have them or they cannot produce copper. The big mines must have
The smelters purchase fluxing ores, and in many cases pay good premiums for
A sufficient quantity of silica and lime to make B. metallurgical mix and therefore
them, in order to meintsin a proper metallurgical balance in their reduction
the smelters have to buy the flux. It costs just as much money to mine silica or
processes, Oftentimes, the metal content alone does not justify the purchase of
lime having no value, but which uses just as much equipment, and If the smelters
these ores, but their silica content make them suitable for mixing with ores which
can get fluxing ores which have a value they thereby create an industry.
are deficient in that requirement but have & substantial content of copper. With-
In 1941 the small mines in Arizona shipped 110,361 tons of ore to copper smelters
out the flux, the copper ores could not be smelted.
and of this 93,374 tons, or 84.6 percent, of the total consisted of fluxing ores which
The War Production Board's order curtails priority assistance to mines in which
are ruled out of the priorities by this War Production Board order. Shipments
the gold and silver content accounts for more than 30 percent of the dollar value
of smelting ores and concentrates, which were purchased by the amelters primarily
of the product, Such mines must apply for individual priority sesistance, which
for their base-metal content amounted to only 16,987 tons, or 15.4 percent of the
means long delays and that miles of red tape must be cut if any aid in to be ob-
total. The 93,374 tons of Arizona fluxing ores, for which machinery and equipment
tained at all.
no longer can be obtained, contained gold with a market value of $413,525, silver
The seriousness of this to small mines of Arizona is shown by smelter reports
with a value of $376,510, and copper with a value of $272,762.
which indicate that 74 percent of the dollar value of Arixona fluxing ores is in gold
You can appreciate what this means, The copper mines have been combing
and silver. The 93,374 tons of Arizona flusing ores shipped to smelters in 1941
the State for fluxing ores which have & metal content, and they must have them of
contained gold with a market value of $413,525, silver with a value of $376,510,
the production of copper will have to be curtailed, or the price increased to cover
and copper with a value of $272,762.
the cost of buying fluxes without value.
The order will be a particularly heavy blow to mines in Mohave County, one of
We have not had the opportunity nor the facilities for fully analyzing the State,
Arizona's most important mining counties, because gold and silver accounted for
but from the above you can see that the setting of an arbitrary 30 percent of the
74 percent of its production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zine reported at
base-metal production.
dollar value is going to do a great deal of harm, not only to the State, but to the
$3,141,236 in 1940. Yavapai County, with a 1940 output of nearly $13,000,000,
Regraded Unclassified
494
SILVER
SILVER
495
also will be seriously hurt because 30 percent of its output of the five major metals
Fluxing ores in Arisons and undoubtedly in many other States come from
consisted of gold and silver,
large number of different sources. You will note from the report that in 1941 a
Cochise County, which led the State in value of production of the five major
there were 259 different shippers of fluxing ores to the Arisona copper emelters
metals in 1940 by accounting for nearly $17,000,000 In value, also has A large gold
and in addition there were another 64 smaller shippers, with values mainly in
and silver output. These two metals accounted for 24 percent of its total value
gold and eilver, but where information on the exact metal content was not
that year and since this figure is an average it in obvious that gold and silver
obtainable.
content nt n. number of operations exceeded 30 percent.
These shippers are continuously searching for and finding the ores that the
smelters need. As the copper smelters increase their output, which they must do
to fulfill the war demands, they are going to require more searching and to get
DOUGLAS, ARIZ., March 9, 1942,
the fluxes that they want they will have to take it in smaller quantities from a
great number of sources.
Mr. WILBUR A. NELSON,
Administrator, War Production Board Mining Branch,
It would not be possible to have these sources of fluxing ores developed without
Washington, D. C.
a definite knowledge that those who are developing them were going to be able to
find a market for their production and to continue to get the necessary machinery
The Arizona civilian defense emphatically protesta and urges reconsideration
and supplies with which to keep going. There are many of them which could
of recent orders amending P-56 and P-100 reducing priorities ratings to gold and
never qualify under present limitations to get started, and yet, if the smelters are
eilver mines having dollar value in excess of 30 percent of total value. This
going to produce more copper, they must have the fluxes necessary.
seriously affects production of fluxing ores necessary to copper smelting; makes
The copper melters of Arizona have been continuously seeking more fluxing
necessary mining of fluxes with no value, which will consume even more machinery
ores than they have been able to get. When they find these additional fluxing
and supplies, as they have to be equipped; cuts down available copper, lead, and
ores they will produce more copper, but until they find them they are restricted.
zine available from ores which could not be mined at all if gold and silver values
The situation regarding fluxing ores has often been such that the smelters them-
were not present and has other serious results. While order has very damaging
selves, or the mining companies owning them, go out and help by leasing or
effect on economy of State and ruins certain communities which have no alterna-
financing to get the additional supplies that they must have.
tive industries, at least distinction should be made to exempt from order those
There la only one way that will satisfactorily solve this problem, and it is not
mines containing any base metals. Believe order should be further modified to
by making individual applications to the War Production Board for reinstatement
permit new mines getting started, Bell the new mines being made today are the ones
under P-56. The only way that it can be done is to give some kind of a blanket
we may be heavily leaning upon a few years from now in the event the war carries
rating which will assure these mines that when they start they can go ahead and
on that long. Believe your objective can be worked out without the damage being
keep on going. Many of them do not qualify even under the 10-men-employed
done by order as now written. Heartily concur with features of order giving
ruling but they make a very definite contribution to copper production.
higher ratings to base metal production than that which they have had. Would
It should be noted that the smelters will only buy the ores which they need to
respectfully suggest cancelation of that part of order referring to gold, silver mines,
make the proper metallurgical mix; therefore, the exemption from the recent order
and conference with those concerned to order which will create less damaging
should apply to all mines shipping to smelters regardless of gold and silver content.
situation, yet attain objective you seek.
It makes a rather ridiculous situation when any mine is cast aside and priorities
P. G. BECKETT,
are curtailed simply because they have high values in gold. and silver. Only
State Chairman, Division Industrial Resources and Production,
yesterday I had & letter from one of the members of our association asking me
Arizona Civilian Defense Coordinating Council,
what he should do regarding his mine in which he had recently opened up ore
running $12.60 gold, 16 ounces in silver, and 15 percent copper. He had 300
pounds of copper BE against 16½ ounces of gold and silver in a ton of rock, and
MARCH 10, 1942.
yet under the recent ruling be is virtually prohibited from getting equipment and
Dr. WILBUR A. NELSON,
supplies even though he could make a splendid contribution to copper production.
Administrator of Mining Branch, War Production Board,
He has 15 times as much copper in a ton of rock as many of the large copper mines.
Washington, D. C,
Undoubtedly this man could qualify under your special application provision,
DEAR MR. NELSON: The Arizona Small Mine Operators Association, con-
but in order to do 60 he has to undertake a lot of expense, reports, delay, and other
sisting of approximately 4,700 members, desires to register a most emphatic
obstacles. He not alone has to hurdle those existing today, but, because of what
protest against that portion of the recent amendment of preference rating order
has happened in the last several months, he has the fear of new and impossible
P-56 curtailing priorities' to gold and ellver mines. We can appreciate the
handleaps being created against him in the future. He simply does not have the
objective of your order but believe that it has been worked out in a most confused
finances back of him to hurdle the obstacles even though he has a very valuable
and complicated way and that the objective can be reached without causing the
ore and a much-needed contribution to the war program, Hence he will not start
damage and disturbances to the war industries that has been caused by this order.
until be sees a reasonably clear road ahead.
These various orders and changes are keeping the mine operators in such a
The above is but one of many typical cases and it is to be hoped that this prob-
state of confusion that they are just about ready to throw up their hands and my
lem can be solved in a manner that is simple enough for these small mine operators
"What's the use?" They have been anxious and ready to produce to help the war
to operate under. They do not have the money with which to go to Washington
program and find themselves so beset with obstacles and red tape that they do not
to entangle their difficulties. They do not have the funds for financing them
know where they are and cannot afford the expense of unraveling the red tape.
during long delays. They do not have the ability to fill out the many reports
I am enclosing a statement prepared by the Arizona Department of Mineral
required or the cash to engage an engineer to do it for them, yet they do have
Resources on this subject of curtailment of priorities to gold and ellver mines.
copper, lead, and zine which the Government wants very badly.
It does not include anything like a complete analysis of the subject, as it has been
We believe that the cost in curtailment of the Nation's effort for an all-out-for
bastily compiled with data readily available. It does not begin to show how
victory program and the delay caused by the issuance of this gold-silver priorities
damaging the situation really is, but I trust that you will read and absorb the
order will prove to be of far more importance than the saving of the very small
few points that it does bring out,
amount of machinery and supplies used by gold and silver mining. In other
The principal feature of this report is that which concerns us most in Arizona
words the country would be better off, in our opinion, if the order had never been
and that is the ability to continue mining fluxing ores under the revised order.
issued for it has added to the confusion and uncertainty.
This morning we have been informed that you have made the statement that
Space or time does not permit of a complete discussion of this most important
mines producing fluxing ores will be taken care of under the provision of the order
subject, There are many other phases of almost equal importance but we believe
which provides for special cases and appeal. This undoubtedly means that a
that you will see that & mistake has been made and that it will be corrected. We
mine producing fluxing ores can make individual applications to Washington for
know that you have & huge problem and that you are approaching that problem
reinstatement under P-56, but this in in no way A solution of the problem 168 we
with a sincere and honest effort to solve it. Mistakes will be made because of
see it here in the field.
failure to appreciate the Intricacies and details of all industries which you are
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
496
SILVER
497
required to act upon, but we feel that you will promptly make the changes
"Not only that," be went on, "there is another point. It in because we have
sary to fit the conditions.
We hope that the serious mistake of issuing the gold-silver equitable priorities and less order will
(bese high-grade silica fluxes available that we are able to treat a considerable
be promptly rectified by setting it aside until a more damaging
tonnage of low-grade siliceous ores containing values mainly in copper. Very
frequently, good copper values are found in low silica ores which in themselves are
plan can be worked out,
uselese (MI flux. Mixed with clean flux, they can be handled."
Yours sincerely,
CHARLES F, WILLIS,
Superintendents of other smelters express similar opinions and it is urged that
State Secretary, Arizona Small Mine Operators Association.
the War Production Board contact these men and verify for itself the accuracy of
these observations. It is believed that the Board's recent order, which threatens
to out off smelters' supplies of fluxing ores, should be modified and corrected
STATEMENT TO Da. WILBUR A. NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR OF MINING BRANCH,
before irreparable damage is done. Even delay would be serious to the base
metal program.
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD
Table I, appended to this report, giving data on Arisona custom ore shipments
(Prepared by the Arizona Department of Mineral Resources, Phoenix, Aria.)
to smelters for the year 1941 emphasizes the importance of fluxing ores, Eighty-
five percent of the custom ores shipped, or 93,374 tons out of a total of 110,361
The War Production Board's recent amendment of preference rating order
tons, consisted of fluxing ores which contained & low copper content but high
P-56, curtailing priority assistance to gold and silver mines, has caused serious
values in gold and silver.
apprehension among mine operators in Arizona and throughout the west, The
The smelting oree and concentrates, which were shipped for their copper content
misgivings that they feel and have expressed are by no means based solely on the
and which carried minor values in gold and silver, amounted to only 15 percent of
dismal outlook for gold and silver mining; they are alarmed na well over the effect
the total shipments. These figures do not include the ores delivered to smelters
that the new order may have on the production of such base metale as copper,
by the major copper-producing mines in Arizona including those operated by
lead, and aine, which are HO sorely needed in the war program.
Phelps Dodge Corporation, Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co., Miami Copper
While the granting of higher ratings to producers of the so-called essential war
Co., Nevada Consolidated Copper Corporation, Magma Copper Co., and Shattuck
minerals is recognised as a constructive step, the exclusion of gold and silver mines
Denn Mining Co., but the custom ores shipped from the small mines played an
from P-56 has caused concern and consternation because it in not felt that the
important part in the reduction of the output of the large producers.
A-10 rating, still open to producers of these two metals, is adequate under present
Table II shows the metal content of the fluxing orea acquired by the smelters
conditions to furnish them with needed supplies and equipment. If an A-10
last year and reveals that the gold and silver values of the fluxing ores shipped to
rating were good enough, there would be no point in granting A-1-c ratings to
smelters in 1941 contained gold with a market value of 8413,525, silver with & value
producers of base metals.
of $373,510. and copper worth only $272,762. Smelters obtained this material
It is felt that the order barring gold and ailver mines from P-56 was due to
from 259 different shippers and there were 64 still smaller shippers of fluxing
misunderstanding and to a lack of appreciation of the importance of gold and
material with values mainly in gold and silver.
silver production to the mining and treatment of base metals. Gold and silver
Since the Board's order curtails priority assistance under P-56 to any mine
ores which contain a high silica content are essential to the smelting and reduction
in which the combined gold and silver content equala or exceeds 30 percent of the
of copper and high lime is necessary to lead smelting.
total dollar value, it in clearly evident that producers of these fluxing ores would
Smelters have essential requirements for maintaining & metallurgical balance
not be entitled to better than an A-10 priority rating. Arizona is known as the
in their operations. These are the proper relative proportions of lime or silies to
leading copper-producing State in the Union and the general inclination is to
sulfides and since the perfect ore that contains exactly the right proportions of
minimize the importance of the State's gold and silver production. Nevertheless,
these constituents does not usually occur in nature it is necessary for the smelters
much of the copper mined could not be recovered if it were not for the gold and
to acquire them from different locations.
silver content, and reduction of the copper sulfides would not be possible without
In Árizona, the great bulk of the copper ores are sulfide in character with con-
fluxing material which is obtained in large quantities from the gold and silver
centrates extra high and consequently there is A deficiency of silica. The alboa-
producers.
tion in Arizona regarding copper ores applies equally to other States where copper
Table III gives data on gold and silver production in Arizona by counties in
and lead are mined-it is necessary to purchase siliceous or lime ores for smelting
1940, gathered from the United States Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook,
purposes and if they can be obtained with something of value in them, no much the
and shows that the production of gold and silver in certain counties far exceeds the
30 percent maximum value of gold and silver used by the War Production Board in
better.
As a result, the smelters often pay premiums for the siliceous orea produced by
cutting off priority assistance to gold and silver producers under P-56. It is note-
gold and silver properties or high lime ores in order to obtain proper fluxing ms-
worthy that 18.7 percent of the total value of Arisona production of gold, silver,
terials, and they must have them to smelt copper, lend, and other metals, It
copper, lead, and zine in 1940 was accounted for by gold and silver.
would seem to be absolutely ridiculous to force the gold and silver mines, which
The order will be a particularly heavy blow to mines in Mohave County, one of
have been providing these materials, to shut down and create either a curtailment
the State's most important mining counties, because gold and silver values re-
of the smelting of base metals or require the smelters to go out and develop new
covered amounted to $2,329,217, or 74 percent of the total value of its output of
sources of flux without value, but with cost and consumption of equipment
gold, silver, copper, lead, and zine, which aggregated $3,141,236 in 1940. Yavapai
County, with a 1940 output of nearly $13,000,000, also will be seriously hurt because
equal to that which has value.
As a matter of fact, if it becomes necessary to develop quartz mines in order to
30 percent of its output of the five major metals consisted of gold and silver.
acquire alliceous ores, the cost will be greater and much additional equipment
Cochise County, which led the State in value of production of the five major
will be required. The gold and silver mines are already developed and equipped
metals in 1940 by accounting for & total of nearly $17,000,000, also has a large
and are on a producing basis. To start work in unexploited and unexplored de-
gold and silver output. These two metals were responsible for 24 percent of the
posits will require tremendous expenditures for new equipment and a considerable
total value of the county's 1940 output and since this figure is an average it in
delay. Furthermore, A-1-a priority ratings may well be needed to obtain the
obvious that gold and silver content at a number of operations exceeded 30 percent.
In order to bring out the serious effect that curtailment of gold production may
new machinery,
A superintendent of one of the Arizona copper emelters stated: "The gold-silver
have on certain areas in Arisona, tables IV and V were prepared to show the Im-
silleeous fluxing ores are very essential in the smelting of copper orea and COD-
portance of mining in Mohave County, where gold and silver dominate mining
centrates. We depend almost entirely on gold-silver ores, which rarely contain
operations. Table IV was compiled from the employers' contribution reports to
any copper, for use as flux in the converters in order to complete the production
the Arizona Employment Security Commission and reveals that, of the industries
covered by the Workmen's Compensation Act, mining in by far the most important
of copper from the reverberatory matte."
Another superintendent declared: "It would be & serious blow to us if our ship-
providing 57 percent of the employment and 63 percent of the pay roll.
ments of gold-silver siliceous ones were cut off. As far AS we are concerned,
These figures cover only those employed directly by the industry while as &
the bulk of our receipts of gold-silver ores are used strictly for fluxing purposes
matter of fact A heavy percentage of those employed in trade, service, utilities,
and without them we would be in a serious predicament."
73052
pt.
Regraded Unclassified
498
SILVER
SILVER
499
and other industries are indirectly dependent on mining and the pay rolls it
provides for their livelihood.
TABLE II.-Gold, silver, and copper content of Arizona fluzing oree, year 1941
Inasmuch as the Workmen's Compensation Act does not cover employees in the
agricultural industry and & number of other occupations (see footnote at bottom
of table IV) table V was compiled from the 1930 United States census figures on
Metal
Amount contained
Value
Percent of
total value
persons engaged in gainful occupations in Mohave County to show more clearly
mining's relative importance to the county. It will be noted from the table that
Gold
11,815 onness
$413,825
silver
539, ounces
88.01
only two primary industries appear-mining and agriculture.
376,510
2,273,022 pounds
85.43
Therefore, the entire population of Mohave County is dependent on the new
Copper
272,726
25.00
wealth provided by these industries and by the tourists on whom figures are not
Total
1,062,797
available. Without these industries, there would be no need for service, trade,
Gold and silver combined
100.00
790,035
74.84
construction, and utility industries. It is upon mining and agriculture that the
county was built and if one of these two industries in withdrawn the effect will be
almost disastrous.
TABLE III.-Value of mine production of gold and nilver in Arizona compared with
From the standpoint of the communities and counties dependent on gold and
total value of gold, silver, copper, lead, and sine output by counties, year 1940
silver mining, every effort should be made to maintain their production and avoid
a collapse of their economic structure. But even if it is felt that the war effort
Gold,
comes first and that it may be necessary to sacrifice communities to the victory
Fine
County
Value
Fine ouners
Gold and
Percentage
Value
silver,
program, there still is no justification for clamping down on the gold and silver
ounoss
silver value
of total-8
copper,
metals
lend, sine
because of the importance of these metals to the Nation's financial structure and
value
to the production of war essential metals.
Gold and silver are thought of as monetary metals and of relatively little
Cochise
65,004
$3,277,240
2,074,564
$1,830,801
$4,108,041
24.21
importance today. However, in view of the tremendous expenditures that are
Coconino
4
140
218
$15,968,111
155
295
& 01
Glla
4,961
173,635
144,336
102,639
9,767
being made and the always present threat of inflation due to the unprecedented
276,274
.17
Graham
48
1,680
2,333
16,332,698
1,659
3,330
56.62
and rapidly growing national debt, these metals are vital to the Nation's credit
Greenlee
1,185
41,478
83,859
5,897
59,633
101,108
3.20
Maricopa
6,729
235,516
122,518
8,156,719
system.
87,124
322,639
91.08
Mohave
59,037
2,066,295
369,734
354,218
262,922
Moreover, silver is coming into greater prominence as a result of the war
2,329,217
74.15
Pima
33,525
1,173,375
394,581
8,141,236
280,501
1,453,966
10.97
Pinal
48,227
1,812,045
1,061,107
13,253,316
demand for other metals and the fields in which it can be used as a substitute,
754,565
2,267,510
15.94
Aside from its applications in photography and the drug industry, both of which
Banta Crus
2,545
89,075
640,710
14,228,443
455,616
544,691
31.58
Yavapal
75,210
2,632,350
1,742,558
1,651,555
1,174,439
3,806,789
are vital in war, it is finding wider use in plating as & substitute for tin and in
20.69
Yuma
3,272
114,520
29,700
12,823,783
21,120
135,640
RU.83
150,996
electrical equipment as & substitute for copper.
Total
The most important reason for giving these mines whatever priority assistance
294,807
10,318,245
7,075,215
5,031,264
15,349,509
18.68
81,167,780
is necessary to permit continued and uninterrupted operations, however, is the
need of the gold and silver ores by the smelters for fluxing purposes. If there
TABLE IV.-Employment and wage payments in Mohave County, Arie., year 1940
were no other reason at all for the War Production Board to reconsider its hasty
action in denying gold and silver mines priority assistance under P-56, this
Average
Percent of
Industry
Wage pay-
Percent of
would be sufficient because in this manner these mines are making a vital and
number of
total em-
indispensable contribution to the victory program.
ployees
menta
total wage
employees
payments
Mining
668
Contract construction
57.05
$1,045,571.57
63.18
TABLE I.-Shipments of custom ores and concentrates to smelters by small lot shippers
6
Manufacturing
.81
10,673.99
.65
19
Transportation
1.62
in Arizona, year 1941
23,531.50
1.42
19
Communication
1.62
20,589.68
1.24
Utilities
13
1.11
23,038.23
1.39
Trade
40
3.42
54,871.77
3.32
Copper content
Gold content
Silver content
Real estate
241
20.58
325,701.76
19.60
Service
10
.85
12,281.76
.74
Percent of total shippers
Percent of total shipped
Professional service
144
12.30
127,811.05
7.72
Miscellaneous
5
.43
4,584.14
.28
Type of one or con-
Number of shippers
Tons of are shipped
Percent of total copper
6
.51
6,111.25
.37
Total
centrates
Ounces
Ounces per ton
Ounes per ton
1,171
100.00
1,654,767.00
100.00
Source: Employers' contribution reports to Arisons Employment Security Commission. These figures
Pounds
Parcent
Ounees
include only workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation Act. Companies with less than 3
employees, nor the wage earners of certain nonprofts organizations.
employees are not subject to the law. Neither are agricultural labor, domestic services, Government
Fluxing
259
84.6
03,374
84.6
TABLE V.-Persona engaged in gainful occupations in Mohave County, year 1950
Smelting
2,273,022
1.22
31.4
11,815
0.1265
529,473
5.671
47
15.4
16,987
15.4
4,963,713
14.61
68.6
(1)
(1)
3
3
206
Industry
Number of
Percent of
100.0
110,361
100.0
employees
total em-
Industry
Number of
Percent of
Total
7,236,735
3.19
100.0
ployees
employees
total em-
ployees
a Not available.
Agriculture
Mining
542
22.16
Trade
285
11.68-
Source: Complied by the Arizona Department of Mineral Resources from data submitted by the operators
Construction
531
21.71
Real estate
16
.65
of smelters treating Arizona ores. Smelters submitting the dats from which the table was complied include
Manufacturing
M
3.43
Finance
24
,95
Transportation
55
the Clarkdale and Dougles amelters of Phelps-Dodge Corporation, the Hayden and El Paso plants of
125
Government service
130
5.31
American Stnelting & Refining Co., the Miami smelter of International Amelting & Refining Co., and the
Communication
196
7.07
Magma Copper Co. smelter at Superior.
Utilities
67
2.74
Total
2,445
99.99
NOTE-In addition to the above there are also 64 still smaller shippers of fluxing ores with values mainly
55
1.80
in gold and silver, but metal content is not available.
The above tabulation does not Include abipments of the major properties In Arizona operated by Philpe
break-down Bonroe: United States osnsus figures for the year 1980 classified to correspond M closely an possible to the
Dodge Corporation. Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co., Miami Copper Co., Nevada Consolidated Cop-
player of employment used by the Arisona Employment Security Commission in Its reports of em-
per Corporation, Magnia Copper Co., and Shattuck Denn Mining Co.
of are much higher than those of the employment security persons commission which apply only to employees
rally contributions, The consua figures, which include all engaged in estatul occupations nato-
employees, domestic servants, nor the employees of certain nonproôt cover organizations.
businesses where I or more individuals are working and does not agricultural workers, Government
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
501
500
(From the Mining Journal, March 18, 1942]
Even while one part of the particular order gives & highly improved and pre-
DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS
recognizing mining BE being almost on the par with munitions, another section of
ferred rating to some producers and to the manufacturers of mining machinery,
While it has down" on priorities for gold and allver mines, or give them a low
been expected for some time that the War Production Board
same order gives a lowered rating to Those who produce fluxes. And fluxes
are the just as essential to base-metal mining as machinery.
would "crack than that occupied by copper, lead, drastic zine, and than other metals, the
Flagrant ignorance of the mining industry was shown by those who wrote that
preferred order that place finally came out was many times more even the most
It would be laughable if it were not 50 serious, but the bottleneck of the
order. whole production program is the shortage of raw materials. Sometimes it looks
pessimiatic anticipated. A-10 granted sounds like a fair rating, the in way the that cold everything is
though deliberate efforts were being made to sabotage the war program by
being pushed will be obtainable under it. The drawing regardless of the which
While the up ahead means that A-10 is being left out of the line at and mines that very
restricting, as or making more difficult, raw-materials output.
There possibly are some gold and silver mines that are not essential to the
soon nothing 30 percent or more gold and silver in dollar value, ridiculous that it is base-
effort, except from an economic point of view, and thus the steel and other
contain metal content or the uses to which the ore is put, is so hard to
war commodities which they consume might be used more effectively in other war
industries. It in always A question of relative importance. However, these
understand. admitting-which we do not-that the metals, gold the and silver, are non-
the exceptional cases, and to "crack down" on a very large group, and then
Even insofar no the defense program la concerned, copper, lead, sine,
are make each one individually justify its own right to participate in the war effort
essentials and other metals which are highly assential are 80 extra the important and
is a mighty back-handed way of solving the problem.
tungsten, more hi volume that we should be quite willing to permit in production
Many necessary producing units will never qualify because they cannot afford
80 much little oilver and gold to get them. It is the silver and gold it many casos
the expense and red tape involved. The number of producing units that can
of a sweeten the value of copper, lead, and sine ores and make left in possible to
qualify would be at least 50 to 1 as compared with those which would seek quali-
which mine them. Without the ailver and gold, they would have to be the ground,
fication on an economic basis.
Likewise important are the minerals contained other than the base metals.
If it is possible for the mining branch of the War Production Board to shut
Copper silies available to offect the high sulfide concentrates they make.
smelters need and must have silica and the large copper mines which seldom have
down all gold and ailver mines and then determine, after individual application
and consideration which ones are sufficiently important to the war program to
enough scour the country for high silicious ores and hope to be able to find them
be permitted to resume, a reverse procedure likewise should be possible; that is,
with a ruled out, yet the copper smelters will have to find and mine fluxes.
They gold-silver content that pays for the cost of handling them. Now these
let all properties continue to operate and determine by individual examination
of records which ones should be shut down, or which ones consume needed sup-
ores The equipment are and supplies used in mining fluxes without value will likely be
plice in excess of the importance of that which they produce. The plan being
even greater than mining the same quantities with values as it will mean new
used means delay and less ultimate production; the other means the speeding
which is so highly desirable. Again we say that if there is an awkward and
mines to get under way.
Similarly, lime is an essential in lead smelting. Without lime flux we will not
up complicated way of doing a thing, they seem to be able to find it in Washington,
lead and we must have it. Just because you are unfortunate enough of to have
It is far from soothing to receive suave assurance that everything will work
get lime rock with some gold and silver values in it to help pay for the cost mining,
out all right; that no mine producing appreciable quantities of copper, lead, or
zine, will be denied priorities; that no mine producing needed fluxing ores will
a you are prohibited from getting supplies and equipment.
It is such a ridieulous ruling and definition that we feel it will be modified just
be held back. They have been hurt and the whole program has been delayed.
as to the base-metal production program. We know there are some capable
quickly as its sponsors can be made to appreciate what damage they have mining done
Unfortunately, Mr. Jap is not waiting until we get our house in order. We are
engaged in & war that (s) costing many lives and much money, and every day that
men connected with the War Production Board. That la what makes It 80 hard
preparations are delayed costs additional lives and extends the financial burden
to understand why they get so far off on the wrong foot.
to new generations.
The enemy must derive aid and comfort to see that the men in Washington
who dominate the policies of the basic war industry-mining-know nothing
about it, and that the men in Washington who do know mining-and there are
[From The Mining Journal, April 15, 1042]
many of them-seemingly lack the guts to tell their polley-making superiors
just how harmful and far-reaching some of their actions are.
DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS
We do believe that this and other wrinkles will be ironed out eventually, but
Wars are not won with brave words and stirring bands. Wars are won with
why cause the wrinkles in the first place?
CHARLES F. WILLIS.
deeds. promising cooperation of government, of labor, of industry, and of all the people.
Wars are won with production. Wars are won through the full, uncom-
Our war will be won or lost on the home front. Victory depends on whether we
BELMONT COPPER MINING Co.,
can make and deliver the endless quantities of planes and shipe and guna and
Superior, Aria,, March 10, 1942,
ammunition that our troops and our allies 80 sorely need.
And we are never going to make these planes and ships and guns and ammuni-
Mr. CHARLES F. WILLIS,
tjon until we first produce the raw materials with which to construct them. The
Phoenix, Aris.
basie raw materials are minerals and metals and we hope that Washington will
DEAR Mn. WILLIS: With reference to the suggestion of the Office of Production
Management that priorities be extended only to those mines where the copper
soon learn that it must do something about getting them.
production is at least 70 percent of the total value in the ore, this would work as &
Nothing has happened in the mining industry in a long time which has stirred
great hardship on companies that are endeavoring to open up new copper are
so much wrath as the recent ill-advised and ridiculously written order which
bodies. In the case of this company, the property was recently and very thoroughly
"cracked up down" on mines simply because they happen to have gold and ellver of
examined by engineers representing one of the large mining companies and
values in excess of 30 percent of the dollar-value of their production, regardless
serious consideration is being given to an extensive development program in the
the use to which these ores are put. While one department of the Government
belief that & rich copper mine will be developed at depth similar to the high-grade
another department "cracks down" and says these metals cannot be produced it
tells us how badly it needs copper, lead, and zine, and urges all-out production
and deep-seated ore bodies in the nearby Magma Copper Co. The ores so far
mined at and near to the surface on our property are thoroughly oxidized and
without going through and keeping up B complicated procedure that makes
leached, with silver and gold predominating. With greater depth the silver and
almost impossible for the mines to produce.
gold values decrease and the copper increases. In this district oxidation goes
deep and the main ore body of the Magma Copper Co. has its apex between the
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
503
502
500-foot level. At our property, the veins hundred near to feet the the surface 000-
4. This order will create widerpread unemployment at & time when employment
400- tain practically and DO copper, and at A depth of several ore rune
is very important, both from the standpoint of economic necessity and of morale.
5. This order will automatically deprive the Government of a large cash income,
between 1½ when and 2 copper percent mines copper, are to be found near the surface in long past and
badly needed to purchase war supplies, that does not cost the taxpayers & penny.
we should showings are favorable. This company for years which past has been
The day look for them in proven districts where the several geological conditions and
Now let us amplify these statements a little. I have said that this order will
seriously interfere with the production of strategic metals. Here in how: The
surface siliceous ores containing silver, copper, issue and gold in the cause are of required
large producers of copper and other strategic metals all have ores that require the
producing smelters for flux but the more important at national
addition of fluxing ores for smelting. They buy these ores only when they serve
by defense the is the excellent prospect of finding rich copper ore greater depth.
this purpose. The ores they buy are produced, almost exclusively, by mines that
Yours very truly,
will be closed down by this order. It would cost more, take more machinery, sup-
ARTHUR J. SMITH, Secretary.
plies, and equipment, to provide other sources of these fluxes, than will be required
to continue the operation of the present mines supplying them-and it would
take months to develop them.
[Radio address delivered by Col. station Charles KTAR H. Phoenix, Rutherford, Art., Civilian March Adde 14, to 1942] the Secretary of War, over ralla
In addition, the actual facts are that & large percentage, B large majority in
fact, of the mines producing strategic metals could not operate at all if their oren
How MISTAKEN PRIORITIES POLICIES HANDICAP Our ALL-OUT WAR EFFORTS
did not contain enough gold and silver to pay at least part of the cost of operation;
and there are large numbers of them, whose production of strategic metals is
I have said to you before, in this series of talks on national defense, and more
important, that produce gold and silver far above this arbitrary ruling.
recently in my talks on winning the war, that I consider it the duty of every citizen
1 have said that this order will prevent putting into production important
call attention to what he believes to be mistakes made by our public officials;
prospective producers of strategic metals; for instance, a few days ago, the State
to I have told you that I consider it the duty of those with an intimate connection
secretary of the Arisona Small Mine Operators Association notified Dr. Nelson,
with and Washington officialdom to go to bat for the correction of such mistakes.
who promulgated this absurd order, of a case in Arizona of & mine ready to go into
about Strange a lawyer not trying his own suits. 1 went to bat on the matter of military
to say, I follow my own advice in this matter, in spite of the old adages
production with ore that runs 300 pounds of copper to the ton, 15 times what
many of the large mines produce-yet because his ore has 16½ ounces of gold and
defenses for our dame and utilities-and the guards are here. I helped in the
silver, this order makes it impossible for him to operate. And what happened?
campaign against the mistaken priorities ruling affecting irrigation equipment-
Two days later the man who made the order declared that it would not be modified.
and the mistakes have been corrected.
That this order will make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to finance
But now we have come up against a mistake in priorities rulings that taken the
the development and operation of more mines to supply more of the needed
grand prize for absolute lunacy. I refer to the recent order cutting down the
strategic metals, This la almost self-evident, Why should anyone take a
silver. There is no use mincing words, or polling punches, this is 80 absolutely
priorities standing of mines having 30 percent or over of their values in gold and
chance on investing money in mine development if they can anticipate that just
such ridioulous orders BS this one are likely to destroy the development, close the
absurd that those responsible for it automatically convict themselves of absolute
mine, and lose their investment?
and complete ignorance about mining in all its phases, and by this action convict
That this order will create widespread unemployment, which is self-evident and
themselves of not having the faintest idea about what-in connection with min-
needs no elaboration.
That this order will deprive the Government of a large cash income, badly
ing or will not be helpful in winning the war.
Now naturally, since it is obvious that this ruling-if not materially modified-
needed to purchase war supplies, that does not cost the taxpayers anything. Here
will have a direct and seriously bad effect upon winning the war; and since my
is how and why:
superior officer, the Secretary of War, has so tremendous & responsibility in our
Under the Silver Remonetization Act of 1939 silver producers ship to the United
war effort the first thing I did when this silly ruling threatened the mining industry
States mint. The mint coins 55 percent into silver dollars and sends it as pay-
as A whole, and strategic minerals in particular, was to sit down and write & letter
ment, and retains 45 percent as payment for receiving, handling, coining, etc.,
most of which in clear profit to the Government. Last year this amounted to
to the Secretary, Here is what I wrote:
PHOENIX, ARIZ., March 11, 1048.
nearly $40,000,000 the Government received, which did not cost the taxpayers
anything, and which would buy quite & few planes our beleaguered forces in the
Hon. BENRY L. STIMSON,
South Pacific need 80 badly. And Dr. Nelson blithely proposes to stop this source
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.
of revenue to the Government.
DEAR Ma. SECRETARY: As your civilian aide in the important mining State
Taken altogether, Mr. Secretary, this order reaches such heights of absurdity,
of Arizona, I would be derolict in my duty if I did not call your attention to the
and discloses such depths of ignorance regarding the actual facts in mining stra-
inovitable handicaps to our war efforts that would follow the recent order of
tegle metals, that the English language hardly contains strong enough terms to
Dr. Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator of the Mining Branch of the War Production
denounce it.
Board. This order, unless either revoked or greatly modified, will place a number
I am fully aware, of course, that this order comes from a bureau over which
of handicaps on our conduct of the war, and since you have such tremendous
you have no control, just as other orders and rulings which interfere with the most
responsibilities in carrying on the war you should be informed by persons who
efficient functioning of your War Department. And, I am also fully aware that
the people of the United States, whenever anybody of any bureau gets in your
know. I have lived and practiced law in Arizona for over 36 yeare-most of it in
way in earrying out the fine job you are doing in winning the war, will back you
mining eamps, and much of it concerning mining. I am & past chairman of the
up in demanding that the orders that interfere be revoked, and the persons who
Arizona Small Mine Owners Association. I have studied the problems of national
issue such orders be released where they can do no more harm.
defense, and preached national preparedness, for more than 20 years, and I have
I do not advocate the Japanese system of hari-kiri, for those who made major
actively aided in the national preparedness efforts, as civilian aide to the Secretary
mistakes, but I surely hope that something can be done to correct this major
of War. for 12 years.
error, and eliminate those responsible for It. We have no place in this Govern-
I can assure you, oill of my long experience and observation of both mining
ment, at this time when we are fighting with our backs to the wall, for the preserva-
matters and of the problems of national defense, that this order, unless revoked,
tion of human liberty, for people who make rash and absurd orders that actually
will handicap our war program in all the following ways:
damage our war efforts, and, I can promise you, Mr. Secretary, 100 percent support
1. This order will seriously interfere with the production of strategic matale-
from the people of Arizona in whatever efforts you make to cure this situation.
copper, lend, zine, manganese, tungsten, and others.
Respectfully submitted.
2. This order will prevent putting into production large numbers of mines
CHARLES H. RUTHERFORD,
capable of producing strategie metals, now ready to produce,
Colonel, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of War.
3. This order will make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to finance
further mining development and production of strategic metals.
Unclassified
504
SILVER
SILVER
505
You might gather from this letter that I am & little "het up" an our "Old
one 8 few days later dated March 4 explaining that the order does not mean that
Roman" used to say, Well, I am. I have been in public life for more than a
the mines will be cut off from priorities assistance, but that, "It la felt that each
longer, and I know of no instance where such complete ineptitude, has led such abyamal
generation, and have observed matters affecting governmental activities much
such case should be dealt with on its merits in order to conserve scarce materials."
Why in the name of reason should the War Production Board issue an order of
ignorance of the actual facts and the inevitable results, to such an inex-
this nature covering the mining industry which results in the throwing oute the
already overburdened and overcomplicated and overorganised War Production
cusable order.
of importance in Washington, and protest against the continuance of this abourd
I hope that every citizen within the sound of my voice will write to anybody
Board the burden of considering every mining operation in this country as &
special case.
order, which if carried out, will close down our mines by the hundred, and make
One of the earliest arrivals in Washington on this matter had the following
it more difficult and expensive to produce strategle metals, and which will bank-
experience: Having explained the position of his mine and its production of lead
rupt many small mine owners and operators; that will throw thousands of men
and zino coincident with the gold and silver in the ore which exceeded the 30
out of work and handicap mining development throughout the West.
percent limit, he was informed that if be would go to Mr. X in temporary building Y,
I hope that Representatives in Congress of every mining State will rise up
wing Z, and be would certify that the alne production was necessary, and if he would
and make the welkin ring with denunciation of this inexcusable example of
then go to Mr. 8, in temporary building U, wing V, and he would certify that the
lead production was necessary, he would récommend that the present high
bureaucratic bungling.
I hope that the newspapers and cartoonista of the Nettor will denounce this
priority rating of the mine, which had been annulled by the order, should be
order, and place the proper headgear on this pleture of the dunces who are
restored and he held out hope to the operator that, inasmuch ne his recommenda-
tions generally had been approved, that it was likely that this one also would be
capable of such incompetance.
The miners of the West are good Americans. They are working hard and
approved. In the meantime, "They also serve who only stand and walt."
fast. They are performing some of the most useful and necessary functions in
This is in accord with the policy of the Department which in its last release
connection with the war. They are producing the minerals without which we
dated March 4, as mentioned above, has the following concluding paragraph:
would be compelled to fold up and let the yellow termites of Japan eat up the
"Border-line cases in which there in some question AS to whether the proportion
foundations of our liberties.
of gold and silver produced by a mine is high enough to remove it from the cover-
We cannot and we will not permit some ignorant bureaucrat in Washington
age of P-56 will be reviewed on appeal, and the right to use blanket ratings under
to put our mining industry out of business, nor to make it impossible for our
the terms of the order may be granted in specific cases."
Then take the case of another mine producing lead and sinc. It operated for
miners to do their share in winning the war.
The excuse offered is that each case can be heard on ite own merita, This is AA
a year and a half at a loss of $62,000 and shut down 30 days ago because under
silly AM the original order. Each case would be heard by the same man who issued
current conditions of cost of labor and supplies and taxes it could not operate
the ridiculous order-and how far would they get? The small mine owners and
except at a loss. If it could get & zero quota and operate under the new metals
producers of the West cannot afford to go to Washington. They cannot afford
reserve premium prices to stimulate production it could resume. It applied for B.
to employ high-priced representatives to go there, to fight for their right to exist
sero quota and was informed that it did not have to apply, that the quota would
and serve their country, and they cannot afford to remain in Washington and wait
in due time be issued automatically based on the 1941 production. The circum-
their turn for IL hearing before people who have already made up their minds and
stances being explained the operator was informed that an application could be
filed and would be considered. The application was filed and its supporting
made them up wrong, as the man did who issued this order.
documents of statistics and operating data ran to 31 pages plus n. mine map.
In closing, I appeal to you, the small mine owners and operators, to let out a
roar which will be heard throughout the West, and pry this man loose from his
The operator was then informed that 8 copies would have to be made and 6
members of a committee would study the matter that then they would have B
underpinning. Write your Senators and Congressman for action and relief.
conference and then would make their recommendation. In the meantime the
Let no one interfere with your desire to do your part in winning the war.
production of lead and aine from this mine is not forthcoming. Now some of the
I thank you, and good night.
men on this committee of 6 are known to be men who have been mining lead and
sine all their lives, and have built large plants in this country and abroad. But
they have no authority. They can only study and recommend.
(From American Metal Market, March 7, 1942)
Why is it necessary to issue orders which set up almost insuperable obstacles
THE METALS LABYRINTH IN WASHINGTON
to the smooth functioning of a necessary war industry only to have to concentrate
the entire ingenuity of everybody concerned in finding legal ways and means,
Our War Production Board has issued an order which denies the use of present
bordered with red tape, in an effort to remove these obstacles?
blanket priority ratings to mines whose production consists of gold and silver to
The various metal offices of the War Production Board are now inhabited by
more than 30 percent of the total dollar volume produced.
the cream of the mining profession. At every turn one meets old friends from
Immediately on promulgation of this order, Washington was deluged with
Africa or South America or the various mining districts in this country. Private
mine operators who could get to Washington overnight, by long distance telephone
capital has trusted their judgment on the expenditure of literally hundreds of
messages, and by telegrams protesting against this order and its inevitable results.
millions of dollars in the development and operation of mines, That they have
Without discussing the question as to when a mine in a gold mine or a base-
justified this trust both in the way of integrity and professional ability in shown
metal mine, and the fact that the average man would be inclined to say that it was
by their rise to eminence in the mining profession. Why should they be put in
a gold mine if more than 50 percent of its product was gold, let us see what has
subordinate positions in Washington to recommend to someone higher up, who
happened on the 30 percent basis of the order and what would happen on a 50-
still has to be educated in the mining business, what should be done to get out
percent basis. Take specifically the State of Utah where there are five smelters,
war metals in the midst of this most terrible war?
more than in any other one mining district in the country. To smelt these sulfide
If such things can happen in an industry which is do closely related to our own
oree of copper and lead, It is a metallurgical necessity that they have silicious flux.
daily bread, it is a fair assumption that the same thing is transpiring with respect
It 80 happens that there are mining camps in Utah, such for example as Tintle,
to other industries we are not familiar with and it is also a fair assumption that
which mine nothing but dry silieious ores of gold and silver. These dry silicious
this in one of the reasons why President Roosevelt le distressed nt the number of
ores are the absolutely indispensable fluxing ores needed by the smelters to pro-
"parasites" whom he has ordered out of Washington and it is also a fair con-
duen the copper and lead which the same War Production Board and Office of
clusion that we do not know any more about running a war than George Washing-
Price Administration tell us are very much short of war needs.
ton knew about a Ford car.
Under this order, therefore, every one of these mines producing dry silicious
gold ores needed for flux would lose their priority ratings, and what would happen
The chair recognizes Senator McCarran.
to the smeltere? The uproar caused by this order resulted in the issue of another
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
507
506
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE PAT McCARRAN,
Senator McCaRRAN. I notice, Mr. Chairman, that Dr. Nelson has
SENATOR FROM NEVADA
very kindly consented to be with us this morning, pursuant to the
request of this committee. I am wondering if Mr. Batt or Mr.
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, I think it might be well for
Knowlson will be present. Dr. Nelson, can you tell us?
us to approach this subject with a brief history of what has occasioned
Mr. NELSON. Mr. Batt's office called me and said that, at the time
this meeting, by reason of what has affected the mining industry in
the request came to his office this morning, he had already left the
the last few months.
office for some appointment at the other end of town. They said
On March 2 of this year there was issued what is known as the
they would try to locate him, but they had been unable to locate him
priority order of March 2-priority rating order P-56 ns amended on
at the time I left.
March 2, 1942, copy of which has already been inserted in the record.
Senator McCarran. A very interesting article entitled "A Message
Pursuant to that order, Mr. Chairman, a number of meetings were
to Mine Operators and Manufacturers of Mining Machinery and
held throughout the mining region, one especially at the Mackey
Supplies," by Dr. Wilbur A. Nelson, has been published in the Engi-
School of Mines in Reno, Nev., and one at Denver, Colo., at which
neering and Mining Journal for April 1942. It B not lengthy, but it
mining operators and miners attended quite liberally. Those hear-
is full of exceedingly interesting matter. I respectfully suggest that
ings were reported, and the record is available at this time, They are
it be made & part of the record.
somewhat voluminous and need not go into the record here, but I
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the article will be placed in the
think that they should be before the committee.
record.
Pursuant to the effecting of the order of March 2, 1942, and by
(The article referred to is as follows:)
reason of the effecting of that order in the mining States generally, it
was my privilege to offer a resolution in the Senate of the United
A MESSAGE TO MINE OPERATORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF MINING MACHINERY
AND SUPPLIES
States, known as Senate Resolution 232, of the legislative day of March
5 and calendar day of March 25, 1942. I think that that resolution
By Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator, Mining Branch, Materials Division, War
might well appear in the record at this point.
Production Board, Washington, D. C.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it is so ordered.
In setting up the Mining Branch of the Materials Division of the War Produo-
(S. Res. 232, legislative day of March 5, calendar day of March 25,
tion Board, clear recognition was given to the fact that mining is No. 1 war In-
1942, is as follows:)
dustry and that certain metals and nonmetallic minerals are prime essentials to 6
military victory. No other industry rivals mining in the essential character of
(8. Res. 202, 77th Coug., 2d sess.)
its products, nor can any other industry make ite full contribution to the war
RESOLUTION
without them. Planes, tanks, guns, ships, and all the implements and instru-
ments of modern mechanized warfare call for metals in ever-Increasing quantities.
Resolved, That the special committee crested pursuant to S. Res. 187, Seventy-
The essential character of these raw materials is axiomatic.
fourth Congress, agreed to August 16, 1935, or any duly authorized subcommittee
To the mining industry this is at once a matter of pride and responsibility.
thereof, is authorized and directed to make a full and complete investigation with
The very importance of the industry entails an equal measure of obligation to seo
respect to the origin of, and the necessity for, the amendment made on March 2,
that minerals are produced in quantity-and in time-to insure victory. The
1942, to Preference Rating Order P-56 (relating to preference ratings for deliveries
need was never so critical; the time was never 80 short. As President Roosevelt
of materials for mining enterprises) under which mines are excluded from the
has so well said: "Never before have we had 80 little time in which to do 80 much."
benefits of such order if more than 30 per centum of their production in dollar
A heavy duty and responsibility, thérefore, rests upon us who are associated in
value consists of gold or silver, or both. In connection with such investigation,
the mining industry to join forces 80 that maximum production will be made in
the committee shall ascertain and determine the extent to which consideration
minimum time.
was given, in making the amendment to such order on March 2, 1942, to the effect
This will call for extreme measures of cooperation to which we are not accus-
of such amendment on (1) the mining industry in general; (2) the economy of
tomed in normal times. It will entail sacrifice of self-interest and dislocation of
hundreds of communities which are wholly dependent upon mines producing
customary routine, But ordinary procedures will not meet the emergencies of
gold or silver, or both; (3) the creation of additional unemployment in mining
extraordinary times, so we must coordinate closely the efforts of all elements of
communities; (4) the extent to which silver may be used in the war effort as &
the industry if we are to function effectively. Mine operators, manufacturers,
substitute for strategie minerals; (5) the activities of prospectors searching for new
and the Mining Branch of the War Production Board must unite In & determined
discoveries of strategie minerals needed for the war effort; and (6) the losses in
effort to reach the goals set up for our armed forces.
tax revenue to the Federal, State, and local governments resulting from the
As Administrator of the Mining Branch I have felt for some time that, in
closing of mining enterprises which are unable to secure materials for their con-
establishing preference ratings, mine operators and makers of mining machinery
tinued operation. The committee shall report to the Senate, at the earliest
should be placed on a parity with makers of munitions. Recent amendments
practicable date, the results of its investigation, together with its recommenda-
to preference rating orders P-56 and P-56-a for mine operators and manufac-
tions, if any, for necessary legislation.
turers of mining machinery, respectively, Implement that policy. They give to
For the purposes of this resolution, the committee, or any duly authorized
those two important groups high ratings for essential repair parts, and provide
subeommittee thereof, is authorized to hold such hearings, to sit and act at such
for delivery of essential new machinery and equipment on advance application.
times and places during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the
Together with preference rating order P-73 for smelters and refiners of essential
Seventy-seventh and succeeding Congresses, to employ such clerical and other
metals they provide for the requirements of the mining industry from prospecting
assistants, to require by subpena or otherwise the attendance of such witnesses
to production of metal.
and the production of such correspondence, books, papers, and documents, to
But preference rating orders alone will not accomplish all that is desired. We
administer such oaths, to take such testimony, and to make such expenditures,
must enlist the self-interest of operators and machinery makers, if we are to insure
as it deems advisable, The cost of stenographie services to report such hearings
adequate supplies of repair parts and raw materials. The requirements of opera-
shall not be in excess of 25 cents per hundred words. The expenses of the com-
tors and manufacturers must be inventoried and know for in advance if raw
mittee, which shall not exceed $5,000, shall be paid from the contingent fund of
materials are to be earmarked and allocated for their use. Take a quick glance
the Senate upon vouchers approved by the chairman.
at the cold logie of the situation, and note the inevitable conclusion.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
509
508
I. Minerals are prime essentials in this war. They must be produced in over
"We have already reinstated the serial numbers of certain mines, and will com-
greater quantities.
plete this reinstatement as promptly as individual mines furnish us the needed
2. This means double- and triple-shift days, and 6- and 7-day weeks,
information. Only about 300 mines were notified by wire that their serial
3. Increased hours of operation add to the wear and tear of machinery, call for
numbers under order P-56 had been withdrawn. May I point out that these
more repair parts, and ultimately for new equipment.
mines still had the priority rating of A-10 under P-100, and that the mine oper-
4. Manufacturers and suppliers cannot meet this abnormal demand unless
ator could also use our PD-1A forms to apply for preference ratings on specific
adequate supplies of critical raw materials for fabrication.
(a) they have in advance 8 pretty fair idea of its magnitude, and (b) assurance of
items from specific suppliers where such Items could not be obtained on an A-10
5. The mine operator holds an important key to the situation. He alone can
rating. "May I also say that all public utilities, railroads, and newspapers are operating
make A fair estimate of his own requirements under current operating conditions.
on an Á-10 rating at this time.
6. The War Production Board holds the critical key; namely, the power to
"If there were no shortage of mining machinery, there would be no need to
earmark for use by manufacturers the necessary quantities of raw materials,
take any action (o regard to mines producing nothing but gold and silver; but with
once the primary information has been supplied by operators. The Mining
such a shortage, and with the great demands on our country to produce the es-
Branch is using all of its energies to see that this in done.
sential and atrategio minerals for the building of the implements of warfare for
7. The inevitable conclusion is that operators must inventory their needs by
us and for many of our Allies, we most know that each mining machine is going to
quarters for the remainder of 1942 and early 1943 and notify their customary
a mine which in part of our direct war effort."
suppliers of their probable requirements. Being thus forearmed, manufacturers
In a further effort to promote & clear understanding of the withdrawal of serial
should inform the Mining Branch of their needa. The requisite quantities of
numbers from gold and silver mines, I held an informal conference in Washington
raw materials can then be earmarked for future use. Only in this manner, and
with Members of Congress representing western mining States. Subsequently
with the closest cooperation, can any reasonable estimate be made that will
I met with operators and public officials in Reno, Nev., and Denver, Colo., where
insure continuous mine operation at the peak of production.
I explained the urgency of the situation and the necessity for conserving materials
Another obvious duty remains to manufacturers in the interest of conserva-
and supplies for production of critical and essential metals.
tion and economy, and that is to simplify their lines of products, abandon-
AH a result of the conference and meetings I feel quite sure that after the
ing nonessential styles, sixes, and varietles, and concentrating their produc-
operators have responded to my request for information and have been classified
tion effort on the most essential. The opportunity for simplification prob-
on the basis of their production of gold and silver and base metals, they will
ably is not as great in the field of mining equipment and supplies as in some
realize that no injustice was intended and that the amended order was necessary
other lince of manufacture, but the possible economies should not be overlooked.
to conserve scarce materials,
Now is a good time to clean house and notify the mining industry of your decision.
In conclusion I reiterate the desire and intent of the Mining Branch to be help-
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this matter of coordinat-
ful to operators and manufacturers; but again I emphasize the point that their
Ing the activities of the mine operator, the equipment manufacturer, and the
hearty cooperation is imperative if the War Production Board is to carry out the
Mining Branch of the War Production Board if mining is to make ita vital contri-
victory program.
bution to the war effort. I can assure all concerned that the Mining Branch will
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, I wonder if Dr. Nelson will
exercise its power and authority in the interest of maximum production of essential
metals and nonmetallic minerals; but we can be effective only if operators take
kindly come forward to the table here.
the trouble to tell manufacturers what they need. Most of the latter have
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
already informed the Mining Branch of their requirementa.
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, it is the view of the author of
Probably a further word is needed at this time in explanation of the amend-
this resolution, pursuant to which this meeting was called, that much
ments to preference rating orders P-56 and P-56-a. The principal changes are
good might come of EL meeting with Dr. Nelson and with the other
to the following effect.
Complex ore mines, which produce amounts of copper, lead, or nine needed
officials of the War Production Board, especially the branch of the
in the war effort, will continue to receive the priority benefits of preference
War Production Board headed by Mr. Batt, 80 that we might know
rating order P-56, irrespective of the amount of gold or silver produced. The
what are the full intentions and what is the purport of the order of
same will be true for mines producing siliceous ores necessary for the continued
March 2, 1942, and that are the intentions of the board with reference
operation of smelters,
The A-1-a rating for repair of actual break-downs is continued in effect. It
to granting priorities to mines producing precious metal.
can be applied only after advance approval by the Director of Industry Operations.
In this respect, in order to open the discussion, let me say that We
An A-1-c rating is given to deliveries to essential mines of repair parts for
have reports from the various sections of the country, showing that the
essential machines. An operator is restricted in applying this rating to a quota
priority order of March 2 has tended to close down mines in the var-
established quarterly by the Director of Industry Operations.
An A-1-c rating is given to deliveries of other repair parte and to other minis
10UB sections of the country-and close them down for various reasons.
when necessary to avert break-downs. This rating can be applied only after
Some have suggested that these mining operations have closed down
advance approval by the Director of Industry Operations.
because of the lack of labor. An investigation into that phase of it
Deliveries of essential machinery and equipment receive such preference ratings
indicates that there is some cogency in that statement. But behind
as may be assigned by the Director of Industry Operations after advance ap-
that, Mr. Chairman, there comes another significant matter, namely,
plications.
Suppliers can extend at the same level the ratings received from operators.
that mine labor throughout the mining sections of the country, cogni-
The exclusion of gold and allver mines from the benefits of P-56 was naturally
zant of the fact that the respective mines in which they are employed
the cause of some disturbance and misunderstanding in the industry. In an
can carry on for only B limited time, and noticing that there is oppor-
effort to clarify the situation I made public a statement substantially as follows:
"No mines producing copper, lead, or zine in amounts needed in our war
tunity for employment at much better wages at other places, have not
effort, irrespective of the amounts of gold or silver produced by such mines will
waited for the closing down but have taken time by the forelock, 80 to
be denied priority ratings under order P-56. Each case will be reviewed and,
spenk, and have said to their employers, You are going to have to
where it is found that the mine is producing needed amounts of copper, lead, or
close down anyway within a reasonable time, so we are going to hunt
zine. that mine's serial number will be reinstated. This will also apply to mines
producing siliceous ores where such ores are needed by a smelter in order to
other jobs where we can get better wages."
maintain the smelter's production of copper and lead.
Unclassified
510
SILVER
BILVER
511
The result has been, Mr. Chairman, that those who were able to
of his statement; I do not quote him exactly. With that in mind,
move-the younger men of the mining-labor population-have in
many applications for priorities, I am advised, have been made, and
many instances left their places of employment and gone elsewhere to
many have not been granted, while many have been granted.
seek better wages, knowing that the mines in which they were em-
My own State reflects a number of applications, and I have had the
ployed could carry on but a short time thereafter. That has had two
State mine inspector of Nevada come on here, and I am asking him
very material effects. One was to move the mining population out
now to bring his files forward, 80 that I may use them during the
of the places where they had been and could be employed; the other
course of this discussion. They show the mines in which priorities
was to make certain to the mine operator that with the look of em-
have been granted, the mines in which they have not been granted, and
ployees, with the lack of labor, and confronted with the priority order
the mines that have been closed down by reason of either an apprehen-
of March 2, and knowing that his equipment and stock of supplies
sion of failure to secure a priority order or the fact that the priority
could last only a limited time, the mine itself would have to close down
order had not come forward within a reasonable time,
even before the priority order became effective against him, even
Mr. Chairman, this whole affair comes about by reason of the con-
before his equipment gave out. That has resulted in throwing out of
dition that presents itself to the country-an all-out war condition,
employment the older miners because of the closing down of the mines.
demanding that all metal be curtailed in its use as much BS possible
Then, again, Mr. Chairman, there has come to us, with whatever
and allocated to war activity. But the production of strategic metals
degree of cogency it may be expressed, many rumors and many reports
and war essential metals has been encouraged by the War Production
pertaining to the granting of priority orders. I think it will do no
Board, and it was stated here at & meeting held some weeks ago that
harm, in the presence of Dr. Nelson-and I wish all the board could be
this priority order of March 2 was for the purpose of stimulating min-
here-to discuss these matters. Though we have no evidence to
ing rather than for the purpose of curtailing mining.
support them, 1 think they might with propriety be discussed.
The result, however, Mr. Chairman, has been to the contrary,
Let me give one or two outstanding examples. Two men working
because where silver or gold comes in combination with a war strategic
on the same dump, handling the same class of ore, the same class of
metal, and the operator of the mine, having no other basis than the
rock, shipping to the same point, by the same method of shipment,
priority order of March 2, 1940, sees that the producing of 30 percent
both apply for priorities. One is granted, and the other is denied.
or more of silver or gold, or silver and gold together, cannot get him a
Naturally, the one denied queries, Why? Then the community
priority order, he becomes immediately discouraged, and either his
starts to query, Why? Then rumors pro and con. The imagina-
financial backers announce to him that the backing will stop very
tive individual sees a reason why, and he attributes the reason to
shortly, or he, realizing that a danger presents itself, together with the
divers and sundry causes, none of which reflect credit on the adminis-
hazard of mining-the hazard that naturally attends mining-advises
tration of the War Production Board. They may be wild and un-
his financial backers that he sees danger ahead by reason of this priority
warranted, but nevertheless arising from a condition.
order; and the result is, first of all, a cessation of exploration and
Then, again, we have a rumor that comes to us prevalently, which
development; secondly, a closing down of the mine.
I seek to bring out, because I think the War Production Board should
The thought impresses itself upon me that if we are to encourage
know these things: That if shipments are made to certain concerns
the production of strategic metals, we should, first of all, encourage
for treatment, priorities are granted. If they are not shipped to
it at home here in America, where we know that we have strategic
those certain concerns for treatment, priorities are denied. Incidents
and war essential metals: First of all, because it does not then become
are given relating that condition. Whether there be the least symp-
subject to hazard on the sea, where so many sinkings are taking place
tom of truth in the matter or not, it is enough, in my judgment, that
and so much is being lost. We have it within our power, and we
the Board and Dr. Nelson should be advised of the condition, so that
know that we can treat it, and treat it much less expensively than we
it may be relieved by positive action and positive statement.
could if we were to ship it from foreign countries. We can treat it
Taking the subject from another angle, the priority order of March
with much more security here at home, because it would not, as I
2, 1942, states, among other things,
have said, be subject to the hazard that attends shipping over the
seas.
Any plant actually engaged in the extraction by surface, open-pit, or under-
ground methods, or in the beneficiation, concentration, or preparation for ship-
But, Mr. Chairman, there has come to the attention of some of
ment of the products of mining activity, but not including any plant more than
us the fact that while we are repressing the miner at home by telling
30 percent of the production of which in dollar value consists of gold and/or
him that he cannot have mine equipment, thus discouraging the
ailver.
development of war-essential metals and strategic metals, unhappily,
That order in itself was threatening to the mining industry, where
I say, the record shows that we are shipping and transporting across
silver was what might be termed a byproduct of the production of &
the seas those quantities of mine essentials in the way of machinery
strategic metal, as, for instance, lead or zine or copper.
and parts. One correspondent in writing to me put it rather vividly.
True, the atmosphere was very much clarified by the statement of
I think you will find it among the reports of the various mines of Ne-
Dr. Nelson, both at Denver and at Reno, in which, among other
vada that came into the hands of Mr. Murphy, the mine inspector of
things, he said that each case would stand on its own footing and
Nevada, wherein this correspondent said:
that-in substance he said-the 30 percent of dollar value of the
We are transporting mine machinery and equipment to South Africa and are
product of a mine would not militate against its receiving a priority
then buying South African gold in America at $35 an ounce. At the same time
order if it was producing war strategic metal. That is the substance
we are discouraging, if not destroying, mining activity here in America.
Unclassified
512
SILVER
SILVER
513
Dr. Nelson has heard all these things, and I want to say, Mr.
STATEMENT OF WILBUR ARMISTEAD NELSON, ADMINISTRA-
Chairman, that I, as the author of this resolution, express my sincere
TOR, MINING BRANCH, MATERIALS DIVISION, WAR PRO-
gratitude to Dr. Nelson for coming here, my thought being this:
DUCTION BOARD, WASHINGTON, D. C.
that now that the priority order has had a reasonable time in which
to be tried out, and we find discouragement prevailing in our mining
Mr. NELSON. My name is Wilbur Armistead Nelson.
industry, prevailing among the muckers and miners, as we call them,
The CHAIRMAN. What is your address, Doctor?
and prevailing among the mine operators, it impressed me that per-
Mr. NELSON. My Washington address is Temporary Building E,
haps by a round-table discussion here among those who are so vitally
War Production Board.
interested in the mining activity, you, Dr. Nelson, and your board
The CHAIRMAN. What position do you hold in cònnection with the
could find a way to give greater assurance to our industry of mining
Government at this time, if any?
and to those who by their individual wealth hazard their all in specu-
Mr. NELSON. I am administrator of the Mining Branch of the
lation for the purpose of developing mining or to those wino have
Materials Division of the W. P. B.
given their lives to the industry of mining, with no other avenue in
The CHAIRMAN. Would you state very briefly in what business you
which to work, and that other element of the American life, known
have been engaged during the last several years? This is for the pur-
as the prospector, the fellow who goes out and hazards the hardships
pose of the record, so that anybody who might want to read it will
of the desert to discover strategic and war essential metal-that all
have an understanding of your position.
of this might, by an expression that we might develop here or some
Mr. NELSON. At the present time I am on leave of absence from
modification, if you please, of that priority order which has caused
the University of Virginia, where I hold the position as head of the
so much consternation, bring more comfort and indeed more support
Corcoran School of Geology and Corcoran professor of geology.
to the mining industry of America.
Before that time I was State geologist of Virginia, brought to
Now, that is the aim and object, Dr. Nelson, so far as the author
Virginia to reorganize the State survey and also to head the School of
of this resolution is concerned, of bringing about this meeting. I
Geology at the University.
believe from my discussions with you that you are a friend of the
At the university the subjects I teach are economic geology and
industry, and that your whole training and background indicate that.
structural geology, dealing with ore deposits and the mining phases
I believe that if these homely things are brought to your attention
of geology.
in a homely way by those who know them best, something can be
Before that time I was State geologist of Tennessee, and before
done to relieve the situation. I speak first-handedly of my own
that I operated a coal mine in west Kentucky. During the last war
State, not knowing the conditions in other States. There are those
I operated manganese and barite mines in Georgia and Alabama.
who will speak first-handedly of their respective communities. But
The CHAIRMAN. I think that that is sufficient for the record. You
there can be no gainsaying that in Nevada the priority order of
may proceed and make such suggestions as you deem proper in reply
March 2, 1942, has had n. most discouraging effect.
to the suggestions made by Senator McCarran, doing 50 as fully 65
It has required the zeal and diligence of all of us to say to the miners
you care to.
of Nevada that it is not as harsh as it looks; that we will try to work
Mr. NELSON. I believe that Senator McCarran and I are in con-
it out for them. "Do not be discouraged. We will try to get a
siderable agreement in the remarks he has made, that the primary
priority order that will relieve the situation for you."
object we must have in mind is to stimulate the production of essential
Expressions of that kind have been essential in many instances, in
and critical metals. I do feel our mining order has brought that about.
order to keep, first of all, the investor sending on his investment to
The 30 percent clause which he mentioned has, as far as we know,
keep the mine going, in some instances in its primary stages; and
not brought about any diminution in the output of critical materials.
secondly, to keep the operator encouraged enough to go ahead; and
We feel that the output of copper, lead, zinc, chrome, manganese,
thirdly, and most essential and vital of all, to keep the actual mining
tungsten, vanadium, molybdenum, and any other critical materials
fellow who goes down into the earth at his place of employment
has increased, due in part to the priority assistance which we have
rather than have him seek employment at a greater wage.
been able to give them under the preference rating order P-56 and
Now, that is the initial expression of this meeting. Dr. Nelson,
under the preference rating order P-56A, which takes care of the needs
that we might have some views on your several months of opportun-
of the makers of mining machinery.
ity to see this order effected, we would like to have you discuss it in
Whenever it is found necessary to give high priorities to any group
your own way.
in order that they may continue to operate, it is necessary to restrict
The CHAIRMAN. Before doing that, will you please state your full
these high priorities, or else they would be of very little value. So,
name for the record?
when we were able to get the high-priority ratings of order P-56, as
amended on March 2, we got them for those industries essential for
73052-42-pt. 0-0
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
515
514
the effort. In order to make these priority ratings of the most
I have not finished, but I would like to make a remark. The A-8
value, war they had to be restricted in their use; and as a gold or a silver
rating is applicable to black powder and dynamite if any rating is
mine producing only god or silver, and no strategic minerals, is B. mine
needed. At the present time you can buy all the black powder and
that does not fit as much into the war effort as a mine producing cop-
dynamite you wish without any rating. To continue:
per, lead, zine, or the other metals which I have mentioned, naturally
Mines which do not operate under P-56 may use an A-10 rating under the
they have to take lower priority ratings.
general repair, maintenance, and operating supplies order, P-100, to obtain
At no time have we denied priority ratings to any mines in the
United States. We have just said that certain mines would have
explosives. That is, if they need any rating at all.
higher priority ratings than other mines, depending on where they fit
The amendment to P-56 does not affect any existing priorities on explosives and
into our over-all war picture. We have no information that any mine
explosive equipment, nor does it prevent any mine operator from obtaining
in the United States has shut down due to our priority action. We do
explosives in the same way as before the amendment was issued.
have information that many mine operators have turned to the getting
I know that there was a widespread misconception throughout the
out of strategic materials, where they were not producing strategic
entire country on that amendment. The amendment was added to
materials before March 2.
the order to help mining people, so that they could get repairs or
We have at all times since March 2 stimulated prospecting in every
explosive equipment which they had had difficulty in obtaining before
way that we could. We have placed in mining order P-56 IL clause
that time.
relating particularly to prospectors, where we can give a bona fide
Senator McCARRAN. All right. In keeping with this, Doctor, it
prospector a serial number and whatever priority assistance he needs
might well be said-and I think you will probably concede this-that
in order to go out and prospect for needed or strategic materials. We
your order of March 2, which I have introduced into the record, has
have given a number of such prospecting numbers.
had a widespread effect by reason of the language used in the order,
Senator McCarran. Right there, Doctor, do you mind an
which apparently is not the interpretation to be given it.
interruption?
In other words, if I may express it in another way, the interpreta-
Mr. NELSON. Not at all.
tion that I have heard you give to that order is really not to be found
Senator McCarnan. My attention has been drawn to an order
in the language of the order, because it is specific, and there is no
with reference to powder, wherein the use of powder will not be
exception to the 30 percent rule,
accorded unless the mine is in production.
Mr. NELSON. If you will read the order-and I know you have,
Mr. NELSON. That is an incorrect statement, Senator, that was
so I should not have said, "If you will read the order"; I should have
published by the newspapers. I do not know how it was given out
said, "In the body of the order"-there is a clause permitting com-
to the press.
panies to apply for relief, and it is under that clause that any mine
Senator McCARRAN. What is the language of the order, if you have
operator who felt that on undue hardship was being worked upon
that before you?
him could apply for relief; and where he was producing any needed
Mr. NELSON. The trouble came about because we added to schedule
amounts of copper, lead, or zine, he was given that relief, and his
of our mining order, under "Mining equipment and machinery," by an
serial number was reinstated; or where he might be producing n.
amendment, explosives and explosives equipment.
siliceous ore, needed as a flux in a smelter, so that the smelter opera-
Some of the press read into that amendment the fact that it meant
tions would not be curtailed in any way, as we had no desire to cut
that you had to have a priority rating in order to buy dynamite or
down the production of metals from smelters, such a mine had its
black powder. That misinformation has been corrected by a press
serial number reinstated.
release of Tuesday, April 28, 1942, which I would like to turn over to
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Then, Dr. Nelson, giving relief in
you to embody in the record.
my specific case is not, in your understanding, a violation of your
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it will be placed in the record.
own order?
Mr. NELSON. Would you like me to read the release? It might
Mr. NELSON. No, sir.
clarify the situation.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Some of our Colorado people seem
Senator McCarran. Yes. It is short.
to feel that the mere fact of your giving relief is a violation of your
Mr. NELSON. It reads as follows:
own order.
An amendment to preference rating order P-56 issued April 18, 1942, added
Mr. NELSON. Well, we have reinstated the serial numbers of a
explosives and explosive equipment to the list of mining machinery and equipment
great many mines throughout the United States, and we feel that we
in schedule A of the order. This enables mine operators who have serial numbers
have the right to do that.
under the order to use an A-1-c rating in obtaining repair parts for such equipment.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Under the order?
That means explosive equipment.
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
To clear up some confusion which has arisen as a result of this amendment,
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Át this time, Mr. Chairman, may
Dr. Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator of the Mining Branch, explained today that
I have Mr. Palmer, who is secretary of the Colorado Mining Associa-
the A-1-c rating is applicable for repairs to blasting machines and similar ma-
tion, come to the table, where he may enter into the discussion?
chinery and equipment, but that the rating may not be used for ordinary operating
supplies such as black powder and dynamite, to which the A-8 rating remains
The CHAIRMAN. Yes, indeed.
applicable.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
517
516
Mr. NELSON. There are one or two of your items that I have not
will added to the rapidly rising nomadie types, and the capitalist's fortune confiscated
again be pumped out; whole communities thus being wiped out; the workers
discussed. The CHAIRMAN, Yes, We have not finished with you, Doctor.
without A hearing. This isn't war. When all the United Nations shut down
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado, No. I just wanted Mr. Palmer
their gold and silver mines (not on paper but in fact), we American miners are
willing to shut down too-not before!
to be here.
The CHAIRMAN. The Members of the House, if they see fit, may
That is dated April 24, 1942.
occupy chairs around the table, if they care to.
Mr. NELSON. As you read each one of those, may I make some
Mr. NELSON. As I was saying, we have given every priority assis-
remarks, Senator?
tance possible to the prospectors who are prospecting for strategic
Senator McCarran. Yes; that one is in minerlike fashion.
and needed minerals. We have also used every effort to see that the
Mr. NELSON. The Mining Branch has not approved any priority
mines producing critical and needed material get 24-hour service on
ratings to any of the gold mines of South Africa for several months.
repair parts for break-downs, for emergency repair parts, and for
If they have obtained any materials it has not been through the
needed supplies under ratings which they are given under order P-56.
Mining Branch.
The mining industry is very fortunate, in that it has, I believe, some
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Have we exported mining machinery
of the highest ratings that have been given to any industry in the
to South Africa in the last few months?
United States, to keep the necessary mines-necessary for our war
Mr. NELSON. If it has been done, it has been done through the
effort-in continuous production. The record of the mining materials
Board of Economic Warfare, and it is the foreign policy of the Presi-
produced by the mines in the United States shows that we have
dent, and I endorse his foreign policy.
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Then, we are to assume that the expor-
been able to do that in rather satisfactory manner.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions from the members of the
tation is probably going on at the present time?
Mr. NELSON. If it is going on, it is the foreign policy of the Presi-
committee? Senator McCarran. While the doctor is here, I would like to go
dent, and I endorse that policy; but the Mining Branch has not given
over a sories of questionnaires answered by the industry in Nevada.
any priorities.
The questionnaires were sent out by the mine inspector of Nevada,
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. That does not answer my question. My
and the answers received are quite interesting along the line of your
question is, Is it going on?
Mr. NELSON. I cannot say, because I have nothing whatever to do
discussion and my opening remarks.
with the B. E. W.
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
Senator McCauran. This is a statement made by a partnership
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Are those facts available anywhere?
known as Morrin & Steigmeyer, operating at Round Mountain,
Mr. NELSON. You would have to get those from the Board of
Nev. The former serial number under P-56 was the serial number
Economic Warfare, which is not under the W.P.B.
The CHAIRMAN. But it is a fact, is it not, that America-meaning
36-47. Rating A-8.
the United States-produces and supplies the mines of the world
What effect has the March 2 amendment to Preference Rating Order No.
with a very large percentage of their necessary machinery with which
P-56 had on your mining operations?
to mine?
This is an interesting answer, Doctor:
Mr. NELSON. We are giving priority ratings at the present time to
Capitalists contemplating money-advancements (for improvements and de-
to copper mines, tin mines, and chrome mines in South Africa for
velopment work) quit: miners foresaw a shut-down and several quit at once to
materials shipped to the United States.
seek stable positions, and "the drifting-away" has been going on ever since until
We are giving priority ratings to copper mines in South America on
now we have less than half a crew, and others are not available because miners
have concluded their work has been condemned as unnecessary and "black-balled"
which we are dependent for a large proportion of our copper, and
and that any gold or silver mining job now offered them will at best be a "short
without which our war effort would be seriously impaired.
shift" only. They know we can not buy necessary parts for drilling machinery,
The CHAIRMAN. What about Mexico and Canada?
et cetera, to keep going.
Mr. NELSON. We are giving priorities to the main source of tin
Then he goes on:
today, which is Bolivia. We are giving priorities to metal mines in
Mexico and the nickel mines in Canada, Canada being our one source
We are still operating on a greatly reduced scale.
of supply, practically, of nickel, except for some that comes from New
Then there is this question:
Caledonia, and to the base-metal mines in Canada.
Do you expect to shut down because of not having a serial number?
We have never given a serial number to any gold mine in Canada,
with one exception, if you wish to call the siliceous flux mine of the
The answer is-
Norrando Copper Co. a gold mine. It is where they get their flux for
Yes,
smelting their copper ore.
If so, about what date?
We have given priority ratings, under the foreign policy of our
Within 60 days.
Remarks: Steel under lend-lease for England so that South Africa, which pro-
President, to mines in Central America-Nicaragua and Honduras-
duces about 00 percent of the gold, can continue and sell its output to this Govern-
and to mines in Venezuela and Colombia, all of them close to the
ment for 835 per ounce: but no steel for native Americans on the deserts and in
Panama Canal.
the mountains of Nevada. Mines shutting down, works being flooded that never
Senator McCARRAN. Their product is largely what? 2
Regraded
Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
519
518
Mr. NELSON. In those four countries they are gold mines, but they
Mr. NELSON. In the explanation which I just made, I stated that
have only been given items on PD-1-a forms, which are available to
when you give high priority ratings to any group, you must restrict
every gold mine operator in the United States today. We have told
the number of miners that can get those ratings, or else your ratings
every gold mine operator that he can operate under P-100 with an
have little value.
A-10 rating for what he could get on an A-10 rating. When he could
In the beginning of the mining priority situation, the first time B.
not get anything on an A-10 rating, he was to fill in a PD-1-8 form
mining order was issued we restricted, right at the beginning, in the
and send it in to Washington, and we would do what we could to see
first order, placer gold mines, and they never received any of the
that he got the repair parts he needed, if it did not interfere with our
priority ratings under even the first order, P-56. But that did not
war effort, and that is exactly the same thing we have done in the
mean that the placer gold mines were put out of business. They
Mining Branch with the mines, for instance, of the United States to
continued to operate on P-100 and to use the PD-1-a.
which we have given ratings on such forms.
Senator MILLIKIN. I did not make my question clear, I think.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there further questions?
Prior to the date of the issuance of the orders, the mines were pro-
Senator McCarran. I may say, Mr. Chairman, as a partial answer
ceeding with certain production, they were proceeding under certain
to Senator Thomas' question, that I have before me the record made at
production machinery, and they were proceeding under certain
Denver, Colo., at which place I had inserted in the record, pursuant
anticipated requirements, so far as machinery was concerned. Now,
to the chairman's order, certain factual matter coming to me from
then, what was the reason for changing that?
departments of the Government.
When I say there probably was n factual reason, I hope there was.
Partially answering Senator Thomas' question, it may be noted
You intended to gain something. You intended to gain enhance-
that during the months of October, November, and December of 1941
ment of strategic material, or you intended to restrict the manu-
we exported mining machinery from the United States: In October to
facture of certain types of machinery. There must have been a
the value of $1,843,454; in November to the value of $1,236,186; and
purpose for the order. I would like to get at the basic reason for
in December to the value of $2,174,673.
the order.
The commodities or the parts or the machinery transported were
Mr. NELSON. The order we were operating under before the amend-
coal outters, rock drills, mine hoists and derricks, ore crushing and
ment of March 2 was in existence before December 7. After De-
sorting machinery, concentrating and smelting machinery, and other
cember 7 our condition changed rather rapidly in regard to strategic
mining machinery.
materials.
Then, in addition, and in further answer to Senator Thomas' query,
We lost the source of supply of a large amount of our chrome, and
the grand total of that for the 3 months named was $5,254,313.
those of us who were looking forward could visualize that we would
Iron and steel exported from the United States abroad: In Novem-
rather soon lose the sources of supply of many other of our most
ber we exported 410,242 gross tons. In December we exported
strategic materials. Therefore, we amended this order to restrict
592,491 gross tons.
high priority ratings to mines which produced critical materials.
Iron and steel scrap exported from the United States in the calen-
We also amended the order because we found it necessary to have
dar years 1939, 1940, and 1941: In 1939, 3,558,551 gross tons; in 1940,
high priority ratings if the mines producing other materials needed
2,791,419 gross tons; in 1941, 793,160 gross tons.
in our war effort could get those materials. Ratings in the old order
There is one other matter. If you do not mind our breaking in as
were not high enough around the 1st of March to permit us to get
we go along, I think it will facilitate the whole matter.
for the United States mines what they needed. In order to get the
Mr. NELSON. I am here at your service.
higher ratings, it is necessary to restrict the use of those ratings.
Senator McCarran. You are always very courteous in that way.
Senator MILLIKIN. Now, on balance, were the mines of the United
Mr. Chairman, would it be proper for you to say if you approve of
States producing more critical minerals let us call them, than they
anyone who is interested in this subject breaking in by way of a ques-
were consuming?
tion or a statement to the doctor? I just make that as & suggestion.
Mr. NELSON. If the mines of the United States were not producing
The CHAIRMAN. This committee is trying to get data on which we
more critical minerals than they were consuming, it would have been
can formulate some conclusions. This is an informal conference.
foolish to give the mines any critical materials.
Those interested are privileged at any time to break in and bring out
Senator MILLIKIN. So that, on balance, the mines were holding up
some point if they think it would add to the record.
their end of the production needs?
Senator MILLIKIN. May I ask the witness a question, Mr. Chair-
Mr. NELSON. If it were not for the mines we could not have any
man?
war program.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes, Senator Millikin.
Senator MILLIKIN. In Colorado I understand we consume about
Senator MILLIRIN. Dr. Nelson, I am glad to see you again.
2,500 tons of critical minerals in the process of mining, and we
Mr. NELSON. Thank you.
produce about 35,000 tons a year.
Senator MILLIKIN. What was the factual basis for the orders?
Mr. Nelson. Yes,
What were you trying to get at? How much metal were you trving
Senator MILLIRIN. That leaves us with a good picture on balance.
to save? How much were you trying to divert? In other words.
The point I am driving at is, What is the point of disturbing that sort
why the orders?
of situation?
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
521
520
Mr. NELSON. We must look at the over-all picture. It is a ques-
Mr. NELSON. The fact that they are complex ores means that each
another vessel, by taking a critical material away & mine pro-
tion of, Do you wish to make another tank, another from gun, part of
mine is a particular problem all its own and generally differs from
every other mine. Therefore, it is necessary for us to review in detail
ducing something that is not essential in our war effort, by putting
the situation of each individual mine, to seo what they produce and
it into another product which is essential to winning the war and in
how it affects the war effort, before we can consider the reinstatement
that way ending the war that much sooner?
of a number which has been withdrawn.
Senator MILLIKIN. Let us take the case of complex ores which are
Senator MILLIKIN. Well, now, let us take two mines. Both of
producing more than 20 or 30 percent in silver or gold. In Colorado
them produce over 30 cents on the dollar in silver or gold and produce
the amounts on balance of the critical materials of complex ores
other minerals with it. How do you proceed to choose between one
exceed many times the amounts that are consumed. What is the
and the other?
point of disturbing a situation of that kind?
Mr. NELSON. We send them a form, which they fill in, showing just
Mr. NELSON. I do not quite understand your reasoning there. The
2nd they produce-copper, lead, zine, gold, and silver. Other data
iron and steel furnaces use a certain amount of iron and steel in pro-
that we ask for on that sheet are their known ore reserves, how long
ducing iron and steel, but you would not expect to use up all the iron
they have been in operation, and their full mining picture; and if that
and steel in making them. There would not be any use in producing
full mining picture shows that the mine can operate for a year or more
iron and steel if that were so.
and that the amount of copper, lead, or zine that they are producing
Senator MILLIKIN. I am making the contrary point that, instead
is needed in the war effort, we reinstate their serial number, irrespec-
of using it up, they produce many times the amount that they use up.
tive of the amount of gold and silver they are producing.
Mr. NELSON. That is correct, but we want to conserve as much as
Senator MILLIKIN. What is the test as to the amount? If the
possible of the material that is used for direct war efforts; and if we
amount they are producing aids the war effort, they are reinstated.
can keep B few pounds, B. few hundred pounds, a few thousand pounds
What is the amount? What is the test that is arrived at?
of critical material out of a nonessential war use and put that amount,
Mr. NELSON. It depends on each particular case. You cannot
however small it may be, into the making of some direct war imple-
give a figure of X number of hours, because X number of hours in one
ments, we feel we have just carried the war along faster and into a
mine might mean something and X number of hours in another mine
better conclusion.
might not mean anything.
Senator MILLIKIN. These complex ores, copper, lead, and sine, are
Senator MILLIKIN. I would like to have the factors that in one case
what we call critical materials?
mean something to you and in the other do not mean anything to you.
Mr. NELSON. Copper, lead, and zinc are materials necessary for the
Mr. NELSON. The only way we can answer that is by the individual
sheet of each mine which we have gone over throughly. It is gone
war effort.
Senator MILLIKIN. Well, then, let us call them critical materials.
over thoroughly by the mining engineers in our branch. If it is
If we produce more of those than we consume in the process of pro-
copper, we check with the Copper Branch of the W. P. B. and get
duction, why disturb that situation?
their opinion. If it is lead, we check with the Lead Branch of the
Mr. NELSON. If those particular critical minerals are being pro-
W. P. B. If it is zine, we check with the Zine Branch of the W. P. B.
duced irrespective of the amount of gold and silver produced along
We use our combined best judgment in each individual case.
with them, they are still today having the priority advantages of the
Senator MCCARRAN. Pardon an interruption, Senator. In n com-
mining order we are discussing. They are not disturbed.
bination of that kind, where zine and silver are being produced, how
Senator MILLIKIN. But if they have over 30 percent in silver or
does the amount of silver produced by that mine militate against the
gold, then, under the terms of the order, they cannot get the preferred
activity of the mine producing zinc?
priority, under your interpretation of the terms of the order? De-
Mr. NELSON. I did not understand your question.
pending upon the state of your liver, you can restore them?
Senator McCarran. Well, let us say we have a mine that produces
Mr. NELSON. Well, Senator, I suppose you and I both have livers,
zine and silver in combination. Now, under your order, if it was
but I do not think mine would cause me to make or not make 8
producing 30 percent or more by dollar value of silver, it would not get
decision. I have tried to base my decisions on the facts that have
priority, but you say that that is to be modified or is modified in the
been sent in by the mines-definite facts that can be checked and are
way you exercise your judgment. How does the amount of silver
checked by the mining engineers in my office.
which that mine produces militate in any way against its production
Senator MILLIKIN. Can you not get out & set of orders that will
of the more strategic metal or essential metal, zinc?
state it by classification, or by some sort of definition, in a way that B
Mr. NELSON. May I use as an example a mine that we all know?
man can tell whether it will receive a preferential priority or won't
That is the Sunshine mine, which is the biggest producer of silver in
the United States. It is producing antimony, or will be very shortly,
receive it?
Mr. NELSON. You have mentioned the fact that these are complex
at the rate of about 70 or 80 tons a month. The Antimony Section
told us that antimony is essential for the war effort. They cannot get
ores. Senator MILLIRIN. 1 am speaking in the first instance of complex
that antimony out unless the mine continues in operation. Therefore,
that mine has a serial number and is operating, because the antimony
ores.
is needed in our war effort.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
523
522
Senator MILLIKIN. Pardon me, Senator.
Mr. NELSON. Well, if one mine was working two shifts and the
As to lead, zinc, or copper, where it is in combination with gold or
other was working one shift, the two-shift mine would get the priority.
silver of more than 30 cents value on the dollar, is the test quantitative?
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Regardless of the amount of silver
Mr. NELSON. If you just had copper or if you just had lead and silver
produced or the amount of gold produced?
and nothing else, we might be able to work out some definite X-plus-Y
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
figure, but the fact that you have copper, lead, zine, and you have
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. You ignore entirely the amount of
antimony mixed with gold and silver makes it, as far as I can see the
gold and silver produced?
picture, impossible to use any formula on which you can reinstate a
Mr. NELSON. That is correct, because the two-shift mine would be
mine. Each mine has to be handled on its own merits.
producing twice as much of the critical material per week, although it
Senator Millikin. Do you arrive at any relationship between the
had the same percentage of critical material in the ore.
amount of zine, lead, or copper produced in complex ores by any
The CHAIRMAN. Suppose a mine was working three shifts and pro-
particular mine against the amount of critical metal that that mine
duced the same amount of critical material as the mine working one
consumes in the process of production?
shift. Would the fact that a mine was working three shifts have any
Mr. NELSON. We arrive at that under the provisions of the order.
effect on the priority rating?
We give the serial number back to the mine. We give them a quote
Mr. NELSON. Perhaps I was misunderstood in what I said. Sena-
for repair parts which they cannot exceed. We also have an inventory
tor Johnson, as I understood, said that a man had an X percentage of
restriction clause in the order that they cannot exceed their inventory
copper, lead, and zinc and an X percentage of silver and gold, and that
of the average of the end of the year of 1938, 1939, and 1940. They
another mine had an X percentage of copper, lead, and zine and 2X
make monthly reports to us that our field men check.
percentage of silver and gold. Senator Johnson wanted to know who
Senator MILLIKIN. Let me put it to you this way: Assume two
would get the machine. I said the mine working two shifts would get
mines, each one of which requires EL given piece of machinery, one of
the machine, because, although the ore had the same percentage of
which produces X quantity of zinc, lead, and copper, one of which
critical materials, it would be producing twice as much as the other
produces one-half of X. Does the difference in the amount of pro-
mine, because it was working two shifts.
duction against the requirement of each mine for the same piece of
The CHAIRMAN. Let me ask my question again. Suppose X mine
machinery weigh in your mind?
works one shift and produced X amount of critical material. Another
Mr. NELSON. If there was only one machine and both of the mines
mine produces the same amount working with three shifts. Would
wanted it, the mine producing the x amount would get the machine,
the fact that it works three shifts have any influence in giving it the
Senator MILLIKIN. Would you say that the most important single
priority rating as against a mine working only one shift, when it pro-
factor, then, is the amount of critical minerals that a given mine
duces the same amount of critical material?
Mr. NELSON. Both mines would probably have priority, but if the
produces? Mr. NELSON. The amount of critical minerals that as mine pro-
time came in the months to come when we had only one machine to
duces naturally is the important factor, irrespective of the amount of
go to the two mines, and it took three shifts in one mine to get out the
gold and silver it produces.
same amount of material that could be gotten out in one shift in the
Senator MILLIKIN. So that, then, under the operation of these
other mine, we would certainly see to it, if we were that hard up in
orders, as far as I can see now-I am not raising the question now as
this country, that the mine working on one shift would go on n two-
to whether or not it should be done-in the course of time the tend-
shift basis and get the machine, because it would then be producing
ency of these orders will be to put all of the small producers out of
twice as much of the critical material.
business? Will that not result?
Senator MILLIKIN. I should like to ask, Senator Thomas, if I may,
Mr. NELSON. As materials get more and more critical we have to
a question.
give priority ratings on those materials or allocate them, when we
Then, how did you arrive at 30 percent as the dividing line?
come to allocation, which I think we will have to come to, to the mine
Mr. NELSON. The 30 percent in the amendment of March 2 was
where the particular machine will get out most of the critical material,
the amount used in order that we could get complete information on
and the mine that gets out less material, if there is only one machine,
all the gold and silver mining operations in the West, so that we could
will not get that machine.
see which of those mines were essential for our war effort.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. May I inject an illustration at that
Senator MILLIKIN. It was merely B reference point?
point, Senator Millikin?
Mr. NELSON. It was just a reference. We might just as well have
Senator MILLIKIN. Certainly.
used 50 or 40 percent.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Suppose you had two mines, each
Senator MILLIKIN. Do you have that order before you?
producing X amount of vital or essential minerals, each of them pro-
Mr. NELSON. No: I do not.
ducing exactly the same quantity, but each of them producing a different
Senator MILLIKIN. I should like to invite your attention, Doctor,
quantity of silver or gold. In that case which mine would get the
to the fact that nowhere in this order do these particular matters
priority?
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
525
524
that we have been discussing appear. The paragraph in question
Senator McCarran. It was probably regarded then 88 largely
academic, but since then it has become quite practical.
says: "Mining enterprise" means (i) any plant actually engaged in the extraction by
Mr. NELSON. Very good.
surface, open-pit, or underground methods, or in the beneficiation, but concentration,
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Because it has become practical
or any plant more than 30 percent of the production of which value consists
preparation for shipment of the products of mining activity, in dollar not including
are you giving that consideration in the assignment of priorities?
Has that had any affect on you? You say you refer zine to the Zine
of gold and/or ailver.
Section and copper to the Copper Section. Now, do you refer
I should like to suggest, Doctor, that we have been talking about
anything to the Silver Section to see whether they need the silver?
something here that is entirely at variance with the absolute terms
Mr. NELSON. Well, the mines that are using appreciable amounts
of that order.
of silver are also producing needed critical materials. They have had
Mr. NELSON. You have a paragraph further on in the order that
their serial numbers given back to them before this thing came out
permits a person to get relief by applying to Washington for that
publicly in the press. As I mentioned, the Sunshine mine, which is
relief, and it can be granted, which means that that serial number
one of the largest producers of silver, had their number reinstated
can be reinstated, and it would be relief to him in that way.
almost immediately, because the amount of antimony they produced
Senator McCarran. Right there, Doctor, going back to the 30
was essential in our war effort.
percent, would you say that that was a figure arrived at rather hap-
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. I have some other questions, but I
hazardly or was there & specific reason for the 30 percent?
did not want to interrupt Senator Millikin. He has a chain of thought
Mr. NELSON. I do not think it would have made any difference
there that he perhaps wanted to develop further.
whether you had 30 percent, 40 percent, or 50 percent in the order.
Senator MILLIKIN. Senator, there was one angle of the question
My wish was 50 percent. The figure put in finally was 30 percent.
that I wanted to develop a little further, but I shall gladly yield.
I do not think it would have made any difference whatsoever whether
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. No. Go ahead.
50 or 30 percent was going into the order.
Senator MILLIKIN. On mines that produce purely silver and gold,
Senator McCarran. Who finally decided the difference in judg-
not in combination with any of these critical minerals, has thought
ment between you and somebody else?
been given to the general economic consequences of closing down those
Mr. NELSON. All orders that originate in a section go to the clear-
mines through a lack of essential priorities? Take 8 community the
ance committee. The clearance committee has on it the representa-
whole of which lives around a mine and depends upon the mine, the
tives of the Army, Navy, and Munitions Board and other Government
schools of which and the hospitals of which and the facilities of which
and the whole life of which is tied up with a pure gold mine or a pure
agencies. Senator McCarran, Were you on that board?
silver mine. Has thought been given to the effect of striking down a
Mr. NELSON. No; I am not on that board.
mine of that kind, which is to say to strike down a community by
Senntor McCarran. I am trying to get at how that 30 percent
denying it essential priorities?
crept in and why silver and gold were penalized in the way in which
Mr. NELSON. None of us have any desire to strike down a com-
they were by the language of the order.
munity. Senator MILLIKIN. Oh, I understand that, but what weight is given
Mr. NELSON, Well, silver and gold as silver and gold are not
to that factor in the problem?
essential for our war effort.
Senator McCarran. This is since the order was written, but the
Mr. NELSON. We have human casualties and business casualties in
Treasury has decided otherwise and has authorized some 40,000 tons
every war. We abhor the whole thing, but if it is our duty to see that
of silver to take the place of strategic metal only in the last week or so.
critical minerals get into the war effort as quickly as possible, we
Mr. NELSON. I made a suggestion at the Reno meeting that silver
have to do everything we can in the little niche in which we are placed
could be used for bus bar. That is not domestic silver but foreign
to see that that takes place.
Senator MILLIKIN. There is not the shadow of disagreement be-
silver that was brought in at 35 cents an ounce.
Senator McCarran. It is domestic silver, because it is silver that
tween us on that, except in the over-all analysis it might be questioned
whether it is wise to produce an extra tank to blitzkrieg a foreign com-
has real seigniorage in the purchase of silver at 71.1 cents.
Mr. NELSON. Well, then, part of it is domestic and part foreign.
munity when by so doing we blitzkrieg a community of our own.
Senator McCarran. Maybe part of it is foreign, but that brings
Mr. NELSON. The priority ratings that were denied in the mining
of silver in the amendment of March 2 did not shut down any mine.
us down to this proposition. Since the writing of the order I think it
may be well for you to consider that the commercial value of silver,
It did not say that any mine would not get priority assistance, It just
said that those mines would not get the high priority ratings that had
the strategic value of silver, the essential element of silver, in war
activity has now put it into a place where it should not be penalized
just been put in order P-56 by amendment. They had never had
them before, when they were working under the order before it was
any longer.
Mr. NELSON. I mentioned, as I said, at the Reno meeting that I
amended, when it had lower ratings.
thought we could put silver on a war basis by starting to use it in bus
Those mines are operating under P-100 today, and as I said, I do
not know of any mine that has shut down due to priority action or
bars. No answer of any kind was made to my suggestion. It was
under the use of PD-1-a's, which they can use when they cannot get
dropped immediately.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
527
526
the repair part they want on an A-10 rating. So the fact that they
Senator MILLIKEN. I have yet to find a businessman who agrees
sending in PD-1-a's and we are processing shut them down for them I think
with you.
indicates are and shows that we have no desire to and destroy
Mr. NELSON. I can show you a number of mine operators through-
any community.
out the United States who will tell you that the PD-1-a's that we
Senator MILLIKIN. Well, I should suggest that when you take the
have handled in the mining branch have helped them definitely.
preferential priority and toss it out for a general blanket priority,
Senator McCarran. May I interrupt to read a letter that I have
where one business controls the life of a whole community, and that
received from the Industrial Accident Commission? I will read it
business is dependent upon that general priority, which we know is
because it pertains to the mine you have mentioned, the Argonaut,
not quickly available, if available at all, you are in fact granting no
and the Grass Valley district:
relief. What I am driving at, Doctor, is this: In the same sense that you
In reply to your letter of recent date requesting information concerning the
effect of the priority order of March 2, 1942, upon the mines of California, I may
are construing this order and granting exceptions to this order, is it
say that in a number of instances where mines had been struggliing along under
not possible, where a community-the whole economic and social
adverse labor conditions and low-priority classification, the March 2 decision
life of a community-is stricken down by denial of a preferential
undoubtodly influenced their decision to cease operations. In other instances
that decision had been reached before March 2. In most cases however, the
priority, even in the case of a silver or gold mine, to take a common-
hreak-down of B piece of major equipment would have tied up the job indefinitely.
sense view of that and arrive at some practical solution that will
Among the larger mines of this State the following, due to a combination of
keep these people going, rather than to dump them into & general
eircumstances, are DOW idle, or practically so. It is impossible to say to what
extent priorities are 8 factor in their closing: The Argonaut Mine; the Kennedy
category which means no relief?
Mine
Mr. NELSON. There has been no community entirely stricken down
Mr. NELSON. May I interrupt you a minute with reference to the
yet. Senator MILLIKIN. It is slow paralysis.
Argonaut mine?
Mr. NELSON. You are anticipating something that has not hap-
Senator McCARRAN. Yes.
Mr. NELSON. I would like to insert in the record the financial report
pened. Senator MILLIKIN. Every businessman, as you know, Doctor, must
for the year ending December 31, 1941, of the Argonaut Mining Co.,
look to the future in his budget, in his future plans, in his employment
Ltd., showing they had a net operating loss of $38,036.34, as the
plans. These communities that are dependent upon these single
answer to the reason why the Argonaut mine was shut down.
mines must make their hospital arrangements, their school arrange-
(The document referred to is as follows:)
ments, their whole municipal budget arrangements. When they are
Argonaut Mining Co., Ltd., income account for the year ended Dec. 31, 1941
confronted with an order which is not strangling them today, but will
in 6 months or 8 year from now, the practical businessman looks to
Per ton milled
Amount
the end effect and tries to avert it.
(87,800 toms)
Mr. NELSON. We are living under war conditions, which are very
abnormal conditions. My reports from the West indicate that the
Argonaut mine operating Income:
Gross production
$624,774.80
$7.10
major problems of the mines of the West today are labor problems
Less: Refining and treatment charges
14,958.08
17
and not so much priority problems.
609,816.48
6.99
Let us take as a pure example of a gold district the mother lode of
Argonant mine operating expenses:
California. There are roughly 50 mines operating in the mother lode.
Mining (Including development)
498,299.62
5.71
Milling
77,254.65
.89
Only 9 of those ever had a serial number under P-56. Yet they were
Depreciation
14,214.37
.16
all operating on March 2, and they are all operating today, except the
Taxes (other than Federal Income)
31,500.30
,36
General and administrative expenses (Including mine office overhead
Inco overhead charged to Plymouth talls operation)
26,482.88
.30
Argonaut mine, which was shut down not forpriority reasons.
Senator MILLIKIN. That is in the same sense that every automobile
647,852.82
7.42
is still operating on its rubber, but every prudent operator of an auto-
Argonaut mine net operating income (loss)
88,066.34
-45
mobile knows that that rubber is going to wear out.
lymouth tails operating net Income
18,807.21
Mr. NELSON. Oh, no, You cannot get another rubber tire. You
19,829.13
do not have any PD-1-a's you can fill out and get another rubber
l'iymouth (Empire) mine development expenses
33,314.26
tire. You are not permitted to fill one out for a rubber tire.
Total net operating Income (loss)
68,549.39
Senator MILLIKIN. I am saying to you that the last priority order
Other Income:
Dividends received
54,075.00
is so uncertain that it amounts to nothing tangible.
Interest on bonds
1,530.00
Mr. NELSON. If you saw the thousands of PD-1-a's which come
Miscellaneous
2,970.85
through the W.P.B. and which are processed and on which ratings are
68,578.85
given and on which industries are operating successfully today, I
6,032.46
believe I could convince you that 8. PD-1-a is a very tangible thing
Other deductions: Federal Income tax
292.00
for getting a good priority.
Net Income before depletion
4,739.85
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
528
529
Senator McCarran. I doubt that that is the reason, however,
You are undoubtedly familiar with that problem of the Mother
because the Argonaut mine is in a peculiar belt where they produce
Lode mines?
spasmodically. The next month they may have
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
Mr. NELSON. That is their year's operating loss.
Senator McCARRAN, It presents a serious problem in that, just BA
Senator McCabran, That may be true.
Senator Millikin and Senator Johnson have referred to, whole com-
Mr. NELSON. And I think they were glad, maybe, to have an excuse
munities, where for many, many years they have depended on the
to shut down.
activities of these mines, although some of them were working at is
Mr. ENCLEBRIGHT (Congressman from California). I do not want
loss, will be blacked out, if I may use B. very homely expression.
to dispute the doctor, because I know he is well versed in his facts and
Mr. NELSON. As I said, only nine of the fifty-odd mines have ever
figures and has studied this matter very thoroughly. I have had the
had serial numbers under P-56, and they were operating without serial
pleasure of discussing it with him on many occasions, but I would like
numbers before March 2. That means that they were operating under
somewhat to add to what Senator McCarran has said. Many of the
P-100 with an A-10 rating and used a PD-1-a form and were operat-
mines in our State, such as the Mother Lode, for a number of years, in
ing satistactor) Remember, just nine out of the fifty-odd mines
different periods of our history, have operated with an absolute net
had any serial numbers under P-56. Forty-one of those mines were
loss to the extent perhaps of several million dollars, but operations
operating without the priority benefits of P-56 and had never had
have been continued. New ore bodies have been discovered and they
them, and yet they had not shut down and were operating along
have entered into periods of very profitable operations. Of course,
satisfactorily.
that has to be under conditions when the operator knows he is going
Senator McCarran. That emphasizes the point that I tried to
to be able to follow up his operations, so that he can do his exploration
touch on, Doctor, in my brief opening statement. I do not believe
that your board, and even you, with your wide grasp of the subject,
work. Mr. NELSON. But you do not believe that is true of the Argonaut?
fully catch the significance or the psychology of this problem. Here
Mr. ENGLEBRIGHT. I could not say, Doctor, whether that is true or
in various places throughout the United States are offers made to the
not. The Argonaut has had many periods of depression; it has had
workers to go to work at very enticing wages, and here is a mine in
many periods of profitable operations.
which perhaps the worker has been engaged for many years, but he
Senator McCarran. This letter continues:
has been advised that there is B. threat over that mine, and perhaps
The Argonaut mine, Jackson; the Kennedy mine, Jackson; the Keystone mine,
he reads the language that we have in this order of March 2, and he
Amador City: the Sheepranch mine, Sheepranch; the Walker mine, Walker-
says, "Well, this is not going to last very long. They have supplies
mine; the Scotia mine, Grass Valley; the Murchie mine, Nevada City;
on hand for only a few months. I am going to the coast while the
the Zeibright mine, Emigrant Gap; the Pennsylvania mine, Browns Valley;
going is good."
the Virgilia mine, Virgilia; Le Roi mine, Mokelumne Hill; the Mountain
That is what is referred to in this letter from California, where it
Copper mine, Iron Mountain, Calif.
has fallen back on the 55- and 60-year-old men to carry on, and they
The New Brunswick mine at Grass Valley is reported to be shutting down and
the Central Eureka at Sutter Creek in greatly curtailed.
cannot demand the big wages. The young fellows have gone, and
You are, undoubtedly, familiar with the situation with regard to California
hence there is a curtailment of the supply of labor.
mining districts. A number of mines are very deep. The Argonaut and the
Therefore, Doctor, those two elements-your priority. order of
Kennedy being over 5,000 feet in depth. If one of these closes, it means that the
other will be faced with the problem of maintaining both mines to keep the water
March 2, which in turn had its influence on reducing labor, and the
out and provide an emergency exit. Most California mines do not have large
reduction of labor itself or the scarcity of labor-have in many in-
financial reserves to tide them over periods of protracted idleness BO the result
stances brought about the shutting down not alone of precious-metal
will be that if they be allowed to fill with water, they may never reopen due to the
mines but also mines having precious metals and strategic materials
terrific cost of unwatering and rehabilitation of the property.
On the Mother Lode and in the Grass Valley district, a shut-down of major
in combination.
operators would create a very serious condition. There are many miners, and
Mr. NELSON. May I answer?
good ones, in these districts who are between 50 and 65 years of age who know
Senator McCarran. Yes, indeed.
only mining and who would be thrown out of employment. Speaking, generally,
Mr. NELSON. I had a long-distance call from the Governor of
that class would not fit into the program for war industries that might easily
absorb a group of younger men. Also, such wholesale shut-downs would create
Idaho a few days ago. Seventy miners had left their mines to go to
ghost towns of a good many elties like Grass Valley, Jackson, Nevada City, and
the coast, where high wages were paid. Those mines had their
others. While the production of gold for the sake of the metal can easily be
serial numbers; priority could not have entered into the question at all.
dispensed with for the "duration," the problem is bigger than that and should
The over-all labor question of men leaving mines to go to the coast
receive every consideration consistent with our chief aim at this time-à quick
it does not seem to me should be confused in any way with whether 8
and decisive victory.
This information is necessarily sketchy. Lack of time precludes a more exten-
mine had a serial number taken away from it and had it reinstated.
sive inquiry into the subject. However, if I can be of further assistance, let
It is just a general movement which is going to result in a shortage of
me know.
labor in the mines producing materials that we need the most, if
Very truly yours,
something is not done.
C. H. FRY,
Chief, Industrial Accident Prevention Bureau,
Senator McCarran. I am afraid you are looking at it from a brief
circumspect; you are not looking at it from the broad field.
73052-42-pt.
SILVER
530
SILVER
531
Mr. NELSON. I am looking at it from the broad field. There is á
statement from the Governor of Idaho of miners leaving mining
carry out the duties they are supposed to have imposed upon them.
We have to be sympathetic, but we have to hew to the line and do
districts. Senator THOMAS of Idaho. The statement you made is not only
what is best to the war effort.
true of mines but of farms. The dairymen and the farmers are
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Of course, priority takes in the
losing their help. It is curtailing production. It is a terrible
element of preference just naturally, but you weigh your priority
against their performance?
situation. Mr. NELSON. We should not mix up the labor problem with
Mr. NELSON. Yes; we do.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado: Now, we have, as Senator Millikin
priorities. They are two different problems.
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. It should be taken care of.
pointed out, exclusively gold operations in Colorado. There are very
Senator McCarran. You won't get mining management to agree
few of them. I was quite pleased to hear you say a moment ago
that you had not shut the door on any kind of mining operation as
with your last statement that priorities have nothing to do with
yet. Did you mean where only gold is mined?
migration of labor, because all the letters I get are to the contrary.
Mr. NELSON. I mean that any operator operating a 100-percent
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Dr. Nelson, I am quite interested
gold mine is still operating under P-100 and has the privilege of send-
in the experience that you have had since March 2 with relief and
ing in PD-1-a ratings for items that need a higher priority rating
with the granting of priorities. I mentioned that the March 2 order
than he can get under P-100.
withdrew priorities of 66 mines in Colorado; that since that time 28
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is he actually able to get priority
of them have been granted relief; that 38 have not been granted
assignments?
relief; that only 7 of them are strictly gold-mine operations.
Mr. NELSON. They have in the past, but remember this: that if
Now, I do not know that any of the 38 have been denied relief.
they were operating under P-56 they could buy, in a blanket way,
1 notice you said B. moment ago that priorities had not been refused
repair parts without having them scrutinized and clearing them
to anyone as yet. But what are the prospects of those 38 mining
through Washington. Today they have to come in to us for each
operations in Colorado being granted relief?
item they need as they need it, and they have to show that they
Mr. NELSON. I would first like to know how many of the 38 that
actually need it,
have not been granted relief have furnished us complete information
We have got to know that the pooled resources of a gold-mining
on what they are producing. Then I could answer your question.
district cannot take care of a needed part when it is needed. I have
But until I knew that, I would not be in a position to answer your
a list here of items bought by a number of gold mines in the West
question. The reason 1 say that, Senator, is that a fair number of mines in
before their numbers were taken away, and practically everything
they bought is of a most critical nature today. For instance, here
the West that have never replied when we have written to them to
are machine bolts, chains, key stock, files, pipe dies, fuse links, fuse-
send in the data we requested to see whether or not we could give
plugs, a large amount of wire, bushings, lock nuts, cable, and lead.
them relief. Until we do get that information, we cannot act.
Things of that type are very critical.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Of course, until you get the infor-
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. When were these purchases made?
mation you have requested and until they apply, why, quite naturally,
Mr. NELSON. These were purchased in January and February.
you cannot afford them relief.
They had a right to purchase them, but in going over the list of
Mr. NELSON. I was hunting for this sheet while you were talking.
things purchased by those mines when they could purchase them
My figures for Colorado are these: There were 61 withdrawn. There
directly from their supplier and just report to us each month what
were 27 reinstated. There were 39 not reinstated. There were 5
they purchased, they were purchasing critical materials; and we have
whose numbers were not withdrawn, because we had information on
a definite feeling that if a mine operator has to come in to Washington
them to start with.
on a PD-1-a form for each repair part he needs, he is going to be much
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Your number 61 is not correct,
more careful in the amount of critical materials he uses.
because you had 27 and 39, which would bring the number to 66,
I feel that we have made great strides in California since March 2,
which is the number I gave,
due to the fact that the gold-mine operators have gotten together and
Mr. NELSON. The 61 withdrawn plus the 5 not withdrawn make 66.
pooled their resources, have made available their repair shops to
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. I would like to have you develop
each other, and I think they are doing a fine job of conserving critical
something along the lines of what these other mines may expect if
material and still keeping their mines going.
they do apply for relief.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. That is very pertinent information,
Mr. NELSON. We will be glad to review each case very critically
and it is information that we want very badly in Colorado. We want
and very fully and very sympathetically.
to cooperate, of course, and our gold operations want to cooperate.
Senator Johnson of Colorado. Are you acting sympathetically and
They realize the situation we are in, and it is not a spirit of just opposi-
generously with these applications where they produce vital and
tion and contrariness on their part, but they would like to have some
essential and critical materials?
ray of hope that they can get just a few drops. They do not ask for
Mr. NELSON. We are acting sympathetically with everyone. A
n. whole bucketful, but they would like to have a few drops or 8 few
person cannot act generously during a war effort if they are going to
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
532
533
crumbs of assurance that they are going to be able that to get if them. Their
Mr. NELSON. I would have to look into the specifications. I
needs renewal are of cable and other more or less articles to their
not going to be great. They tell me essential they can get
imagine they have safety laws in South Africa, as well as they have
here.
some operations they will get along some way, but they want to know that
Senator JOHNBON of Colorado. I have one thought I wanted to
the door is not going to be shut to them.
develop, if you are through, Congressman White.
the West, and particularly the men who made the I West feel possible
Mr. NELSON. Senator, I admire very greatly the mine operators of
Mr. WHITE. Go ahead.
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. You are dealing now with gold opera-
through the development of the gold and silver mines. their that they
tions, Senator Johnson. Could I inject one question?
can wheel and show the ability which 1 know they have and ability that
come through an emergency if they will put shoulder the to the
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Go ahead.
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Could I ask one question as to what they
their ancestors had.
are doing with dredges and how they are caring for gold dredges?
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. You really think a gold-mine opera-
Mr. NELSON. Gold dredges are considered as placer operations and
tor can do that?
have never come into the provisions of the mining orders since the
Mr. NELSON. I say, I feel they can.
first one issued in September. Those gold dredges that are operating
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. You feel that?
today have been operating continuously since September 22 under
in the West and offer them a large shipment of drill steel that was
Mr. NELSON. But when 1 write to two of the lending gold operators
P-100 and by the use of PD-1-a ratings where they needed a priority
higher than A-10.
consigned to South Africa, and which I held up to see if they could use
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. You think they will be able to continue
it, and receive negative replies from every gold operator that I sent
with their operations?
this telegram to, 1 feel a little sad, because I wonder if they are willing
Mr. NELSON. I cannot say what the critical material situation will
to change their methods of operation in an emergency in order to carry
be from month to month, but, as I understand it, most of those dredges
are still operating.
on. 1 realize that that would call for a change in many things that they
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Thank you.
doing, because drill steel is of a different size than used in this
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Dr. Nelson, I simply wanted to call
are country, but there was a lot of critical material that had been made up
your attention to the fact that in the mining industry often one hand
for shipment to South Africa, which was held up in this country at my
has to wash the other and that there would be a very small amount of
request to see if any gold-mine opertor in this country was willing to
vital and essential and critical ores mined today if it were not for the
or could change his operation so that he could use it. They all of one
silver and gold that have financed the operations. The mining
accord, after a thorough investigation, wired me back and said that
industry is financed and its financing is all interwoven. We may have
they regretted very much, but they could not modify their operations
a gold operation at Cripple Creek that is financing a gold operation in
and uso this equipment.
some other part of our State.
Senator Millikin. Is it not a fair assumption, Doctor, that they
It seems to me that there is a feeling, and I want to find out whether
knew what they were talking about?
it is justified or not, that the War Production Board has a prejudice
Mr. NELSON. 1 suppose they did, but that equipment I think is
against the mining of silver and gold, instead of realizing that the
going to South Africa.
silver that happens in these complex ores is not a curse, but a great
Mr. WHITE (Congressman from Idaho). May I ask a question, Mr.
advantage, and makes it possible to produce quantities, and important
Chairman?
quantities, of these vital, critical, and essential minerals.
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman White.
My question is, Do you have a prejudice against silver? Are you
Mr. WHITE. Dr. Nelson, you appreciate that these machine drills
trying to reduce the quantity of silver mined? Are you trying to
cost about $400 npiece that you are talking about. Do you mean
reduce the amount of gold mined? Is there some economic factor in
you want them to junk all those steel drills and machine drills?
this picture that has not been disclosed?
Mr. NELSON. No: I did not say that they would junk them. 1
Mr. NELSON. I am only in charge of the mining branch of the
was hoping that by some ingenuity they could use it.
W. P.B. The W. P. B. has no thought except to see that the critical
Mr. WRITE. I do not know the type of machinery you are talking
materials go to those mines that are producing the largest amounts of
about. They might change some chuck in a drill, but when you
essential war minerals.
want to change the whole equipment in a drill, that may be irreplace-
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. There is no effort whatever to curtail
able, it might cost more to put the new type of machine drills in opera-
gold and silver?
tion than it would to use steel that was off shape.
Mr. NELSON. If a gold mine needs critical materials and there are
Mr. NELSON. I realize it was a hard problem. I realize that they
not enough critical materials to go around to the metal mine and the
would have loved to use that equipment. But I just want to bring
gold mine, the gold mine naturally will have to take what is left, not
out the fact that we are attempting to help the gold miners where
because it is gold but because it does not help to make & tank or a gun
or an implement of warfare.
we can.
use hollow steel. Wns that steel hollow? Could they comply with
Mr. WHITE. You know, there is a law that provides that miners
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Do you take into consideration the
contribution that is made by silver and gold to the production of zine,
the law and use the steel that you offered?
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
534
535
lead, copper, and other vital minerals? Do you take that into
Mr. NELSON. I have figures to show that the gold production in
consideration? Mr. NELSON. We in the mining branch are looking purely at the
South Africa is going along about the same. I suppose those figures
are correct.
material viewpoint, the material produced and the critical materials
Mr. WHITE. Are they getting a considerable percentage of their
used in producing it, and nothing else.
machinery from us?
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. In other words, if a mine was pro-
Mr. NELSON. I do not believe they are getting very much of any-
ducing silver and sufficient silver to finance the operation, you would
thing from the United States, because the members of the South
wipe it out simply because it was producing silver?
African Purchasing Commission come in to see me regularly about
Mr. NELSON. If it is producing silver and nothing
once n. week, wanting to know when they are going to get something.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. No. It is producing something else,
Mr. WHITE. But they are getting it from the United Nations supply
but not great quantities of it. It is keeping a mine open.
house somewhere, whether it is from England or from us?
Mr. NELSON. If it is producing enough of some other material that
Mr. NELSON. I cannot answer that. Their mines are operating.
is needed in our war effort, the mine will be kept going with the
I know that.
priorities he can get.
Mr. WHITE. You think they are going along at the same rate they
Senator McCahran, Right there, Doctor, going back to the subject
have been going in the past?
we touched on a while ago, about your statement made in Reno,
Mr. NELSON. They state to me that they have no backlog of sup-
have not recent developments established the fact that silver itself
plies to work on any more, and that they are running rather close
is a strategic metal?
against the wind.
Mr. Nelson. Well, ns I said, I had B feeling in Reno that silver
Senator McCarran, I was going to ask, pertaining to that subject,
could be used in fair amounts, but I seem to have been alone in that
Is it not possible that a shipment of machinery that we send to South
feeling at that time. 1 hope that silver can be considered as B metal
America may be transsbipped to South Africa? Is there anything of
that can be used in winning the war from a material standpoint.
that kind going on?
Senator McCaRRAN. It has won so many wars, there is no reason
Mr. NELSON. I cannot answer. I do not know.
why it should not be considered as essential to the winning of this
Senator McCarran. You do not know whether the practice of
war. In the Civil War and every other war that I ever read of it
shipping mine machinery to South Africa will continue?
was by the production of silver that the war was won. In fact, it
Mr. NELSON. I will say that when we give a PD-1-a to a particular
was by the production of silver and gold that we have been able to
mine in South America I am pretty certain that that mine needs what-
finance our wars. If we do not produce silver and gold, I am wonder-
ever it can get so badly that it is not going to transship it to some
ing how we are going to finance this war.
other mine somewhere else in the world; and the only material which
Mr. NELSON. I am from a Southern State, and although it has
we have approved for shipment to South America has been material
nothing to do with the record, 1 do not think that was the reason
to individual mines, and I am pretty certain that an individual mine
that the Civil War ended up the way it did.
is going to keep the material if and when it gets it.
Senator McCarran. Doctor, we will not go into that subject.
The CHAIRMAN. Dr. Nelson, we are going to have to close at the
Mr. WHITE. Mr. Chairman, may I ask another question?
present time, I want to make one suggestion.
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman White.
It is now apparent that the national debt will be around $200,-
Mr. WHITE. You spoke of the policy of the Government in giving
000,000,000. It is likewise apparent, I think, to those who have
priorities to gold mines. We more or less cooperate with the British
made any computations, that the Federal Budget after this emer-
We call ourselves the United Nations. Is that same principle being
gency is over will be from fifteen to twenty billion dollars.
applied to the gold mines of South Africa? We are told that 50
With those two figures being approximately correct, is it not
percent of the gold is produced in South Africa. The Senator told
proper for your Board and you as an individual, 88 an official of the
us a while ago that they sent a warship to South Africa to bring
Government, to give consideration to the problem of permitting
away the gold. Is that same principle being applied in South Africa?
somebody to make some money to pay these expenses or help pay
Mr. NELSON. I must have made the statement before you came
these expenses of not only the present time but from this time hence-
in that the mining branch has not given any priority ratings on any
forth? Have you given consideration to that problem in proposing
PD-1-a forms to South African gold mines in recent months.
orders that will have the probable effect of stopping or retarding the
Mr. WHITE. You mentioned a large shipment of steel going to
production of gold and silver, which are our most valuable metals?
South Africa.
Mr. NELSON. Well, Senator, the Mining Branch has nothing to do
Mr. NELSON. I said that we held up the shipment of this drill steel
with the price policy paid for any metals. That is established in the
that had been manufactured for some company operating South
R. F. C. We in the Mining Branch have only one duty that has
African mines until we contacted our mines to see if they could use
been assigned to us, and I am a great believer in, if you are operating
it in the United States.
a branch, sticking to the duties that are assigned to you, and that is
Mr. WHITE. Does the Priorities Division know of any curtailment
to get the materials to the mines.
in gold production in South Africa due to any essential machinery
The CHAIRMAN. Then, it is your policy to get copper, lead, and
zine even though the country goes bankrupt in trying to get it?
not being supplied?
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
537
536
Mr. NELSON. I did not hear your question.
Senator Millikin, A man would wake up some morning and say
zine and other strategic materials without reference to the economic
The CHAIRMAN. I say, it is your policy to get copper, lead, and
that we need such and such of this, that, or the other in such a quan-
tity. Therefore, in order to get such and such of this, that, or the
effect the country in getting those materials? has
other in such a quantity, we have to put out a certain kind of order.
Mr. upon NELSON. Senator Thomas, my branch nothing in to do with
That would be a somewhat logical approach to an order of that kind,
the policy making of W. P.B. I am sorry. I am not who that position.
would it not?
Senator MILLIKIN. I should like to ask, Dr. Nelson, that sat in on
Mr. NELSON. That is just what I said.
the determination of the policy behind this order we are talking
Senator MILLIKIN. What I am getting at is, where is the factual
data basic to this order? How can we get it? How can we look at
about. Mr. NELSON. I would have to give you the entire membership of the
it? It was not just a circulation of talk among the members, like a
Board before which it came, and I cannot give you that offhand.
college bull session, was it?
Senator MILLIKIN. Was it taken up in a formal hearing or a series
Mr. NELSON. No: not at all.
of meetings? Who was the dominating personality in the policy
Senator MILLIKIN. There must have been some basis for it.
behind this order? I assume you are acting mechanically, under the
Mr. NELSON. I am afraid we are so busy down there that we do
position you have just mentioned. It is not entirely mechanical, but
not have time for some of the bull sessions that we would like to have.
using your judgment within the sphere of action you have been
Senator MILLIKIN. I do not deny their proper place, but I do not
confined to, But who decided the policy?
think we are getting out orders on bull sessions. I do think, however,
Mr. NELSON. You are bringing up the question of order P-56, and
it would be n good thing if we would get at the why of this order.
Senator Thomas was bringing up the question of affecting the price
Mr. NELSON. I mentioned it several times, Senator.
structure of the metals, which are two different things entirely.
Senator MILLIKIN. You told me it is because of this war need.
Senator MILLIKIN. They do not have to follow each other. I am
Mr. NELSON. I said we have lost our sources of supply of many of
asking who decided the policy basie to this order.
the critical metals that go into alloy steel, that go into the making of
Mr. NELSON. Well, as I said, the fact that an amendment was
mining machinery, and so forth. Mining machinery is essential for
needed to the old order P-56 was naturally known in the Mining
carrying on the war. The makers of mining machines have to have
Branch, and the Mining Branch drew up a draft of the first amend-
critical materials to make the machines. The makers of mining
ment to the order.
machinery have the best machine shops in the United States, and they
In drawing up an amendment the branch chief gets in touch with
are using from over 50 percent of their plant capacity down to lesser
his attorney, he gets in touch with a representative of Research and
amounts in the making of direct munitions for the Army and Navy.
Statistics, and they jointly draw the amendment. The amendment
They are limited in the use of critical materials in the making of those
then has to be approved by a half dozen different people. All this
materials. Therefore, we are limiting it to the mines that are pro-
is on a form that is attached to the front of it. Any of those people
ducing the critical minerals.
who do not like any item in that amendment make notations in regard
The CHAIRMAN. It is obvious we cannot complete the hearings this
to what they do not like. Then you try to prove your point. If you
morning, and some of our Members have another meeting at 2 o'clock.
cannot, you compromise and modify the order, until it is passed by the
We cannot go any further now.
clearance committee, and then signed by Mr. Knowlson.
If agreeable, we would like to have you come back tomorrow nt 10
Senator MILLIRIN. Is there a factual memorandum available that
o'clock, Doctor, if you can.
Mr. NELSON. I will be here, sir.
went into these discussions?
Mr. NELSON. I think there are memoranda attached to this order
The CHAIRMAN. There will be some other questions to be sub-
as it went through the committee and as it was issued.
mitted.
Senator MILLIKIN. I am going back to my first question of the
Mr. NELSON. Will the hearing close tomorrow?
day. What was the necessity for the orders? Can we get a factual
The CHAIRMAN. I cannot say anything about that. I do not know
showing into the record as to the necessity for it?
when it will close.
Mr. NELSON. I have already mentioned that the necessity was
We appreciate the attendance we have had this morning, especially
that we needed higher priorities for the mines producing critical
from the Members of the House, and you are invited to come back
minerals in order to see that they get the raw materials that they
and sit with us and participate with us so long as the hearings last.
We will meet tomorrow morning nt 10 o'clock.
needed in order to operate.
Senator MILLIKIN. There must be something below that. You
(Thereupon, at 12:45 p. m., an adjournment was had until Wednes-
just do not wake up in the morning and say there must be this, that,
day, May 6, 1942, at 10 a. m.)
or the other order. There must be a factual basis for that.
Mr. NELSON. The factual basis was that a war broke out and we
were cut off from our supplies of chrome, tin, manganese, and certain
other ore deposits. We were cut off from most of our critical minerals.
Regraded Unclassified
PREFERENCE RATINGS FOR MINING MACHINERY
AND EQUIPMENT
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1942
UNITED STATES SENATE,
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON SILVER,
Washington, D. C.
The special committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment
on Tuesday, May 5, 1942, in room 424, Senate Office Building, Senator
Elmer Thomas of Oklahoma (chairman) presiding.
Present: Senators Thomas of Oklahoma (chairman), Johnson of
Colorado, McCarran, Thomas of Idaho, Downey, and Murray; and
Albert A. Grorud, secretary to the committee.
Present also: Senators Millikin and Bunker.
Present also: The following Members of the House of Representa-
tives: Hon. Harry L. Inglebright (California), Hon. Lawrence Lewis
(Colorado), Hon. William S. Hill (Colorado), Hon. J. Edgar Cheno-
weth (Colorado), Hon. James G. Scrugham (Nevada), Hon. Compton
I. White (Idaho), and Hon. John R. Murdock (Arizona).
Present also: Gov. Ralph L. Carr (Colorado).
Present also: Mr. William L. Batt, Director of Materials, Materials
Division and Chairman of Requirements, accompanied by James
Cooley, Jr., Esq., attorney, Mining Branch, Materials Division; Dr.
Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator; Dr. Marcellus H. Stow, Deputy Ad-
ministrator; and F. L. Eaton, attorney, Materials Division: Shaw
Livermore, principal industry economist, Office of Progress Reports
Division, War Production Board; Mr. Julian D. Conover, secretary
American Mining Congress, Washington, D. C., Mr. A. W. Dick-
inson, the American Mining Congress, Washington, D. C.; Mr. Albert
F. Knorp, secretary, California chapter, American Mining Congress,
San Francisco, Calif.; Mr. James A. White, director, Rocky Mountain
Metals Foundation, Washington, D. C.; Mr. Robert S. Palmer, secre-
tary, Colorado Mining Association, Denver, Colo.; Mr. George W.
Malone, managing director, Industrial West Foundation, Washington,
D. C., and San Francisco, Calif.; Mr. Errol MacBoyle, chairman,
State Mining Board, California; Mr. J. C. Kemprance, Mining Asso-
ciation of California, San Francisco, Calif.; Mr. Matt Murphy, in-
spector of mines, State of Nevada; Mr. Charles L. Bradbury, presi-
dent, New Mexico Miners and Prospectors Association, Albuquerque,
N. Mex.; Mr. R. E. Whitten, Boise, Idaho; Mr. David P. Strickler,
president, Cripple Creek Development Co., Colorado Springs, Colo.;
Mr. Thomas A. Copeland, Cripple Creek, Colo;. Mr. Merrill E. Shoop,
Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mr. Edward D. Dickerman, Leadville,
Colo., and Mr. H. M. Bratter, Washington, D. C.
The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.
When we recessed on yesterday, Dr. Nelson was in the midst of his
statement. We will proceed this morning from where we left off
yesterday.
539
SILVER
541
SILVER
540
STATEMENT OF WILBUR ARMISTEAD NELSON, ADMINISTRA-
The CHAIRMAN, This will be off the record.
TOR, MINING BRANCH, MATERIALS DIVISION, WAR PRO-
(Senator McCarran then made a statement which, by direction of
the chairman, was not recorded. The following then occurred:)
DUCTION BOARD, WASHINGTON, D. C.-Resumed
Senator McCarran, Now, Mr. Chairman, I want to take just a
of interrupting you in the first instance, and later on other interrup-
Senator McCarran. Dr. Nelson, on yesterday I think I was guilty
little different tack, which will later come back to Dr. Nelson's state-
ments made here yesterday. I have here a clipping from the Wall
Street Journal of the date of May 6, 1942, and I would like to read it.
tions followed.
Mr. NELSON, Yes, sir.
SILVER PUT ON INFORMAL RATION LIST; GOVERNMENT FREEZES PRICE AT 35%
Senator McCarran. I noticed that during the making of my pre-
CENTS-WAR INDUSTRIES GET NECESSARY QUANTITIES But SUPPLIES FOR
liminary statement you took notes of my remarks, some I of which you
JEWELRY MAKERS Ann LIMITED
started to reply to, and I then interrupted you. But which think you still
Silver, one of the last of the priority-free metals, is being rationed.
have some notes growing out of my statement be perhaps you
Handy & Harman, the leading bullion dealers, now are doling out supplies, it
might wish to speak upon. If you have, we would very glad to
was learned last night. Industrial companies using the white metal in war work
get what they need; supplies for other consumers, including jewelry and table-
have you do so.
wear manufactures, are being strictly limited.
Mr. NELSON. Senator, I think I answered you on all the notes
Silver available for industrial use also has been price-fixed, the Government
freezing the quotation at the ruling 35% cents a fine ounce (35% cents, including
I had.
commission, to the consumer).
Senator McCarran. Very well.
Mr. NELSON. However, if you feel that there is something I did
LONG EXPECTED BY TRADE
not answer, I will be very glad to try to answer it.
Senator McCarran. I want to touch on this just a little, because
The eriala in allver supplies had been long expected in the trade. The only
white metal available for industrial and commercial use is imported. All United
I think you would perhaps like to answer it, and I would like to have
States mined silver is bought by the Treasury at 71.1 cents an ounce.
Current demand, the trade estimates, is running neck and neck with a potential
your reaction.
foreign supply which may be as small as 100,000,000 ounces this year. But
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
Senator McCarran. Please understand that there are things that
industrial use is expanding rapidly. Silver is an expensive but desirable substitute
for even searcer metals. It can be used in solders, wire, electrical and chemical
I mention to you here during the hearings that have come to me
equipment. It has direct armament uses in ship equipment, gunfire control and
but may that may have nothing particularly of significance behind them;
recoil mechanisms. The aircraft industry uses silver in radiators, aircraft engine
nevertheless, if they grow out of an atmosphere, so to speak, that is
bearings, etc.
This war-borne industrial demand has been piled on top of expanding use by
out in the field, it might be well for us to bring them up, so that you
the arts and crafts, traditional market for the precious metals,
in turn might explode them, if I may use that expression.
I dwell now on the incident illustrative of expressions that are
BUSINESS TURNED DOWN
abroad that there is a line of demarcation somewhere, whereby some
A considerable volume of business is being turned down by bullion dealers
can get priorities and others cannot. I gave yesterday an illustration.
because of the inability to acquire sufficient supplies of silver with which to meet
of two miners working on the same dump, both applying for priorities,
this demand. The situation has been aggravated by the fact that some com-
both working on the same class of ore. One gets a priority; the other
mercial users are attempting to build up supplies now against anticipated future
needs and hence are trying to buy more silver than they are entitled to at the
does not. The inference is that somebody has a pull somewhere.
moment.
Mr. NELSON. Senator, if I remember, you made that statement
8o far, the informal rationing is being carried out on the basis of & certain per-
under n heading, in your opening remarks, of rumors that you had
centage of the amount of silver a customer used last year. But even the com-
pulation of the pereentage is difficult, it was explained, because of the uncertainty
heard.
regarding available supplies of foreign silver.
Senator McCahran. Yes.
Mr. NELSON. I just supposed, as they were rumors, that you did
TRANSPORTED BY RAIL
not want me to answer them, because I do not know just how to
The shipping situation has complicated deliveries of metal from Mexico and
answer rumors.
all silver DOW la being sent to the United States from Mexico by rail express rather
Senator McCarran. Notwithstanding this, it is my belief-and
than by water,
you know better than I-but it is my belief that there is not any
If supplies remain inadequate it may become necessary to seek Government
relief through the release of some of the huge silver hoard acquired by the United
pull, so-called, anywhere in your board; that you are dealing with
States Treasury as the result of the silver purchase program. Treasury officials
this subject fairly and squarely and are acting on the up-and-up.
have announced willingness to release 40,000 tons of ailver for bus bars to offset
Mr. NELSON. Well, Senator, if there is any pull being exercised by
the shortage of copper. The ailver market may seek to have a portion of this
anyone, anywhere, in my own branch, I know nothing about it.
tonnage diverted to commercial uses.
Every case is handled purely on its own merits.
I make mention of that, Mr. Chairman, in the presence of the
Senator McCarran, That, of course, is what I wanted.
members of the Board here in furtherance of my thought, that I
tried to get Dr. Nelson to acquiesce in, and which I think he does
Senator McCarran. There is one other thing, while we are on the
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
acquiesce in, if I interpret his statements correction-I may be wrong,
subject, that hsa come to my attention. With your permission, Mr.
though-that there should not be any act on the part of the Board
Chairman, I will ask that this be off the record.
Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
543
542
would curtail the production of domestic silver, because domes-
supplies, if they are needed for the war effort, will, I believed taken
which silver is not only valuable from a monetary standpoint, and but it is
by my superiors.
tic is disclosed by this article here, the becoming arts and more sciences more
The CHAIRAN. Doctor, on yesterday you made the statement that
essential also, as as a commercial commodity in with
every mine stood on its own foundation.
which are dealing today in our war activity.
Mr. NELSON. Yes, air.
will be I did not get the full significance of his statement; but later,
Dr. frank with him and say that when he made mention of it in
we Nelson touched upon that in one brief statement in Reno. I
The CHAIRMAN. That meant that the facts surrounding that mine
would be governing in relation to an application for priorities and the
issuance of granting of priorities?
when the lend-lease law to release 40,000 tons of silver, turn in his release
Reno, the Treasury became active, and I saw that they to in were about to
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Now, this morning you have made the statement
use a similar quantity of copper, I saw that he had something mind
that any mine that produces a required or satisfactory amount orf
when he made the statement in Reno.
necessary war material, such as copper, lead, or zine, would have its
I bringing this to his attention now with the hope that his board
number reinstated if it had been withdrawn.
am fit to say to the silver miners of this country and those of whose
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
may mines see produce a greater quantity of silver, that the mine order March
The CHAIRMAN. With those two statements before the committee,
which limits it to 30 percent, and says that if the produces more
of what use is any order whatever with respect to the production of
than 30 percent of silver in dollar value it cannot have a priority, that
silver, if every mine stands on ita own foundation.
Mr. NELSON. If you feel that my two statements are con-
is not the rule.
little am bit, so that the fellow who lives on the prairie and has a mine
I anxious that your Board may see fit to modify that rule a
tradictory The CHAIRMAN (interposing). I did not say that, but the two state-
the side of & hill may know that he will not have to come here to
ments lead me to believe that, inasmuch as every mine stands on its
on get a priority. If you would discuss that a little, I would appreciate it.
own foundation, there is no occasion for an order affecting silver or
fact that any mine producing needed amounts of copper, lead, or zinc,
Mr. NELSON. Senator, 1 have already discussed, yesterday, the
anything else, because if a mine needed a priority for any purpose, it
would make application to show its necessity for it; then it would be
irrespective of the amount of silver or gold it will produce, will have
up to your board to consider the application and do what you thought
its number reinstated if it was withdrawn.
was best in the case, having in mind, of course, our need for strategic
1 supposé what you wish me to discuss is not that phase of the
materials.
matter but the industrial side of silver or the industrial use side of
Mr. NELSON. The amended mine order of March 2 gives various
degrees of priorities to various types of mines. In addition to the fact
silver. Senator McCarran. That phase of it; yes, Doctor; together with
that gold and silver mines were limited in their priorities, We also took
this thing; that those of us who are interested in silver mining are
out of the higher brackets of priorities sand and gravel operations and
trying to get over to you, with the idea of affirmative action, a change
aggregate operations-building stone, gypsum, and certain other
of the language of the order of March 2. The reason why we are
commodities. In other words, we were not discriminating against
trying to get that over to you, to get it modified, is that it has &
any particular type of mine; we were trying to evaluate the different
deterrent effect on mining all over the country. No matter what you
mines producing different materials as they affected the war effort.
may say here, as you have just made the statement, which I under-
The CHAIRMAN. You stated on yesterday that the largest silver-
stand perfectly, there are hundreds who do not understand it.
producing mine was Sunshine.
They say, "There is the order. How can you change it?"
Mr. NELSON. I said it was one of the largest.
Mr. NELSON. Senator, I also made the statement yesterday that
The CHAIRMAN. One of the largest, then. You said that because
we have no information in the Mining Branch showing that any mine
that mine produced a very large amount of antimony, which was
has shut down due to priority action; furthermore, we have informa-
needed, you would permit that mine, as I understood you to say, to
tion showing that certain mines have changed to strategic mineral
get whatever material was necessary to operate the mine.
Mr. NELSON. That is correct. Their serial number was reinstated.
production. We also all know that the metals essential for winning the war are
The CHAIRMAN. You might have the largest silver mine in the
being produced in larger amounts this year than they were heretofore,
same condition, or you might have the largest gold-producing mine
so our priorities have been used to increase the production of strategic
in the same condition. If a gold-producing mine was primarily used
for the production of gold, yet that mine produced a by-product in
and critical minerals.
Senator McCarran. Right there, Doctor, if I may interrupt. I
substantial quantities that was needed for the war effort, you, as I
read this article and I have made my statement with the idea of trying
understand the force of your statement, would go ahead and issue the
to emphasize the fact that silver has now become a metal necessary
priorities necessary to keep that mine in operation?
Mr. NELSON. Irrespective of the amount of gold and silver that a
to win the war, just the same as copper or lead or zinc.
Mr. NELSON. I would say that if additional supplies of silver are
mine produces, as I said yesterday, if that mine is producing needed
needed and that can be shown in the months to come to be true,
amounts of any critical or essential minerals, and it can substantiate
naturally whatever steps are necessary to get out those additional
that fact by furnishing us detailed information of the operations, we
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
544
545
review all that information, and if these critical materials that that
Mr. NELSON. I do know, however, that a mill is being built, to take
mine is also producing are needed in the war effort, the serial number
care of these ores from the mines you are mentioning, and that,
is reinstated.
instead of producing about 150 tons of antimony, as they did last year,
The CHAIRMAN. I can see in your orders a very powerful and
due to their interest in the war effort they will produce between 70 and
psychological influence against the mining industry in those western
75 tons of antimony a month starting in September, or probably a
States, with respect to both gold and silver. Now, with my present
little sooner, and will acquire ores from nearby properties from which
understanding, as I interpret your statement, that each mine stands
they will separate antimony. So, their production per month starting
on its own basis of facts, I can see no good purpose whatever that can
this fall will be around 100 tons a month. Antimony is very essential
be served by keeping this order in the active files.
in our war effort.
Mr. NELSON. If it were not for this mining order, the mine oper-
Representative WHITE. I appreciate that, but is the process you
ations of the country would have no way in which, when they suffered
have been discussing-the metallurgical process-one where they
& break-down, and get the highest priority rating needed 80 they could
separate antimony in a mill or in n smelter?
get from their supplier the equipment they need to start operations
Mr. NELSON. I am not familiar with the details of how it is sepa-
again. We are able to do that on 24 hours notice.
rated, because I am not a smelter expert.
The CHAIRMAN. You must know all the facts surrounding and have
Representative WHITE. I want to come now to this priority matter.
in mind all the facts upon which the priority orders are requested,
You said that blanket priorities are given to these mining companies.
and then you not, independently of everything else, on the facts as
I understand that when they make special requests for needed replace-
presented as H basis for this order, so still I cannot see how the order
ments, they must conform to certain rules and regulations. They
itself does any good whatever.
must name their supplier, state whether the stuff is available, and go
Mr. NELSON. There are about 16,000 mines in the United States.
through the provisions of your formula.
There are only between 8,000 and 9,000 of those mines that have
Just what plan do you have in mind to take care of these mines?
serial numbers under this order, and those are the mines that are
Do you have a blanket formula by which they can make application,
given high priority ratings for break-downsor anticipated break-downs,
or do they have to make specific clearance or obtain specific approval
are given quotas or a release on their repair parts, or are given special
for every instrument they order? Just how do you handle it?
ratings on new machines, when they need those machines to expand
Mr. NELSON. I can go into details in the operation, if you want
or to maintain their tonnage.
me to, Congressman.
The CHAIRMAN. I think I see your viewpoint: that this order and
Representative WRITE. I just want to know the difference between
this activity on behalf of your board is really in the interest of the
the two plans you discussed yesterday.
mines rather than against them.
Mr. NELSON. Under the mining order we asked the Governor of
Mr. NELSON. Absolutely.
each State to designate a State official as the Emergency Coordinator
The CHAIRMAN. Well, I am trying to see that a little more clearly.
of Mines for that State. That State official sent into our office the
Mr. NELSON. Did 1 make that clear?
names of the mines in his State which he felt should be given serial
The CHAIRMAN. I see your viewpoint, but I am not convinced
numbers, as a serial number was necessary before a mine could par-
that it is in the interest of the mining States.
ticipate in the priorities granted under the mining order.
Mr. NELSON. The fact that we are trying to get production out is
We reviewed those lists and wrote back in many cases for additional
prima facie evidence that the mines are being taken care of from the
information. Since September 22 we have issued serial numbers to
priority standpoint, because they would be unable to increase their
between 8,000 and 9,000 mines in the United States.
production if it were not for the use of priorities.
When a mine has a serial number, it is entitled to the priorities
Representative WHITE, Mr. Chairman, I would like to make an
given in Order P-56. There are four or five different types of priori-
inquiry, in order to clear up a matter.
ties in that order. The A-1-a rating for break-down must be cleared
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman White.
by the mine having a serial through the Mining Branch in Washington.
Representative WHITE. You mentioned, Dr. Nelson, the Sunshine
An A-1-c rating for repair parts on a quota basis by quarters is
Mine as a source of antimony.
handled by the mine direct with its supplier, by stamping on the
Mr. NELSON. Correct.
order to its supplier B. clause carrying the mines' serial number and
Representative WHITE. As a matter of fact, antimony is a metal
the A-1-c rating under his quota, in accordance with the provisions
that is deleterious, and the mine owners are penalized for having it
of order P-56. They do not have to come into Washington for their
in the ore. How do you take care of that situation?
repair parts under those quotas. The quotas are, however, estab-
Mr. NELSON. I know that the past smelter practice in regard to
lished in Washington.
certain metals being associated with other metals when they go to
We also have an A-8 rating that the mine operator can use in the
the smelter has resulted in certain penalties being charged by the
same way on his supplier for other operating supplies.
smelter against the shipper.
Finally We have an A-10 rating that can be used for office supplies,
Representative WHITE. It has been long the custom and practice
to penalize the shipper for having antimony in his ore.
73052-42-pt.9- -
SILVER
SILVER
547
546
other items of that type, not directly connected with the mining
or activity; again the mine orders under the A-10 rating directly on his
Representative WHITE. I beg your pardon. It is not my intention
to bring in a controversy here. I just want to clarify this thing.
You stated yesterday, I think, that a very great number of Cali-
supplier. Leaving that side of priorities and going to new it machines, a mine
fornia gold mines had not availed themselves of any application.
wanting a new mining machine can get and only by writing
Do those companies have the knowledge that they have the privilege
operator wiring to the Mining Branch in Washington That furnishing us all
and that they can avail themselves of it? Do you get that infor-
or the information about its need for that machine. is reviewed
mation to them?
carefully. If the mine operator has proved his case, a rating is given
Mr. NELSON. We have attempted, through our State coordinators,
which will permit the mine operator to purchase that machine,
to see that every mine operator was informed of the fact that he had
Those are the priorities that are available to a mine operator having
the privilege of applying for a serial number. The reason we asked
n serial number under order P-56.
the Governor of each State to designate a State official familiar with
outlined, have there been any general rules or general instructions
Representative WHITE. Going into this detailed plan you have just
the mining industry of his State was so that every mine operator in
the State could know, through the State coordinator, that he had the
issued to the mining industry to put them on notice or to give them an
privilege of applying for a number.
opportunity to take advantage of these provisions that you have just
Representative WHITE. Just a number. But what about the
information of his privileges and rights and the rules and regulations
enumerated? Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir. Every mine operator when he gets his
that went with that number? What about them?
serial number is told to read the certificate, on which there is stamped
Mr. NELSON. He got the number and he got that information from
all this information. In addition to that, we send out additional
us. If he did not get the number, the information was not necessary.
instructions as conditions change.
Representative WHITE. In other words, it boils down to the fact
Representative WHITE. That mine number is given only upon
that there have been no general rules or general instructions made
application. But the information I would like to have is whether
available to the mining industry.
general information has been furnished the mining industry, to have
Mr. NELSON. There have been rules or general instructions given
them avail themselves of the rules and regulations you now prescribe.
to the mining industry in many ways: Through our office, through
Has that now been done in a general way?
State coordinators, through trade journals of the country that cover
Mr. NELSON. We have in each State in the union an emergency
the mining industry, and by word of mouth.
coordinator of mines, and I am certain that in every case those State
Representative WHITE. You stated awhile ago that the coordinators
coordinators have seen to it that the mine operators in their State
of the several States had listed all the mines that they thought were
know that they can apply for serial numbers.
entitled to this information; that were listed as mines that merited this
Mr. Palmer is our coordinator in the State of Colorado and has been
procedure.
very active. 1 am quite certain that there is not a mine operator in
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
Colorado who has not been informed that he could get a serial number.
Representative WHITE. Has that list you mentioned been given to
I also ani quite certain and know to be quite true that a number of
these people in any way direct?
mine operators who have asked for serial numbers have not been
Mr. NELSON. The mines on that list which were granted serial
given them because we thought their operations did not justify them.
numbers have been given all information in regard to the priority
Representative WHITE. Have you furnished those coordinators in
the several States with blanket, comprehensive instructions as to what
actions. Representative WHITE. Mr. Chairman, I thank you very much, and
B. mine is entitled to have and can have, and do you know if the mines
I thank Mr. Nelson for his information.
Senator McCahran. At this point, Mr. Chairman, while these
have received such information?
Mr. NELSON. Each mine operator himself, when he has B serial
gentlemen are before the committee, I desire to read another extract
number, has the information and knows how to apply that infor-
from the Wall Street Journal of today, May 6, 1942. Perhaps it has
already come to your attention, but I would like to have it brought to
mation.
Representative WHITE. 1 would assume that. Well, judging from
your attention again as a basis for one or two more questions. This
the hundreds of telegrams reaching my office from miners asking for
article reads as follows:
help, it is quite apparent to me that they do not have such infor-
mation and have to go through a very tedious routine to acquire it.
SILVER EXPORTS TO EUROPE ARE BANNED TO KEEP METAL FROM AXIS
INDUSTRIES
Mr. NELSON. We have sent out these certificates with serial num-
bers to mine operators. In one or two cases we have had the mine
operator, when he made his monthly report to us, return his certificate
nouneed embargo because it has been found that even though shipped to neutrals
WASHINGTON-Exports of silver to Europe have been stopped by an unan-
to us as his monthly report. If the mine operator does not under-
the silver finds its way to the Axis for industrial uses.
The new embargo covers Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. Sweden. Vichy France,
stand the certificate and does not understand, by reading it, the
Turkey, and French Africa.
priorities that he can get, we cannot go to between 8,000 and 9,000
redure is to withdraw all silver coins. This was done by the Axis in
It was found that when European countries are occupied by the Axis the France pro-
mines and read the certificate over to them and explain the details.
where 5-, 10-, and 20-franc silver coins were taken up by Germany.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
548
SILVER
549
using Germany sine, aluminum, and iron coins in place of centers more white metal.
and Italy have long since withdrawn the their silver valuable coins and are how
Senator McCAHBAN. Yes; that is true, Doctor, but the production
large It quantities of coin for the account of the
is shown that Switzerland and Portugal Axis. are through which flow
of silver in combination with what you term strictly war essential
Considerable tonnage of silver was actually en route to Portugal and Spain
metals does two things. First of all, it enourages the production of
before it. was stopped and brought back to this country.
war essential metals; second, it keeps the price of war essential
weeks, this Government has been negotiating with the representatives
metals down, because silver at 71 cents aids the miner in producing
of to in this country. Sweden owns some 15 to 20 tons being in this country,
In neutral recent European governments for the purchase of silver held which they hold title
war essential metals, and today, except in one instance, you have no
Officials of State, Treasury, and other Government agencies, however, have
straight mines of silver. Every bit of silver is a byproduct, almost
been getting tougher about silver exports to any of the European countries and
altogether. The only one outstanding exception to that, that I
were finally forced to clamp down completely.
know anything about, is the Sunshine mine, to which you have made
Silver is a searce metal in Europe because the occupled countries are being
reference.
urged to use substitute metals for coins and this action coins has caused has civilian hoard-
With that in mind, I still insist, with all these other facts I have
ing. which with the confiscation by the Axis of silver produced a diffi-
brought before you here, which are today current, that the clause in
cult silver situation.
Silver production in Axis-held Europe in 1939 was about 5½ percent of total
your order of March 2, being a penalizing clause-and it cannot be
world output. This output has probably been stepped up silver some by the pressure
considered in any other way-should be removed from that order in
of war demands, but officials believe that the embargo on from this country
order that your war essential metals, that you hold highest, should
will hinder the Axis A little and create some discomfort.
have greater production by being encouraged and will cost the Govern-
Dr. Nelson, 1 read that extract ns a preliminary to this question.
ment B. lesser price, because silver costs the Government nothing.
Undoubtedly whoever put into the order of March 2 the provision as
Mr. NELSON. As I brought out yesterday, we must always remem-
to 30 percent of silver and gold or silver or gold must have had the
ber that the machines which are being made for our mines must be
idea or motive of reducing the production of silver, or at least must
used in the mines producing the largest amounts of critical material.
have had the idea that silver was not a war essential metal, because
I think that that answers the silver question.
that order as worded in the priority rule of March 2 penalized the
Senator McCarran. It would answer it, Doctor, if it were not for
production of silver if it was in excess of 30 percent.
the fact that it is disclosed that silver is a critical material just as well
With that in mind, and with the doctrine that is announced here
as the metals you have mentioned.
in these articles that I have read, I am asking you gentlemen now why
Mr. NELSON. If you use silver to replace copper, and you have one
IL war essential metal, manifestly a war essential metal, because by
machine here that mines 100 pounds of copper, and that can mine
this action it has been barred from export; manifestly a war essential
X pounds of silver, it is certainly better economy to mine copper.
metal because our enemies are gathering it up wherever they can,
The silver we have been mining has been accumulating over a long
because it is so treasured in war activities-why should any phrase
period of years, and we are just taking advantage in this emergency
be in the priority order which by its general terms would penalize
of the accumulated silver which was not being used as critical material
the production of silver in this country? I would like to have your
in war effort.
views on it, gentlemen.
Senator McCabran. That part would be true and your analysis
Mr. NELSON, Well, we certainly consider that silver and gold-
would be correct were it not for the fact that a small quantity of silver
those two motals-are not in the class of copper, lead, and zine, and
outbalances and overweighs a large quantity or tonnage of the war
the critical minerals like chrome, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum
essential metal. In other words, if you have a mine that produces,
tungsten, and others.
say, 20 ounces of silver or 10 ounces of silver and 10 tons of war
Senator McCarran. But is it not rapidly, according, to the best
essential metals, and you penalize the production of the tonnage of
information we can get, taking its place as a war essential alongside
war essentials because of the production of more than 30 percent of
those metals you have mentioned?
silver, then you have not carried out your formula.
Mr. NELSON. It is certainly playing a small part at the present
Mr. NELSON, We are not penalizing them. We are considering
time, and until it can be proved that the amount of silver that is
each mine from the standpoint of copper, lead, or zine which it pro-
being produced under the present priority actions is not sufficient to
duces, irrespective of the amount of gold or silver it produces. We
take care of these new uses of silver, I see no reason for changing our
are thinking first of the copper, lead, and zine. We have to under the
present priority set-up. I think it would have to be proved first.
present methods of warfare.
Senator McCarran. You will concede, however, Doctor, that the
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman Murdock, have you some questions
provision in that order does act to penalize the production of silver.
that you desire to propound?
Mr. NELSON. The raw materials going into the making of mine
Representative MURDOCK. They have been partly answered, Mr.
machines and equipment is one of the controlling factors in mining.
Chairman, by the latest anwsers to Senator McCarran.
These mining machines and mining equipment and repair parts will
I would like to ask this question: Are there not B good many mines
produce a much larger amount of copper, lead, or zine than they can
silver? throughout the country that produce mixed ores, including gold and
of silver or gold for the same amount of critical materials. We have
got to use our critical equipment where it will produce the largest
Mr. NELSON. Yes; there are mines that produce copper, lead, zine,
gold, and silver.
amount of the metals needed in the war effort.
Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
550
551
Representative MURDOCK, 1 find in the mines State of Arizona, for
INTRODUCTION
instance, that some of our largest copper are I heavy producers
of gold and silver-chiefly silver-as a byproduct. which the Senator wanted to bring
The present world conflict has been aptly described as & war of metals and
those nations which possiess the greatent resources of metalliferous orea and the
the fact that the order of March 2, believe has been
facilities to turn them into finished products should eventually be victorious.
out referring to, does restrict the output of copper-I that that is true
While nearly all metals are essential in conducting modern warfare, their
in the State of Arizona, because of the fact copper, gold, and
degree of importance varies considerably both from the standpoint of tonnage
required and the practicability of employing substitutes,
silver are produced in the same mine.
Since our monetary system is founded on gold and silver, the chief function of
In one mine that I think of, at Superior, Ariz., the output of
these so-called precious metals is buying power. Gold has very few essential
gold and silver is rather heavy, and I can would see how limit the the order of March
industrial applications, and Its high price and scarcity further limita its uses,
2, unless modified in individual cases, production of
Silver, on the other hand, plays an important role in Industry and while the quan-
titles normally required for essential purposes represents less than 50 percent of
our annual output, it could be substituted advantageously for other metals were
copper. Mr. NELSON. It has not actually limited the production of copper
it available in large quantities.
anywhere, because where any appreciable amounts mines of copper were
Outstanding nonferrous metals: Practically all of the metals have been placed
being produced, the serial numbers of those were reinstated,
on the strategic and critical lista of materials, but from the standpoint of tonnages
produced, aluminum, copper, lead, and sine are the most essential of the Dob-
irrespective of the amount of gold and silver present.
ferrous group.
Representative MURDOCK. I am glad to bear that.
In the case of aluminum, we are dependent to some extent on outside sources
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. If it has not restricted it, it has
for our supplies of aluminum ore (bauxite), but the bulk of our copper, lead, and
greatly stimulated the production of these critical minerals every.
sine is derived from domestic sources.
During the past 2 years our output of these metals has been stepped up sharply,
where?
yet the demand has increased to such an extent that we cannot adequately supply
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Why you do not recognize that fact
Mr. NELSON. It has.
both military and civilian needs.
Proposals made by Government agencies to meet expanding need for copper,
is the thing I do not understand. Silver certainly has made A great
lead, and nine: To meet the expanding need for copper, lead, and sine, the two
following suggestions have been made:
contribution to the production of copper, lead, and zinc. It has kept
1. Substitute available silver supplies for copper, lead, or zino and thus release
the mines open. It kept them going prior to the war, when the prices
some of these other metals for essential uses.
2. Mine and smelt only those copper, lead, and nine orea which contain less
came up.
Mr. NELSON. Prior to the war we did not need priorities of any
than 30 percent of their metal value in the form of gold or silver.
The object of the first suggestion is to utilise silver which In not employed for
kind. When the war broke out we started living under war conditions
essential purposes and aubstitute it for those metals which can be advantageously
and under n. set of circumstances that are entirely different from any
used elsewhere.
set of circumstances that any of us ever dreamed we would have to
The announced objective of the second suggestion in to step up the production
of copper, lead, and sine by employing ores containing higher percentages of these
live under.
metals and thus save the time and expense required in separating the gold and
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. If silver made this contribution
silver from ores carrying substantial quantities of the precious metals.
prior to the war and it has been continuing to make it since the was
The object of this report is to show the practicability and effect of these two
started, for the reason that it makes it possible for the mines to oper-
schemes.
Comparison of prices: The two outstanding objections to the industrial use of
ate, you might consider the silver you get as a stimulus or a price
gold and silver are: (1) The high price of these metals; (2) the limited supplies
paid as n bonus for the production of copper, lead, and zine, because
available.
it is exactly that, and that is also true of gold, wherever gold is found
In the case of gold, these two objections outweigh most of the advantages of
this metal and only when small quantities are required has this metal any impor-
in complex ores. It is a bonus, a stimulus.
tant industrial application.
Mr. NELSON. Senator Johnson, if it were not for the fact that we
In the case of silver, however, neither the limited quantity nor relatively high
have a shortage of capacity in plants of makers of mining machinery
price precludes its industrial use, and hence it plays an important, if not essential
and is shortage of the materials which go into the making of mining
role in commercial processes.
machinery and repair parts, we would not have to restrict the use of
While the price of silver is nearly ninety times greater than that of copper, the
suggestion has been made that because of its high conductivity, it might be tem-
mining machinery and repair parts to mines that are producing those
porarily used (in lieu of copper) for certain types of electrical equipment. This
things which we need first in the war effort, and those things which
silver could later be released and again be replaced by copper when the present
we need first in the war effort are not gold and silver.
emergency has passed.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. At this point, Mr. Chairman, I
Free allver: In addition to the silver which "backs" the paper currency, there
in a relatively large quantity of this metal held in reserve by the Government.
should like to place in the record a statement with respect to the
Such metal is termed "free silver" and it has been proposed to use this idle metal
contribution that has been made end is being made to the mining
to replace an equivalent quantity of copper which in turn could be employed for
industry by gold and silver, particularly silver. It is as follows
essential purposes.
The quantity of free silver on hand according to the Treasury Department is
[reading]:
46,740 short tons, an amount equivalent (by weight) to 4.77 percent of our
Relation between the domestic production of silver, gold, and certain critical
output of copper in 1941.
metals essential for national defense, Industrial West Foundation, San Francisco-
The use of this surplus silver for purposes which involved no permanent loss
of the metal would release at least 46,740 tone of copper for those uses wherein
Reno-Washington, D. C.
the latter is essential.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
553
552
scheme would have to be carefully safeguarded and the silver employed
Senator McCabran. 1 took your own expressions made on two or
protected quite helpful in offsetting a temporary shortage of the annual
Such a against possible loss; but the tonnage of copper this metal. thus released would be
three occasions here. In other words, one applying for 8 serial num-
Possible available silver: As shown in figure 3, this silver production of nilver
ber or one applying to get repair parts
is but a the tounage of the latter metal released be for released other purposes because would be
fraction of the copper output so even If all was substituted for
Mr. NELSON (interposing). Until n mine has & serial number, it is
not in the favored position of being able to wire in for a high priority
relatively copper, small, But all of this silver could not this metal
certain essential uses for which there are no adequate substitutes, Its im-
rating in case of a break-down.
has in photography is such that the quantities required for this purpose
Senator McCarran. Then, to get the serial number, they do wire
portance could not be diverted. Moreover, photography is playing for silver an increasingly to Im-
in or write in for priorities?
portant role in nerial warfare and hence the demand in certain chemical meet military
Mr. NELSON. To get the serial number, they first clear through the
needs is growing. The silver used in solder and of the processes
State coordinator, and he sends the name of the mine operator and
could not be released for other purposes so only a portion annual output
pertinent information in regard to the mine in to the Mining Branch.
would be available as a substitute for copper.
Since silver is a better conductor of electricity than copper, is given quantity of
We then review it.
the former would go further when used in certain types of electrical equipment.
In certain cases we grant serial numbers. In certain cases WAS
This additional conductivity of silver, however, is not sufficient to make any great
for further information. In certain cases the information on immd is
difference in the actual quantity of copper replaced.
such that we do not feel the mine is justified in having a serial number
The estimated quantities of copper replaceable by silver on the basis of the 1941
production of these two metals in shown diagrammatically in figures 6 and 7.
granted.
Figure 6 gives the saving of copper when replaced by an equivalent weight of
Senator McCarran. How many cases of that kind have you had?
silver and figure 7 gives the saving when advantage is taken of the additional
Do you recall, Doctor?
conductivity of silver.
Mr. NELSON, Well, there are 16,000 mines in the United States,
From siliceous gold and silver ofes (which can only be probably worked If the
precious metals are marketed), there were recovered in 1940 the following quan-
and we have granted only between 8,000 and 9,000 serial numbers.
tities and values of copper, lead, and sine:
Senator McCarran. Do the others all fall under the ban of not
Copper, 37,379 tons valued at $7,475,853.
measuring up?
Lead, 107,502 tons, valued at $11,202,768.
Mr. NELSON. In most cases I would say that is true. There are
Zine, 48,858 tons, valued at $6,156,144.
This means that by eliminating ores of this type, our domestie production of
probably a few mines in the United States that should have serial
these all-important metals in 1940 would have been reduced by the amounts
numbers that have not yet applied for them. They are mostly of
shown above. In terms of percentages of our total annual production of these
the category of mines which are nonmetallic, which are sand and
metals from domestic ores, the reduction in output in 1940 would have been as
gravel operations and aggregate operations, and in many cases they are
follows: Copper, 4.25 percent; lead, 24.80 percent; zine, 8.28 percent.
The above reduction in the output of copper and zine may appear relatively
large operations, and that type has just been operating on PB-1-a
small but in terms of work performed by these metals, such a reduction would be
and P-100 and have not bothered to apply for serial numbers.
very serious, For instance, the above quantity of copper is more than equivalent
Senator McCARRAN. Then, I would gather from your answer that
to that used in all the radio seta manufactured in 1940; the lead recovered from
there are but few metal-producing mines that have been denied
such ores was sufficient to cover all the electric cables produced, and the yield
serial numbers, that have applied for them?
of metallie zine was more than enough for all the galvanized wire and screen
Mr. NELSON. I would say that our State coordinators in the min-
manufactured in 1940.
Unless, therefore, we are assured of making up this deficit in such metals from
ing States of the West and in other parts of the country where metal
other sources, a curtailment in the production of the ores containing more than
mines exist have sent in to us a complete list of practically everyone
30 percent of their total metal value in the form of gold and silver would be &
who is producing anything, even though the mine consist of & hole
erious matter and one which requires careful analysis.
in the ground, with two men operating it.
The CHAIRMAN. Have you some further statement you want to
In many cases small operators have not been given serial numbers.
make, Dr. Nelson?
In many cases the State coordinator has been given erroneous in-
Mr. NELSON. No, sir.
formation by the mine operator, which he has later on corrected, or
Senator McCARBAN. I should like to query the doctor on a state-
which in some cases they found was erroneous and so notified him.
ment he made to Congressman White.
Where that erroneous information would seem to justify a serial num-
Doctor, you used this expression in answer to my own questions on
ber, We found out when the correct information was obtained that &
one or two occasions. It comes out of your answer about how 6
mine of that type often did not justify the serial number.
priority is acquired by a mine that is threatened with a shutdown or
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I should like to
has lost its serial number.
address the speaker.
You have stated that the application is sent in to Washington,
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman Englebright.
and then you say that if the mine proves its case, it will be granted
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Dr. Nelson, was it the purpose of
a priority or a release, or its serial number will be returned.
the order of March 2 to eliminate from production mines that are
Mr. NELSON. You have two things mixed up there. The break-
producing primarily gold or silver? I think the silver question has
down clause is entirely different and would have to be discussed apart
been answered pretty well, but I shall ask about mines producing
from the clause relating to the return of n serial number to B. mine.
primarily gold.
Mr. NELSON. Congressman Englebright, when the first mine order
was issued on September 22, we excepted from all the provisions of
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
555
554
that order all placer gold operations, showing that right from the
conserving these one percents in those phases of our industrial life
beginning and back in last September we felt order that gold mining was
that do not enter first into our war effort that we can accumulate,
essential in our war effort. So, when the was amended on
in our laborious way, many of these critical materials that we can no
not March 2, the taking of further high priorities away from & larger
longer get from abroad and that we must get for our direct armament
of gold mine operations was just a logical extension of the
group thought which was expressed in the original order on September 22.
program. Senator MILLIRIN, Dr. Nelson, pursuing the factual basis for the
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Was any consideration given to the
order theme, if you can give us any further enlightenment on it I am
fact or the condition that surrounds gold mines in many portions of the
sure it will be very much appreciated.
country, inasmuch as large portions of the population depend wholly
Mr. NELSON. The manufacturers of mining machinery were flock-
or largely on the operation of gold mines, and the economic welfare of
ing into Washington one after the other, saying that they could not
large communities and populations was dependent on gold mining?
keep their plants going if they did not get higher ratings from the
Did you take that phase of the question into consideration when you
mines to whom they were selling their repair parts and machinery.
made such IL decision?
It was therefore necessary to revise this order 80 as to give higher rat-
Mr. NELSON. We realized that in all war of the type we are waging
ings for repair parts and new machines to miners, and when you give
there are business casualties as well as human casualties. They are
higher ratings you have to restrict the mines to which those ratings
casualties we regret. But if we have only a limited amount of material
are given.
to around, we have to see that that material is used in producing
If you will remember, when on September 22 the first mining order
items go that will make the most tanks and guns and implements of
was issued, all gold placer mines were excepted from the provisions of
the order, so you can see that right from the beginning we felt that gold
warfare. Of course, we all have a very sympathetic feeling about anything
was not essential in our war effort.
that happens to any community that affects it adversely during war-
When we came to the revision of the order on March 2, made neces-
time, and we naturally do not want to do anything to disrupt any
sary by the fact that we had to get higher priorities from the mine
community through priority action any more than has to be done ne
operator to the maker of mining machinery, we further restricted the
the war gets tighter and tighter.
number of mines to which these high priorities would apply. We took
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Well, at that time did you consider
out all sand, gravel, aggregates, building stone, gypsum, and opera-
the fact as to what methods would be taken or what procedure would
tions of that type from certain phases of the amended order.
be followed to take care of large portions of our population that are
We did not permit them to have an A-1-0 quota for repair parts.
destitute or are partially destitute by reason of the discontinuance
They had to come in to Washington every time they wanted a repair
of gold mining, or to take care of the trading of skilled miners who are
part. They could not buy it direct from their supplier. We left the
necessary in other portions of your war effort? That is a double
metal mines and the strategic mineral mines in the top class, where
question, but if you can answer those points separately, I will appre-
they could handle their quota of repair parts direct with every sup-
plier without coming in to Washington, and fixed it 80 that we could
cinte it.
Mr. NELSON. None of the gold mines that we are discussing have
give them the highest ratings for the new machines where they needed
shut down due to priority action to date. Though they are still
them.
operating, they are operating under labor difficulties, as is shown by
While that was being done, following the thought that we had from
reports that I have obtained from all the mining districts in the West,
the 22d of September in regard to gold, we restricted still further the
in that they have all lost many of their laborers who have gone to the
higher priorities that were to be given to gold and silver mines.
Pacific coast, where they have received higher wages. As I brought
Senator MILLIKIN. That may be responsive to my question, but if
out yesterday, that was true of metal mines 88 well as of gold mines.
so, I have not made my question clear, Doctor. I will take another
So, I do not think that we can tie into priorities many of the losses
hitch at it.
that undoubtedly will befall certain of the mining districts of the West.
Mr. NELSON. All right, sir.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Well, at the time your policy was
Senator MILLIKIN. Let us take ourselves back to March 1. Let
formulated, was consideration given to the amount of critical materials
118 assume that a situation developed which came to your attention
that might be necessary to keep in operation the gold mines upon
that required an additional store of defensive minerals or metals, and
that I assume was the situation. That is the whole war theme.
which large communities depend for their economic welfare?
Mr. NELSON. We certainly did, and we realized that the story of
Well, the mining end of industry would be called upon to meet an
the gold mines is the story of every industry in the United States.
allocation of that need, would it not? On an over-all basis, I assume
The gold mines will use n. small amount of steel. They will use n. small
that certain units of that expected gain in strategic minerals or metals
amount of lead. They will use a small amount of tin. They will use
would be assigned to the mining industry.
We would sit down and we would commence to assemble statistics
a small amount of chrome and nickel.
Taken by itself, that dões not seem very much, but if you add up,
on what the mining industry is consuming in the way of defense min-
erals in ita process of mining; and we would put that on one side of
from industry after industry, the 1 or 2 percent that you do not see,
you won't have anything left for the war effort; and it is only by
the ledger sheet, and on the other side of the ledger sheet we would
say, "Now, this is what it is producing."
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
557
556
trying to put some rational basis behind would this thing. On that
because the mines that were essential for our war effort have cleared
1 am view of the balance of the thing, we say, "Well, we have
their cases with us and had their numbers reinstated.
sort of and so and so and so." Now, I am trying to get at those
Senator MILLIKIN. That is a matter of your personal judgment.
to factors do 80 which on March 1 and prior to that day brought about this
I am not disparaging your personal judgment, but we have a notion
in this country that we would like to have a government by law and
order. NELSON. When you do not have enough mining machines to
not a government by men. Can we not have a government by law
Mr. around to all of the mines that are producing the even of the critical
by having regulations which any miner can read and know whether or
go naturally you have got to restrict use the your mining
not he falls under those regulations?
materials, machines to those mines that are not essential for their war effort. At
Mr. NELSON. You have the clause in the order permitting the mine
time the makers of mining machinery had plant capacity,
operator to come back in and ask for relief, and where the war effort
which that was left to them, outside of that which they were for using for the
demands that, they will be given relief.
Army cases 12 months, for some of the most essential types of mining
and Navy or direct munitions work, taken up 6, 9, and in
Senator MILLIKIN. Well, that is merely in the nature of an appeal
nfter you have been sentenced. That is all it amounts to.
some machinery that was needed in the mines producing the most critical
Mr. NELSON. Most of our limitation orders that have been issued
in recent months might be classified somewhat in the same way; but
war materials.
It not a question of saying that if we cut out gold and silver
when you have an emergency and you have to start conserving, you
will was have enough critical materials for the rest of the mines. It
have to start to conserve before the barn door is open.
we just a question that if we cut out gold and silver, we will have
Senator MILLIKIN. I heartily approve of that relief clause in the
was more materials for the critical mines, but not even as much as we
order. Without it the order would be absclutely deadly. But it
should be unnecessary if the other part of the order were clear and
want for them.
Senator Millikin. All right. Now, we have gone on with that
meant what it said.
between ourselves, and we now come to the terms of an order. How
I think at one time Senator Johnson wrote to you and said, "For
did bring in that 30-cent clause in relation to that need?
God's sake, put these orders in plain English, so that people can
Mr. you NELSON. I explained to you yesterday that in drawing the
understand them."
order, my thought was that 50 percent was A good starting point.
Was Dr. Nelson the object of that, Senator Johnson?
Senator MILLIKIN. Who overruled your thought on that?
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Donald Nelson.
Mr. NELSON, I was not overruled. In drawing any order, the
Senator MILLIKIN, I take up the thought of Senator Johnson: Let
order goes before your attorney, it goes before the Bureau of Sta-
us get up an order that people can understand and that will not leave
tisties and Research, and then it goes before a clearance committee,
it to an individual appraisal of each case.
in which you discuss all of these things, and the majority opinion is
Dr. Nelson, while we are all entranced with your graciousness, and
followed. I do not call that overruling; that is democracy.
we know you want to be fair about the matter, you may not be here
Senator Millikin. Now, then, why did they set up any reference
all the time, you may wake up in a bad humor some morning, and all
point like that, in view of your testimony here? What WHS the point
of those factors enter into it, and no man's business or no man's liveli-
hood in this country-not yet-should have to depend on that sort
of it?
Mr. NELSON. We had to know and get all of the information we
of thing.
could about the different mines in the country producing gold and
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. May I have a. word, Mr. Chairman?
silver. The 30 percent was an arbitrary figure, just like 50 percent
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Englebright.
would have been an arbitrary figure; and, in any case, you would
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Mr. Nelson, I am sure we are all
have had to review all of the mines that fell above or below that
very much impressed, and I am particularly, with your desire to be
point, and where such mines produced needed amounts of copper,
fair and assist all phases of the mining industry. I have discussed the
lead, and zine, naturally such mines would have to have their numbers
matter with you, and I feel very confident that you want to assist in
keeping the gold-mining industry operating and functioning, par-
reinstated. Senator MILLIRIN. So that from the beginning there was not any
ticularly in localities where the community welfare depended upon that
point to the 30 cents except as some place to start thinking on?
Mr. NELSON. The 30 cents was arrived at at the time that the order
activity. Speaking as the representative of a large mining territory, I think I
can with confidence state that, due to the 30-percent clause, there is
was drawn in its final form.
Senator MILLIKIN. Would you not agree with us, Doctor, that it
somewhat of a pall over the entire mining industry. They do not
would be much better if that order were tossed out and a more
know what they are going to be able to do, as to whether or not they
definitive order put out which meant what it said and which would
are going to be able to proceed with & particular activity, and I am
enable a man reading it to know whether or not he came under its
frank when I state that if it were not for the Government financing of
critical materials and other lines of mining activities, there would
terms? Mr. NELSON. I have been administering this order for several
have been a very dilatory effect on the entire industry through your
months, and I cannot see, from the administrative standpoint, that
order with the 30-pereent clause.
We have held up in any way the production of any oritical material,
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
559
558
believe it is the Government financing that has saved the situation,
A UNITED STATES DENIAL
and I not particularly any encouragement that intentions that order may have
In Washington on Thursday night Mr. Sumner Welles said there was no
intended, no matter how well meaning the were to the
already has an engineer in South Africa working to increase the production of
question at present of sending & mission to South Africa. The United States
industry. I represent territories that produce, as you and know, there chrome, man-
strategic raw materials in the Dominion, he revealed.
These denials follow a report by the Washington correspondent of the New
tungsten, and other critical materials, indefinite is a jittery
York Times that preparations were being made to send an American mission to
ganese, feeling in the mining industry, and there is an time and feeling, and
South Africa to arrange for increased production. It was hoped, the report
there is a feeling that they may be eliminated at any affecting
added, that South Africa could be induced to reduce her gold production and
employ some of the machinery and labor for turning out more_needed war
any particular mine, no matter what it is producing.
metals.
They say, "I do not know how long I am going to be able to run.
BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST
It depends on what those fellows in Washington decide to do."
Mr. NELSON. There should be no jittery feeling among the mining
It will be observed that Colonel Stallard reemphasizes his previous statement,
quoted in the E insurial Times yesterday, that there was no intention of restricting
industry where they are producing chrome, vanadium, molybdenum,
South Africa's gold output. In this connection the mining editor of the Rand
tungsten, manganese, copper, lead, or zinc, because they have been
Daily Mail recently wrote that he understood "a request had been made by the
given every assistance even in the prospector stage,
British Government that the gold output of South África should be maintained
In this mining order we have a provision where we can give priorities
at the maximum so that post-war Britain may be able to discharge her commit-
ments to the United States incurred before the introduction of the Lease-
to bona fide prospector if we know he is a good prospector and feel
Lend Act, and to help in stabilizing the sterling group of currencies in post-war
he any is going on a claim that will develop critical minerals.
reconstruction."
Senator McCARRAN. May I interrupt there? You have made at
1 draw that to your attention to show you that Great Britain is not
very a miner is producing chrome, copper, lead, zine, and the other metals
emphatic statement: There should be no misapprehension where
curtailing production of either gold or silver, but, on the other hand,
is encouraging it for the purpose of stabilizing, as it says, the post-war
you mentioned. Now, that brings to me an implication-
currencies. Now, that brings to mind the very thought that I tried
Mr. NELSON. There was an implication.
to put over to you yesterday, that I hoped you might adopt: that we,
Senator McCARRAN (continuing). That a miner who is producing
too, should have these metals, basic to our economy even now, be-
silver may have an apprehension. Is that true?
cause they are just as essential now for post-war economy as is the
Mr. NELSON. As our war effort gets tighter and tighter and our
production of gold in South Africa for post-war economy in Great
critical materials become scarcer and scarcer, the mines that are less
Britain.
ossential to our war effort are the first mines that are going to feel a
Especially is that true-and you might think I make a hackneyed
shortage of the necessary materials to operate, and they should all
phrase out of silver, but it is in my mind and in my heart-when
realize that.
silver, being basic to our American currency and basic to our post-war
Senator McCarran. Why should that be true when the very
economy, is also a war essential metal as it goes on.
articles that I read into the record this morning show that more and
I bring that out because your last expression to me cannot be con-
more silver is becoming a war essential?
strued in any other light than that you will penalize the mine producing
Mr. NELSON. There has never been a world war in civilized times
silver. That is just exactly what we are trying to prevent, if it is
when the production of silver throughout the world has not fallen off.
You can go right back through your statistics.
possible. Mr. NELSON. Senator McCarran, I stated yesterday that the
Senator McCarran, That is because it does become an essential
Mining Branch had not approved priorities for any items to the
and is put into use more.
South African gold mines for several months. If they are getting
Mr. NELSON. The mining falls off. The total amount of gold
material, they are not getting it through the Mining Branch.
mined, year by year, as you check through the ages and mark off your
Senator McCARRAN. I do not quite catch that, Doctor. I beg
war periods, shows a depression during the war periods.
your pardon.
Senator McCarran. May I at this point, Mr. Chairman, read a
Mr. NELSON. The Board of Economic Warfare is the board that
short article appropos of what the doctor has said, from The Financial
should be contacted.
Times, of Saturday, the 7th of March 1942? This is n London pub-
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Does Russia get any priorities? I
lication, under the caption:
wanted to ask you that yesterday.
SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD AND REPORTED UNITED STATES MISSION-OFFICIAL
Mr. NELSON. Russia, as I understand it, is on lend-lease.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. On lend-lease, but your Division
DEMIAL-CURTAILMENT Nor NECESSARY
CAPE TOWN, March 6.-Commenting on the report from New York that an
does not approve that?
American economic mission was going to South Africa to arrange for an increase
Mr. NELSON. We do not approve items on lend-lease.
in the production of essential mine products, Mr. Stallard, minister of mines, said of
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is South Africa on lend-lease also?
that he had no knowledge of a visit of an American mission having the object
Mr. NELSON. Not as I understand it.
curtailing gold production.
"Apart from the fact that curtailment of gold production is not necessary South for
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is South America?
Mr. NELBON. I am not familiar with all the ramifications of lend-
the expanded production of war metals. production of gold is the basis of the
lease, I know that we are approving priority ratings to certain of
African war effort," he said.
"It is South Africa's economic lifeblood, and therefore in the first rank of key
war industries," he added.-Reuter.
SILVER
561
SILVER
560
the gold mines around the Panama Canal and adjacent South American
either side he had part of his plant capacity working with A-1-A
countries in limited amounts.
ratings on an Army contract or a Navy contract.
Senator McCARRAN. Do they produce gold and gold alone?
It was thorough, logical that pressure be put on that maker of
Mr. NELSON. I said gold mines; yes. That is under the foreign
mining machinery by the Army and Navy to take on orders, and when
policy of the Government as relayed to us with the statement that
he took on an order, in a few months the Army and the Navy would
we should take care of their needs in a limited way.
say, "Double that order."
Senator McCarran. Is it possible to ship mining machinery under
It was only with the greatest difficulty that we were able to get the
the Lend-Lease Act?
makers of mining machinery to fight on with these low priorities and
Mr. NELSON, Definitely, yes.
struggle to continue to make mining machinery, and that was recti-
Senator McCarran. And that is undoubtedly where South Africa
fied by order P-56 as amended on March 2, as the first step, and finally
is getting mining machinery, if she is getting it at all?
rectified in April by a determination of Mr. Batt's Requirements
Mr. NELSON. If she is getting it at all, it must be indirectly. Of
Committee. So that today the makers of mining machinery have
course, we are undoubtedly shipping mine machinery to Russia
an A-1-A rating for their raw materials for the making of mining
under lend-lease, and it is very advisable for us to do so.
machines, which puts them on a parity with that part fo their plant
Senator MILLIKIN. Why; if I may ask?
used in the making of munitions.
Mr. NELSON. Russia is bearing the brunt of the war for us today,
In other words, we have been able, by restricting the use of mining
and if they can use the mining machinery that we send them to make
machinery, to get the makers of mining machinery put on a parity
more machines with which to fight, it is helping us.
with makers of munitions. We have done everything that we could
Senator MILLIKIN. What about their other mining activities?
possibly do to help the mining industry in every way. We have
Mr. NELSON. I must take it for a fact that Russia is going to use the
obtained for them higher ratings as a whole industry than I think
mining machinery we ship them for the one ultimate purpose of
any other industry has as a whole.
I have often wondered why some of the big manufacturers of the
winning the war.
Senator MILLIKIN. Are we not shipping mining machinery for gold
mining machinery continued for several months to make mining ma-
chines when they could have taken their whole plant's capacity and
and other precious metals?
Mr. NELSON. Mining machinery that is shipped to a country can
made Army and Navy munitions on n. high rating, and they would have
be used either in gold mines or strategic mines, but, as I said, I cannot
known that whenever they had a shortage of any raw material the
conceive that Russia would be using any machines under this present
Army and Navy would have it in that plant the next day. Yet they
emergency except for one thing, and that is to get strategic metals
continued, because they loved mining and loved the mining industry.
Senator MILLIRIN. One good reason why they should continue to
out of the ground.
Senator Millikin. Well, South Africa is mining gold.
make mining machinery is that, under your own testimony, strategic
Mr. NELSON. I do not consider South Africa and Russia in the same
minerals are essential to winning the war. That is what prompted
my question with respect to the difference between the machine that
category. Senator MILLIKIN. South Africa is in the war. She has been
makes the essential minerals and the machine that makes the fighting
engaged in battles in the Mediterranean area. She is definitely in
machines or the tools. There has to be a balance, and I assume that
someone passed judgment on it.
the war.
Mr. NELSON. No one passed judgment on it.
Mr. NELSON. She is in the war, but not in the same category as
Senator MILLIKIN. It grew up like Topsy?
Russia. Senator Millikin. Well, I do not see much difference between a
Mr. NELSON. It grew up like Topsy, but they did maintain part
man spilling blood in Russia and spilling blood on the south shore of
of their plant capacity for the making of mining machinery. That is
all I can say,
the Mediterranean, but that is beside the point.
I should like to ask you one more question, Dr. Nelson. Who
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Dr. Nelson, I concur fully in what
made the decision as to what part of mining machinery factories
my collengue has said about the unfortunate formula, the 30 percent
or the 30-cent clause. I want also to express appreciation for your
should go to the manufacturer of articles other than mining ma-
exercise of the relief clause insofar as Colorado is concerned, because
chinery? Whose decision was that?
Mr. NELSON. The makers of mining machinery month after month
you have been most helpful in your exercise of that clause.
attempted to get high priorities from Washington to make mining
In my judgment, the whole situation would be greatly improved
if that 30 percent clause could be taken out of the picture. 1 agree
machinery. They could not get that. At the same time, the repre-
sentatives of the Army and the Navy, knowing they had the finest
with everything that Senator McCarran has said-that it is a sort of
precision tools of any manufacturing shops in the United States, went
wet blanket over the whole industry.
I am wondering how many mining operations were eliminated from
to them and demanded that they take on certain orders and gave
review by the 30 percent clause. I presume that the reason that you
them an A-1-A rating for this order.
Therefore, you had a maker of mining machinery with EL superb
put that screen in there was to sift out certain mining operations that
plant, attempting to manufacture mining machinery on ratings of
A-3 or lower, for which he could not get the raw materials. On
7002-42-42- -
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
562
SILVER
563
you would not have to review, operations that might possibly be pro-
ducing tungsten, molybdenum, lead, zine, and copper, and no silver or
and the situation as created by the priority-order publicity has absolutely pre-
cluded obtaining capital for these purposes.
gold. I presume you wanted to sift them out. How many operations
I shall be glad at any time to furnish any further information 1 have that you
were eliminated from review by the 30 percent clause?
may require.
Mr. NELSON. Between three and four hundred mines had their
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) EDWARD P. ARTHUR,
Commissioner of Mines.
numbers withdrawn.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. And how many did not have their
I draw that to your attention to emphasize what I tried to bring to
numbers withdrawn?
attention the other day-that the publicity given to this has had
Mr. NELSON. We have between eight and nine thousand mines in
your detrimental effect. Of course, you enswered by saying that your
the United States working under serial numbers under this order,
but they are not all metal mines; over half of them are coal mines.
& production was greater, but the answer to that is that you have made
it greater by giving out the money of the Treasury to increase the pro-
A large additional number are quarries producing stone, sand and
duction of this war effort, which was a commendable feature, but then,
gravel, and nonmetallic materials.
again, the price has increased.
I cannot give you the exact number of metal mines having serial
Mr. NELSON. We were not responsible for the large amount of
numbers, but I can say that slightly over 300 such numbers were
publicity which came out with regard to this order.
withdrawn from mines producing gold and silver and over 200 were
Senator McCARRAN. The consternation that was created gave the
reinstated. Senator McCarran. Apropos Senator Johnson's question and Dr.
publicity, to be frank with you.
Mr. NELSON. Furthermore, the letter you have read gives me the
Nelson's answer, some time ago I wrote to mine divisions and mine
impression that the small operator is just going to sit down and use up
departments of various States, and I have here A very comprehensive
his supplies and not attempt to use any PD-1-a or use the P-100 to
answer, 1 think, from the Bureau of Mines of the State of Colorado,
get additional materials.
dated May 2, 1942, in which Mr. Arthur, Commissioner of Mines,
Remember that there have been many mines operating in this coun-
states:
try since September 22 on P-100's and PD-1-a's, and they have
Replying to your letter of April 21, 1942, regarding the question of the priority
worked successfully in getting repair parte on PD-1-a forms.
order of March 2, will say as follows:
If these small operators need an occasional repair part that will not
The time is rather short to get actual facts on the workings of the priority
interfere with our war effort, there is no reason why they should not
situation. I am adopting a plan at the present time of having my inspectors,
receive such a repair part or receive is rating from us that would permit
when they report on a mining property, give a general idea of how the priority
situation is affecting it. This is not for publication but just for the purpose of
them to get such a repair part.
getting at the actual facts. It will probably bring out some very fair information
I feel that the letter you read definitely gives the impression that
but it will take some time to get & line on what we want. 1 am personally quite
they are going to use up their supplies and not attempt to get any-
familiar with a large number of the properties throughout the State and have made
thing else.
some study of the matter.
Your first question is: "How many properties, if any, have shut down as the
Senator McCARRAN. I wish to say to you, Doctor, right on that
result of the priority order of March 2?" The number of properties shut down
subject, that I have before me, furnished me by the mine inspector of
as a result of this order is unknown BE some of the mines had small supplies of
the State of Nevada, a number of replies to his questionnaire. I shall
repairs, steel and other necessary equipment on hand, although most of the small
read some of them:
mines carry very few supplies. Until the supplies are exhausted, we cannot tell
just how far reaching the order has been.
We will try to keep going as long BH we have tools and equipment on hand or that
The second question as to what properties may shut down on account of this
we can get, but will have to close down for lack of any vital repair part, or the
priority order will be hard to answer. It will depend, as I said before, on the
wearing out of what we are now using.
amount of supplies on hand by the various properties, but there is no doubt at
Mr. NELSON. From what mine was that?
all that if the priority order as given out on March 2 is made to stand, a large
number of the smaller properties will be compelled to suspend operations.
Senator McCARRAN. That comes from W. W. Hartman, Wall
The publicity given the priority situation has had a very serious effect on the
Street Mine, Nelson, Nev.
labor question on many properties. A number of men, especially the smaller
Here is another one from P. A. Simon, president of the Diamond
lessees, have felt that they would probably have difficulty in obtaining the
materials needed and have decided to close down and go where they can get
Gold Mining Co. This is addressed to the State Mine Inspector:
apparently better wages working in the arms plants or other places of that nature.
Replying to your circular letter of the 23d Instant, relative to the effect of the
This publicity has also had a very serious effect on obtaining capital for de-
cancelation of preference rating order P-56, 80 far as gold and silver mines are
veloping new properties, especially those that produce silver and gold, even
concerned, we had sufficient supplies and repair parts on hand on March 2, 1942, so
though the lead, zine, and other war minerals predominate in quantity.
that said cancelation has not affected us as yet.
It may be said that the foreing of priority conditions on & number of mining
districts came as a very great shock to them and, if not remedied, will undoubtedly
Then I have one from Austin Bros. Gold Mining Co. The effect of
cause a number of the mining operations in Colorado to cease entirely. Many
it is that they will shut down when their machinery has broken down or
men who are getting on in ye. re and have no experience in anything else except
they have run out of parts.
the particular class of mining in which they have been employed will be thrown
Here is another from Central Comstock Mines Corporation:
out of employment, and many will lose their homes and everything they OWN.
It is impossible to estimate the number of mines that have been prevented from
This company is not yet in production but has spent 1 year in rehabilitating
beginning operations. These mines require capital for commencing operations,
and reconditioning the mine and mill, much of the material used having been on
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
565
564
the property. Lack of the necessary priority rating the will cause difficulties in
Senator McCarran. This one from the Consolidated Virginia
securing the small amount of material necessary to alone. put plant again in operation.
We have expended more than $40,000 on labor
Mining Co., Virginia City, Nev., says:
Here is another one from the Summit King Mines, Ltd., at Fallon,
While the order of March 2 has not shut us down, it certainly has not stimulated
and our future is as uncertain as it is unpredictable.
the gold and silver mining industry. The mining stock market has been depressed
Nev., which says:
We expect that when our present supplies are exhausted we will have to that
Mr. NELSON. My information from that company is that there has
down. Labor is also very scarce and this may be & factor in closing us down,
been no curtailment in purchases, although it has been necessary to
The El Dorado Rover Mining Co. of Nelson, Clark County, Nev.,
anticipate requirements further in advance.
Senator McCARRAN. Now the Northumberland Mining Co., Tono-
says:
Because of some inventory stored up many months ago and prior to Office of
pah, Nev., says:
lack of labor has caused us to lose daily production of about 25 percent of normal,
Price Administration, we are now able to continue operating. At present time
We are using up our inventory and are not able to get replacements on necessary
parts. Rock-drill parts are becoming exceedingly hard to get.
Here is one from Desert Silver, Inc., at Nivloe, Nev.:
The Consolidated Chollar Gould & Savage Mining Co., of Gold Hill,
Our essential supplies, such as grinding balls and zine dust will be exhausted
Nev., says:
about September 1, If we are unable to replenish them with the existing priority
The immediate effect of the March 2 amendment to preference rating order
status we will be forced to shut down about that time.
No. P-56 was to deprive us of our tire supply, and therefore to make impossible
Mr. NELSON. Didn't they say that if priorities would not shut
continuance of our method of mining with power shovel and motor trucks, which
method was carried on by & contractor and his equipment.
them down, labor would?
Senator McCarran (reading):
Mr. NELSON. We are not responsible for the tire supply.
Senator McCarran. No. That is true. I notice you always get
We do not know whether or not we will be able to replenish these supplies with
out from under responsibility. I do not blame you.
our A-10 priority rating.
Mr. NELSON. I wish I were, because I would see that some of the
He says this about labor:
strategic mines would get what they need in the way of rubber, because
To date no effect as far as supplies is concerned.
it is affecting vanadium and one or two very essential mining opera-
In other words, he explains that he had supplies.
tions. I am always ready to accept responsibility when I am given
the authority to do so.
Labor believes, however, as we do, that we will not be able to replenish some of
Senator McCarran. That is true.
our necessary supplies when exhausted, and many of them expect we will close
Those are some of the reports that have come in here from the State
down in three or four months and are therefore leaving BH fast as they can find
other jobs. Thus & labor shortage is resulting.
of Nevada, and I take it that if similar questionnaires had been sent
out in other States-and I make this statement based on the Colorado
In other words, labor knows how much of a supply they have, and
Bureau of Mines statement-they would have reflected somewhat the
labor interpreta your order in the language in which it is drawn, and
they simply say, Well, this thing is going to shut down, and I am
same condition, perhaps on a larger scale.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there any further questions to be submitted
going to go while the going is good."
Here is one from the Black Mamoth Consolidated Mining Co.,
to Dr. Nelson?
Prescott lease, James R. Fyfe, manager, at Silver Peak, Nev., which
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Just one question. Doctor, 1 dis-
like to come back to this question of policy again, but in drawing your
says:
order with the 30 percent clause for gold and silver mines, was any
On account of the statement that Mr. Wilbur Nelson made at the meeting at
consideration given to the fact that gold and silver mining activities
Reno, Nev., March 15, 1942, and on account of the fact that a large number of
items necessary for maintenance and repairs could not be obtained under an A-10
aside from copper, have been the backbone of the mining industry in
rating, we decided to discontinue operations and put our plant and equipment
the West and that continuance of gold and silver mining activities
on & strategic mineral property if possible. We are endeavoring to put our
kept in order an organization skilled in mining, an organization that
equipment back into A-1 shape in order that we may do this.
could divert its funds into the development of strategic minerals, and
They moved their equipment, as I recall it, to Arizona.
also supply miners and skilled men for strategic mineral activity, and
Mr. NELSON. That is right. They have gone to producing stra-
that if you eliminated your gold and silver mine activities you would
tegic materials.
eliminate practically all the mining organization of the West? Would
Senator McCarran. The Standard Cyaniding Co., Box 357,
you consider that?
Mr. NELSON. I am afraid I cannot follow you that far, and, further-
Lovelock, Nev., says:
more, I have to realize that we are fighting a war different from any
Will probably be able to run until supply of grinding rods is used up.
war that we have ever been engaged in, and what may have been true
Mr. NELSON. They estimate that their grinding rods will be used
in the past does not necessarily remain true under present conditions.
up December 1.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. But you have stated that you want
to stimulate the production of strategic minerals. To do that you
have to have miners, you have to have geologists, you have to have
men skilled in the industry; and if you kill the source of such supply
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
567
566
and such people and such finances, I cannot follow you to the extent
[The matters above referred to follow:]
that you are helping the strategic minerals industry, unless you go to
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD,
Government financing.
Washington, D. C., June 1, 1948.
Mr. NELSON. Today there are many more miners being trained
SPECIAL SILVER COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE,
in mines that are not gold mines than there are in gold mines, because
Washington, D. C.
gold mining is not the major part of the mining industry the of the West.
(Attention Mr. Albert Grorud, Secretary.)
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. It has supplied financing of the
GENTLEMEN: I am attaching two lista requested by Senator Patrick McCarran
major part of the mining industry in the West.
the time of the recent silver hearing. List No. 1 includes the names, dates,
Mr. NELSON. It has in the past, but, as I said, conditions in this
at and types of mines to which serial numbers have been granted between March
war are different from any conditions that this country has ever been
2, and May 15, 1942.
List No. 2 includes the names of persons or organisations that were not granted
faced with.
serial numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Do you not think that if some
Very truly yours,
WILBUR A. NELSON,
encouragement were given or of the 30 percent clause had not been
Administrator of Mining Branch,
placed in the order you would have had less Government financing
to aid the situation than you have at the present time?
List No. 1 includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbera
Mr. NELSON. I do not think that would have changed the picture
have been granted between Mar. # and May 15, 1948
ALABAMA-PREFACE NO. 22
in any way.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. I am sorry I cannot agree with you
on that, Doctor, but I wanted your reaction to that.
Serial
Name
Date
Type of
mine
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully request that the
No.
committee request of Dr. Nelson and his Board to furnish to the com-
Elmore Billen Co., Elmore, Als
Maf. 10, 1942
Nonmetallin.
272
mittee an inventory of the mines in America that have applied for
Wilkinson Ore Co. (Thagord, Golson Mooren), Greenville, Als
Apr. 8, 1942
Metallic.
273
Alabama Clay Products Co. (plant at Beasemer, Ala.), Birmingham,
May 6, 1942
Nonmetallic
priorities and the mines that have been granted priorities since the
274
2d of March 1942, and those that have not been granted priorities,
Republic Ala. Steel Corporation (Defense Plant Corporation), Bayre
May 13, 1942
Coal.
275
mine at Birmingham, Als.
and the reasons why priorities were granted on occasions when they
were granted and the reasons for their denial when they were denied.
ARIZONA-PREFACE NO. 48
Would that take long to furnish?
Mr. NELSON. I would have to read over carefully that statement,
153
Helvetia Mining & Milling Co. (Leader & Copper World Mines),
Mar. 16, 1942
Metallic.
but it impresses me that it might take a good many of the people in
Tucson, Arit.
Hooten, William A. (Republic mine at Dragoon, Aris.), Tucson,
Mar. 10, 1942
Do.
134
my organization off their work which they are carrying on to keep the
Consolidated Arls. Feldspar Corporation (Kingman Feldspar Co.),
do
Nonmetaille.
LSS
mines operating. That is a rather large order you give us, and we
Kingman, Aris.
Pine Mountain Mereury Mines (mines in Sunflower, Arts.), Phoenix,
Mar. 31, 1942
Metallic.
would prefer much more to have all of our productive efforts in keeping
156
the mines of the United States going than in getting up statistical
157
Manganese Arit. Ore Co. (M. A. Hanna Co., Artillery Peak mine). post
do
Do.
office Congress Junetion, Aris.
data, although we naturally will defer to your wishes.
de
158
Bullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling operations at
Drillers.
Senator MCCARRAN. Well, I do not think, with the increase of
Mohave County, Aris.).
159
Henry W. Berger (Berger and Phillips mine), Kingman, Arit
Apr. 3, 1942
Metallic.
clerical help that is coming into the city of Washington, at the rate
100
Shattuck Denn Mining Corporation (Shattuck mine), Bisbee, Aris
Apr. 7, 1942
Do.
Orizaba Mining Co., Phoenix, Aris
do
Do.
161
of about 10,000 a week, that you will be deprived of any activity to
162
Asbestos Mines of Arizona (group of 6 claims). Globe, Aris
Apr. D, 1942
Nonmetalle.
153
N. Burson, Los Angeles, Callf., mine in Pinal County, Aria
Apr. 11, 1942
Metallic.
keep the mines going.
154
Rob Roy Development Co. (Chicago lead claims). Yuma, Aria
Apr. 14, 1942
Do.
165
Arizona Lead Co. (Castle Dome lead mine), Yums. Aris
do
Do.
I respectfully suggest, Mr. Chairman, that the request be made and
166
Grand Canyon Lime & Cement Co. of Arizona (Nelson Quarry).
Apr. 15. 1942
Nonmetallie.
the doctor can let us know whether or not it is a hardship to him. I
Nelson, Aris.
think it would be most interesting to this committee, and I think it
167
Paul Ducker (Little Butte mine), Bouse, Aris
Apr. 22, 1942
Metallic,
168
American Smelting & Refining Co. (Chief mine), Tucson, Aris
Apr. 23, 1942
Do.
would give this committee a full view of all the doctor has tried to put
169
Storm Cloud Lease (Storm Cloud mine at Prescott, Arit.), Phoenix.
May 8, 1942
Do.
Aris.
170
Castle Dome lead mine, Arizona Lead Co., Yuma, Arts
May 9, 1942
Do.
before us.
The CHAIRMAN. I suggest that the reporter furnish the secretary
with a copy of Senator McCarran's request, that the secretary send
ARKANSAS-PREFACE NO. 25
that to Dr. Nelson, and then he can advise the secretary for the
182
Quachita Minerals, Inc. (East Grant mine), Mena, Ark
Mar. 9, 1943
Metallic.
committee his reaction to the request.
183
Arkansas Siste Manufacturing Do., Inc., Glenwood, Ark.
do
Nonmetalle.
Mr. NELSON. And the time it will take to get it up.
American Cyanamid & Chemical Corporation, New York, N. Y.:
Do,
IM
Pulaski County, Ark., mines
Do.
The CHAIRMAN. And such pertinent facts as you see are proper.
185
Saline County, Ark., mines
186
Wann Mercury Mining Co., Murfressboro, Ark
Mar. 31, 1942
Metallic.
Then when we get your answer, we will take it up.
187
Arkansas Coal Co. (mine In Clarksville, Ark)
Apr. 14, 1942
Coal.
188
Paris Purity Coal Co. (Paris Purity No. 5), Paris, Ark
Apt. 21. 1942
Do.
Mr. NELSON. Very good, sir.
189
Horey & Rogers Manganese Co. (W. A. Chinn, Mary Tate, Bell
May 13, 1942
Metallio.
Hill, Marcus Miller mines), Cushman, Ark.
SILVER
569
SILVER
568
List No. 1 includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. 2 and May 15, 1948-Continued
have been granted between Mar. 2 and May 15, 1942-Continued
FLORIDA-PREFACE NO. 27
CALIFORNIA-PREFACE NO. 31
Serial
Name
Date
Type of
mine
Date
Type of
No.
Serial
Name
mine
No.
Ris Mineral Co. (Palm Bay mine), West Palm Beach, Fls
Mar. 16, 1043
Nonmetalle.
TI
Mar. 2, 1042
Tigertall Quarries, Inc., Dania, Fla
Apr. 1, 1942
Do.
Pacific Minerals Co., LAd. (Chill-Bar sinte quarty and mine), Rich-
Nonmetalle.
as
Bradenton Dredging Co,, Inc. (dredging oyster shell in Manatee
May 15, 1942
Do.
365
T3
mond, Calif.
Mar. 10, 1942
River, Fin.).
266
Spring Merrury, Inc., Skages Springs, Calif
Metallie
Star Boyles Bros. Drilling Co., Salt Lake City, Utah (drilling at Descrt
Mar. 6, 1942
Drillers.
GEORGIA-PREFACE NO. 4
367
Center, Callf.).
Mar. 11, 1942
Nonmetalle,
368
Telsa Industrial Minerals & Chemical Co. (Spanish mine, Berkeley,
Clay & Sand Co. (Telsa Pit), San Francisco, Calif.
Mar. 21, 1942
Do.
Dellinger, Brown & Duckett, Carteraville, Ga
Mar. 10, 1942
Nonmetallic.
389
$
Mar. 26, 1942
89
Burgess Battery Co. (plant in Cartersville, Ga.), Freeport, ni.,
Mar. 26, 1042
Metallic.
370
Sharp Calif.). & Fellows Contracting Co. (Oro Grande crushing plant, Los
Do.
do
Cedartown office. Iron Ore Co., Cedartown, On
Apr. 21, 1942
Do.
Angeles, B. Bishop (Stoney Creek sand and gravel plant), Orland, Calif
Calif.).
Do.
su
371
Metallic.
91
Merry Bros. Brick & Tile Co., Augusta, Gs
Apr. 30, 1942
Nonmetallic,
E. Mineral Reduction Co. (custom mill), Laws, Callf
Mar. 31, 1942
G. A. Moore, 712 Main St., Cedartown, Ga
May 8, 1942
Metallic.
372
May 6, 1042
02
W. P. Buckner, Barnesville, Ga
do
Nonmetallie.
373
Canceled Bishop Antimony Mining Co. (Bishop antimony mine), Bishop,
Apr. 9, 1942
Do.
93
94
Joe A. Mosteller, Cartersville, Ga
May 9. 1942
Metallic.
374
Skilton Construction Co. (Inmann mine at Canton, (Fa.) Louis-
May 14, 1942
Do.
Frank Calif W. Royer (Kelly mine lease), Red Mountain, Callf
do
Do.
95
375
Apr. 17, 1942
ville, Ky.
C. & H. Mining Co. (for tungsten mill only), Weldon, Calif
Do,
do
Oconee Clay Products Co.:
376
Refractories Corporation (fire brick plant), Los Angeles, Calif
Nonmetalle.
Clay mine, Milledgeville, Ga
do
Nonmetallie.
377
Graham Bros., Inc. (Orange plant), Orange, Calif
Apr. 21, 1942
Do.
96
07
Shale mine, Milledgeville, Gs
do
Do.
378
379
Calavera Materials Co. (Calavers), Oceanside, Calif
do
Do,
380
17. B. Flare Corporation (Hipeak tungsten mine), Los Angeles, Calif
M. & N. Tungsten Mines Co. (gold wash claim), Burbank, Calif
do
Metallic.
May 4, 1942
Do.
IDAHO-PREFACE NO. 43
881
382
Symons Bros. Mine Co. (custom mill), Hollywood. Calif
May 5, 1942
Tia.
Pacific Portland Cement Co. (San Juan Bautista, San Benito
May 6, 1942
Nonmetalis.
Nonmetallic.
883
71
Idaho Fire Brick & Clay Co., Troy, Idabo
Apr. D, 1942
E. B. Bishop (Keswick sing job at Shasta, Calif.), Orland, Callf
do
Do.
T2
Crystal Lead Mines Co., Wallace, Idaho
do
Metallic.
County, Calif.).
384
May 9, 1942
Metallie,
Hereules Mining Co. (Hercules mill), Wallace, Idaho
do
Nonmetallic.
385
National Tungsten Co. (Bruce group of mines), Long Beach, Calif
73
May 13, 1942
Do.
74
Federal Mining & Smelting Co. (Frisco mine), Wallace, Idaho
May a, 1942
Metallie.
356
Victory Chrome Co. (Victory mine), Auburn. Callf
Mitchell Diamond Drill Co. (drilling operations in Merood, Calif.).
May 15, 1942
Drillers
75
Associated Engineers Co., Inc. (Nugent antimony property), Boise,
May 9, 1942
Do.
587
Chandler's Palos Verdes Sand & Gravel Co., Lomita, Calif
May 15, 1942
Nonmitalle.
Idaho.
sss
J. K. Remsen (Three Sisters and all other mines), Slakiyou and Del
May 16. 1942
Metallic.
589
INDIANA-PREFACE NO. 19
Panaminas, Inc. (Adamson mine, Pine Creek area, Bishop, Callf.)
Norte Countirs, Calif.
May 18, 1942
Do.
500
Bullivan Machinery Co.:
332
Michigan City, Ind
Mar. 0, 1942
Metallic.
COLORADO-PREFACE NO. 38
do
do
Do.
333
do
Do.
334
do
Boyles Bros, Drilling Co., Salt Lake City, Utah (drilling at Climax,
Mar. 6, 1942
Drillers.
335
Standard Materials Corporation, 610 Illinois Bldg., Indianapolis,
Mar. 25, 1042
Nonmetallic.
224
Ind. (Montexuma).
Fordyce Colo.). Gravel Co. (for Colorado pit), San Antonio, Ter., office
330
Pell Coal Corporation (Pell mine), Brazil, Ind
Apr. 23, 1942
Coal.
Apr. 9, 1942
Nonmetalls,
225
337
Hill Crest Mining Ca., Boonville, Ind.
do
Do.
W. E. Gibson, Nederland Star Route, Boulder, Colo
Apr. 13. 1942
Metaille.
338
Enkoff Coal Co. (Enkoff mine) Montgomery, Ind
do
Do.
226
227
The Taylor Coal Mining Co. (Rouse mine), Walsenburg, Colo
Apr. 14. 1942
Coal.
339
Black Diamond Mining Co. (blnck diamond). Booneville, Ind
do
Do.
Nonmetallic.
228
Double Dick Coals (for mine only). Florence, Colo
Apr. 16, 1942
Do.
229
Vansdlum Corporation of America's Associates (mining operations
Apr. 17, 1942
Metallie.
340
American Aggregates Corporation (mine in Indianspolis, Ind.),
Apr. 28, 1942
Greenville, Ohfo.
in Boulder, Colo.)
Nonmetalle.
341
Hoorier Moulding Sand Co. (mine in Martinsville, Ind.), Mattoon,
May 5, 1942
Do.
230
Geo. R. Rogers, Salida Limerock Co. (limerock quarry at Wells-
Apr. 22, 1942
ville, Coln.).
342
Indiana 111. Sing & Ballast Co. (slag dump of Inland Steel Co.), East
do
Do.
231
The Coltax Premed Brick Co. (for pits only). Denver, Colo
Apr. 24. 1942
Do.
Chicago, III.
232
Hurrfano Coal Co. (Ludlow mine, Ludiow, Colo,), Denver, Colo
Apr. 28, 1942
Cosl.
343
Pell Coal Corporation (Pell pit at Brazil, Ind). Brail. Ind
May 8, 1942
Coal.
233
C. Ryan & Son (mine in Climar, Colo.). Lakewood, Colo
Apr. 29, 1942
Nonmetalle.
234
Molybdenum Corporation of America (the Urad mine at Clear
May 5, 1942
Metallic.
ILLINOIS-PREFACE NO. 21
Creek County, Colo.).
W. E. Gilson (Sunny Side mill), Boulder, Colo
May 12, 1942
Do.
235
May 14, 1942
Nonmetalle.
236
Denver Mortar & Materials Co., Denver Colo
Mar. 9, 1942
Metallic
Metallic.
433
May 15, 1942
Sunnyside Mining Co., Inc., Care In Rock, III
237
Roy Lee, Trustee (Yokon Tunnel, Cement Creek, Silverton, Colo.),
Mar. 11, 1943
Nonmetallic.
434
Canfield & Clark, Dallas City, Ill
Dallas, Tex.
435
The Alsey Brink & Tile Co. (MeLaughlin mine). Alsey, Ill
Mar. 12. 1942
Do.
436
Geo. M. Pendergust & Co., Inc. (Silles plant 2 miles east of Utics.
Mar. 13, 1942
Do.
III)
CONNECTICUT-PREFACE NO. a
437
Mar. 25, 1942
Do.
France Stone Co., Chicago, m
438
Geo. H. Chandellier Sand Co. (Utica crude pit), Ottawa, Ill
Apr. 8, 1042
Do.
439
F.C. Beltrose Sand & Co. (Ottawa crude pit), Ottawa, Ill
do
Do.
Apr. 25, 1942
Nonmetallic.
40
The Iron Ledge Co., Bridgeport, Conn
440
Beecher Williams (Humm mine). Herod, III
Apr. 1942
Do.
441
do
Coal.
The Mine "B" Coal Co. ("A" mine), Springfield, Ill
442
Concrete Materials Co. (mine in Byron, III.), Waterico, Towa, office.
Apr. IA, 1042
Nonmetallie.
Mar. 23, 1942
Do.
443
DELAWARE-PREFACE NO. 1
Chieago Fire Brick Co. (yard No. 30, Chiengo, Ill
444
Apr. 21, 1942
Coal.
Green Valley Cost Co., Marion, III
445
Standard Materials Corporation (plant in Amboy, III.), Indian-
Apr. 23, 1942
Nonmetallic.
a
The Pyrites Co. (tron sintering plant), Wilmington, Del
Apr. 7. 1942
Metallic.
apolis, Ind., office.
445
H. R. Ameling Prospecting Co. (drilling operations at Rosiciare,
Apr. 28, 1942
Metaille.
III.).
447
May 4. 1942
Nonmetallic.
Coogan Gravel Co. (mine In Chillicothe, III.), Peoris, III
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-PREFACE NO. 40
468
Pilbrico Jointiess Firebrick Co. (Illinois plant), Chicago, Ill
May 6, 1942
Do.
449
Ottawa Hydraulie Silica Corporation (Bull Island, III, plant),
May 13, 1042
Do.
United Brick Products (United Brick Corporation), Bladensburg
Mar. 31, 1942
Nonmetallic.
Chicago, Ill,
2
Rd. and New York Ave. NE, Washington, D. C.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
571
570
List No. includes the names, dates, and types of mines 1948-Continued to which serial numbers
have 1 been granted between Mar. ! and May 15,
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. 8 and May 15, 194$-Continued
IOWA-PREFACE NO. 29
MISSISSIPI-PREFACE NO. 20
Date
Typed
Bertal
Name
mine
Berial
Name
Date
Type of
mine
No.
No.
Apr. 1942
183
Coon Des Moines Valley Graval Band & Co., Fuel Des Cooperative Moines, Iowa Association, Den Moines,
Apr. 21, 1912
Do.
32
Flaming Gravel Co., Columbus, Miss
Apr. 21, 1942
Nonmetallin.
184
Iowa. Ash Mining Co., Inc. (white ash No. Iowa 2), Albla, Iowa
May 13, 1942
Coal.
185
White Mason City Brick & Tile Co., Mason City,
May 19, 1942
Nonmatallie
MISSOURI-PREFACE NO. 24
186
Superior Mineral Co. (Charryvallay Mine) Cadet, Mo
Mar. a 1943
Nonmetallic,
KANSAS-PREFACE NO. 34
562
563
Irvin Bethel (Nosh Bethel mins), New Florence, Mo
Mar. 11, 1943
Do.
564
Arrow Tiff Mine, Potal, Mo.
Mar. 21, 1942
Metallic.
Hydraulic Cement Co., Fort Scott, Kans
Mar. 25, 1942
Nonmestalle
Aluminum Flake Co. (Dillon pits in St. James, Mo.), Akron, Obio,
do
Nonmetallia.
565
140
Fort Consolidated Scott Cement Corporation (Fredonia mine at Fredonia,
Apr. 18, 1942
Do.
LacLede-Christy nillice. Clay Products Co. (mine No. 42 at Wellsville,
Apr. 3, 1042
Do.
141
506
The Kans), Centerville Coal Co., Inc. (new No. 0 mine), Cherokee, Kans
Chicago, III.
Apr. 21, 1142
Coal.
Mo.), 8t. Louis, Mo.
142
do
Nonmetallic
567
Louis Heldel & Buns (Heldel big pit), Hossbud, Mo
Apr. 7. 1943
Do.
143
Stuart Simpson, McPherson, Kans
Pre Cote Co. (quarry in Parsons, Kans.)
Apr. 28, 1942
Do,
Obed Hall (Obed Hall mine), Whiteside, Mo
Apr. 8, 1942
Do.
568
144
Midwest MeArthur Mining Co. Kansas Corporation (Grantham lease),
May 4, 1942
Metallis,
509
Lemons Bros. (drilling operations for La Motte Corporation at La
de
Metallie.
145
Motte, Mo).
Barter Springs, Kans.
May 11, 1942
De.
Mineral Products Co., Pittsburg, Kans
570
Forest Johnson (sand quarries in Gasconade County, Mo.), New
Apr. 14, 1943
Nonmetallia.
146
Florence, Mo.
571
C, R. Logan (Thoroughman pit), New Florence, Mo
Apr. 16, 1942
Do.
572
Missouri Irun Mining Co. (Christy, Merimac, Pioneer Nos. 1 and 2
Apr. 28, 1942
Metallic.
KENTUCKY-PREFACE NO. 15
mines), Steelville, Mo.
573
Centropolis Crusher Co., Kansas City, Mo.
May 4, 1942
Nonmetallic
Kentucky Fire Brick Co. (Nos. 9, 10, 12, 13 mine, Nos. 1 and 2 plant),
Mar. 6, 1942
Nonmetalle
574
Missouri- Illinois Material Co. (pit at Pactfic, Mo., plant at St. Louis,
May 6, 1942
Do.
491
Haldoman, Ky.
do
Coal.
575
W.K. Mo.). Holland (W. K. Holland pit), Steedman, Mo.
May 13, 1042
Do.
403
Belfry Coal Co. (Oronaca mine), Belfry, Ky
Mar. IA, 1943
576
Carrabine Sand & Gravel Co., Webster Groves, Mo
do
Do.
De.
493
Dixie Blue Gem Coal Co., Neviadale, Ky
Myron Baker, contractor (Kaboks quarry at Kahoka, Mo.), Inde-
do
Do.
Vincent Mining Co. (mine No. 1). Soldier, Ky
Mar. 30, 1942
Nonmestalle
577
494
de
Do,
pendence, Town.
495
Bipple Brick Co. (pita only), Stannton, Ky
Mar. 26. 1942
Cosl.
578
Flustsch Bros. (Oak Hill Fire Clay Co.), Maplewood, Mo
do
Do.
496
Saxton R. Coal Corporation (mine in Kentucky), Williamsburg, Ky
L. Brown Coal Mine (R. L. Brown mine), Providence, Ky
Apr. a, 1942
Do.
579
Kansas Explorations Inc., Jasper mine, Post office Box 195, Joptin,
May 1A, 1942
Metallic.
497
do
Metaille.
Cumberland Fluirspar Co. (mine at Mexico, Ky)
Apr. 7, 1942
Drillers.
580
American Mo. Zine, Lend & Smelting Co. (Davey Chst loading plant),
do
Do.
496
499
Hoffman Bros. Drfiling Co. (drill operations in Kentucky)
Apr. 9, 1943
Coal.
St. Louis, Mo.
500
Phillips & White (Baker mine), Hims, Ky.
601
Evans Elkhorn Coal Co. (Jones Fork mine, Estill, Ky.)
do
De.
502
Feds Creek Coal Co. (Feds Creek mine), Feds Creek, Ky
do
Do.
Manchester Coal Co., Inc. (Paw Paw mine), Hims, Ky
Apr. 14, 1942
Do.
MONTANA-PREPACE NO. 41
503
do
Do.
504
Elkhorn Ferguson Coal Co. (Epoonn mine), Pikeville, Ky
Bonanza Mines, Inc. (Bonansa mines), Marion, Ky.
do
Nonmetalle,
505
Chice Elkhorn Coal Co. (Thompson mine), Pikeville, Ky
Apr. 21, 1942
Coal.
132
Minmont Co. (East Pacific mine), Helena, Mont
Mar. 31, 1942
Metallic.
506
do
Do.
133
Minmont Co. (Carlasu mine), Helena, Mont
do
Do.
507
Maddox Coal Cn. (Maddox mine), Beaver Dam, Ky.
Apr. 24. 1943
Do.
134
Domestic Managanese & Development Co. (Trarens mine), Butte,
Apr. 23, 1942
Do.
508
Elkborn Mining Co. (Lower Elkhorn mines), Praise, Ky
Stone Products Co. (open face quarry north of Marion, Ky)
May 6, 1942
Nonmetalis.
Mont.
Coal.
135
Sullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Inc. (drilling operator for
May 4, 1942
Drillers.
509
Lenisa River Coal Co. (Leniss River mine), Fed Creek, Ky
May 7, 1942
510
do.
Do.
the United States Vanadium Corporation of Red Lodge, Mont.).
811
Smith Cost Co., Lothair, Ky.
May 14, 1942
Nonmetallia
136
Bunshine Mining Co., agents for Metals Reserve Co. (mill and mines
May 7, 1942
Metallic,
512
Crider, W. H. (W. H. Crider fluorsper mill), Mexico, Ky
do
Coal.
in Phillipsburg, Mont.).
513
Buthord & Phillips (Auston City mines), Nortonville, Ky
NEVADA-PREFACE NO. as
MINNESOTA-PREFACE NO. 33
132
Boyles Bros. Drilling Co., Salt Lake City, Utah (drilling at Las
Mar. 6, 1943
Driller.
8. E. Atkins., Co., Duluth, Minn:
May & 1942
Metallic
Vegas, Nev.).
118
Drilling st Coleraine, Minn
Do.
133
U.S. Distom mine), Mount Montgomery, New
Mar. 26, 1942
Nonmetallie,
Drilling at Trommald, Minn
do
134
Getchell Mine, Inc., Reno, Nev
Mar. 27, 1942
Metallic.
119
135
Desert sheelite mine, 1. L. Warner, Mins, New
do
Do.
120
L. Hultgren & Sons, Kerrick, Minn
Feb. 24, 1942
Nonmetalle.
121
Feb. 25, 1942
Metailit.
136
Ely Valley Mines Co. (Ely Valley group), Pioche, Nev
Apr. 6, 1942
Do.
122
Henry J. Kruse, Altkin, Minn
Do.
137
Nevada Pacific Minerals Co., Inc., Jean, Nev.
de
Nonmetallic.
123
Hanna Iron Ore Co. (Draper annex mine at Marble, Minn.), Cleve-
Apr. 21, 1942
138
F.A. Reid and A. V. Nelson (Shanandosh mill, Sbensndosh, Hooster
Apr. 7, 1942
Metallic.
land, Oblo,
do
Nonmetalis.
and Root Hill and IXL mines, Goodspring, Nev.).
Hedberg- Freidheim & Co. (Hedberg-Freidheim Co. pit), Minne-
139
Bly Gold Mining Co. (Taylor mine), Ely, Nov.
Apr. 9, 1942
Do.
124
apolis, Minn.
do
Metallic.
140
Dunlap Copper Co. (Dunisp mine), Mins, Nev
Apr. 14. 1942
125
Clement K. Quinn Ore Co. (Shada mine, open pit and washing
141
Washington Hill Quicksllver Co., Inc. (Washington Hm quicksflver
de
Do.
plant), Nashwauk, Minn.
mine), Reno, Nev.
Do.
Evergreen Mines Co.:
Do.
142
A. & B. quicksilver mine, Tunopah, Net
Apr. 21. 1942
125
Greenway wash mine, Crosby, Minn
Apr. 37, 1942
143
Do.
R. 6. McClintock Diamond Drill Co. (drilling operator for Mount-
May 4. 1942
Drillers.
127
Weebing mines, Crosty, Minn
Apr. 30, 1042
Nonmatalle.
ain City Cooper Co., in the State of Nevada).
128
Closrwater Gravel Co. (Biwabik, sand and gravel plant) Duluth,
May 6, 1663
144
Co. (Golconds division of Noveda-Massa-
do
Motailic.
Minn.
Motallic.
chusetta Ca., at Goloonda, Nov.).
Great Northern Ry. Co. St. Paul, Mind.
May 14, 1943
129
130
Winona Band & Gravel Co. (plit 4A), Winons, Minn
May 15, 1942
Nonmatalle.
do
De.
131
Standard Building Materials Co. (Standard pit No. 3), South St.
NEW HAMPSHIRE-PREFACE NO. 9
Paul, Mino.
13
Northern Feldspar Corporation (Speulding HII and Balley Hill
Mar. 20, 1943
Noumetallic.
mine), West Rumney, N. H.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
572
SILVER
573
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of mines 1948-Continued to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. 2 and May 15,
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of. mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. 8 and May 15, 1948-Continued
NEW JEHSEY-PREFACE NO. a
OHIO-PREFACE NO. 17-Continued
Date
Typed
Borial
Name
mine
Berial
Name
Date
Type of
mine
No.
No.
81
Brimfield Bros. (pita and plants at Cedar Lake, N.J., and Hayville,
Apr. 15, 1942
Nonmetallic
(84
The Robinson Clay Product Co. (Wright mine), Akron, Ohio
Apr. 7, 1942
Nonmetallie,
J.). Titanium Corporation (plant at Carteret, N. J.)
Apr. 30, 1913
Do.
Hoffman Bros. Drilling Co. (drilling operations in State of Ohio),
do
Driller.
82
May & 1942
685
International Noreross Bros. (South Pemberton plant and Birmingbam pit),
Do,
Punkrutawney, Pa.
The Cleveland Builders Supply Co. (sand plant known M dock No.
Apr. 9, 1942
Nonmetallic
83
680
Pemberton, N.J.
Downer (Downer mine), Glassboro, N. I
do
Do.
84
B. Plibrico W. Jointless Firebrick Co. (New Jersey factory at Trenton,
do
Do.
Black Creek Coal Co. (Ohlo No. 3 mine), Zanesville, Ohio,
10), Cleveland, Ohio.
Apr. 14, 1942
Cosl.
687
85
Robert Raney (New Venture mine), Byesville, Chio
da
Do.
688
Warren N. J.). Band & Stone Co. (quarry operator only), Carpentersville,
May 13, 1942
Do,
589
American Sintering Co. (plant at Hubbard, Ohio), Chicago, III
Apr. 15, 1942
Metallic.
86
The Standard Blag Co., Youngstown, Ohio:
N.J.
000
Republic plant
Apr. 17, 1942
Noumetalle.
Brier HIN plant
do
De.
eut
Hubbard plant
do
NEW MRXICO-PREFACE NO. 47
692
Do.
Warren plant
do
nux
Do.
104
Ironton plant
do
Do.
Jackson plant
do
Nonmetalite
695
Do.
Products Co., Grantes, N. Mex
Mar. 25, 1942
Mingo Junction plant
do
Lineoln Mineral Ore & Metal Co. (Gallinas Mountain Iron deposits), Albu-
Metallic.
696
Do.
e
Mar. 26, 1942
OUT
Steubenville plant
do
Do.
63
Do.
Massillon plant
do
Do.
New querque, Mexico N. Consolidated Mex. Mining Co. (Kearney mine, care of Peru
do
698
tH
699
American Drilling Co. (drilling operations in the State of Ohio),
Apr. 21, 1943
Driller.
P. L. Orattan (Sadler No. 2 nt Deming, N. Mex.), El Paso, Tex.,
Mining Co., Hanover, N. Mex.).
do
Nonmetaile
Orvensburg, Pa.
700
Transue & Williams Steel Forging Corporation (Transue & Williams
Apr. 22, 1942
Coal.
65
Sharp office. & Fellows Contracting Co. (mine in Sais, N. Mex.), Los
Apr. 7;1942
Do.
mine), Alliance, Ohio.
do
701
The Thompson Billica Co., Thompson, Ohio
Nonmetallia.
(x)
Standard Angeles, Minerals Corporation (Velarde claims), Hatch, N. Mex
Calif., office.
Apr. 1942
Do.
702
The Malvern Clay Co., Malvero Ohio (for pit only)
Apr. 24, 1942
Do.
Apr. 13, 1942
Metaile.
TOS
Wahl Refractory Products Co., Fremont. Ohio
Apr. 25, 1942
Do.
67
Black Hange Development Co. (Columbia mine), Hurley, N. Mex. Mex.
Kneyer Mines, Inc. (N. 8. L.), Kneyer mines, Lordsburg, N.
Nonmetallic
7M
The United Band & Gravel Co., Canton, Ohio
Apr. 2), 1942
Do.
68
Apr. 14,1942
69
May 4, 1942
Do.
705
H. W. Koeh & Sons Gravel Co., Wapakoneta. Ohio
May & 1942
Do.
70
The Patsen Mica Products Co. (N. 8. L.), Ajax & Capitana, former-
70)
Southern Hills Sand, Gravel, & Exeavation Co. (Southern Hills plt),
May 6. 1942
Do.
Madelyn ly Fischbach, trustee, Montirello Canyon Development,
known as the Cribbinville mine, Pataca, N. Mex.
May 8,1942
Metallic,
Dayton, Ohio.
707
David Z. Norton Co. (Norton mine), Cleveland, Ohio
do
Coal.
E
Hot Springs, N. Mex.
May 12, 1942
Do.
708
The Metropolitan Paving Brick Co. (Minerva plt al Minerva,
May 7, 1942
Nonmetalle.
72
J. D. Torres, Kelly mine, Kelly, N. Mex
May 14, 1942
Do.
Ohio), Canton, Ohio.
Maurior di Autrement (Pastura oupper mine, at Guadalupe County,
209
Bellaire Coel Co. (No. 1 and No. 2 mines), Bellsire, Ohio.
May & 1942
Coal.
R
710
River Transportation Co. (preparation and sereening plant), Cin-
May 14, 1942
Do.
N. Mex.).
cinnati, Ohio.
NEW YORK-PREFACE NO. 11
OKLAHOMA-PREFACE NO. 46
W.J. Dyer (W. J. Dyer molding sand pit), Jonesville, N. Y
Mar. 21, 1942
Nonmetalle.
140
Opeida Lake sand mines, Cleveland, New York State, N. Y
Apr. 15, 1942
Do.
141
Gravel Products Corporation (steamer Niagara, pumping sand and
Apr. 21, 1942
Do.
193
Sullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling at McAlester,
Mar. o, 1042
Drillers.
142
Okla.).
gravel), Buffalo, N. Y.
Leavell Coal Co. (Silvererest mine), Tulsa, Okla
Mar. 12, 1942
Coal.
do
De.
194
143
The Hutton Co. (Hutton mine), Kingston, N. Y
North Shore Sand & Gravel Co., Port Washington, N. Y
Apr. 22, 1942
De.
195
Dixie R. Mining Co. (Dixie R), Picker, Okla
Mar. 14, 1942
Metallic.
144
May 5, 1942
Do.
196
Southwest Stone Co. (No. 3 plant, Stringtown, Atoka County,
Apr. 14, 1942
Nonmetallic
143
Rosoff Sand & Gravel Corporation, Kerhonkson, N. Y
The Valley Sand & Gravel Corporation (Wadsworth plant No. 2,
do
Do.
Oklahoma), Dallas, Tex.
146
Engle-Picher Mining & Smelting Co., Picher, Okla.:
Soottaville, N. Y.).
May & 1942
Do.
197
Netta Mine
Apr. 15, 1942
Metallic
147
Hornell Gravel Corporation (Cohocton plant at Cobocton, N. Y.),
198
McKihben mine
do
Do.
Salamanca, N. Y.
May 8. 1942
Do.
199
B. & R. operation
Apr. 27, 1942
Do.
148
The Kelley Island Lime & Transport Co. (Buffalo, N. Y., plant)
Metailic.
20)
Trenthem Milling Co., Picher, Okla
May & 1942
Do.
Wah Chang Trading Corporation (plant: National Reconditioning
May 15, 1942
149
201
Eagle-Picher Mining & Smelting Co. (South Side mine), Picher,
May 12, 1942
Do.
Co., Inc., Staten Island, N. Y.).
Okla.
22
Miami Rock Products Co. (Bird Dog plant, also Central Mill plant),
May 18, 1942
Nonmetallic.
Miami, Okla.
NORTH CAROLINA-PREFACE NO. 12
OREGON-PREFACE NO. 33
90
Franklin Mineral Products Co. (Burr Knob mies mine), Franklin,
Mar. 16, 1942
Nonmetalle.
N.C.
91
Colonial Mies Co. (mines in North Carolina), agents for Metals Re-
Apr. 27, 1042
Do.
M)
Krome Corporation (Krome mine), Port Orford, Oreg
Mar. 4, 1942
Metallic.
57
Kilkey Bros. (a partnership), Mother Lode mine, Prineville, Oreg
Apr. IL 1942
Do.
serve Company), New York, N. Y.
Charlie Ridge mine (Slippery Elm mine), Newland, N. C
Apr. 29, 1942
Do.
M
Independence Sand & Gravel Co. (Independence pit), Independ-
Apr. 17, 1942
Nonmetalle.
92
de
Do.
Bryson Tale Co. (Worth, Peppers Creek, Hennessee, and Bates
ence, Oreg.
is
50
Pactfie Portland Cement Co. (Marble Mountain and Colvig Gulch
May 6, 1942
Do.
mines), Marion, N.C.
94
Macon Mica Mining Co. (Lyle Knob mine), Franklin, N. C
May 16, 1942
Do.
quarries, at Gold Hill, Oreg.), Ban Francisco, Calif.
60
Metals Reserve Co. (sampling plant, at Grants Pass, Oreg.), Part-
May 8, 1942
Metallic.
land, Oreg.
OHIO-PREFACE NO. 17
Mar. 11, 1942
Nonmetalic
078
Sharon Billes Co. (Jackson pit, Seurlock pit), Jackson, Ohio
Do.
679
Hope Fire Clay Co. (Hope mine), Jackson, Ohio
do
680
Oak HIII Clay Products & Mining Co. (Pyro mind, Oak Hill, Ohio.
Mar. 20, 1942
Do.
Inter-State Construction Co. (Erskine quarry), Youngstown, Ohio
Mar. 25, 1942
Do.
681
Corundite Refractories, Inc., Massillon, Ohio:
Apr. 7, 1942
Do.
682
Massillon plant
Do.
683
Zoar plant
do.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
575
574
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. to and May 15, 1942-Continued
List No. I includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. ! and May 15, 1940-Continued
PENNSYLVANIA-PREFACE NO. 2
PENNSYLVANIA-PREFACE NO. 2-Continned
Date
Type of
Name
mine
Bertal
Name
Date
Type of
Berial
mine
No.
No.
Union Collieries Co., Oakmont, Pa.:
Mar. of 1942
1709
The Areadia Co. (Wilgus & Smithport mine), Indians. Pa
Apr. 27, 1942
Coal.
Renton No. 6, North Bessemer, Pa
Cost.
da
Bigelow Run Coal Mining Co. (Blgelow run No. 1), Bellefonts, Pa.
de
Do.
1705
1706
Renton No. 8, Rural Ridge, Pa
Do.
1770
Shenton State Co., Inc., Statedale, Ps
Apr. If, 1943
Nonmatalle,
Mar. & 1942
Nonmetallic
1771
W. Eills Johnson, Devan, Pa.
Mar. 6, 1942
1772
Continental-Archbald Cost Co. (Archbald colliery), Scranton, Pa
do
Coal.
1707
A. Coal Co. (Keys mine), Dubois, Pa
Cost.
J. F. Eiswerth (Schupp mine and Klatneback mine), Lucinda, Pa
do
Nonmetallic.
1706
do
Do.
1773
Richard W. C. Remmey Son Co., Philadelphia, Ps
Penn Retractories Co., Bollvar, Pa.
da
11709
do
Do,
1774
Do.
St. Clair, Rinn & Co. (Twollck mine), Indiana, Pa
do
1775
Sarman Coal & Coke Co. (Harrison mine), Philadelphia. Ps
May 4, 1942
Coal.
1710
Do.
1711
D. John Coal Crow Co., Coke New Co. Derry, (Brownsfield Pa mine), Unlentown, Pa.
Mar. 10, 1942
1776
J. o. Clark heirs partnership (Superior No. 1 mine), Glen Campbell,
do
Do.
De.
1712
Parshall Lehigh River & Steam Coal Co. (Packers Dam operation), Reading,
do
Da.
M. Pa. B. Stewart, West Fairview, Pa.:
1713
Nonmetallie
1777
Dredging A coal from Busquehanna River in Bieelton, Pa
May 5, 1942
Do.
Lesp Pa. Ganister Rock Co. (Leap No. 1), Hyndman, Bedford County,
Mar. 11, 1042
1778
Dredging A coal from Susquehanns River la Millersburg, Pa
do
Do.
1714
1779
Phoenix Coal Co. (John Veith, property, Liewellyn, Pa.), Scrapton,
May 1942
Do.
Welch-Bright Pa. Co., Atlantic Ave. extended, Monaca, Pa
do
De.
1715
do
Keystone Portland Cement Co., Phliadelphia, Pa
De,
Domestic Pa. Gas Coal Co. (Stephenson mine). Resore, Pa
Mar. 16, 1942
Coal
1780
do
De.
1710
Kenbrook Cost Co., (No. 1 mine), Sligo, Pa
1781
M. & M. Coal Co. (Boschwood No. 2 mine), Dunlevy, Pa
do
Do.
1717
1718
Smith Material Co. (Letterkenny quarry), Camp Hill, Pa
Mar. 21, 1042
The Funkhouser Co., Hagerstown, Md.:
MacFariane, Robert (MacFarlane mine), Houston, Pa
do
Coal.
782
Mine at Charmian, Pa
May 12, 1942
Nonmetallin.
1719
David 0. Davis & Son (Shupe mine, Index No. 2160), Dravosburg,
do
Do.
1783
Mine at Delta. Pa
do
De.
1720
1784
Frod L. Bilhol (No. 2 mine), Bridgeville, Pa
May 13, 1942
Coal.
Calumet Pa. Coal & Coke Co. (Mammoth mine), Scottdale, Pa
do
Do.
Da.
1785
Benjamin Franklin Graphite Co., Ins. (Graphite mine, Chester
do
Nonmetallia.
1721
Ploneer Fuel Co. (Ploneer mine), Latrobe, Pa
do
Springs, Pa.), Milltown, N.J.
1722
Kinston Brick Co., R. D. No. 1, Latrobe, Pa
Mar. 26, 1942
Nemmetalle,
1786
The Bessemer Limestone & Cement Co. (Enon mine), Bessemer, Pa.
May 14, 1942
De.
1723
do
Alliance Sand Co., Inc, Northampton, Pa
Do.
1787
Penowa Coal Co. (Waverly mine at Avella, Pa.), Pittsburgh, Pa
de
Coal.
1724
Eastvale Clay Products Co., Beaver Falls, Pa
do
Da.
1788
Ellwood Stone Co. (Koppel and Rockford plants), Ellwood City, Pa.
May 18, 1942
Nonmetallie.
1724
1726
Hanley Co. (Summerville plant), Bradford, Pa
do
Da,
Otte Collierion, Pottsville, Pa.:
do
Coal.
SOUTH CAROLINA-PREFACE NO. 8
1727
Eagle Hill strip
do
Do,
1728
Rausch Creek strip
Woodbury Clay Co., Hollidaysburg, Pa.
Mar. 25, 1942
Nonunstalls
1729
1730
George F. Pottinos, Inc. (Honeybrook sand plant), Philadelphia, Pa.
do
Do.
27
Camlins Refractories Co., Hartsville, 8. C.
Apr. 25, 1943
Nonmetallic.
Whiteball Cement Manufacturing Co., Cementon, Pa.
du
Do.
No
Southern Sillen Mining & Mfg. Co., Columbia, 8. C.
Apr. 28, 1942
Do.
1731
The James H. McCrady Band Co. (mine at Harmerville, Pa.), Spring-
Apr. d, 1942
Do.
1732
General Refractories Co. (Sandy Ridge plant), Philadelphia, Pa
date, Pa.
do
De.
SOUTH DAKOTA-PREFACE NO. 40
1733
Helen Jennings Coal Co., Johnstown, Pa.:
Apr. H, 1942
Coal.
1734
Jennings No. $ mine
do
Do.
1735
Jennings No. I mine
do
Do.
36
Gladys Wells (Warren Draw, No. 1 and No. 2), Custer, 8. Dak
Apr. 15, 1942
Nonmetalle.
1730
Jennings No. 4 mine
Hill Bros, (Ashman No. 4 and Hm No. D. Morrisdale, Pa
do
Do.
1737
do
Dd.
1738
Corsy Slope Cost Co., Pittston, Pa
da
Nonmetalle
TENNESSEE-PREFACE NO. 16
1739
H. F. Bigler (Salt Lick mine), Clearfield, Pa
1740
H. N. Hough (Hough mine), Uniontown, Pa
da
Cost.
do
De.
1741
Marie Coal Co. (Marie mine), Fairchance, Pa
Cost Hollow Cost Co. (Marrsceini mine), West Newton, Pa
de
Da.
171
Hicks Brus., Camden, Tenn
Mar. 6. 1042
Nonmetalle,
1742
Do.
172
Lambert Bros. Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.:
Pennsylvania Refining Co. (Brunt Strip mine), Butler, Pa.
Apr. 14, 1942
1743
do
Do.
173
Fordtown quarry
Mar. 1942
Do.
1744
Abrussi Cost Co. (Bruceton mine), Bruceton, Pa
do
Da,
174
Dale Hollow quarry
do
Do.
1745
Carpenteriown Coal & Coke Co. (Carpentertown mine). Union-
178
Memphis Stone & Gravel Co., Camden, Term
Do,
town, Pa.
Corter Steam Coal Co. (No. I silt plant), Seranton, Pa
do
Do.
*170
1740
do
Do.
*177
1747
Aeme Coal Cleaning Co., Avello, Pa
Apr. 15, 1942
Nonmetaille.
*178
1748
W. D. Little Clay Co. (Bigler mine and quarry), Philipsburg, Pa.
1749
Hoffman Bros. Drilling Co. (drilling operations in the State of
do
Driller.
*179
*180
Pennsylvania), Punisutawney, Pa.
The Philadelphia Clay Co., Carilisle, Pa
Apr. 1042
Nonmatalls
*181
1750
Cost.
182
Southern Mics Co. (Johnson City plant), Johnson City, Tenn
Mar. 13, 1942
Do.
National Mining Co. (Hazel mine). Pittsburgh, Ps
Apr. 20, 1942
1751
Nonmetalle
183
Imperial Mining On. (Bunch's Hollow mine), Fountain City, Tenn.
Mar. 1942
Metallic.
McCleary Bros. (Pinola quarry), Chambersburg, Pa
do
1752
Da.
184
Birmingham Slag Co. (Calhoun plant in Charleston, Tenn.), Bir-
Mar. 1942
Nonmetalle.
American Banger Blate Co., Inc., Hangor, Pa.
do
1753
Do.
mingham, Als.
Highspire Sand & Gravel Co. (Highspire sand and gravel plant),
do
185
1754
Hoffman Bros. Drilling Co. (drilling operations in State of Ten-
Apr. 7. 1942
Drillers.
Harrisburg, Pa.
Apr. 21, 1942
Driller.
nessee), Punesutawney, Ps.
American Drilling Co., Greensburg, Pa
Dd.
166
II. R. Ameling Prospecting Co. (drilling operations for the American
Apr. 8. 1942
Da.
1755
de
1756
do
Da.
Zine Co. of Tennessee, at Monroe, Tenn.), St. Louis, Mo.
de
187
1757
do
Butler Mining & Development Co. (Taylor Valley mine), Ellta-
Apr. 11, 1942
Metallic.
1708
bethton, Tenn.
188
Cumberland Coal Corporation (Cartwright mine), South Pitta-
Apr. 21, 1942
Coal.
1759
1760
do
Nonmetallia
burgh. Pa.
1761
National Slag Co., Riegelaville, Ps
189
Do
Williams Lime Manufacturing Co., Knoxville, Tenn
Apr. 23, 1942
Nonmetallie,
Beatty & Soillina Clay Mining Co. (Lumber City clay mines No.
do
190
Gllbreath & Pressnell (Soria mine), Columbia, Tenn
May 6, 1942
Do.
1762
1 and No. 2), Houtsdale, Pa.
do
Do.
1763
Bottleld Refractories Co., Philadelphia, Pa
Willard Kittanning Brick Manufacturing Co
do
Do
Do.
*Blank ipsoss indicate numbers landed in December, January, and February.
1764
1765
Firestone Products Co., Inc. (quarry in Edge Hill, Pa.), North
do
HII, Pa.
New Castle Refractories Co., New Castle, Pa.:
Darlington plant at Darlington, Ps
Apr. 23, 1942
Do.
1766
New Galilee plant at New Galline, Pa
do.
Do.
1767
1768
New Castle Refractories Co. (New Castle plant at New Castle, Pa.),
Apr. 28, 1942
Do.
New Castle, Pa.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
576
577
List No. 1 includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. 2 and May 15, 1948-Continued
List No. 1 includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. # and May 15, 1948-Continued
TEXAS-PREFACE NO. 28
WASHINGTON-PREFACE NO. 42
Name
Date
Type: of
Serial
mine
Serial
Name
Date
Type of
No.
No.
mine
107
Hamlin Band & Gravel Co., Inc. (Flattop gravel plant), Vernon,
Mar. 9, 1942
Nonmetallic.
59
Buyles Bros. Drilling Ca,, Salt Lake City, Utah (drilling operations
Mar. 4. 1942
Drillers.
DuPre Tex. Band & Gravel Co., and Road Gravel Co. (DuPre Sand &
do
De,
at Halden, Wash.).
108
as
Magnetic Mining Co., Colville, Wash.
Mar. IL 1942
Metallic.
Gravel 8. pis, Hoyt (Columbus, Tex., Flint Gravel pita) Van Horn, Tex
and DuPre Road Oravel pit), Victoria, Tex.
Mar. 2), 1942
Do,
41
Pacific Coast Coal Co. (Black Diamond mine), Seattle, Wash
Mar. 13, 1942
Coal.
109
Bullivan Philip Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling operations
Apr. 6, 1942
Driller.
12
Boche Harbor Lime & Cement Co. (quarry operations at Roche
Mar. 31, 1942
Nonmetallie.
Harbor, Wash.), Roche Harbor, Wash.
110
at Grant (Ascarate Grant), El Paso, Tex
New Braunfels, Tex.).
Apr. 7, 1942
Nonmetallie
na
Knob Hill Mines, Inc., Walter Lyman Brown, Republic, Wash
Apr. 7, 1942
Metallie.
111
Ascarate Southwest Stobe Co. (No. 2 plant-Lone Star Spur (Chico) Texas,
Apr. 14, 1942
Do.
04
Mas J. Kuney Co. (Pomons quarry). Spokane, Wash
Apr. 17, 1042
Nonmetallic.
65
General Construction Co. (Mata Mats quarry), Sesttle, Wash
Apr. 27, 1942
Do.
112
113
Thermo Fire Brick Co. (Thermo and Troup pita), Sulphur Springs,
Wise Co.), Dallas, Tex.
Apr. 15, 1942
Do.
Mi
Pioneer Sand & Gravel Co. (plant at Point Deflance, Wash.),
Apr. 30, 1942
Do.
Seattle, Wash.
The Tex. Milwhite Co., Inc. (plant, Houston, Harris Co., Texas), Hous-
do
67
Majestic Coal & Mining Co., Inc. (Nonpariel mine), Centralia,
de
Coal.
Do,
114
Minerals Production Co. (Spiller mine), Liano, Tex
ton, Tes.
Apr. 17, 1942
Metallie.
no
James Wash. Keeth (Reeth Tungsten mine) Spokane, Wash
May 5. 1942
Metallic.
115
do
Nonmetalle
es
E.J. Longyear (drilling operator at Glacier Peak, Wash.), Minneap-
do
Driller,
116
Texas Chann Mica & Feldspar Co. (Mics mine property). Van Horn, Tes.
Sand & Gravel Co., Inc, Fort Worth, Tex.
Apr. 22, 1942
Do.
olls, Minn.
117
Vivianna Mining Co. (Vivianna mine), Alpine, Tex
Apr. 25, 1942
Metallie.
F.
M. A. Hanna (prospecting for copper at Glacier Peak, Wash.), Dar-
do
Metallic (D).
rington, Wash.
118
119
Trinity Portland Cement Co., Dallas, Tex.:
May 14, 1942
Nonmetalle
71
Zenlth Mines, Inc., Cleveland mine, Fruitland, Wash
May 9, 1042
Metailic
Mine st Fort Worth, Tex.
do
Do.
72
Germania Consolidated Mines, Inc., Spokane, Wash
de
Do.
120
Mine at Dallas, Tex
UTAH-PREFACE NO. 45
WEST VIRGINIA-PREFACE NO. 35
109
Continental Coal Co. (Maple Creek Cost Co.), Salt Lake City,
Mar. 2, 1942
Coal.
618
Alsted Coal Co., Flemington, W. Va
Mar. 11, 1942
Coal.
(19
Cornell Coke Co. (Yale mine), Morgantown, W. Va
Mar. 27. 1942
Do.
Pyramid Utah. Gypsum Co. (Pyramid plant). Salt Lake City, Utah
do
Nonmetallis.
(2)
North Vein Coal Co. (Cork No. 2 mine), Clarksburg, W. Va
Apt. 1, 1042
Do.
110
Mar. 6, 1942
Drillers.
621
Hoffman Bros. Drilling Co. (drilling operator In State of West Vir-
Apr. 7, 1942
Driller.
111
Boyles Bros. Drilling Co., Salt Lake City, Utah
do
Do.
ginin), Punisutawney, Pa.
112
do
do
Do.
622
Shinnston Coal Co. (Hood mine), Shinnston, W. Va
Apr. 9, 1942
Cost.
113
do
do
Do.
623
Rock Forge Coal Co., Inc. (MeDonald mine), Morgantown, W. Va
do
Do.
114
do
do
Do.
624
Big Branch Winifreled Cost Co., Williamson, W. Va
Apr. 14, 1942
Do.
118
do
625
Christopher Nat'l Coal Co. (mine No. 5), Morgantown, W. Va
Apr. 16, 1942
Do
Do.
116
(26
Carter Coal Co. (Thelman mine at Sie, W. Va.), New York, N. Y
Apr. 21, 1942
117
627
American Drilling Co. (drilling operator in the State of West Vir-
do
Driller.
118
ginia), Greensburg, Pa.
119
425
New Castle Refractories Co. (Newell plant at Newell, W. Va.),
Apr. 23, 1942
Nonmetallic.
120
Rock Asphalt Co. of Utah (Utah rock asphalt), Sunnyside, Utah
Mar. 9, 1942
Nonmetallie
New Castle, Pa.
121
Apes Tungsten Mining Co., Traut Creek, Utah
Mar. 10, 1942
Metailie.
129
Case Cost Co. (Case mine), Camden on Gauley, W. Va.
Apr. 24, 1942
Coal.
122
Apr. 14, 1942
Coal.
630
J.Q. Dickinson & Co. (plant at Malden, W. Va.), Malden, W, Va
do
Nonmetallic.
123
Grass Creek Fuel Co., Cosiville, Utah
Sullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling operations
Apr. 10. 1042
Driller.
631
West Fork Collieries, Inc., Fairmont, W. Vs.
Apr. 27, 1942
Cost.
124
632
Triangle Coal Co. (Arthur mine), Lost Creek, W. Vs
do
Do.
May 12, 1942
Nonmetallo
The Colorado Purl & Iron Corporation (deposits st Iron Mountain,
in Cedar City, Utah).
Apr. 21, 1942
Metallic
633
The General Crushed Stone Co. (quarry operations at Fort Springs,
125
W. Va.). Fort Springs, W. Va.
Utah), Cedar City, Utah.
Do.
Consolidation Coal Co., Pairmont, W. Va.:
126
Vanadium Corporation of America's Associates' (mining operations
Apr. 30, 1942
(34
Consolidation mine 22-A
May 13, 1942
Coal.
in Monticello, Utah), New York, N. Y.
Do,
nas
Consolidation mine 40-A
do
Do.
Drury D. Turner Co. (Turner group, including Last Chance.
May 12, 1942
127
536
Consolidation mine 84-B
do
Do
Raven, Canjon Lode, Black Diamond, Oreen River mining
637
Consolidation mine 10-A
do
Do.
district). Utah
May 14, 1942
Do.
as
The Home Construction Co. (Vuncan mine at Sardis, W. Va.), New
May 14, 1942
Do.
128
Apex Mining Co. (Apex mine), St. George, Utah
Martinsville, Va.
(UB
Britton Coal Co. (Britian mine), Webster Springs, W. Va
de
Da.
640
Williams Coal Co. (Swamp Run mine), Junior, W. Va
May 18. 1942
Do.
VERMONT-PREFACE No. 14
Nonmetaile.
WISCONSIN-PREFACE NO. 30
R
Green Mountain Mies Corporation, Gassetts, Vt
Mar. 11, 1942
White Pigment Corporation (mine in Finrence, Vt.), Proctor, Vt
Apr. 3, 1942
Do.
24
Vermareo Lime Ca., Proctor, VL
Apr. 23, 1942
De
to
Coughlin Mining Co. (tine mine at Shullsburg, Wis.), Chicago, III
Mar. 10, 1042
Metallic.
25
31
Waukesha Lime & Stone Co., Wankesha, Wis
Apr. 24. 1942
Nonmetallic.
52
Eau Claire Sand & Gravel Co. (plant No. 1), Esu Claire, Wis
Apr. 27, 1942
Do.
VIRGINIA-PREFACE No. 10
a
Vinegar Hill Associates, care of Vinegar Hill Zine Co., Cubs City,
May A, 1942
Metallic.
Wis.
Nonmetallir.
M
Elkhart Moraine Band & Gravel Co., Elkhart Lake, Wis
May 14. 1942
Nonmetalle.
Riverton Lime & Stone Co., Inc., Riverton, Va.
Mar. 11. 1042
33
W, E. Faithorn (Champlon mine), New Diggins, Wa.
May 15, 1942
Metallic.
244
245
Hoffruan Bros. Drilling Co, (drilling operations in State of Virginia),
Apr. 7, 1942
Driller.
Punisutawney, Ps.
Cost.
246
Margaret Ann Cost Co., Conaway, Va
Apr. 14, 1942
WYOMING-PREFACE NO. 44
247
Apr. 17. 1942
Metallio
Glad Mountain Corporation (Glad Mountain mine), Marion, Va
248
The American Rutile Corporation (deposit located at Ashland, Va.),
Apr. 28, 1942
Nonmetallis.
New York, N.Y.
40
Boyles Bres. Drilling Co., Hall Lake City, Utah (drilling at Rock
Mar 6, 1042
Driller.
249
May A. 1942
Drillam
Sollivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling operations
Springs and Superior, W30).
for Bethlehem Steel Co., st Cornwall, Va.).
MI
Do.
Sullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling at Bunrise,
Mar. 9, 1942
Do.
250
Bullivan Machinery Co., Michigan City, Ind. (drilling operations
do
Wyo.).
for the Maryland Burreu of Mines at Lynchburg, Va.).
Nonmetalité
as
Casper Chrome, 713 National Bank Bldg., Denver, Colo. (mine at
Mar. 23, 1942
Metallic.
251
Limestone Dust Corporation, Pombontas, Va
May 7, 1042
May 8, 1942
Motallie.
Casper, Wyo.).
252
Blue Mountain Operating Corporation (Mount Torry mine),
Staunton, Vs.
73052-42-pt. 9-10
Regraded Unclassified
578
SILVER
SILVER
579
List No. 1 includes the names, dates, and types of mines to which serial numbers
have been granted between Mar. to and May 15, 1948-Continued
List No. # includes the names of persons or organisations that were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
ALASKA-PREFACE NO. 50
MAR. 2 TO 31, 1942-Continued
Serial
Name
Date
Type of
Person or organization
Date
City and State
mine
No.
Earl Flamion
Mar. 10, 1942
Bristow, Ind.
do
Middleton, Calif.
Buffaio Coal Co. (Buffalo mine) Anchorage, Alaska
Mar. 21, 1042
Coal.
Zack Anderson
Kulu Zine Mines, Inc, (Keku Lode claims), Juneau, Alaska
Mar. 23, 1942
Metallic.
American Distomite Co
do
Clermont, Fis.
34
Apr. 14, 1942
Coal
8. D. Alexander
do
Vanenuver, Wash,
55
Anchorage Coal Co., Inc. (Premier mine), Anchorage, Alaska
Metallic
Valley Agricultural Oypsum Co.
Mar. 11, 1942
Shafter, Callf.
36
Red Mountain Chromite, Inc. (Kenal Peninsula chromite deposits,
Apr. 15, 1942
17
Standard Asphalt Paving Co., Inc
do
Spokane, Wash,
Seldovis, Alaska), Portland, Oreg.
Smith & Sayder
do
Austin, Nev.
Lynch Bros., Seattle, Wash.:
do
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Nickle on Yakobi Island, Alaska
Apr. 28, 1942
Do,
Silver Rock Mines Co., Inc
Chrome on Kenal Peninsula, Alaska
Do.
Mr. H. B. Senior
do
Bethel, Coon.
38
do
Mr. Harry E. Jacoba
do
Custar, Ohio.
29
Pike Stone Products Ca., Inc.
do
Petersburg, Ind.
Oscar Dunagan Band & Gravel
do
Port Washington, N. Y.
List No. 8 includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
Newburgh Sand, Stone & Gravel Corporation
de
Newburgh, N. Y.
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100
F. W. Millard & Bon
do
Ely, Nev.
Hedbeng Friedheim & Co
do
Minneapolis, Minn.
Mr. D. E. Flood
do
Mogolion, N. Mex.
MAR. 2 TO 31, 1942
Estill Ice Co
do
Irvine, Ky.
Elkhorn Limestone Co
do
Georgetown, Ky.
Mr. Joe Dudek
do
Fairpoint, Ohio.
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Dixwell Quarries, Inc
do
Hamden, Conn.
Mr. E. 0. Stengel
do
Milbank, 8. Dak.
Kaboka, Mo.
Cittadino Quarries
do
Utics, N.Y.
Mr. W. P. Stevensin
Mar. 2, 1942
Bryan Monroe Co
do
Raleigh, N. C.
Mr. Louie Ewarts, Sliver Queen mine
do
Smelterville, Idaho.
Mr. N. L. Brown
do
Sllver City, N. Mex.
Mario Pendell Co., Ine
do
Needham Heights, Mas.
Baltimore Brick Co
do
Baltimore, Md.
Yemms Bros
do
Haverhill, Mass.
The Western Limestone Products Co
Mar. 12, 1942
Omaha, Nebr.
Superior Lumber Co
do
Detroit, Mich.
Mr. Garret Van Decker
do
Fairlawn, N. J.
Mr. C. E. Neuenachwander
do
Deepwater, Mo.
Mr. Carl B. Temple
do
Kingsville, Md.
Laddsdale Cost Co
do
Eldon, Iown.
Stroup Bros
do
Warren, Obio.
F. & B. Coal Co
do
Blackwood, Va.
Standard Flint & Spar Corporation
do
Trenton, N. J.
Walter Pitman Mining Co
Mar. 5. 1042
Spruce Pine, N. o.
Porter Brown Limestone Co
do
SpringBeld, Tenn.
United States Quarry Tile Co
do
Canton, Ohio.
D. W. Overocker, Inc
do
Burlington, Vt.
Rohm, Bros. Cost Co
do
Blx Mile Run. Pa.
North Shore Sand & Gravel Corporation
do
Port Washington, N. Y.
National Chemical Products Co
do
Rapid City, 8. Date
Northern Feldspars Corporation
do
West Rumney, N. H.
Mr. James E. Kinney
do
Scranton, Pa.
McKinney & Whitlow Sand Co
du
Stephenson, W. Va.
Mr. Harold Jennings
do
Coshocton, Ohio.
Mr. Leslie Mohr
do
Bellefontaine, Ohio.
Harrison Bros. Co
do
Tacoma. Wash.
Martin & Elrod
do
Smith Grove, Ky.
Mr. R. C. Fjeldsted
do
Salt Lake City, Utsh.
Lutesville Sand & Gravel Co.
do
Cape Girardosu, Mo.
Mr. John J. Cable
do
Holsopple, Pa.
Little Rock Stone Products Co
do
Heber Springs, Ark.
Berkeley L. Bunker
do
Reno. Nev.
Indiana Gravel Co., Inc
do
Indianspolis, Ind.
Badger Coal Co
do
Douglas, Wyo.
Grand Canyon Lime & Cement Co
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Oakwood Mining Co
Mar. 6, 1942
Dellroy, Ohio.
M. J. Gllpatrick Construction Co
do
Riverton, Wyo.
Moorefield Township Gravel Co
do
New Moorefield, Ohio.
H. E. Fletcher Co.
do
West Chalmsford, Mas.
Maudlin Construction Ce
do
Webster City, lows.
Elkhart-Moraine Sand & Oravel Co
do
Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Kiss Coal Co
do
New Lexington. Ohio.
The Crystal River Rock Co
do
Leesburg. Fls.
Green Township Gravel Co
do
Cedarville, Ohio.
Crushed Rock Products, Inc
do
Schenectady, N. Y.
Godoway Bros. Coal Co
do
Barton, Ohio.
Mr. R.J. Cremen
do
Curtis Bay, Md.
Ollmour & Joties Coal Co
do
Somerset, Pa.
Colonna & Co., Ine
do
New York, N. Y.
Durango Chamber of Commerce
do
Durango, Colo.
Berube Bros
de
Fall River, Maas.
Buck Road Coal Co.
do
Edwardsville, ni.
Baugh Cost Co
do
Mendota, Mo.
M. P. Brochetti Coal Co
do
Benesette, Pa.
Mr. W. 0. Watson
do
St. Clairsville, Ohio.
Culbert L. Olson
Mar. 7, 1942
Sacrameuto, Calif.
Volo Mining Co
do
Placerville, Calif.
Norris Coal Co
do
Peckville, Pa.
Steiners Washed Hand & Gravel Co
Mar. 18, 1942
Laura, Ohio.
Manufacturers and distributors
de
Pueblo, Colo,
Standard Paving Co
do
Tulsa, Okla.
El Dorado Mine Operators Association
do
Las Vegas, Nev.
Soldier Canyon Mine
do
Price, Utah.
Mr. John C. Davis, president
do
Denver, Colo.
Smith Material Co
do
Camp Hill, Pa.
Southern Products & Silies Co
Mar. 9, 1942
Lilesville, N. C.
Richardson Cost Co
do
Greenwood, Ark,
Baxon Coal Corporation
do
Williamsburg, Ky.
Mr. c. Wübert Roeder
do
Muncy, Pa.
Royal Development Co
do
Leavenworth, Wash.
Red Rock Quarries, Ltd
do
Vallejo, Calif.
Lytle Brus
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Albert Partion Salt Co
do
Redmond, Utah.
C. F. Lester Fluorgar Co
Princeton, Ky.
Nelson & Blonn
do
Chula Vista, Calif.
do
Nash Brick Co
de
Rocky Mount, N. C,
Jackson di McCue
do
Mt. Pleasant, Ohio.
Hairbager Coal Co.
do
Wampum, Pa.
Frederick Link Sons
do
Halethorpe, Md.
Gravel Products Corporation
do
Buffalo, N. Y.
Kohler Bros. Band & Gravel Co.
do
Waukesha, Wis.
Garretts Mine
de
Pennington Gap, Va.
The Junetion City Clay Co
do
Junetion City, Ohio.
Fairview Coal Co
de
Bellaire, Ohio,
Gorza Bros. Blaine Coal Co
do
St. Clairsville, Ohio.
Blandburg Coal & Supply Ce
do
Gill & Wood
do
Norristown, Pa.
Altoona, Pa.
Aisted Coal Co
do
Flemington, W. Va.
Dennis Materials Co
do
Kirkwood, Mo.
Woodworth Gravel Co
Woodworth, La
Mr. Eugene L. Campbell
do
Summersville, W. Va.
Mar. 10, 1942
Wilbert M Ining Co., Ltd
Salt Lake City, Utah
Brown Cost Co
do
Nowata, Okla.
do
Vermont Marble Co.
Proctor, Vt.
Blandburg Cost & Supply Co
do
Altoona, Pa.
do
do
Amyaste, Mo.
M. C, State
do
Albany, Oreg.
Auxvasse Quarry Co
Silver Horn Mine
do
Wendover, Utah.
Mr. Fred Simmering
Mar, 14. 1942
South Webster, Ohio.
Saleway Cost Co
Bokosbe, Okls.
Mid-Continent Mercury Producers
do.
Hot Springs, Ark.
do
Mr. W. H. Romine
do
Geyser Marion Gold Mining Co
din
Halt Lake City, Utah.
Davenport, Iown.
Randolph Valley Cost Co
Goshocton, Ohio.
D. L. Bradley Coal Co
do
Moberty, Me.
de
Parsons Brns
Berghols, Ohio,
Mr. Morbert Wolbert
Mar. 16, 1942
Snydersburg, Pa.
do
H. L. McKinney
Wilkinson Bros. Coal Co
do,
New Philadelphia, Ohio.
de
Squib, Ky.
Miller & Schock
Whittaker & Gooding Co
do
Plymouth, Mich,
do
Tamaqua, Pa
Hulman & Co.
Terre Haute, Ind.
Westfield Clay Products Ce
do
Westfield, Mass.
do
Houston & Bank Sand Co
Houston, Tes.
West Lake Quarry & Material Co
de
Hobertson, Mo.
do
580
SILVER
SILVER
581
List No. ! includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
List No. 2 includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
MAR. 2 TO 31, 1942-Continued
MAR. 2 TO 11, 1942-Continued
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Waukesha Lime & Stone Co
Mar. 16, 1942
Waukesha, Wis.
Mr. Clayton Wisseman
Mar. 20, 1942
NorthFork, Calif.
do
Coalton, W. Va.
Siventer Bros
do
Boswell, Pa.
Welbern Stone Co.
do
Evanaville, Ind.
Mr. Edward H. Shaulis
de
Howard Tackett & Sons
do
Flat Woods, Ky.
Walsenburg, Colo.
Sampson Coal Mining Co
Sobleskie Coal Co
do
Jessup, Pa.
de
Nobbstown, Pa.
Gene Riccardo
do
Mr. James Roy, owner
Dunmors, Pa.
do
Burkesville, Ky.
Pace Crushed Stone Co.
do
Compton, Calif.
Regro Bros. Coal Co
do
Worthington, Pa.
Own Truck A Materials Co
Castle Date, Utah.
Merritt Coal Ce
do
Drakasboro, Ky.
do
Ollphant Coal Co
Jones Cost Co.
do
Old Forge, Fa.
do
Johnstown, Pa.
Neatrour & Knipple
Gianforcaro Coal Ce
do
Archbald, Pa.
de
Jackson, Ohio.
Wesley MeKitterick Co.
Dorton Elkborn Coal Co
do
Dorton, Ky.
do
Mr. Lester Moore
East Fultonham, Ohio,
The Consumers Sand Co.
do
Topeks, Kans,
do
Montgomery Lime Co
Christiansburg, Va.
San Francisco, Calif.
Bartley Coal Co.
de
Hellier, Ky.
do
Mission Quarry Chi
Albanesi Coal Co
do
Dunmore, Pa.
do
Mr. Willis E. Miller
Clarksburg, Pa.
Morraro Coal Co
Mar. 21. 1942
McNees, Pa.
do
Melcher, Iowa,
Melcher Fuel Ce
Williams Lime Manufacturing Co
Mar. 24, 1942
Knoxville, Tenn.
Maple Lane Coal Co
do
Steubenville, Ohio,
Roche Harbor Lime & Cement Co
do
Roche Harbor, Wash
M. & M. Mining Co
do
Simpson, Pa.
New England Lime Co
do
Adams, Mass.
The Lorsin Washed Sand Co
do
Lorain, Ohio.
The Gulf Dolomite Co
do
Haines City, Fla.
Lilly Valley Cost Co
do
Lilly, Pa.
M. A. Gammino Construction Co
do
Providence, R. I.
Mr. Malt 8. Holbert
do
Gebo, yo.
Franklin Mineral Product Co
do
Franklin, N. C.
Lawton Glass Sand Co
do
Lawton, Ky.
Fernald & Gray Quarrier. Inc
do
Tarpon Springs, Fls.
Holly Mines
do
Rush, Ky.
Cougar Hill Mine
de
Ibopah, Utah.
Hagerty Coal Co
do
Uniontown, Pa.
Mr. Harold F. Colvin
de
Blossburg, Pa.
Gilmore Coal Co
do
Jackson, Ohio.
Bennett-Clark Co., Inc
do
Maongdoches, Ter.
Fort Scott Hydraulic Cement Co
do
Fort Scott, Kans.
Athletic Mining & Smalting Co.
do
Ft. Smith, Ark.
Economy Cost Co
do
Harrisburg, Pa.
Wichita Flint Gravel Co
Mar. 25, 1942
Wichita, Kans.
Corbin Cost Co.
do
Canton, Ohio.
Susquehanna Sand & Gravel Co., Inc
do
Highspire, Ps.
Central Cost Co
do
Fairmont, III.
Smith Petersen & Co
do
Reno, Nev.
Carbonate King Zine Mine
do
Mountain Pass, via Nipton, Calif.
E. F. Schultz and H. E. Brunson
do
Gold Hill, Nov.
Cape Girardeau Sand Co
de
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Rockaway Quarry, Inc.
do
Rocksway Beach, Calif.
Mr. E. P. Butler
de
Ada, Okla.
Mr. z. Ristr
do
Douglas, Arit.
Buckley Sand & Gravel Ce
do
Chiengo, III.
McKenney Drilling Co
do
Black Rock, Ark.
Brunn Construction Ca
do
Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. À. H. McCreary
do
Albuquerque, N. Met.
Mr. K. H. Baxter
do
Brisbin, Pa.
Millers Creek Colleries
do
Paintiville, Ky,
Wm. Bambi & Sons
do
Norristown, Pa.
Mr. James Keeth
do
Spokane, Wash.
8. C. Yingling
Mar. 17, 1942
Evansville, Ind.
Johnson Sand & Gravel Co
do
Vandalia, Ohio.
Tri-State Minerals Co
do
Los Angeles, Callf.
Mr. Charles F. Hensel
do
Ubricheville, Ohio,
81. Jude Mining Co
do
San Francisco, Callf,
John Granger & Sons Coal Co
do
Glassport, Pa.
Scotin Mining Co
do
Sunbury, Pa.
Gabbert Coal Co.
do
Morgantown, W. Va.
George L. Rock, Inc
do
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Engle & Albright
do
Salisbury, Ps.
O'Connor Coal Co
do
Cambria County, Pa.
The Diamond Grit Co
do
Baltimore, Md.
Mr. C. G. MeCormick
do
Chicora, Pa.
A. Aindi & Bons
do
New Britain, Conn
Maneguld Stone Co
do
Milwaukee, Wis.
Emmet Q. Yates, special
Mar 26, 1942
Carson City, Nev.
Lesmer & Hunter
do
Dunlo, Pa.
Three Fork Coal Co.
do
Ellamore, W. Va.
Langhorne & Langhorne Co
do
Huntington, W. Va.
Steel Service & Bales Co
do
Chicago, III.
Kinney Coal Mine
do
Albuquerque, N. Mex.
Pacific Sulphur Co
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Connolly Coal Co
de
Luterne, Pa.
The Murphy Coal Co
do
Birmingham, Als.
Buffalo Band Ca., Ine
do
Buffalo, N. Y.
Imperial Salt Co
do
Loi Angeles, Callf.
Blackhawk Coal Co
do
Darlington, Pa.
Mr. E. c. Guy
do
Newland, N. C.
Geo. F. Bevil Gravel Co
do
McAllen, Tex.
George Coal Co
do
Gallup, N. Mex.
The Aluminum Flake Co
do
Barberton, Ohio.
Ducey & Attwood Rock Co
do
E. Pasadena, Calif.
Alabama California Gold Mines Co.
do
Auburn, Calif.
Dixon Construction Co
do
Centerville, Town.
The Whiteball Cement Manufacturing Co
Mar. 18, 1942
Philadelphis, Ps.
Mr. A. J. Deters
do
Bowling Green, Mo.
Woodbury Trap Bock Co., Inc
do
Torrington, Conn.
Condor Mine
do
Waxhsw, N. C.
Lawrence B. Vollmer
do
St. Marys, Pa.
City of Burbank
do
Burbank, Calif.
Tygart Limestone Co
do
Lawton, Ky.
Cherokee Octire Co
do
Carterrville, Gs.
Skelton & Wiecks
do
Toledo, Oreg.
Chapman Gravel Co
do
Durand, Mich.
St. Mary's Sewer Pipe Co
do
St. Marys, Pa.
C& H Mining & Milling Co
do
Weldon. Callf.
Mr. John McDowell
de
Palisade, Colo.
Bingle Brick Co
do
Waussu, Wh.
Neuman Sand & Supply Co
do
York, Pa.
L. M. Baur Mining Co
do
Montgomery City, Mo.
Mr. 0. B. McSorley
do
Newark, Mo.
Acme Brick Co
do
Fort Worth, Tex.
C. T. Wheeling & Bon
do
Franklin, Pa.
West Branch Sand & Gravel Co., Ine
Mar. 27, 1942
Williamsport, Pa.
K & M Coal Co
do
Bronaugh, Mo.
Superior Coal Mine
do
Linton, Ind.
Horton Stone Co.
do
Springfield, Mo.
Southern Mines & Minerals Co
de
Chicago, III.
Colonial Clay Products Co
New Brighton, Pa.
Sillica Sand Co.
do
Knoxville, Tenn.
do
Roy Coulon & Richard Coulon
do
Oasis, Calif.
A. Songivanni & Sons
do
Meriden, Conn.
Brookdale Coal Co
Mineral Point, Ps.
Pine Valley Coal Co
do
do
81. Marys, Pa.
Mr. John Boyle
do
Tamaqua, Pa.
Page Cooperative Lime Association
do
Lursy, Va.
Mrs. J. Breen Gravel Co
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Norfolk Supply Co., Inc
do
Onley, Va.
do
Yokom Line Quarry
Mar. 19, 1942
Jonesville, lows.
Newburgh Cost Co
do
New burgh, Ind.
Southern Brick Co
Pontotoc, Miss.
Magle City Coal Co
do
Tulsa, Okla.
de
Roy 8. Imbrie
Shackelford Coal Co
de
Barwick, Ky.
do
Butler, Pa.
A.W. Hudson
Pioneer Quarry & Supply Co
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
do
Vigus, Mo.
Abram Clesson
Pike Stone Products Co
Petersburg, Ind.
do
Palmyrs. N. Y.
do
Peekskill Mason's Supply Co., Inc
Peekskill, N. Y,
Cushing Stone Co., Inc
do
Schenectady, N. Y.
do
Crown Coal Co
Gelstown, Pa.
do
LA Follette, Tenn.
Mr. 1. E. Paul (Paul mine)
do
Buckeye Mining Co
High Test OII & Gas Co
do
Lone Plon, Calif.
do
Paintaville, Ky.
W. G, Brown & Sons
Gerwing Coal Co
Exchange, W. Va.
do
Crooksville, Ohio.
do
Bonded Coal & Fuel Co
DI Laura Stone Co
do
Allentown, Pa.
do
Albion, N, Y.
Colonial Band & Stone Co
New York City, N. Y.
Alfred Atlas Gravel & Sand Corporation
do
Alfred, N. Y.
do
Mr. M. A. Wright
Mar. 28, 1942
Berkeley, Calif.
Mr. Edwin Bebermeyer
do
New Haven, Mo.
SILVER
SILVER
583
582
List No. / includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
List No. 15 includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
MAR. 2 TO 31, 1949-Continued
MAR. 2 TO 31, 1943-Continued
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Mar. 28, 1942
Oursy, Colo.
Beverly Hills, Callf.
Bird Mining Ce., Ine
Mar. 31, 1942
Big Spring, Ter.
Mr. Ralph B. Wright
do
Belmont Load Mines
do
Kly, Nov.
Whedon Manganese Mines
do
Las Cruces, N. Mex.
do
Frank Vallakin and Associstes
Hornitas, Calif.
Mr. F. A. Bachleb
Bt. Helena, Callf.
do
Red Cloud Mines, Inc
Antolini Coal Co
do
Harding, W. Va.
do
Culver City, Calif.
do
Mr. N. C. Aldo
Bishop, Calif.
Mr. A. B. Miner
de
Ban Francisco, Calif.
Lone Tree Manganeso Mining Co
do
Tarentum, Pa.
Kutsch Coal Mine
Ka-Mi-Tin Consentrating Corporation
do
Lincolnton, N. c.
APR. 1 TO 30, 1942
do
Nogales, Ariz.
Jefferson Mines, Inc
do
Butler, Pa.
Mr. Roy S. Imbrie
do
Oglestown, Pa.
Southern Mining Co
Apr. 1942
Picher, Okla.
Mr. John Desort
do
Yatesville, Pa.
Smith Crane Mine
do
Winston, N. Mer.
Angelo & Lombardi Coal Co
do
Denver, Colo.
Mr. W. H. Richards
do
Overland Park, Kans.
Base Metal Corporation
Mar. 30, 1042
Osceola Mills, Pa.
Pelican Mining Co.
do
Picher, Okla.
Wilks Coal Co
do
Butler, Pa.
Osk Clif Band & Graval Co.
do
Dallas, Ter.
Tuck & Miller
do
Challis, Idaho.
Needmore Mining Co.
do
Picher, Okla.
Mr. W. B. Sweigart
Michigan City, Ind.
Mahoning Mining Co
do
Rosiclare, III.
do
Sullivan Machinery Co
do
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Leman Machine Co
do
Portage, Pa.
Sturgeon Bay Co
do
Oakland, Calif.
Lavrion Mining Co
do
Joplin, Mo.
Smith & McCollum
do
Forty Fort, Pa.
Jones & Oldham Stone Co
do
Georgetown, Ky.
Frank B. Sgoriots' estate
do
Sugarcreek, Ohio.
Iowa-Missouri Mining Co
do
Webb City, Mo.
Service Coal Mine
Nevada City, Callf.
Haughton Bros
do
Banger, Callf.
Mr. Frank Finnigan, Santa Francisca Mining Co
do
do
Baton Ronge, La.
Hawthorne Studge Co
do
Albs, Mo.
Bandy Creek Gravel Co
Seattle, Wash.
V. Cye Cox
do
Fallon, Nev.
Priestley Mining & Milling Co
do
do
Houston, Tex.
Cowboy Coal Mine
do
Rockville, Ind.
Parkers Bros. & Co., Inc
do
Three Springs, Pa.
Calleo Tungsten Co.
do
Bboebone, Nev.
Painter & Dell.
Long Beach, Cabl.
Brisco Mining Co
do
Webb City, Mo.
do
Mr. Geo. W. MeIntyre
Ban Francisco, Cellf.
Apex Mining Co
do
St. George, Utah.
Mountain Copper Co., Ltd
do
do
Coshocton, Ohio,
A. & C. Mining Co.
do
Picher, Okla.
Arthur Mobley
do
Blythe, Calif.
Pascock Mining Co., Inc.
Apr. of 1942
Ashland, Ky.
Mine Development Co
do
Lewistown, Pa.
Madelyn Fischbsch, trustee
Mifflin Band Co.
de
Baltimore, Md.
Monticello Canyon Development
do
Hot Springs, N. Mer.
William Meyer & Bons
do
Opelika, Als.
The Lincoln Coal Mining Co
do
North Lawrence, Ohio.
Meadwell Lime Corporation
Pínos Altos, N. Mer.
Black Range Development Co
do
Sante Fe, N. Mer.
Manhattan Leve
do
do
Grundy, Va.
Mr. John P. Herndon
do
Silver City, N. Mex.
Lynn Camp Coal Corporation
do
Benton, Wis.
Dominio Lombardi
do
Avoca. Pa.
Little Tom Mining Co
Abbie E. Lanaberry & Bon
do
Woodland, Pa.
Stram & Domestic Coal
do
Wellsboro, Pa.
Kay Cosl Mining Co
do
Everett, Pa.
Minnie Moore Mine Development Co
Apr. 3, 1942
Botse, Idaho.
Mr. Lynn W. Smith, Box 81, care of Howe Sand Co
do
Holden, Wash.
Bouthwest Lead & Zine Co
do
Los Angeles, Callf.
do
Morgantown, W. Va.
Smith & McDonald
de
Alpine, Tenn.
Hall Coal Co., Mr. Guy A. Hall
Los Angeles, Calif.
Small Lessing Co.
do
Wallace, Idaho.
T. J. Hargerty Mining Co., Inc
do
do
Payette, Idaho.
New Verde Mines Co
do
New York, N. Y.
Mr. John Glass
Kellogg, Idaho.
Blue Bucket Mine
do
Winnemuces, Nev.
Mr. John B. George
de
Fernold Quarries, Inc
de
Tarpon Springs. Fla.
Midwest Mines, Inc
do
Monterumms, Summit Co.
Ean Claire Sand & Gravel Co
do
Eau Claire, Wis.
Locarno & Simon Mines
do
Callente, Calif.
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Hilarity Mining Co
do
Kellogg. Idabo.
Defense Metals Co
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Engineers Gold & Silver Mining Co
do
Carritoxo, N. Mer.
The Cuyahoga Sand & Gravel Co
Alderpoint, Callf.
Bouth Peacock Mine, John A. and L. A. Dorland
do
Cuprum, Idaho.
The Crossman Co
do
Carolina Mien Mine, Mr. James Edwards
Kingsport, Tenn.
Mr. V. Cye Cor
do
Fallon, Nev.
do
do
Zanesville, Ohio,
Mr. Geo. Blow
do
New York, N. Y.
Black Creek Cost Co
do
Fair Oaks, Calif
Birchfield & Dunagan
do
Deming, N. Mer.
Mr. Cheo. H. Beers
Whitley City, Ky,
Belmont Cinnabar Mining Co
do
Tenopah, Nev.
Barren Fork Fuel Co
do
Mar. 31, 1042
Plattesville, Wis.
Mr. Henry Arneson
do
Great Falls, Mont.
Victory Mine
Carson City, Nev.
Mr. Wm. Wardman
Apr. 4, 1942
Wanpum, Ps.
Valley View Mines Co
do
Utah Alloy Ores, Inc
Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. W. A. Stansberg
do
Dennison, Ohio.
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Howard Coal Co
do
Ottomws, Iowa.
Tungsten Mill
do
Toronto, Ohio.
Mr. V. E. Beck
do
Kelly Station R. D. 1, Pa.
Starkey Coal Co
do
Alexander & Wise, Inc
do
Los Angeles, Callf.
Mr. James E. Small
do
Wallace, Idaho.
Mr. Chas. H. Segenstrum
Honors, Calif.
World's Fair Mines Co
Apr. 6, 1942
Harshaw, Via Patagonia, Arts.
do
Goodsprings, Nev.
Williams Mining Co
do
Idaho Springs, Colo.
Root Zine Mine
do
Connellsville, Pa.
Penman Mines Corporation
do
Owgrande, Idaho.
Mr. Wm. Piccolomini
do
San Francisco, Callf.
Oro Fino Consolidated Mines
do
Auburn, Callf.
Pettigrew, Stafford & Co
do
Oro Mining Co.
Sandpoint, Idaho.
Kern Mines, Inc
do
Ban Francisco, Callf.
do
Clas-San Francisco County,"Ca
Jefferson Mines, Inc
do
Nogales, Arit.
New Trail Mining Co
do
Harrison-Croesus Mining Co.
do
Idaho Springs, Colo.
New Eldorado Mining Co
do
Mins, Nov.
Los Angeles, Callf,
Golden Conqueror Mines, Inc
do
Manitou Springs, Colo.
J. Jerome McLaughlin, lessee
do
Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Consolidated Chollar Gould
do
San Francisco, Calif.
McCloskey Mines, Ine
do
Money Lease Mine
do
Currant P. O., Nev.
Conqueror Operating Co
do
Idaho Springs, Colo.
Come Back Mining Co
do
Pioneerville, Idaho.
Karpen Coal Co
do
Lovilia, Iown.
Calistoga Mining & Development Co
do
Los Angeles, Callf.
Independent Gravel Co
do
Joplin, Mo.
Bokoshe, Okla.
2. M. Copper Industries, Inc
Apr. 7, 1942
Deadwood, B. Dak.
Hy-Orade Coal Co
do
Straitsville Brick Co
do
New Straitsville, Ohio.
N.F. Haren Co.
do
Beatty, Nev.
Fonter Bros. Dixiana Band Co
do
Hayes Mine (D. F. Paine estate)
do
Ely, Nev.
Winnemuca, Nev.
Ruby Gulch Mining Co
do
Zortman, Mont.
Grayson Mercury Mine
do
Postmaster Mine
do
Prescott, Aris.
Mr. A. J. Gard
do
Terlingus, Tex.
Mr. T. B. Petersen
do
Ransburg. Calif.
Fields Branch Coal Co
do
Grayson, Ky.
Pacific Quigsliver Mines
do
Avenal, Calif.
Ely Gold Mining Co
do
Ely, Nev.
Pace Crushed Stone Co
da
Burkerville, Ky.
Dorris & Cuddeback
do
BakeraBald, Callf.
Overlook Mining Co
do
Salmon, Idabo.
Mr. V. Cyp Cor
do
Fallon, Nev.
North Mocossin Mines Syndicate
do
Lewistown, Mont.
Mr. Tom Christensen
do
Fairbanks, Alasks.
The McLaren Gold Mines Co
do
Dayton, Ohio
Burton, Wessel Clark
do
East Ely, Nev.
584
SILVER
SILVER
585
List No. ! includes the Names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
List No. e includes the names of persona or organisations that were not granted serial
APR. 1 TO 30, 1942-Continued
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
APR. 1 TO 30, 1949-Continued
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Apr. 7, 1942
Milroy, Ind.
McCorkle Stone Co.
do
Oakland, Calif.
Mr. Albert B. Long
do
Fresno, Calif.
Fanny Rawlings Mining Co
Apr. 10, 1942
Leadville, Colo.
Kings River Mining Co
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Monumental Mines
do
San Francisco, Calif.
Kalser-Nelson Co
do
Engene, Oreg.
Leader Manganese Mining Corporation
do
Logan, Utah.
Inter-City Sand & Gravel Co
do
Tecumseb, Kani.
Lansing Ellver Lend Mining Co
do
Wallace, Idaho,
Howard Henry Quarries
do
Sacramento, Calif.
H. Hurbes-Roberts
do
Ban Antonio, Tex.
Holfling Bros
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Hilarity Mining Co
do
Wallare, Idahe.
Mr. W. W. Hartman
do
Butte, Mont.
Mi- D. Funberg
do
Ht. Louis. Mo.
Grubstake Mine
do
Phoenix, Aris.
Helle Eldridge Gold Mines
Apr. 7, 1942
Canton. 8. Dsk.
Greenhorn Mining Co
do
Silver Star, Mont.
Do
Apr. 10, 1942
Deadwood, 8. Dak.
Green Campbell Mining Co
do
Spokane, Wash.
Trentham Mülling Co
Apr. 11, 1942
Picher, Okla.
Golden Red Mining Co
do
Seattle, Wash.
Mr. Jacques K. Stanland
do
Los Cruces, N. Mex.
Gilmore, Mines, Inc
do
Denver, Colo.
Bilver Horn Mine
do
Wendover, Utah.
Mr. John B. Furstenberg:
do
Neihart, Mont.
Mr. Sherman 8. Smith
do
Giants Pass, Oreg.
The Florence Co
Exploration Synidcate, Inc
do
Salt Lake City, Utah.
William F. Schwarz & Son
do
Baltimore, Md.
do
Dillon, Mont.
Mr. John Ross
do
Custer, 8. Dak.
Ermont Mines, Ine
do
De Lamar, Idaho.
Richmond Coal Co
do
North, Va.
De Lamar Milling Corporation
do
El Dorado County, Calif.
Nichaus Coal Co
do
Lamar, Mo.
Consumers Mines. Inc
do
Pleasant View, Ky.
The Cleveland Builders Supply Co.
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Moses & Gorman
do
San Francisco, Callf.
The Hamilton-Trenper Coal Co
do
Cambridge, Ohio.
Cherokee Mine
do
Marion, Ky.
Griffs & Morrow
do
Greenwood, Ky.
Mr. Chas. L. Cassady
The California Hidden Treasury Mines Co
Denver, Colo.
James N. Ford Coal Co.
do
Hartford, Ark.
do
do
Portland, Oreg.
Dorton Elkborn Coal Co
do
Dorton, Ky.
Buffalo Mine
do
Mr. Donald E. Clementa
do
Denver, Colo.
Englewood, Colo.
The Argo Mining, Drainage
do
Georgetown, Colo.
Frank Busheks
do
North Adams, Mass
Anglo Saxon Mines, Inc
Alabama-California Gold Mines Co
do
Seattle, Wash.
White Coal Co
Apr. 13, 1942
Hima, Ky.
Acme Fireproof Hlock Co
Lima, Ohio.
United Coke Co
de
Scottdale, Pa.
do
Accord Lime Industry
do
Accord, N. Y.
Troy Coal Co
do
Crooksville, Ohio
Milton. Pa.
Simpson Coal Co
do
Ottumwa, lows.
Geo. J. Yocum
Apr. 8, 1942
M. R. Shank. Inc
do
Lineolnton, Gs.
Van Patten Bros
do
Bonaparte, Iowa.
Pond Creek Mining Co., Inc
do
Stone, Ky.
Whitaker's Mines
do
Norton, Va.
Oben Mining Co.
do
Tulsa, Okia.
Troy Gravel Co
do
Troy, Ohio.
New Oren Briar Coal Co
do
Hime, Ky,
Standard Gravel Co
do
Lexington, Miss.
Maple Ridge Mining Corporation
do
Maple Rideo, Pa.
Staley Coal
do
Rangely, Colo.
M. & H. Mining Co
do
Potosi, Wis.
Sims Coal Co
de
Perry, Mo.
Linwood Stone Products Co
do
Davenport, lows.
Joe Simnson Coal Mine
de
Ozark, Ark.
Abbie E. Lansberry & Bon
do
Woodland, PA.
J. H. Scott Co
do
San Francisco, Calif.
Port Washington, N. Y.
Humphreys Coal Corporation
do
Denver, Colo,
North Shore Sand & Gravel Co
do
Hammack Coal Co
do
Sullivan, Ky.
Mr. 0. L. Neyland
do
San Antonio, Tex.
Osear M. Gray & Son
do
Butler, Md.
Napeo, Ine
do
Burbank, Callf.
Gray Engle Mining Co
do
Evergreen, Colo.
Mo. Limestone & Pertilizer Co
do
Sedalia, Mo.
Glm Coal Co.
do
Plains, Pa.
Miller & Schook
do
Tamaqua, Pa.
Dunlevy Coal Co.
do
Dunlevy, Pa.
Mr. Sa ford B. Meyerson
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Del Carbo Mining Co
do
New Marshöeld, Ohio,
Merred Sand & Gravel Aggregate Co.
do
Winton, Callf.
Mr. Ralph Davis
do
Leadpoint, Wash.
Lawrence County Limestone Co
do
Black Rock, Ark.
Davis Fork Co
do
Shinnston, W. Va.
Leger Blue Gem Cost Co
do
Williamsburg, Ky.
Dandy Coal Co
do
Jessup, Pa.
Landa Coal Corporation
do
Delbarton, W. Va.
Crown Point Spar Co., Inc
do
Crown Point, N. Y.
Lanwehr Stone Co.
do
Ottowa, Ohio.
Boyles Coal & Supply Co.
do
New Castle, Pa.
Kennedy Mining & Milling Co
do
San Francisco, Calif.
Absecon Sand & Gravel Co
do
Atlantic City, N. J.
Thomas West & Son
do
Ashland, Ky.
Wash Sand & Gravel Co., Inc
Apr. 14. 1942
New Orleans, LA.
Jay Kay Mining Co
do
Henderson, Ky.
Veango Limestone & Coal Co
do
Emlenton, Pa.
Jackson Stone & Coal Co
do
Jackson, Ohio.
Tyson Chrome Mines, Ltd
do
Ban Francisco, Callf.
Golden West Quarry
do
San Francisco, Calif.
Trafford Coal Co
de
Trafford, Ps.
Gianfonence Coal Co
do
Archbald, Pa.
Sweeney Coal Co
de
Hopewell, Pa.
East Steubenville Coal Co
do
Collier, W. Va.
Surmi Mines, Ine
do
Grest Falls, Mont.
Cunningham Coal Co
do
Columbiana, Ohio.
Steam Fuels Co.
do
New York, N. Y.
Clifford J. Cox
do
Angola, Ind.
Spring Run Coal Ca
do
Wilkinsburg, Pa.
City of Chatranooga
do
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Somserset Crushing Co
do
Bernardaville, N. Y.
Mr. A. A. Childress
do
Picher, Okla.
Sand & Gravel Co
do
Lesington, Min.
Century Granite Co
do
Bnyder, Okls.
The Prince Manufacturing Co
do
Howmanstown, Pa.
Boardman Coal Mine
do
Gallup, N. Mex.
Pine Top Mine
do
Globe, Arit.
Belma Corporation
do
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Wm. Piccolomini
do
Connellsville, Ps.
Balsu Mining Co.
do
Wellsville, Ohio.
Joe Perkins
do
Davy, W. Vs.
Ari-Butte Operating Co
do
Sombrero Butte, Art.
Old Hemer Mine
do
Lakeview, Idaho.
Wukrlie Bros. Coal Co
Apr. 9, 1942
Stubenville, Ohio,
Meramae Minerals, Ine
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Statesville Brick Co.
do
Statesville, N. C.
Frank Jones & Co. Coal Co.
do
Brasil, Ind.
Smicksburg Lime Co
do
Smicksburg, Pa.
Von B. Johnson
do
Snow Shoe, Pa.
Lee 0. Shaw
do
West Lafayette, Ohio.
Jahncke Service, Inc
do
New Orleans, La.
Rellance Whiting Co
do
Alton, III.
Mr. Ismes O. Greenan
do
Reno, Nev.
D. P. Mather & Son Sand Co.
do
East Hartford. Conn.
Craig Coal Co
do
De Boto, III.
Logan County Quarry
do
Russellville, Ky.
Cinel Coal Co.
do
Masontown, Pa.
Kish Coal Co
do
Powhatan Point, Ohio.
Chester Granite Quarries Co.
da
Chester, Mass.
Halquist Lannon Stone Co
do
Bussex, Wis.
Mr. C. C. Carter
do
Ashtsbula, Oble.
Courtney & Plummer
do
Neenah, Wis.
Black Star Coal Co
do
Sherrodaville, Ohio
City of Burlington
do
Burlington, N. C.
F. H. Bailey & Bons
do
Kenton, Ohio
L. A. Wilson Engineering Works
Apr. 10, 1942
Veyo. Utah.
Anthony Posquarette
do
Strattanville, Pa.
Taber Parker Mining Co
do
Winnemuces, Nev.
C.T. W Wheeling & Son
Apr. 15, 1942
Franklin, Ps.
Silver Circle Mining Co
do
Spokane, Wash.
Tipton Gravel PR
de
Nashville, Ohio
Mr. J. G. Sawyer
do
Hoise, Idaho.
Talmadge Haynes
do
Charleston, W. Vs.
Sandoro Mining Co
Los Angeles, Calif.
Stiles A Son
do
Lebanon, Mo.
do
Mr. James B. Pell
do
Coursegold, Calif.
SILVER
SILVER
587
586
List No. / includes the names of persona or organisations that were not granted terial
List No. la includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
APR. 1 TO 30, 1942-Continued
MAY 1 TO 18, 1042-Continued
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Apr. 15, 1942
Marysville, Tonn.
Mercer County Road Department
May 1, 1942
Harrodsburg, Ky,
Sam Lambert & Sons
do
Flomaton, Als.
Disle Band & Gravel Co
Tracy, Town
Lupper Coal Co
do
Salem, Ohio.
do
Waukon, Town
Mr. Edwin H. Kriege
do
Union, Mo.
Crow Coal Co
do
Cartersville, Ga.
Grainger Stone Quarry
do
Weahington o. H., Ohio.
Mr. Andrew Bremshn
Apr. 16, 1942
L. 1. Boott & Co
Edwards Bros. Coal Co
do
New Philadelphia, Ohio,
do
Do.
Mr. Fred B. Zelmore
May 2, 1942
Mount Pleasant, Pa.
Frank T. Jackson
do
Greenville, Ky.
Harpe Hill Coal Co
C. B. Wilkerson
do
Philipsburg, Pa.
do
Rockwood, Tenn.
Walnut Run Coal Co,
do
Barnesboro, Pa.
Givens & MeCullen
do
Dixon, Mo.
Lemon Cove, Call).
J. W. Starck Coal Co.
do
Philipsburg, Pa.
Mr. J. E. Beydler
Apr. 17, 1042
Owl Cost Co
do
Hollsopple, Pa.
Sequvia Rock Co
do
Altavista, Va.
New England Lime Co
do
Adams, Mass.
Mr. Geo. M. Rowen
de
Norten, Va.
Gillett Coal Co
do
Carbondale, Pa.
Reed Coal Co
do
Bedalia, Mo.
Crocket Coal Co:
do
Denbo, Pa.
Mr. J. c. Orender
do
Westminster, Obio
Mr. 8. C. Vingling
May 4, 1942
Evanaville, Ind.
Loy, Creps & Hall
do
Mystic, Conn.
Years Coal Co
do
Hollsopple, Fa.
Lantern Hill Billies Co., Inc
do
Kinston, N. Y.
H. E. Tickhill Cost Co.
do
Harnesville, Obio.
The Hutton Co
The Frank Flinn Construction Co., Inc
do
Dodson, Mo.
Mrs. Chas. Smallfield
do
Kent, Ohio,
do
Sacramento, Callf.
Pete Pettinato
do
Baltimore, Md.
Del Paso Rock Products Co
do
Portland, Mains.
Oswald Bros
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
Cumberland Sand & Gravel Co
do
Chicago, m.
Mr. W. T. Musser
do
Rural Retreat, Va.
Carey Brick Co
de
Rumellville, Mo.
Manley Cooperative Mining Co
de
Neffs, Ohio.
Campbell Bros
do
Han Francisco, Calif.
Lichty Construction Ce
de
Rawlins, Wyo.
California Pent Co
do
Wickenburg, Aris.
Leasing from Wolf Tongue Mining Co
do
Nederland, Cale.
Alos Mine
do
Corpus Christi, Tex.
Mr. Donald 0. Kopecky
do
Inglewood, Calif.
Alamo Band & Gravel Co
Casey, III.
King Horse Creek Coal Co
do
Manchester, Ky,
do
A. & E. Stone Co
The Windsor Building Supplies Co., Inc
Newburgh, N. Y.
Mr. Henry Harris
do
Depoy, Ky.
Apr. 18, 1942
Apr. 20, 1942
Marville, Mont.
Hardy Co., Marl Co
do
Moorefield, W. Va.
Moonlight Mining Co
Eshbsugh & Sweetzer Coal Co
do
Mayport, Pa.
Oilt Edge Mines, Inc
do
Deadwood, 8. Dak.
do
Bristol, Va.
do
Casey, III.
Carico Coal Co
Casey Lime & Stone Ce
do
Red Lodge, Mont.
Francis Brennan
do
Lectonia. Ohio.
Burns Coal Mine
do
Ashcamp, Ky.
Wells Coal Co.
May & 1942
Bergholy, Ohie.
John E. Bartley
Leechburg, Pa.
W. M. P. Coal Co
do
Melcher, Town.
Andrew and Marie Balbo
do
Apr. 21, 1942
Batavia, N. Y.
Twin City Cost Co.
do
Do.
Western New York Washed Sand & Gravel Co
do
Seattle, Wash.
Southern Elurospar Co
do
Harrisburg, III.
West Cosst Coal Mines, Inc
Apr. 22, 1942
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mr. A.J. Raisch
do
Ban Jose, Callf.
Mr. John E. Dooley
New Standard Coal Co
do
Dallas, Iowa.
do
Yellville, Ark.
Mr. Lather H. Cavanter
Apr. 23, 1942
Pineville, Ky.
Morris Limestone Co
do
Morris, m.
Walland Coal Co
New Albany, Ind.
Mr. L. T. Long
do
Perry, Mo.
River Coal & Supply Co
do
Canaan. Conn.
Lote Mountain Development Co
do
Goldfield, Nev.
Mr. C. C. Loomis
do
Glenallen Mo.
Mr. C. A. Langford
do
Gallatin, Tenn.
Glenallen (Mo.) plant
do
Mr. James Keeth
Spokane, Wash.
Hi-Grit Stone Co
do
Morgantown, W. Va.
do
Mr. L. L. Hayes
do
Washington, Iowa.
Mr. Robery Conner
do
Cambridge, Ohio.
Pineville, Ky.
Mr. H. W. Gifford
do
Little Lake, Calif.
Weller Fuel Co
Apr. 24, 1942
San Francisco, Callf.
Gale Creek Cole Co
do
Wilkeson, Wash-
Collier Mine
do
Feldman Fuel & Supply Co
do
Baler ville, Ohio.
The Standard Sing Co
do
Youngstown, Ohio,
Mr. John E. Dooley
do
Salt Lake City, Utah.
E. L. Bayers Coke Co
do
Anniston, Als.
Dane- Poteau Smokeless Coal Co
do
Potenu, Okla.
The Saleway Rock Co
do
Tamps, Fla.
Bowerston, Ohio.
Columbia Foundation Co
do
Columbia, Tenn.
Relehman Cost Co
do
Blue Star Mines, Ltd.
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
N. R. Garrett, doing business M City Quarry
do
Columbia, Mo.
Blue Ridge Coal Co
do
Eynon, Pa.
Colonial Mining Co.
do
Joplin, Mo.
Blackcreek Limestone Co
do
Black Creek, Wis.
Buckeye Coal & Limestone Co.
do
Ironton, Obio.
W. N. Birchfield
do
Hellier, Ky.
Union City Tile Co
Apr. 25, 1942
Union City, Tenn.
Mr. Hillard Hartley
do
Biz Branch, Ky.
Miller Cost Co.
do
Regina, Ky.
Alberton & Son Coal Co.
do
Orrick, Mo.
Hardlog Coal Co
do
Spadra, Ark.
Sullivan Machinery Co.
May 6, 1942
Michigan City, Ind.
Melvin Stone Co
do
Melvin, Ohio.
Agricultural Lime Stone Co
do
Jackson, Mich.
Joseph C. Sgariot
Apr. 26, 1942
Luzerne, Pa.
River Band & Gravel Co
do
Pawtucket, R. L
Benter & Bartley Coal Co
Apr. 27, 1942
Ashramp, Ky.
Richton Investment Co
do
Richton, Miss.
Cardinal Gold Mining Co
do
Tusearors, Nev.
Mines Plains Coal Co
do
Plymouth, Pa.
Mr. Adulph Chanceky
do
Fort Worth, Tex.
Jefferson County Quarry
do
Leuisville, Ky.
Varney & Rose
Apr. 28, 1942
Road Fork, Ky.
Jackson Silles Gravel & Sand Co
do
Jackson, Ohio.
Sheldman Broa
do
Bloomsburg, Ps.
Hornell Gravel Corporation
do
Springville plant, Salamance,
Mike Serge
do
Franklin, Ps.
N.Y.
Henry Porter & Co
do
Allen, Ky.
Do
do
Irving plant, Salamance, N. Y.
Oro Mining Co
Apr. 28, 1942
Sandpoint, Idabo.
Do
do
Alfred plant, Salamanca, N. Y.
Columbia Lead & Zine Mining Co
do
Spokane, Wash.
Hanley Co
do
Bradford, Pa.
Darby Coal Mines
do
Cumberland, Ky.
Donley Brick Co.
do
Washington, Pa.
Seneca Petroleum Co., Ine
Apr. 30, 1942
Chicago, III.
Crawford Sand & Gravel Co
do
Meadville, Pa.
Mr. Elmer N. Learner
do
Tuscarawas, Ohio
Wm, M. Bronk Coal & Lumber Co., Inc
do
Hudson Falls, N. Y.
Great Northern Iron Ore Properties
de
St. Paul, Minn
Mr. R. 8. Blanton
do
Altoona, Als.
Kern Mines, Ine
do
Ban Francisco, Calif.
Black Dismond Coal Co.
do
St. Charles, Va.
Donors Mining Co., Inc
do
Nederland, Colo.
Hurnell Oravel Corporation
do
Allegany plant, Salamanca, N. Y.
Coalville Coal Co
do
Streator, 111.
Anchor Stone & Materials Co
May 7, 1942
Tula, Okla.
Cape Fear Contracting Co
do
Manchester, N. c.
American Mineral Co
do
Cantil, Callf.
Alasks-California Gold Mines Co
do
Auburn, Calif.
Woodward Coal Co
do
Greensburg, Pa.
Windber High Grade Coal Co
do
Windber, Pa.
Mr. Forest Warner
May s, 1942
Newton, Iowa.
MAY 1 TO 15, 1942
Vallecito Mining Co., Inc
do
Angels Camp, Calif.
United States Quarry Tile Co
do
Parkersburg, W. Va.
Twin Buttes Mining Byndicate
do
San Francisco, Callf.
Worlock Stone Co
May 1, 1942
Canastota,N.Y.
Term Alta Lime Co
do
Terra Alta, W, Vs.
Wagoner Coal Co
do
Porter, Okia.
Shelton Crusher Co
do
Versailles, Ky.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
589
SILVER
588
List No. is includes the names of persons or organizations that were not granted serial
List No. includes the names of persons or organizations order that P-100-Continued were not granted serial
numbers, but that were advised to operate under order P-100-Continued
numbers, S but that were advised to operate under
MAY I TO 15, 1942-Continued
MAY 1 TO 15, 1942-Continued
Person or organization
Date
City and State
Date
City and State
Person or organization
Tri County Agriculture Lime Co
May 12, 1942
Frenchburg, Ky.
May 8, 1942
Watson, W. Va.
Ragena Coal Co
do
Centerville, Iown.
Stavens & Sons
do
Opekiska, W. Va.
Nastiville Lime & Stone Quarries Co
do
Glenmont, Obio.
Smallwood Stone Co
do
Do.
The Liston Cement Co
do
Lisbon, Ohio.
Smallwood Low Stone Co
do
Wapakoneta, Ohio,
A. M. Hobbs Cost Ce
do
Hartford, Ark.
The Quality Sand & Gravel Co
do
South Fork, Pa.
Mr. Eddie Mae Webb
do
Central City, Ky.
Priscills Coal Co
do
Bergholz, Ohio.
Mr. Garnet M. Wasson
May 13, 1942
Sedalis, Mo.
Parsons Bros
do
Lovelock, Nev.
Red Wing Sewer Piper Corporation
do
Red Wing, Minn.
Oreana Extension, Inc
de
Knox Dale, Pa.
Carpenter Mining Co
de
Picher, Okla.
William Miller
do
Mountain City, Nev.
Mr. Frank Berner
de
Washington, Mo.
Mill Creek Copper Co
do
Inloy, Nev.
Barfield Sand & Gravel Co
do
Blytheville, Ark.
Mr. Joe E. Mil criting
do
Bowden, W. Va.
Athens Lime & Coal Co
do
Rupert, W. Va.
Monongah Construction Co
do
Cleveland, Ohio.
Gauley Coal Land Co
May 14, 1942
Warwick, Mass.
Meeco, Inc
do
Jackson, Ohio.
Warwiek Mining Co
May 15, 1942
Do.
Limerick Mineral Corporation
do
Salt Lake City, Utah,
Richland Peat Mines
do
Castine, Maine.
Lime Mountain Consolidated
Tunnelton, W. Va.
Mr. B. W. Richardson
do
do
Pouderly, Ky,
Whitemore Quality Concrete & Quarry Products
Krow Coal Co.
May 7. 1942
Staunton, Va.
The Melva Cost Co.
do
Drift, Ky.
do
Los Angeles, Callf.
Disne Construction Ce
do
Centerville, lows.
Western Lime Products Co
do
Fruita. Cola.
Burtons Ford Coal Co
do
St. Paul, Va.
Vidmar Bros
do
Greenville, Ky,
Mr. Harvey Tichenor
do
Virginia City, Vs.
C. W. Rose Coal Co
de
Mandan, N. Dak.
Riverdale Gravel Co
do
Nucla, Colo.
Senator McCarran. Growing out of what has been related here as
Nix & Nix
do
Kansas City, Mo.
Midwest Pre Cote Co
de
West Olive, Mich.
to your Board not in anywise controlling the exportation of mine
Mr. Ralph Meyers
de
Nerwood, Colo.
Keck Cost Co
do
Princeton, Ky.
machinery, I am going to ask you, would it not be well that your Board
Hughett Mining Co
do
Treeco, Kans.
have control over the exportation of mine machinery from this
H. D. Sand Co
do
Ellzabethtown, III.
Mr. E. C. Galnes
do
Silver City, N. Mex,
country to foreign countries, in order that you might look with
Carl Frymire.
do
Terre Haute, Ind.
Mr. Ralph C. Everson
do
Goldbar, Wash
propriety on the situation and view the situation as you view the
Consumers Lime Co
do
Dungannon, Va.
situation at home, as to whether or not the exportation was essential
Childress Coal Co
do
Walsenburg, Colo.
Ben Archuleta & Wm. Lotters
do
Wilkison, Wash.
as against the home demands?
Apex Cont Co
May R, 1042
Hot Springs, N. Mer.
Gold Cup Mining Corporation
Tunnelton, W. Va.
Mr. NELSON. Senator, can I speak off the record?
do
Preeport Coal Co
do
East Brady, Pa.
The CHAIRMAN. This is off the record.
Frazer Coal Mine
do
Elkton, Vs.
Elkton Lime & Stone Co
Nelson, Nev.
(There was a discussion off the record, after which the following
do
Diamond Cield Mining Co
do
Spiro, Okla.
Big Four Coal Co
Smithfield, Ps.
occurred:)
do
Betchy Coal Co
do
Six Mile Run, Pa.
Mr. NELSON. I would like to state that, naturally, the mining
F. Bartela & A. Waits
do
Reno, Nev.
Antimony Producers Co
do
Colorado Springs, Coin,
branch of the Materials Division will be very glad to look after any-
Warden Mining Co
do
Salt Lake City, Utab.
thing relating to mining activity when that duty is assigned to them
Waid Leasing Co
Bouthside Mining Co
May 9, 1942
Joplin, Mo.
do
Milford, Utah.
by the War Production Board.
Prosper Mining Co
Pike Mining Co
do
Glenwood. Ark.
Miller Manganese Mining Co
do
Emory, Va.
Representative WHITE. It is unthinkable that any advantages
do
Anniston, Ala.
John W. Mallory Ore Co
that might be obtained in a business or trade standpoint in some
Hunt-Craig Mining Co
do
Baxter Springs, Kans
Humphreys Gold Corporation
do
Denver, Colo.
foreign country would be permitted to outweigh the procurement or
do
Versailles, Mo.
J. E. Herndon
Flagstaff Bonanza Mining Co
do
Park City, Utah.
production of strategic metals in our own country. You would not
do
San Francisco, Calif.
Mr. E. John Eriksson
think that would be possible, would you?
Engineers Gold & Bilver Mining Co
do
Carrizozo, N. Mex.
Pagosa Springs, Colo.
Mr. Nelson. I do not think it is.
C. Tests Dautriger and Associates
do
Columbus Mining Co.
de
Columbus, Kans.
Carl Junction, Me.
Representative WHITE. You are talking now abcut economic war-
Carson Mining & Milling Co
do
Brighter Days Mining Corporation
do
Chloride, Atis.
fare and capturing foreign trade by competing with foreign production.
do
La Fayette, Gi.
Booker & Tucker
do
Treece, Kans.
Now, you would not think that we, for fl. minute, would tolerate a
Big Four Mining Co
Mr. Anson G. Betts
do
West Cunningham, Mass.
condition that would take advantage of some trade arrangement and
W. C. K. Berlin
do
Denver, Colo.
Yarbrough & Hatley
do
Providence, Ky.
curtail the production of strategic materials in this country in order
Mr. J, W. Stewart
May 11. 1942
Creekside, Pa.
to do that?
George A. Stoele and Calvin R. Reed
do
Wellston, Ohio.
do
Bellefontsine. Ohio.
Mr. Lestin Mohr
Mr. NELSON. I- do not quite follow you. I think the statement
Mellott Bros. Coal Co
do
Mineral Hidge, Ohio.
L. & 8. Coal Co.
de
London Mills, III.
you are making deals with questions that the mining branch has
Kolob Manganese Co
de
Salt Lake City, Utah.
nothing to do with.
The John W. Karch Stone Co
do
Celina, Ohio.
Jones Gravel & Coal
do
Newark, Ohio.
Representative WHITE. As a policy of the Government, we would
Jones Cut Stone Co., Ine
do
Syracuse, N. Y,
B. M. Higginson
do
Newburgh, N.Y.
not want to starve our mining industry at home in producing strategic
Hall Hawkins & Son
do
Richlands, Va.
Mr. H. H. Hanenkratt
do
Kansas City, Mo.
materials, to export machinery and equipment in an economic wer, to
Mr. Cyril L. Garvey
do
Osceola Mills, Pa.
have a trade advantage in some foreign country, and put some com-
Blackwater Mining Co
do
Blackwater, Mo.
Barbour, Smith & Co
do
Los Angeles, Calif.
A. A. Arluck
do
Vanadium, N. Mex.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
591
590
petitor out of business that is supplying the same kind of machinery?
of those plants, see whether or not they are making things that are
Is that not the object?
more important than mining machinery?
Mr. NELSON. That is 8 very involved question. I am sorry. I
Mr. NELSON. If B part of your mining machine plant is engaged in
making certain compicated machinery for a battleship, the question
can't follow you.
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Doctor, yesterday I raised this question.
to be decided is whether that equipment should be made or more
I raised it because I wondered how you were able to arrive in order at priorities
mining equipment should be made. If a part of & plant is making
and the supply and demand of mine machinery of to make
parts for tanks, the question arises whether it is more important to
priorities possible, when you had another branch the Government
make those additional tank parts or make more mining machinery.
exporting this machinery to everybody, without your did knowing ask about
Senator MILLIKIN. Exactly.
I wondered how you would arrive at it. I not it to be
Mr. NELSON. I cannot answer the question.
it. critical. I asked it to clear up the subject in my own mind. I asked
Senator MILLIKIN. But it might also occur in & number of factories
what method you used, if you have one department of information the Government
that they were making things which your agency might conclude were
that is exporting this machinery and you have no about
not as important as mining machinery, and in that event, by a diver-
sion of their energy, might add to the store of mining machinery?
that at all.
Senator McCARRAN, The situation presents itself this way to me,
Mr. NELSON. But in each case these plants are making munitions
in poor way of looking at it, Doctor: That one Federal authority is
directly for the Army or Navy or making mine machinery.
creating my a scarcity of a commodity by permitting or is allowing its
Senator MILLIRIN. Eighty-three thousand items are included in
exportation, and the other Federal agency, your own, confronted
the subject of munitions, and out of those 83,000 items there is
with the scarcity created by the other board and reflecting that
probably B large category of items that is not nearly as important as
searcity onto the industry that you are fostering.
mining machinery. I am merely making B suggestion to you as to
Mr. NELSON. 1 cannot say whether that statement is correct.
how you might increase your store of mining machinery.
Senator McCarran. I would not expect you to. I am making that
Mr. NELSON. I can say that I have visited personally the plants of
the three largest makers of mining machinery in the United States
statement of my own accord.
Senator MILLIKIN. Dr. Nelson, how many milling-machinery
and that the part of the plant of each one of those makers that is not
engaged in making mining machinery is engaged in making direct
manufacturers are there in this country?
Mr. NELSON. The great majority of mining machinery is made
munitions-parts of tanks or items of that type.
by somewhere between one hundred and one hundred and fifty
Senator MILLIRIN. I most respectfully urge that you think on that
subject of whether you can store up more mining machinery by divert-
companies. Senator MILLIKIN. Has your agency made any survey of those min-
ing such things not as important as mining machinery, if such A situ-
ation exists.
ing-machinery manufacturers to determine exactly what they are
The CHAIRMAN. Are there any further questions of Dr. Nelson?
making that is not mining machinery?
Mr. NELSON. The makers of mining machinery in most cases are
Senator McCarran. I want to say that I do hope you will be pres-
either making nothing but mining machinery or mining machinery
ent at the next meeting of the committee, Doctor, not that I have
any further questions to propound to you, but I would like to have
and direct munitions for the Army and Navy.
you here to listen to those who will make their statements, because
Senator MILLIKIN, That is what I am getting at.
Mr. NELSON. The direct munitions that they are making for the
they know more about this subject than those of us who are members
of the committee.
Army and Navy I think are more or less military secrets.
Senator MILLIKIN. Then, you have not made a survey of what you
term munitions, because "munitions" covers the whole category of
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM L. BATT, DIRECTOR OF MATERIALS,
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD; CHAIRMAN OF THE REQUIREMENTS
the war-supply effort.
Mr. NELSON. I am speaking of direct war munitions, such as parts
COMMITTEE
of tanks, and parts of battleships, and so on.
Senator MILLIKIN. Has your Board made a survey? Do you know
The CHAIRMAN. State your full name.
Mr. BATT. William L. Batt.
that that is a fact?
Mr. NELSON. We know what most of mining-machinery companies to
The CHAIRMAN. Where do you reside?
are making. That part of their plants which are not turned over and
Mr. BATT. Washington.
the making of mining machinery, are being used by the Army
The CHAIRMAN, What is your present office?
Navy in making munitions, or in the making of machine tools.
Mr. BATT. Director of Materials, War Production Board, Chairman
Senator MILLIKIN, Could you form your judgment on whether
of the Requirements Committee.
what they are making, other than mining machinery, is more im-
The CHAIRMAN. Just in a sentence or two, give us the background
of your experience of the last few years.
portant to the war effort than mining machinery?
Mr. NELSON. I would say it is a very complicated problem.
Mr. BATT. Well, I am an engineer, Senator.
Senator MILLIKIN. 1 wonder if you could not, perhaps by a survey
The CHAIRMAN. What kind?
Mr. BATT. Mechanical engineer and a manufacturer.
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
SILVER
593
592
The Chairman. What products do you manufacture?
Research Council, have appointed & very considerable number of
Mr. BATT. I have spent all my life in the ball-roller-bearing busi-
technological committees to report specially to us on what can be
ness, but I have no detailed knowledge of the mining industry, and
done with new processes to beneficiate low-grade ores that have
my experience with these problems has been more directly gained as
otherwise not heretofore been practical, and we have had some sixty-
result of the way in which the Materials Division has come in contact
odd reports from them, just on ore extraction processes alone, many
with the war program.
of which have been used.
I am here this morning, I think, at Senator McCarran's suggestion,
We have coordinated and consolidated, as far as was practicable,
not that I have any statement to make, because I know very little
private capital, and there has been a good deal of it spent in the
about it. I am very glad to meet with the committee. I have had a
development of the mineral resources of the West.
rather liberal education in some of the aspects of this situation which
There are 40 major mineral projects now going forward under
I never had before.
Government auspices, and there is $400,000,000 of Government
As I say, I have no formal statement, but I have two or three com-
money being spent to develop the mineral resources of the West; and
ments 1 would like to make, and they arise out of some of the state-
20 depots, I think in 18 States, for picking up certain minerals
ments I have heard around this table. I have noted them here.
from the little fellow have been established, and those are being ex-
One of them is: Prejudice against the mining industry as indicated
panded just as fast as it is possible to expand them.
by the action of the War Production Board. Next: Not in the inter-
Senator McCarran. Do you mind an interruption at that point?
est of those Western States. Now, I wish it could be clear to everyone
Mr. BATT. Not at all, because you and I have discussed this, and
that the War Production Board attempts to take a completely
I know you are very much interested in it.
dispassionate interest in everything except one, and that is, What can
Senator McCarran. What I want to say now is to impress upon
be done more quickly to win the war? While we try to avoid all
you, if I can-and that is the object of this entire meeting-that if
prejudices and try to be as completely dispassionate as we can be,
there be something in an order which you have made, which we know
we have no feelings about any industry except as to its contribution
as the order of March 2, which is retarding further production of the
toward winning the war.
war essential metals and minerals, would it not be well to eliminate
Now, the thing that is not understood by the public is the shortness
that from the order, if it can do no injury by being climinated?
of these critical materials out of which, for example, mining machinery
Mr. BATT. Senator, I have listened to that with great interest, and
if there is anything in that order that can be made clear that will
is made.
When Mr. Nelson puts up to the Requirements Committee of the
bring in more of the critical materials which we need, certainly we
War Production Board a total of his material needs to maintain such
would be the last people to urge the existence of language just because
part of the mining industry as is to be maintained, we find there an
it happened to be drawn up that way.
impressive total of aluminum, amongst other things, copper, various
Senator McCarran. I will give you my view, and my view is in &
forms of steel, and we find at the same time that to make those parts
homely way the expression of others, and I believe it will be corrobo-
and that machinery is taking manufacturing space which the Navy
rated by those who listen to me. There is in that order as it is now
and the Army are more anxious to have.
couched in language an element which discourages the discoverer or
So it is a positive effort on the part of the War Production Board
producer of war essential minerals. If a discoverer of a mining prop-
against great opposition to maintain the support which the mining
crty finds that on an analysis taken or an analysis made of his product
industry has had-not that the War Production Board has made an
he would produce more than 30 percent per dollar value of silver or
effort to discriminate against the mining industry. Indeed, I think,
gold or silver and gold together, he immediately says to himself, "There
Senators, that when the history of this effort is written, we will find
is no use in my going forward with this, because if I do I will have to
that there has been a greater development of natural resources in the
go through a labyrinth of red tape before I can get anywhere, and I
West than ever before in the history of the country in the same length
am not going any further, because the rule says that if it produces
of time. The figures are rather impressive to me.
more than 30 percent in dollar value of gold or silver, my other product
[ do not know that they have ever been adequately put together,
is lost. So far as I am concerned, I am not going to waste my time
but I am sure that what has been done in the West in the last couple
on it."
of years arising out of the determination of the War Production
Now, that is a serious situation, and not a mythical situation. It is
Board and other government agencies to get the most critical materials
not like some of the rumors I have talked about here. It is a reality.
has not been told in full. I was reading through a record 1 had last
While your production may have increased, let me draw your atten-
night in my office, and if you do not mind my taking a minute, I
tion to the fact that it may not be due to your Board's activities as
much as it is to the increase in price and the assurance that there
would like to give you that picture.
The War Production Board has 300 mineral and metal specialists.
would be n price for the commodity which has grown out of the war;
It works steadily with the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines
and I make the assertion, without fear of contradiction, that if you will
on the development of new properties. Those two agencies have
eliminate the 30-percent penalty on gold and silver or on gold or silver,
right now, I am informed, between 50 and 60 parties out in the field
you will produce more war essential metals than you are producing
now,
looking for new properties.
The National Academy of Science and its subordinate, the National
9-11
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
594
SILVER
595
Mr. BATT. Now, that may be. I have listened to that with great
interest, and I was certainly not intending to infer that the increase
1 have to emphasize, however, that the objective of the War
was solely from what the War Production Board has done, not at'all.
Production Board is the control of materials at that point where they
What it has done has been to attempt to focus the best brains over the
will serve the war effort best. As this order operates, the effect of
country, in Government agencies and without Government agencies,
it is not to keep somebody from having something, but it is to pick
to the end that that expansion shall be driven forward at the rate
out somebody and put him in a high priority position, rank him right
that it is being driven forward.
up with the manufacturer of guns and tanks, to enable him to get
I looked over a list of expected production of various materials
these spare parts.
In that sense it may be construed to be discrimination, but actually
metals, as between 1939 and 1942, and also planned and expected
it is an extraordinary help which will benefit him. Those people are
for 1944 and 1945.
I am not going to give the specific items, I think it might not be
put up above a great part of the civilian economy, ns indeed they
to the public interest. However, I should like very much for the
should be.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, would the gentleman
Senators to see them at any time. Some of these items run up to
mind yielding right there?
7½ times as much material expected in 1942 as was produced in 1939,
This objective that you are speaking of, Mr. Batt, sounds very
and 20 times as much in 1943, 1944, and 1945. I look at two items
attractive, I am sure. Is that through Government finance or is it
here, and I see that 20 times as much is expected in 1944 in one and in
through the ingenuity and development of the prospectors and miners
1945 in the other.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is that domestic production, Mr.
themselves? Mr. BATT. No; these two items are entirely the result of Govern-,
BATT? Mr. BATT. This is domestic production: Twenty times as much,
ment financing.
Representative MURDOCK. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question?
20% times as much, 20.8 times as much. That is production that is
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Murdock.
expected in 1944 and 1945 as compared with 1939.
Representative MURDOCK. It is heartening to hear the statement
These other increases for 1942 as against 1939 run 150, 150, 180,
we have just heard. I would like to ask this question: Have your
340, 720, 270, 507, 900, and so on, There has been tremendous
efforts been directed toward a few large companies, or are you trying
development. Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is that just wishful thinking, a mere
to bring in & larger number of small mine operators, perhaps? We
know that our West is full of minerals, much of which have been undis-
hope, or is that an objective? If it is an objective, it is important.
covered, and if we are going to get the maximum we ought to get
Mr. BATT. It is a specific objective, Senator, given me by the best
many small operators to find and develop these small mines into
technical authorities. I hope it is right.
bigger mines. Gentlemen, as no representative from the State of
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. I am not questioning the estimates,
Arizona other than myself is here, I want to take this opportunity to
and that is nothing more than an estimate, of course; but is it some-
comment briefly and to summarize the opinion and sentiment often
thing that you are shooting at? Is it a goal? Is it something you
expressed to me by small mining men in the great mining State of
are trying to realize? Are you sincerely trying to get that production?
Arizona. We feel sure that there is vast untouched, unlocated mineral
Mr. BATT. The goal we have is to get every pound of essential
wealth in our State. We feel that the mining industry should not be
critical material we can in 1942, 1943, and 1944.
discouraged, but that it should be fostered in peacetime, and much
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Is that your goal? If that is, God
more particularly in wartime. In Arizona, as elsewhere throughout
help you, is my wish.
the West, some of our greatest copper mines began as silver mines or
Mr. BATT. You asked me if that is a specific goal. We definitely
gold mines. From that fact alone gold and silver mining should not
can and expect that in 1944 and 1945 one of those will produce 2,180
be discouraged, even if gold and silver did not in themselves constitute
percent of what it produced in 1939. Another will produce 2,050
sinews of war and bases of peace economics.
Ever since I have been a Member of Congress the smáll mine
percent. Now, there has been a tremendous effort, as Congressman White
operators' associations of Arizona have urged me to call attention to
knows, on the development of public roads, access roads, and the
our potential wealth, to interest the Government more thoroughly in
War Production Board has used every pressure at its command to
its development, and to lend every possible encouragement financially
increase the development of access roads, because many of these
and otherwise. You may think ours is but a selfish interest, but these
western resources can only come in through the construction of new
men know the basic importance of mining in human economy. I am
roads.
not here today to put in an argument or to speak for these mining
The War Production Board has gone before the Congress. It has
men, but to put in n. plea to all Government officials to give them more
urged the War Department for special funds. It has taken it up
and better consideration.
with the Budget Bureau. Wherever an opportunity affords itself for
Mr. BATT. We are trying to get the maximum we can with the
us to put our pressure behind new roads, we have done it. This has
minimum utilization of critical materials to bring it in. In other
been a joint effort of all the agencies of Government, and I think it is
words, we want the most net result with the least expended in mining
one that is going to bulk up very large when we are looking into the
machinery.
history of this war effort in the future.
There is no discrimination'on our part as to the place it comes from.
Unclassified
596
SILVER
SILVER
597
We have wiped out the dollar sign in the War Production Board as
Senator MILLIKIN. Yes; and I would like to develop that before
determining factor in the bringing in of raw materials. We have just
Mr. Batt gets away.
one cost factor over there: What is the cost in machinery and other
The question is: Is that material available? Could we see it in
critical materials to bring in this product?
order to see what your judgment was operating on when you promul-
Senator McCarran. Well, the cost in machinery, Mr. Batt, to
gated that?
bring in a product would not be lessened by the fact that the product
Mr. BATT. I will have to turn to Dr. Nelson. I was generally
which you desired produced was intermingled with a precious metal,
familiar with the discussions that took place incident to it, but there
Mr. BATT. That may be. I think that certainly would have to be
is n great mass of problems that pass over and are discussed in the
weighed, and that is the purpose of this order. If I understand cor-
War Production Board. I do not know what factual data we have,
rectly, the basis on which the serial numbers are granted, you weigh
what the mine has to contribute in the way of copper, lead, and zine,
Senator. Mr. NELSON. I was discussing that with you at the time the meet-
and if what they contribute is sufficient to justify the use of the ma-
ing adjourned yesterday, and I think I could have developed it to
chinery they ask for and the high priority treatment to give it to them,
your satisfaction had we not adjourned.
Senator MILLIKIN. Then may I go into that with you a little Inter?
they get it.
Senator McCARRAN. Why do you not amend that and say, "copper,
Mr. NELSON. I will be glad to.
Senator MILLIXIN. While Mr. Batt is here, I would like to ask this
lead, zine, and silver"?
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. And gold, Senator.
question, It has developed at the hearing, Mr. Batt, that the 30
Mr. BATT. I am no authority on this. There are newspaper people
cents feature of this order of a dollar value does not mean what it
here, and I am sure I would get myself in deep water. If may make
says, that it is a sort of reference point, a commencing point, that
a comment or two off the record, I think it would be better.
starts the cogitations going in your Board to determine whether a mine
The CHAIRMAN. This is off the record.
shall be given a preferential priority or not. It has been developed
(There was 8. discussion off the record, after which the following
that that part of the order which excludes n preferential priority, if
you have 30 centa or more on dollar value of gold or silver, does not
occurred:) Senator MILLIKIN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a question.
mean what it says.
Mr. Batt, yesterday I was exploring the factual basis for this order.
Well, as Senator McCarran has pointed out, that is an alarming
The net conclusion in my own mind at the close of the day was that
order to go out to the mining industry, not only the gold and silver
I had not found any part of that factual basis. I assume that the
end of it, but the complex-ore end of it. Now, we find out that it
does not mean what it says, that each case is considered separately,
order was not arrived at arbitrarily; that it was designed to produce
and that there are no definite standards which n man may take out of
calculated results in the way of developing critical minerals or metals
an order and say, "I do come under it," or "I do not come under it."
which would not be developed were it not for the order.
That in itself creates great confusion in the mining industry, and I
I asked Dr. Nelson to let me have that factual basis, and the doctor
did not have it. As close as I could get to it, it resulted from a sort of
am pleading, as Senator McCarran has been pleading, "For goodness'
informal circulation of memoranda among various men in the Board
sakes, issue an order on this thing that does not put the future of the
mining industry," as I vulgarly put it yesterday, "on the state of any
who are interested in the metal business.
1 should like to ask you, is there factual datum in the form of a
man's liver."
memorandum or in the form of a report which will show the necessity
Let us set up categories which the industry may look at and say,
"We come within it," or "We do not come within it," and strike out
for the order? The reason I pursue that line of inquiry, Mr. Batt, is
that deceptive or false-I do not mean that in nn invidious sense-30
that many people in the United States have the feeling that many
percent provision of the order, because it is admitted that it does not
orders that come out of Washington are arbitrary and are not neces-
sary. That hurts the morale of the country. It makes a man who
mean anything.
It is things of that kind that confuse an industry and destroy con-
has to close up as is result of one of those orders feel that he has been
fidence in the administrative branches of our Government. 1 urge
arbitrarily destroyed rather than destroyed on B true basis of war
that you give that very careful consideration, Mr. Batt.
necessity. Now, I should like to see developed at this hearing the factual basis
Mr. BATT. Yes; that will have very careful consideration.
for this order, the necessity for it, in other words, what you expected
I have nothing else to add. I am glad to have appeared before you.
The CHAIRMAN. Are there questions to be submitted to Mr. Batt?
we have to do this. That kind of argument does not spell anything,
to gain. We do not want the answer that because we are in B war
If not, we are very glad to have had you come before us.
(There was a discussion off. the record, after which the following
unless you were proceeding arbitrarily, which 1 do not presume for a
moment. You must have set up some sort of balance sheet of what you would
occurred:) The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, we will meet on Friday morning
at 10 o'clock.
gain and what you would lose by these orders, and I would like very
(Thereupon, at 12:25 p. m., an adjournment was had until Friday,
much to see that. I think the committee would, too.
Senator McCarran. I take it what you mean is by that one phase
May 8, 1942, at 10 a. m.)
in that order, and that is pertaining to the 30 percent.
Unclassified
PREFERENCE RATINGS FOR MINING MACHINERY
AND EQUIPMENT
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1942
UNITED STATES SENATE,
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON SILVER,
Washington, D. C.
The special committee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjournment on
Wednesday, May 6, 1942, in room 424 Senate Office Building, Senator
Elmer Thomas of Oklahoma (chairman) presiding.
Present: Senators Thomas of Oklahoma (chairman), Johnson of
Colorado, McCarran, Thomas of Idaho, Downey, and Murray; and
Albert A. Grorud, secretary to the committee.
Present also: Senators Millikin and Bunker.
Present also: The following Members of the House of Representa-
tives: Hon. Harry L. Englebright, Hon. Lawrence Lewis, Hon. William
S. Hill of Colorado, Hon. J. Edgar Chenoweth, Hon. James G. Serug-
ham, Hon. Compton I. White, and Hon. John R. Murdock.
Present also: Gov. Ralph L. Carr of Colorado.
Present also: Mr. J. S. Knowlson, Chief, Division of Industry
Operations; Dr. Wilbur A. Nelson, Administrator, Dr. Marcellus H.
Stow, Deputy Administrator, and F. L. Eaton, attorney, Materials
Division; and Shaw Livermore, principal industry economist, Office of
Progress Reports Division, War Production Board; Mr. Julian D.
Conovor, secretary American Mining Congress, Washington, D. C.;
Mr. A. W. Dickinson, the American Mining Congress, Washington,
D. C.; Mr. Albert F. Knorp, secretary, California Chapter, American
Mining Congress, 300 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, Calif.;
Mr. James A. White, director, Rocky Mountain Metals Foundation,
Washington, D. C., Mr. Robert S. Palmer, secretary, Colorado Min-
ing Association, 204 State Office Building, Denver, Colo.; Mr. George
W. Malone, managing director, Industrial West Foundation, Wash-
ington, D. C., and San Francisco, Calif.; Mr. Errol MacBoyle, chair-
man, State Mining Board, California; Mr. J. C. Kempance, Mining
Association of California, 381 Bush Street, San Francisco, Calif.;
Mr. Matt Murphy, inspector of mines, State of Nevada; Mr. Charles
L. Bradbury, president, New Mexico Miners and Prospectors Associ-
ation, 912 Ridgewest Drive, Albuquerque, N. Mex.; Mr. R. E.
Whitten, care of Owyhee Hotel, Boise, Idaho; Mr. David P. Strickler,
president, Cripple Creek Development Co., Colorado Springs, Colo.;
Mr. Thomas A. Copeland, Cripple Creek, Colo.; Mr. Merrill E.
Shoop, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Mr. Edward D. Dickerman, Lead-
ville, Colo., and Mr. H. M. Bretter, Washington, D. C.
The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.
Dr. Nelson desires to make a supplemental statement for the
record. We will hear him at this time. You may proceed, Dr.
Nelson.
599
600
SILVER
SILVER
601
STATEMENT OF WILBUR ARMISTEAD NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR,
MINING BRANCH, MATERIALS DIVISION, WAR PRODUCTION
Mr. CONOVER. I did not hear all of it. Mr. White has advised me
of the gist of it,
BOARD, WASHINGTON, D. C.-Resumed.
Senator McCARRAN. Did you hear the statement that I just made?
Mr. CONOVER. No, sir; I have just come in.
Mr. NELSON. Mr. Chairman, I am authorized by Mr. Batt to state,
after his conferring, as I understand it, with Mr. Knowlson, that they
Senator McCarran. Did it impress you that I have about correctly
will recommend to Mr. Donald Nelson that the 30 percent clause in
expressed what would happen to the mining industry by reason of the
action of eliminating the 30 percent clause?
order P-56 be taken out of it by amendment. At least, that will be
their recommendation to Mr. Donald Nelson. The administration of
Mr. Conover. I am sorry I did not hear what you said, Senator.
the order, however, will be carried on in exactly the same way as in
Senator McCARRAN. I made the statement that, in my judgment,
it would eliminate much of the confusion and remove much of the
the past. I want to make it clear that we cannot change our method
of giving priority assistance to gold and silver mines.
psychological depression, so to speak, that has prevailed with refer-
ence to mining in the West, by having that clause eliminated. Do
The CHAIRMAN. If you eliminate from the order any statement
you agree with that?
that might have a psychological influence of being a deterrent to the
Mr. CONOVER. I think that is a very fair statement, Senator. I
continued operation of these mines, I am sure that will be helpful.
think we should certainly remove all the uncertainties that we, can.
As I understood you on a former occasion, you said that each case
The mining industry has enough hazards and uneertainties, as it is,
stood on its own foundation.
and if we can remove any of the additional difficulties that beset it
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
here in Washington, that should certainly be done.
The CHAIRMAN. Then, there is really no oceasion for any kind of
Senator McCARRAN. Will you come forward, please, Mr. Conover?
order, if they understand that. But I am not telling you what to do;
Mr. CONOVER. Yes.
I am just speaking from my viewpoint. I think it will be helpful.
Senator McCARRAN. Do you have a statement that you wish to
Senator McCarran. If I may at this time do so with propriety,
make?
Mr. Chairman, I should like to express my sincere appreciation and
Mr. CONOVER. I have a few remarks that I would be glad to
gratitude for the announcement made by Dr. Nelson. I feel that
present.
with that clause eliminated, much of the apprehension that has, in
Senator McCarran. Do you wish to discuss them?
my judgment, acted psychologically as, if I may say so, a wet blanket
Mr. CONOVER. Yes; if you please.
on mining activity will have been eliminated.
The CHAIRMAN. Governor Carr, did you have a question you
I can also see where there is ample reason for Dr. Nelson's further
wished to ask?
statement-that is, that the rule will be administered as it has been
Governor CARR. Is there to be something substituted for the 30-
in the past-but I am confident that with that clause eliminated,
percent clause that is to be removed, or what is to be the procedure
mining will take an upward trend; and with the policy that has been
in place of the quantity under the 30 percent?
carried out as regards precious metals, under the statements made by
Mr. NELSON. A mine having & serial number will participate in
Dr. Nelson from time to time, if that policy is still continued, I have
the benefits of this order, and a mine that does not have a serial
great hope that mines of precious metals-that is, that predominate
number will not participate in the benefits of the order. As I stated,
in precious metals-will be permitted to go on as each case is pre-
we shall administer the order according to the same general principles
sented. I take it that they will deal with the individual case in each
we have used in the past as affects gold and silver mines; that gold
instance.
and silver mines not producing material necessary to the war effort
I want to say again that I am grateful for the broad view that has
would operate without the priority benefits of this order.
been taken by the authorities on this subject.
Governor CARR. Will you bear with me for just one moment, Mr.
Now, that is all that you had to say, Doctor?
Chairman?
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Proceed, Governor.
Senator McCarran. Thank you very much. With that in mind,
Governor CARR. You say that mines having priorities will benefit.
I think that much that would have been presented to this committee
Do you mean by that mines which had priorities before the order of
may be eliminated, and we may save a lot of time here.
March 2?
Chairman. I am going to ask a general question, with your permission, Mr.
Mr. NELSON. I mean those that have serial numbers at the present
time.
The CHAIRMAN. Very well.
Governor CARR. Only those which have been, to use the term,
Senator McCarran. Is Mr. Conover bere?
reinstated since the March 2 order will benefit?
Mr. CONOVER. I am right here.
Mr. NELSON. And those who had their orders and did not have them
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Knowlson is present, Senator McCarran, if
taken away. We will still review each case on its merits as it is pre-
you want to question him.
sented to us.
Senator McCarran. I would just like to have Mr. Knowlson
Governor CARR. There were 64 in Colorado which received the
listen in.
notices that they had lost their priority ratings, as I understand it.
Did you hear the statement made by Dr. Nelson, Mr. Conover?
I do not know how many have been reinstated. Do those which have
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
602
SILVER
603
not been reinstated have the right to come to you and ask for priority
it caused a lot of confusion, not to say consternation. I think that
ratings? Mr. NELSON. They have the right to present their case, but
that confusion has been or will be largely eliminated by the explana-
tions which have since been made. The restoration of their serial
Governor CARR. But that does not mean that they will benefit
numbers and the action announced by Dr. Nelson this morning will
under this attitude now?
Mr. NELSON. Not until their number is reinstated.
do a great deal to clarify the situation, and to make clear just what was
the intent of the order. Those mines whose serial numbers have been
Governor CARR. It does not give them a right to a priority rating?
restored and others which may secure serial numbers will be able to
Mr. NELSON. That is correct.
Senator McCARHAN. Let me follow along that line of inquiry for
go ahead just as they did previously, with the anticipation that they
will continue to receive these high priority ratings.
just one or two questions.
I believe that is correct, is it not, Dr. Nelson?
Nothing pertaining to this change will militate against them in
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
any way if they have a meritorious case to present?
Mr. CONOVER. That is the first aspect of the situation. As I have
Mr. NELSON. It they enter into our war picture.
said, we feel it is very important that this order should be made just
The CHAIRMAN. What have they to do now to enter into the war
as clear as possible, because we know that the men who are actually
picture? Mr. NELSON. The same thing they were doing before, Senator;
mining out in the bills are not priority experts. They have enough
uncertainties and hazards in the mining business anyhow, and if we
that is, producing needed amounts of essential or strategic material
in Washington can in any way remove some of these additional
The CHAIRMAN. Then, as I understand it, this statement of yours
difficulties, it is very much to the benefit of the men who are trying
with respect to the face of the order, does not in any way materially
to produce these materials that are needed for the war program.
affect the procedure that will be followed in the future?
Senator McCarran. It is my feeling, from my conversation and
Mr. NELSON. It does not affect it in any way.
contact with the miners of the West, that they are anxious and willing
The CHAIRMAN. Except in relieving mines from discrimination
to cooperate in any way for the success of this country in the war effort.
in the event that such mines produce more than 30 percent of gold
All that they want is the opportunity to cooperate. Do you agree
and silver?
with that?
Mr. NELSON. That is a correct statement.
Mr. CONOVER. I agree with that, Senator. I think that there is
The CHAIRMAN. Now, Mr. Conover, you may make your state
no more patriotic group of men than the miners of the West.
ment for the record.
The second aspect of this order is not touched in the removal of the
30-percent clause, and that is the situation of the straight gold and
STATEMENT OF JULIAN D. CONOVER, MINING ENGINEER SECRE-
silver mines which are not producing copper, lead, zinc, or other so-
TARY OF AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS
called strategic metals and are not producing fluxing ores for the
smelters. They still do not receive these high priority ratings, but
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Conover, please state your name and position
are dependent on order P-100 with its A-10 rating; to get a higher
for the record.
rating on any item, they must apply to Washington on form PD-1A.
Mr. CONOVER. My name is Julian D. Conover. I am a mining
Our feeling with respect to these mines is that they have always
engineer and am secretary of the American Mining Congress.
been and always will be an extremely important part of the economy
At the outset, I should like to express the appreciation of mining
of our country. Their product is the basis of our currency, the basis
people generally throughout the country and of manufacturers of
of our world trade and foreign exchange, and we are going to need
mining machinery to Dr. Nelson for his fairness and bis consistent
their continued production in the future as we have in the past.
efforts to help the industry.
Senator McCarran. May I interpose right there? I hope that I
Dr. Nelson, we know, has been working very long hours, very
correctly interpret Dr. Nelson's statement. If I do not, I hope that
arduously, and under very difficult conditions for a good many months
I will be corrected while you gentlemen are here.
in n. very sincere effort to keep our mines going, and we do appreciate
As I understand the attitude of Dr. Nelson and those with him, it
very much his efforts. We feel that we are fortunate to have a man
is not their intention to entirely eliminate the operation of mines pro-
like Dr. Nelson as the head of the Mining Branch of the War Produc-
ducing only-straight gold or straight silver but, rather, to put them
tion Board.
in a deferred position ns regards their having a priority order for
With reference to this March 2 amendment to order P-56, it has
mining equipment or mining essentials.
just been brought out in the discussion of the last 5 minutes here that
Is that a fair interpretation of your attitude, Dr. Nelson?
Mr. NELSON. I think so, Senator. I might say that there are two
there are really two principal problems involved.
The first one relates to the mines producing copper, lead, zine, or
problems involved-two material problems involved-that I think
other critical materials, including fluxing ores for the smelters, which
have not been definitely separated in the minds of all of us. One is
are fortunate enough to have small quantities of gold and silver
the material produced by the mine when it is essential for our war
present in their ores, which simply help to meet the pay roll and of
effort. The other is the material consumed by the makers of mining
machinery, which is critical material and limited in amount and, there-
course do not detract in any way from the production of the base
metals. The 30 percent clause was quite a jar to these mines, and
fore, should be used, first, only in a mine producing strategic and crit-
Regraded Unclassified
604
SILVER
SILVER
605
ical minerals essential for our war effort. If after the needs of the
Army, the Navy, and those mines are met there is anything left,
employment and the creation of new wealth. I wish to make IL very
naturally we would not want to prohibit its use by gold and silver
sincere and earnest plea that the War Production Board continue to
mines. I doubt if that will be the case.
give just as much consideration to the needs of these mines ns can
Senator DOWNEY. I do not quite understand that last remark.
possibly be given consistent with our supreme objective today, namely,
Mr. NELSON. I doubt that things will be 80 critical that your gold
winning this war at the earliest possible date.
and silver mines will not get & limited amount of material, but I
1 do want to point out-and other witnesses can bring it out in more
cannot make B positive statement to that effect.
detail-the fact that the quantities of material required to keep these
Senator DOWNEY. You are speaking now of those mines that are
mines in operation are extremely small; also, that they are responding
very patriotically. They realize that they must make the best pos-
exclusively gold and silver mines?
sible use of materials that are available to them. They are patching
Mr. NELSON. I am, yes.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Mr. Chairman-
up old equipment, they are pooling their stocks of repair parts and
critical materials, and they are providing that there shall be a mini-
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman Englebright.
mum drain on steel and all the other materials which are critical to
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Doctor, with the cooperation of the
the war.
gold miners and the silver miners with reference to the pooling of
Senator McCarran. In that respect, Mr. Conover, I am wondering
equipment and material that may be necessary for replacements, under
if you would join in the expression that I tried in a homely way to
the present situation do you anticipate that it will be necessary to
make the other day in the presence of the gentlemen who have this
deprive the gold mines or silver mines that have over 30 percent gold
matter in hand.
or silver of necessary repair parts and equipment so as to continue
We have here a situation, as you have heard related, where certain
their operations?
amounts of mining machinery and mining equipment are being
Mr. NELSON. That can only be answered from month to month
exported from the country. The thought I tried to express the other
and week to week. At the present time I certainly feel that they
day, and which I hope you might dwell on for a moment, was that if
should be able to get a limited number of repair parts and material.
the exportation of mining equipment and mining essentials was placed
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. That is, with their cooperation?
in the hands of this War Production Board, having this whole industry
Mr. NELSON. With their cooperation. But each individual Case
in hand, there would not be transported out of this country mining
will have to be handled through Washington.
equipment and mining machinery to the irreparable loss of our own
Senator McCarran. I should like to make a statement off the
home production.
record, Mr. Chairman.
1 wondered if you cared to dwell on that, as to your recommendation
The CHAIRMAN. This will be off the record.
that the matter of exportation of mining machinery and mining
(Senator McCarran then made a statement which, by direction of
equipment be handed over to this Board for administration.
the chairman, was not recorded. The following then occurred:)
Mr. CONOVER. So far as I can see the situation, Senator, that would
Senator McCabran. All right, Mr. Conover.
be a very constructive step. We have confidence in those in the
Mr. CONOVER. Speaking of the position of these straight gold and
War Production Board who are handling this problem. We would
silver mines, I wish to record the fact that these mines are generally
like to see their arm strengthened to handle the problem in the best
in isolated localities and are generally the sole means of support of the
possible manner for all interests concerned. We think it would make
communities in which they are located. A very large number of sub-
for coordination and tend to prevent overlapping or conflict in the
stantial communities with an important part of the population of our
method of handling this extremely important supply of mining
Western States is dependent upon them. Not only the mine workers
machinery and equipment.
and their families but also the tradesmen and farmers in nearby areas,
Senator MILLIKIN. Mr. Conover, has the Mining Congress made
the railroads, and the local, county, and State governments and
any studies on the relation of gold and silver to the fiscal systems of
school systems are largely or completely dependent upon their con-
other countries after the war?
tinued operation. They mean a great deal to the economy of our
Mr. CONOVER. That situation is changing 80 rapidly, Senator, that
Western States.
I am afraid we are not in B. position to produce any studies at this
In previous depressions, the gold and silver mining areas have been
session which would be of any real help.
the "white spots" on the business map. Gold and silver mining com-
Senator MILLIKIN. Might I ask whether it is your personal judg-
munities have been those areas which showed up with the highest
ment that after the war we will have the job, in addition to furnishing
levels of employment, pay rolls, and business activity when most of
food, clothing, and any other items of reconstruction for foreign
the rest of the country was in the dumps. We feel that the time will
countries, of furnishing gold and silver as the basis for their fiscal
come when they will again occupy that position, and that they will be
systems in a world that will have to be reorganized along sound eco-
of the highest value to our Nation in the readjustment period that we
nomic lines? I am asking really for your personal opinion.
are bound to go through when this war is over.
Mr. CONOVER. We feel that hard money is the only sound basia of
We are glad to have the assurance of Dr. Nelson that all possible
a currency and that naturally there will have to be some means worked
efforts will be made to keep these mines going. We feel that we
out, whereby, for value received, the stocks of precious metals may
should certainly make every effort to preserve them as sources of
Regraded Unclassified
606
BILVER
BILVER
607
be suitably distributed among the other nations as a basis for their
not only to the mining industry but to our country, both now and in
currency systems.
Senator MILLIKIN. If that be true, it then follows, of course, that
the future.
Senator MILLIRIN. Has the congress made any estimate as to the
these, let us call them, large supplies of silver and gold that We have
actual quantity of critical materials that are normally consumed in
stored in this country will find their way out of the country in the
gold and silver mines?
same way that our surplus food will find its way out of the country.
Mr. CONOVER. I would refer you for that, Senator Millikin, to some
Then, if that be true, that which may appear as excessive from some
of the witnesses who are present from various mining districts. Those
monetary viewpoints at the present time will disappear very rapidly.
who are here from the California and Cripple Creek areas, for example,
The gold and silver that we might accumulate during the war period
have made very careful estimates of their requirements.
would serve a very useful function not only for our own domestic
They are, as I have said, very small in amount, and the mines are
fiscal system but in aid of a stabilized world economy. Would you
doing all they can to get along by patching up and welding old equip-
say that that follows?
ment, and making things go as far as possible. The consumption is A
Mr. CONOVER. I think that is a fair statement, Senator. We have
very, very smail quantity of steel and other critical materials.
never been impressed with statements that there was too much gold
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, at this point I desire to offer
or too much silver in the world.
for the record a very comprehensive statement put out by the Cali-
Senator MILLIKIN. I took a careful hedge on that to accommodate
fornin Chapter of the American Mining Congress, of date May 1, 1942.
varying views on that point; but no matter how you look at it, it
To my mind, it goes into many of the things that we would not care
seems to me that the accumulated gold and silver stores, whether or
to hold these committee hearings for, but it is so comprehensively and
not we consider them excessive at the present time, will perform a
so logically stated that I think it is worth while to have it go into the
very essential function in the reconstruction of the world after the
record, and I ask permission to have it inserted in the record.
war and that, therefore, it is a sound policy to continue to produce
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection it may be included in the record.
gold and silver during the war.
(Booklet entitled "California Gold Mining Industry" is as follows:)
Mr. CONOVER. I think I would agree with that, Senator.
We realize that there are B. great many industries in our country
CALIFORNIA GOLD MINING INDUSTRY-FACTS JUSTIFYING PRIORITIES
that are suffering today and necessarily must suffer from shortages
Submitted by California Chapter, American Mining Congress, May 1, 1942
of material because there is not enough to go around. We do wish
to point out for the record, however, that gold and silver mines are
CALIFORNIA CHAPTER,
THE AMERICAN MININO CONGRESS,
different in this respect from a manufacturing plant. Many of our
San Francisco, Calif., May 1, 1948.
gold mines are very deep. They require constant pumping in order
To THE PRIORITIES DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES WAB PRODUCTION BOARD:
to keep the water out and constant retimbering to keep the workings
In accordance with resolutions adopted at a meeting held in Sacramento,
open. If they are closed and fill with water and the workings cave
Calif., on Friday, March 27, 1942, by over 200 representatives of the gold mining
in, it may be impossible ever to reopen them.
industry in California, the California Chapter of the American Mining Congress
In many cases the reserves of ore are not large. They are ample
was authorized and instructed to compile and present to your honorable Board
a statement of the position and needs of the California gold mines for minimum
to justify continued operations, and additional reserves are being
priority allocations of necessary mining supplies, together with such arguments
developed as mining goes on. But if they were now to shut down,
ILS exist for consideration of these needs by your Board in the light of the present
the amount of ore actually proved or which could be depended upon,
national war emergency.
in many cases, would not be sufficient to justify the very great ex-
In accordance with this authorization, the following brief of facts and argu-
ments is respectfully submitted-not with the request or anticipation that your
pense of reopening. Hence, we feel that we should exert every effort
Board accord to the members of this industry any undue priority in the matter
to keep these mines operating at this time and not lose a source of
of materials where a great national emergency is involved, but with the idea that
wealth to this country in the years to come.
it will assist your Board in determining meritorious cases for the allocation of
Might I emphasize also the desirability of providing prompt de-
those materials which must be set aside for civilian consumption if our domestic
economy is to survive. We hope to convince you that, although your recent
livery of repair parts which may be required in emergency cases,
priority orders indicate that the production of gold is not considered BA an essential
and without which the mines might be flooded or operations seriously
industry to the war, nevertheless the maintenance and the preservation of the
disrupted. We have discussed this with Dr. Nelson, and hope that
gold mining industry in California from utter destruction, by the award of neces-
means will be worked out to secure the quickest possible action on
sary priorities for a minimum operation, is necessary to the national welfare and
to the domestic economy of a large area of this State. We expect to further show
priority applications in such cases.
that these minimum priorities can be awarded without any substantial drain
I know that Dr. Nelson and his associates understand these situa-
being made on the national stocks of strategic materials.
tions, but I wish to record these views in the hope that what we say
With these points in mind, the brief is respectfully submitted for your consider-
here may lend some strength to their arm and perhaps be of some
alton and reference in determining your minimum allocations to this industry.
help to them in the efforts which we feel confident they are going
CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN MININO CONGRESS,
By WORTHEN BRADLEY, President.
to make to try to keep our mines going.
By ALBERT F. KNORP, Secretary.
I want to add that we in the Mining Congress are glad to help
this committee and to help the officials of the War Production Board
in any way we can. We do feel that these matters mean a great deal
Regraded Unclassified
608
SILVER
SILVER
609
APPLICATION OF THE CALIFORNIA GOLD MINING INDUSTRY FOR Liberalivation
OF PRIORITY ALLOCATIONS TO GOLD MINES AND SUMMARY OF THE FACTS
for about $100,000,000 in currency each year. Attached hereto MI exhibit E la A
SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION
compilation of statistics (taken from records of the State Industrial Accident
Commission and State Division of Mines) showing the employment of men In
In behalf of the gold mines and dredger operators of California, the California
gold mining. During the past depression the gold mines of California furnished
Chapter of the American Mining Congress respectfully submite its application
steady employment to over 10,000 men and kept them and their families off
for such modification of revised order P-56, as will permit of the allocation to
relief rolls. During the present emergency these mines have sent thousands of
these gold mines and dredgers of the minimum quantities of strategic metals
trained miners Into the defense industries, aiding in the construction of under-
and materials essential to the maintenance of existing operations on the various
ground storage facilities in Hawaii and elsewhere and in the construction of mill-
properties involved, and in support of this application sets forth the following
tary fortifications in this country. Due to the higher wages paid in war Industries
the labor turn-over has in the past year been very rapid, and is becoming in-
facts:
(1) APPLICANT AND ITS AUTHORITY
creasingly rapid. But this in all to the national benefit. The mines are con-
stantly accepting a supply of untrained labor and are training and developing this
The applicant is an unincorporated organization of the gold-mining and dredg.
type of labor into skilled miners whose services will be needed by the Nation in Its
ing operators in California, and represents through its membership all of the gold
war efforts. All of this has been done without in any way impeding the military
dredging operations and practically all of the gold-mining operations in the State
draft or naval recruiting program. The industry in obviously not one in which
It was authorized by resolution of these operators to present this application.
industrial deferment for military service has been granted or should be granted.
A copy of this resolution is attached hereto and marked "Exhibit A."
Some of the younger miners trained in the gold mining industry also later trans-
forred to employment in mines engaged in the development of strategic minerals
(2) REASON FOR APPLICATION
and are of use to their country in that respect. Were it not for the training they
received in their home mining neighborhoods, it is probable that they would not
Revised order P-56 of the Priorities Division revoked all general priority
voluntarily migrate to other mining communities where even greater need for
numbers heretofore accorded to the gold-mining industry, and it has already
their services may exist. The gold-mining industry contributes an important
become apparent to the members of this industry that unless some consideration
increment to the national tax roll, both in the form of Income taxes and excise
be given by the Priorities Division to its minimum needs, all of its members will
taxes.
have to close down operations for lack of essential materials within a relatively
We understand that representations have already been made to your honorable
short period of time, with disastrous consequences to be hereafter noted. The
Division by representatives of the smelter industry that the operation of A sufficient
applicant feels that a fair and reasonably accurate presentation of the facta to
number of gold mines to furnish siliccous concentrates as a flux for the smelting
the Division may justify an improvement in this situation which will save no
of various strategic metals, is an absolute necessity to the continuance of their
important industry from practical destruction.
smelting operations. Practically all of the gold mines of California extract and
mill siliceous ores, Their continuance in operation will enable an adequate
(3) HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE GOLD MINING AND DREDGING INDUSTRY IN
quantity of siliceous concentrates to be regularly delivered to the smelters at
CALIFORNIA
Selby, Calif., and Tacoma, Wash.
Without any desire to elaborate upon the background of the industry repre
(A) PROBLEM OF THE OLDER WORRERS
sented by applicant, it is respectfully pointed out to the Division that gold mining
is the pioneer industry of California, and is the industry upon which this State's
In the older mining districts of California like Alleghany, Grase Valley, and
earliest development was founded. Over the years since 1850 the industry has
Jackson, a decidedly human problem is involved in keeping the older men-those
added to the national gold stocks over $2,212,800,000 (figures from Minerals Year-
of nonmilitary age-employed in their home communities. These men have been
book, U. S. Bureau of Mines). It furnished a financial and industrial basis for
miners for 50 long that they are not suited to other types of employment. They
the development of west-coast civilization in the United States, It made vitally
own their own homes in these little mining communities, and they and their
necessary contributions to the Union Treasury during the Civil War. It has
fathers before them have resided there since pioneer days. They are not the type
supported the domestic economy of some 19 counties of this State, and constitutes
of labor which normally migrate to new fields or more highly paid industries.
the major, if not the sole, basis for economic support of these areas, Attached
It would create is decided hardship for these men if they were thrown out of em-
hereto as exhibit B is B. map of California correctly showing in colors (exhibit B
ployment and foreed to move to other communities. Their homes would be unsal-
not printed but on file with committee), with the exception of the counties n
able, and they would suffer A financial loss, heavy for them. Furthermore, their
district 3, district 5, and district 6, the areas in which gold mining and dredging
presence in these communities la of importance ILA a defense reserve for com-
constitute the sole or major economic support. As to the excepted counties, gold
batting various fires in the adjacent national forests, and for the maintenance of
mining and dredging is (L very important factor in their domestic economy, but
local defense organizations. If the mines closo down the communities will dis-
perhaps not the major one,
integrate because they have no other source of support, and a large area of Cali-
In support of this statement there is submitted as exhibit C hereto, a compila-
fornia would be left without men of the type that are hadly needed for local
tion based on answers to questionnaires sent out to the mine operators and series
defense organizations. It will be seen that these workers are in a different class
of certificates from the county officials of these various counties, showing the names
from those referred to in paragraph 4 of this brief.
of mines, men employed, pay rolls, and State, county, and Federal taxes paid by
gold-mine operators in the several districts, The total pay rolls of different mines
(6) NECESSITY FOR CONTINUANCE OF THE MINING INDUSTRY TO AVOID
give an Idea of the importance of the business brought by these mines to local
DESTRUCTION
merchants, farmers, and residents. The tax payments show their contribution
It is of course possible that some of the smaller and shallower properties now
to the cost of gov ernment-Federal, State, and local. From this data it may
being operated in California might be closed down, allowed to fill with water (which
readily be ascertained that IL destruction of gold mining would be economically
is uniformly the result of closure), and after the war be pumped out and reopened.
as effective B8 a hostile bombing raid in these mountain counties.
This is not the case, however, with the more important unite of the industry.
There is also submitted a compilation (exhibit D) showing the latest available
Attached hereto as exhibit F is a table showing the depth of the more important
figures of gold production in California (1940), subtotaled by counties and die
lode mines in California. In each of these deep mines many miles of underground
tricts. While the 1941 figures are not yet published, it is our information and
workings exist. For example, in the Empire-North Star group of interconnected
belief that they will not vary substantially from those shown on exhibit D.
mines at Grass Valley, having a maximum depth of 10,600 feet on the incline,
there are over 500 miles of underground workings. A shut-down of these proper-
(4) NATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF THE INDUSTRY
ties permitting the workings to fill with water and to cave in through lack of repair
The production of gold in California during the past few years has approximated
would result in irreparable damage to the properties, and undoubtedly their total
$50,000,000 worth of gold bullion each year. All of this bullion has been added
permanent abandonment. An example supporting this conclusion may be noted
in the Treasury supply and under existing currency lawa furnishes & metal backing
73062-42-pt.9-12
Regraded Unclassified
610
SILVER
SILVER
611
in the case of the Utica mine at Angela Camp, which was closed for war TeMopa
about the time of the last World War, was permitted to 611 with water, and has
from the Priorities Division, its own house must be at all times net in order. It
never since been operated, although it is believed still to contain valuable and
must be in a position to convince the local representative of the Priorities Division
minable are, The community in which it in located has never recovered from the
that waste is being eliminated; that maximum economies in the utilization of
blow, in population, in business, or industry.
materials on hand is being made, and that only minimum requirements to keep
In further support of this conclusion, we attach to exhibit F copy of a letter
properties operating and in minimum safe repair condition are being asked for.
received from Dean D. H. McLaughlin of the University of California College of
In short, the California gold mining industry believes that the maximum utiliza-
(loo of what it has in just an important a factor ln its preservation as the allowance
Mines. On the other hand, the allocation of priorities for & minimum amount of material
of any priorities for deficiencies which the industry cannot supply.
necessary to keep these mines in operation would avoid this type of irremediable
disaster. It la economically nonfessible and in some cases physically impossible
(9) CURRENT UTILISATION OF STRATEGIC MATERIALS
to reopen these old properties which have been worked for more than half A ceb-
On the basis of questionnaires supplied and answered by individual operators
tury when once they are allowed to close and fill with water. The same state-
over the signatures of their responsible officials, and from conservative estimates
ment may be made with respect to practically every mine listed in exhibit F, And
made as to the requirements of one or two operators who failed for some reason
they constitute the largest producers of the State, employing the greatest number
of other to answer these questionnaires, We are able to present to the Priorities
of men.
Division a composite picture of the current monthly utilization of etrategie
(7) NECESSITY FOR CONTINUANCE OF DREDGER OPERATIONS
materials in the industry as & whole, in each of the various districts, and by the
lode mines ne distinguished from the placer and operations. We have
The gold dredgers of California, as shown by exhibit D, have produced almost
also compiled separately the current requirements for these materials in each
half of the gold output of the State, and have given continuous employment to
of a number of mines which we have characterized AR "deep mines." These
1,800 men (exhibit E). Even more than the mines, the dredging industry de-
figures are attached to this memorandum as exhibit G (on file with the Committee,
pends upon machinery for its operation, and it is a type of machinery which
but not printed). The totals of these figures do not present a very heavy demand
deteriorates very rapidly if operations are long suspended. The great flonting
on the stocks of critical materials of the country. Furthermore, we nak the
dredgers, the dragline equipment, and the chains of buckets must be maintained
Division to remember that these totals will be reduced by all of the savings,
and kept in operation partly because they are situated entirely in the open, subject
economies, and exchanges which the industry in able to make. They represent
to all of the effects of the elements, and if left idle will rapidly rust, silt up, and
an average monthly utilization. It is the intent of the industry through coopera-
become practically unusable; also the placer ground in which they work often has
tive efforts in the various districts to 80 arrange the purchase of needed new ma-
to be stripped well in advance of actual operations, and unless these operations
terials or equipment that in spread out and averaged, as much B/F possible, thus
are permitted to follow the stripping which has already been done, the effect of
avoiding peaks in demand. Each operating manager is required to nak himself
this work would be lost through erosion and the operators would have to do it all
before placing an order: "Do we really need this, or can we get along with what
over again. The great hulls into which the dredgers are built also require the
we have? Can I repair the equipment which it is suggested we replace? Can I
maintenance of ponds to keep them afloat, and if through shut-downs these ponds
use over again any of the supplies which we have heretofore been consuming?
dry up and the hulls are exposed to the air, the effect would be much the same M
How will my demand for these items fit in with the total demand from my die-
leaving the hull of a wooden ship exposed to the air for a long period of time.
trict this month?"
The dredgers do not use as much labor in proportion to the work done BS the lode
Only after answering these questions and ascertaining the Immediate indis-
mines because of this use of machinery, and their continued operation can be
pensability of the items sought to be purchased will an order be placed.
permitted without any noticeable interference with labor supply for defense
(10) OUR RECUEST TO THE DIVISION OF PRIORITIES
purposes.
(5) THE MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE SUPPLIES
Based on the foregoing factors and assumptions, the gold-mining industry of
California urgently requests the Division of Priorities to place It on the list of
The gold mining industry of California is in the fullest accord with the program
industries which are entitled to exist: to take into account the minimum amounts
of the Division of Priorities for the utmost utilisation of available supplies of
of materials necessary for the maintenance of that existence in determining the
strategie materials and serap before drawing upon any portion of the national
allocations as between war industries, military and naval needa, and civilian
stork of these materials for operating purposes. We desire to outline to the Divi-
requirements; to consider requests for priorities on orders for these strategic
sion the stepe which have been taken to carry this program into effect. The State
materials as having been made only after the exhaustion of all local sources and
of California has been divided into six districts, as indicated on the map, exhibit B
means of avoiding the request for priority; to give these requests prompt and
(on file with the committee). Districts Nos. 1, 3, and 5 contain practically all
sympathetle consideration; and to make an award consistent with the premise
the dredging and placer operations in the State; districts Nos. 2, 4, and 6, the lode
that, even in wartime, and notwithstanding the general national shortage of
operations. In each of these districts there is an organization through which the
materials, there are some civilian industries that the national Interest requires to
operators can cooperate locally. Each operator has taken a careful Inventory of
be kept alive, and that the gold mines are in that category, We particularly
his supplies and materials, and of scrap on hand, and has exchanged the informa-
ask this consideration for requesta from those members of the industry who are
tion shown therefor with the other operators in his district,
operating what may be termed the "deep mines," which must be kept operating in
Due to the great distances between the northern and southern parts of Call-
order to avoid flooding, caving, and permanent irreparable damage, as well as for
fornis it is not practicable for the operators in the State to cooperate as a whole in
minimum requirements of the dredging industry which will prevent irreparable
the exchange of facilities, but within each of the districts mentioned & serious
loss and deterioration to valuable equipment.
attempt is being made to trade, exchange, or make available to any operator who
We feel that our request is not a selfish one, that it does take into account the
needs an item of material or equipment which another operator can spare, so M
interests of the nation as a whole and that in the interest of preserving & substan-
to provide for the utilization of every item which is not presently in use or not
tial portion of the national territory from irreparable loss, in the interest of
required for the immediate future. Cooperative efforts are made also toward
preserving the local economies of a large section of the State of California from
repairing broken equipment. An operator who has A machine shop will cooperate
unnecessary destruction, with consequent injury to both public and private credit,
in repairing equipment for one who does not. Surplus mill capacity is being made
and in the interesta of giving a fair deal and fair consideration to the welfare of the
available for handling the ores of operators who do not have mills, thus avoiding
thousands of citizens engaged in the gold-mining industry in California, our re-
the necessity of any new construction. Scrap piles are being overhauled, and after
quest should be granted.
segregating material which will be needed in the immediate future for working over
Respectfully submitted.
into needed parts, the maximum possible disposal of this scrap to the national
CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS,
defense pile is being made. Both formal and informal meetings of the operators
By WORTHEN BEADLEY, President.
in each district take place at which ideas can be exchanged, and the principle
By ALBERT F. KNORP, Secretary.
carried out that if the gold mining industry expects any serious consideration
Dated: May 1, 1942.
Regraded Unclassified
612
SILVER
SILVER
613
EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT €
RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT A MEETING OF CALIFORNIA GOLD MINE OPERATORS IND
AT SACRAMENTO, CALIF., ON FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1942
LODE MINES
WHEREAS it has been brought to the attention of the responsible operators of
Number
the California gold mining industry through the issuance of war priority order
Name of property
Location, county
Depth
of men
Estimated
County
P-100 that the priorities heretofore accorded the industry under order No. P-56
(feet)
em-
total pay roll
taxes paid
have been revoked and that the purchase of all allocated materials which are
ployed
in 1941
essential to the operation and maintenance of our mines can be made only on
A-10 priorities or by special application under Form PD-1-A; and
Empire
Novada
8,000
566
North Star
do
10,650
276
$1,636,859.37
$18,729.73
WHEREAS the rapidly accruing shortage of these materials indicates that it
Zeibright
de
1,759
25
48,000.00
shortly will be impossible to acquire any of them under an A-10 priority, And
Brown's Valley
Yubs
2,111.00
1,300
65
Nevada
168,000.00
542.00
inability to acquire minimum requirements of such materials and will inevitably
Idaho-Maryland
4,600
500
New Brunawick
do
4,500
400
1,293,006.00
40,468.13
and result in the closing down of all gold mines and dredging operations in California;
Gulden Center
do
2,000
150
292,100.00
Spanish
do
3,685.80
,
1,000
30
51,000.00
WHEREAS it is the unanimous opinion of the industry representatives gathered
Spring Hill
do
353.91
1,200
20
34,000.00
Sierra
785.91
Original Sixteen to One
3,000
100
here that such & closing of the gold mines would be an unnecessary and irreparable
196,329.06
do
5,324.06
Oriental
1,000
o
10,500.00
Plumbago
do
1,048.27
injury to the State and Nation for the following, among other reasons:
1,320
15
24,905.40
do
1,600.00
1. Many of the mines are very deep and must be operated in order to prevent
Ruby
850
25
42,485.00
do
1,500.00
Sierra Buttes
1,125
20
caving and filling of workings with water, rendering it virtually impossible to ever
33,943.65
11,152.45
Argussut
Amador
6,400
240
388,000.00
K,038.00
work them again.
Kronedy
do
5,900
97
174,871.87
5,650.00
2. These mines constitute the sole or major domestic economy in 19 out of the
Old Eureka
do
3,750
200
350,000.00
6,782.44
Keystone
do
1,600
95
165,415.30
58 counties in this State, supplying the pay rolls, paying the taxes, and buying
1,890.02
Belma
do
500
20
33,599.18
162.87
materials which enable these communities to exist. Their destruction will cause
Carson BM
Calaveras
3,500
190
359,564.53
4,756.84
untold private economic injury and will be destructive to local public credit,
Le Hol
do
1,600
20
33,403.75
1,021.65
Jumbo
do
1,000
40
50,250.00
3. The gold produced from these mines is an important contribution to public
Royal
do
1,850
18
30,485.60
1,147.80
wealth and furnishes the basis for large increments of State and Federal taxes.
Sheep Ranch
do
3,250
150
262,498.45
13,754.60
4. Destruction of these mines by priority deprivation and the resulting loss
Heslep-App-Sweeney
Tuolumne
2,500
30
55,116.20
1,000.00
Engle Shawmut
do
2,200
58
103,557.00
993.00
and unemployment will be a severe blow to public morale at a time when the
Loblensa
do
1,600
20
33,500.00
246.65
National Government is seeking to foster courage and industry on the part of the
Pine Tree and Josephine
Mariposa
2,500
2
118,500.00
3,571.64
public and will tend to destroy public confidence in gold as an essential element of
Mount Galnes
do
1,200
54
55,352.08
1,020.68
Maivina
do
1,000
is
30,512.00
1,380.21
our monetary system, and
Alsbama-Shamway
El Dorado
500
10
16,500.00
202.02
WHEREAS the operators here present and the communities from which they
Alabama-California
Placer
1,100
135
222,750.00
533.07
Oro Fino
do
come are more than anxious to support the national war effort in every respect
1,350
40
62,732.24
700.00
Rawhide
do
600
16
26,389.50
1305.65
and at any sacrifice necessary therefor, but believe that the minimum amounts
Charokee
Plumas
850
150
71,948.51
1,296.00
of strategic materials necessary to keep their mines open and running, without
Virgilia
do
500
40
62,698.65
1652.40
extension of existing operations, is so small that with the conservation measures
Standard
do
725
50
78,522.00
1850.00
Iron Mountain
Shasta
(#)
50
85,147.00
4,195.97
hereinafter resolved upon, the same could be allocated to the industry without
Montesuma
do
800
20
35,100.00
217.80
noticeable effect on the country's war needs: Now, therefore, be it
Quartz HIII
Slaklyou
350
10
17,498.65
391.00
Resolved: First. We are unalterably opposed to the destruction of the gold
Oro Grande
do
675
7
11,901.00
129.95
Gelden Queen:
Kern
1,100
165
366,400.00
9,627.00
mines of California due to entire withdrawal of priorities necessary to give them
Kern Mines
de
1,250
50
94,737.78
887.10
minimum supplies of strategic materials which are required for present operations
Cactus Mines
do
1,100
100
199,674.43
2,151.38
Governor
and to any Government policy which would enforce such priority withdrawals;
do
650
so
73,253.17
1,075.00
Monsroh Rand
do
700
12
18,000.00
280.00
Second. We pledge ourselves to form community units, pooling supplies of
Gold Crown
do
900
as
51,896.00
1750.00
salvagable materials, repairing every possible item of equipment, cooperating
Standard
do
1,000
to
14,900.00
285.00
in the use of machines and endeavoring in every way to work with the local
Kelly
San Bernardino
ROO
33
24,394.05
$560.00
Bagdsd-Chase
do
1,200
20
29,865.40
1730.00
representative of the War Priority Administrator;
Old Gold
Inyo
500
16
27,952.00
1852.00
Third. We request the associations and operators here present to cooperate in
Margiret
do
650
is
26,250.00
1275.00
the compilation of facts showing the soundness of the position we have here
taken and the justification for definite allocations of priority materials to our
PLACERS
mines and dredges so as to make continuation of existing operations possible and
to Insure preservation of these mines; and further through appropriate representa-
tives to be selected by the associations present at this meeting, to present these
Name of property
Location, county
Type
facts and the merits of our proposal without delay to proper Federal officials for
action thereon.
Arata-Van Sandt
Amador
Dredge (bucket line).
Fourth. We recommend that the cost of presenting such a case to the Govern-
Arroyo Seco
do
Dragline.
Arroye Seco Ranch
do
Do.
ment be imposed upon the entire gold-mining industry through appropriate action
Buena Vista
do
Dredge (bucket line).
to that end to be taken by said several associations present after conference
Butte Operating Co
Butte
Dragline.
between their respective executives.
Butte Unit
do
Dreder (bucket line).
Farnham Ranch
do
Dragline,
Feather River
do
Do.
Ginella Ranch
do
Do.
Kister
do
Do.
semreb
do
Do.
Peters Ranch
do
Do.
Prombe
do
Da.
Placer Development Co
do
Do.
Figures not available, estimate only.
Operations suspended at date of this brief.
Surface.
Estimated total (Including figures shown and estimate of missing figures).
Regraded Unclassified
614
SILVER
SILVER
615
EXHIBIT C-Continued
Examism C-Continued
PLACERS-Continued
PLACERS-Continued
Name of property
Location, county
Type
Name of property
Location, county
Type
Butte
Dragline.
Chinese Camp Unit
Tuolumne
William Richter & Sons
Dragline.
do
Do.
Jacknes
do
Do.
Weymans Ravine
do
Wm. Kister
Dredge Dragline. (bucket line),
Kent
do
Do.
Calaveras
McCormick Ranch
do
Do.
Genochio
do
Do.
Big Ravine
Yubs
Do.
R. & M
do
Do,
Far West
do
Do.
Ban Andreas
do
Do.
Princess Pine
do
Do.
Stagan
do
Do,
Summar.
do
Do.
Stockton Gregory
do
Stockton Reservoir
Do.
Yubs Unit
do
Dredge (bucket line).
do
Do.
Wolhall
El Dorado
Do.
Arroyo
Carson Creek
do
Do.
do
Do.
EXHIBIT D
Dunlap Ranch
do
Do.
El Dorado
Frank Kipp
do
Do,
Lemroh
do
Do.
1940 California gold production by counties and districts I
Operation No. 2
do
Do.
Baker
Mariposa
Do.
County
District
Chase Ranch
do
Do.
P.H. Bottoms
Merced
Do.
total
total
Type of mining
Merced Dredge No. I
do
Dredge (bucket line),
Merced Unit
do
Do.
Robinson Bros
do
Dragline.
District 1:
Ban Joaquin Dredge No. I
do
Drodgo (bucket line),
Sisklyou
2,068,815
do
Do.
Shasta
1,679,135
5,478,105
Snelling
Practically all placers.
Champion Fist
Nevada
Dragine.
Trinity
1,730,155
Coleburn
do
Do.
District 2:
do
Do.
Plumas
1,302,070
Beotts Flat Creek
do
Do.
Sierra
958,685
W yandotte
Placer
Do,
Nevada
10,064,415
15,038,380
Practically all lodo mines.
El Oro 1
Gladding Ranch
do
Do.
Placer
1,813,210
Guilford Ranch
do
Do.
District 3:
Innis I
Do.
Butte
do
2,543,835
do
Do.
Yuba
3,885,875
6,439,710
Practically all dredgers.
Midland
Reealp
do
Do.
District 4:
Innis
Do.
El Dorado
Plumas
1,341,585
Amador
Capital
Sacramento
Dredge (bucket line).
4, 4,122,160
Calaveras
do
Do.
3,036,390
10,217,445
Practically all lode mines.
Consumnes
Tuolumne
Fassett-Parker Hanlon
do
Dragline.
767,620
Do.
Mariposa
General Drodge No. I
do
949,690
District 5:
Hoosier Gulch
do
Do.
Sacramento
Martin Quian Estate
do
Do.
5,538,295
San Joaquin
Do.
327,175
McQueen & Downing
do
Stanislaus
Dredge (bucket/lise).
1,276,240
8,060,455
Practically all dredgers.
Natomas
do
Merced
Vincent
do
Dragline.
1,816,745
District 6:
California
San Joaquin
Dredge (bucket line).
Kern
Lucas & Putnsm
do
Do.
2,887,255
Inyo
415,555
3,818,220
Practically all lode mines.
MeGurk
do
Dragline.
San Bernardino
Watkins
Do.
515,410
do
Miscellaneous, outside above districts
996,171
Champion Gulch
Shasta
Do.
China Gulch
do
Do.
State total
50,948,486
Clear Creek
do
Do.
Cow Creek
do
Do.
Daly Guleh
do
Do.
1 Figures from Bulletin 123, California Division of Mines.
French Gulch
do
Dredge (bucket 11ne).b
Happy Valley
do
Dragline.
or this total $26,275,265 comes from the lode mines and $24,673,320 comes from placers and dredgers.
Lost Channel
do
Do.
Pioneer
do
Do.
Happy Camp
do
Do.
EXHIBIT E
Humbag Creek
do
Do.
Kangaroo
do
Do.
Employment in California gold mines
Klamath River
do
Do.
Larsen & Harms
do
Do.
[Includes only persons employed by operators and excludes prospectors, snipers, leasers, and Independent
Snechi-Spellenberg
do
Do.
workers]
Sisklyou Unit
do
Dredge (bucket line).
Yreks
do
Do.
Number of
Number of
C.& E
Stanislaus
do
Dragline, Dredge (bucket line).
men
men
California
Calendar year:
employed I
Calendar year-Con.
employed I
La Grange
do
Do.
1930
Placer Properties
Dragline.
4, 411
1936
12, 499
do
Triboli & Sophy
1931
do
4, 760
1937
12,871
Tuolumne
do
Dredge Do. (bucket line)-
1932
5, 104
1938
12,147
B. H. K
Trinity
Dragline. Dredge (bucket line)-
1933
Carrville
7, 333
1939
, 10,000
do
Hayfork
1934
do
Junction City
Dragline. Dredge (bucket line).
9, 443
1940
: 9,200
do
1935
13,710
1941
$8,800
Lincoln
do
Dragline.
Weaver
do
Do.
. 1 Figures from State division of mines.
Weaverville
do
Do.
Figures not available-estimated.
# Operations suspended at date of this brief.
Regraded Unclassified
616
SILVER
SIL/VER
617
EXHIBIT F
Deep gold mines of California
said before me, particularly ne to the fairness We have found on the
part of Dr. Nelson. There is one thought, however, that I should
Name of mine
Loration
Depth of Inclue
like to leave with you, and we are not begging this thought with the
idea of placing gold mining in the strategic-metals class,
Jackson
6,700 feet, all Incline shafts.
Argensut
The figures that I have received on a not too independent survey
Kennedy
do
5,000 feet, vertical shaft 4,500 feet in depth 4d
1,400 feet incline.
in California indicate that there are over 600,000 new arrivals in
Central Eureka
do
4,000 feet, all Incline.
California since the last census was taken.
Empire
Grass Valley
8,000 foot, all incline.
North Star
do
10,650 Incline. feet, vertical shaft 4,200 feet in depth, balsas
The CHAIRMAN. Do you mean since 1940?
Original Bixteen to One mine
Alleghany
3,000 feet, all Incline.
Mr. KNOHP. I mean since 1940. My understanding of that figure
New Brunawick
Grass Valley
4,500 feet, vertical and Incline.
4,000 feet, all Incline.
is that those people have been attracted there because of the defense
Idaho-Maryland
do
Lava Cap
Nevada City
1,500 feet.
jobs. Our airplane factories, our shipyards, and our other facilities
Golden Center
Grass Valley
2,000 feet.
that are devoted to defense work have been tremendously expanded.
That presents the possibilities of a terrible relief situation when this
Operations suspended at date of this brief.
defense buying is over.
NOTE.-Above data obtained from Carl Johnson, mine Inspector for the Industial Accident Comminios
of California.
I mention that because during the last depression the mining camps
EXHIBIT G
in California were what were known as the white spots of America.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
Their production was up high. Therefore, they present to this Nation
DEPARTMENT OF MINING AND METALLURGY,
only perhaps a small percentage, but, Doctor, these percentages mount
Berkeley, Calif., April 17, 1948.
to absorb the unemployment that is inevitable. It would be n rather
Mr. A. F. KNOBP,
substantial pereentage in California,
Secretary, California Chapter American Mining Congress,
San Francisco, Calif.
I do not think we should overlook the possibilities that the gold mines
DEAR MR. KNORP: In balancing the gains and losses that might be expected
present to this Nation when the boys are knocked from the defense
from restricting the supplies of critical materials required to keep the gold mines
pay rolls. Of course, We all realize that as soon as the war is over,
of California in operation, the damage and in some cases the complete loss that
they will be shot off them rather abruptly. Unfortunately, Cali-
would result from shut-down should not be overlooked.
fornia's climate keeps most of the people in the State, even after a
Under ordinary conditions, the majority of the mines now active on the Mother
boom is over. I have been told by some of the chamber of commerce
Lode and in the northern districts could reasonably anticipate a fairly long life,
with steady benefits to the many communities dependent on them, even though
boys-I do not know how true it is-that of 100 newcomers to Cali-
the profits to the owners might not be large. A prolonged shut-down, however,
fornia, only about 15 leave the State during a depression. That may
would practically end the industry, for only a few of the larger companies could
be due to our weather; I do not know.
stand the expense of dewatering flooded workings and reopening caved ground.
One other thought, touching on the matter that Senator Millikin
The region undoubtedly contains large tonnages of ore that are still to be re-
brought out,
covered, but very few of the mines have more than nominal reserves that are
definitely blocked out, and the profits that could be positively estimated from them
I think it should be stressed a little bit more thoroughly. That is,
would hardly be enough in most cases to justify the heavy expense of reopening
that while gold does not go into tanks or ships or planes today, never-
mine once the pumps had been pulled.
theless, when this war is over gold and silver, I think, will be the
On the Mother Lode in particular, where many of the mines are deep and where
strategic metals of the world. Certainly it would be futile to win the
the ground is notoriously heavy, it is unlikely that the industry could ever recover
from such n. shut-down, and this probable result should surely be kept in mind
war from a military angle only to lose it at the peace table, I believe
when decisions with regard to priorities for the gold mines are made.
that that happened after the last war.
Yours very truly,
Gold and silver can be used to rehabilitate many of the stricken
DONALD H. McLAUGHLIN,
nations of the world, and the $50,000,000 that California is annually
Dean, College of Mining.
producing in gold would go a long way toward helping, let us say,
Senator McCarran. Mr. Knorp, if you care to be heard, we will
Greece back onto her feet. I make this statement without asking
that We be classified as manufacturers of tanks, We realize that we
hear you.
are not a defense industry, strictly speaking, but we believe that we
Mr. KNORP. I shall speak briefly, Senator.
come very close to being a defense industry if people will only project
STATEMENT OF ALBERT KNORP, SECRETARY, CALIFORNIA CHAP-
their views beyond the present day, which I think we should do.
Those are the only thoughts I have to offer, in addition to what have
TER, AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.
already been offered by others. Our brief has been filed.
Senator McCARRAN. Please state your name, your residence, and
Representative WHITE. Your reasoning is governed by the fact that
your official position, if any, Mr. Knorp.
history shows that every war has been prosecuted with what they
Mr. KNOHP. My name is Albert Knorp. I am secretary of the
called a war chest. Napoleon, Bismarck, and all the others who fought
California Chapter of the American Mining Congress. My office is
really successfully accumulated vast amounts of treasure, precious
in San Francisco,
metals, and money metals.
I do not want to take up any more of your time than is absolutely
Mr. KNORP. Yes, I believe that even the man in deep, dark Africa
necessary. I can only reiterate to B. great degree that which has been
understands gold, though he would not understand paper money.
Regraded Unclassified
618
BILVER
SH/VER
619
Representative WHITE. We read in the papers this morning that the
French have now voted to send $1,000,000,000 from Martinique to
CURRENT ASSFTS AND LIABILITIES-Continued
Strees
Venezuela. Mr. KNORP. Yes; and I am mindful also of the fact that despite
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Hitler's statements that he does not need gold, wherever he occupied
Bilver (com 1,157,775,993.0)
$1,496,022,496.03
Silver dellars (OR 372,581,024.0)
Bliver certificates outstanding
a country the first thing he did was to get the gold out of it.
482,720,920.00
Treasury Ing. notes of INDO outstand-
$1,967,998,210.00
I might further state that I believe that President Roosevelt's
Bliver in general fund
1,158,522.00
0,488,684.03
judgment in accumulating a gold supply was a very far-sighted policy
Total
1,978,643,416.03
Total
that none of us appreciated at the time, because I feel that he has
1,978,643,410.00
given us now the sinews of peace. The gold that we hold in Fort
Mr. ENGLEBRIGHT. Senator; does that give the amount of car-
Knox is going to be very valuable to us as soon as the war is over-
not only that gold but all the gold we can produce.
silver? marked gold we may also have and also the amount of earmarked
Representative WHITE. I have heard it said that the gold in the
The CHAIRMAN. The statement, appearing in detail in the record,
Western States was what saved the credit of the American Nation
will show.
and made possible the winning of the Civil War.
Senator MURRAY. Mr. Chairman-
Mr. KNOHP. I think that is an established fact.
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Murray.
The CHAIRMAN. I think it might be well, in view of the suggestion
Senator MURRAY. Doctor, if you find it necessary to restrict
just made, to place in the record at this time the amount of gold
radically these scarce materials or machinery to the silver mines, that
which the United States has.
would affect largely only the small operators, would it not?
According to the Daily Statement of the United States Treasury of
Mr. NELSON. I cannot say. It might affect a large operator sooner
date May 2, 1942, we have gold to the value of $22,690,513,844.19.
than it would a small operator.
I might state also in this connection that on the same date we had
Senator MURRAY. For instance, in some States, like in my State of
silver certificates outstanding in the total sum of $1,967,998,210.
Montana, the larger operators that produce silver and gold are the
Without objection I will ask that the detailed statement put out by
big corporations, like the Anaconda Copper Co., which, I suppose,
the Treasury on the bulletin just referred to be placed in the record at
produces 90 percent of the silver that is produced in the entire State.
this point.
Would not the effect of your regulations be to destroy the small
(The Treasury statement referred to is as follows:)
independent operators and leave the big corporations in complete
control of the field?
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Mr. NELSON. Senator, I like to look at the mining picture from
the positive and not the negative side. It is not that we are destroying
DAILY STATEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TREASURY
things; we are helping everyone in the mining industry.
Compiled from latest proved reports from Treasury offices and depositaries,
If it had not been for this first mining order, which came out on
May 2, 1942
September 22, and the revisions of that order made at certain stated
intervals after that, which raised in each case the priority ratings
CURRENT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
granted to mines, many mines in the United States would have
Gotn
probably shut down long ago, I mean mines of every type. We are
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Gold certificates:
just giving varying degrees of priority to mines, depending upon how
Gold (as. 648,300,305.5)
$22,090,513,844.19
Outstanding (outside of
important they are to the war effort. The small gold or silver mine
Treasury)
$2,875,405,519.00
Gold certificate fund-Board
can operate, we feel, under P-100 and by the use of P-D-1A when
of Governors, Federal Re-
serve System
17,678,967,612.74
they need a particular repair part or particular item, if they will just
Redemption fund-Pederal
anticipate their needs and not attempt to do business as usual.
Reserve notes
14,870,002.50
Gold reserve
154,030,430.64
Now, many of these small mines have never even requested a serial
NOTE-Reserve against $346,-
£81,016 of United States notes and
mentioned. number under P-56 but have been operating under the basis I have
$1,158,522 of Treasury notes of
1890 outstanding.
Treasury
notes of 1870 are also secured by
Senator MURRAY. You have found no difficulty, then?
silver dollars In the Treasury.
1,800,000,000.00
Mr. NELSON. Of course, occasionally there may be some difficulty,
Exchange stabilization fund
because a small mine may wish something that is so critical it will
not be easy to furnish it to them.
Gold In general fund:
Balance of In-
Senator Murray. Well, so far you have not found it necessary to
crement re-
miting from
cause the shut-down of any small operator?
reduction in
Mr. NELSON. As I stated in B. meeting earlier this week, we have
the weight of
the gold dol-
had no information to show that any mine in the United States has
lar
$143,425,358.24
In working bal-
shut down due to any priority action that has been taken by the
ance
21.805.319.89
165,230,677.63
mining branch.
Senator MURRAY. You do not anticipate that conditions will de-
Total
22,000,513,844.19
Total
Regraded Unclassified
620
SILVER
SILVER
621
velop that will make it necessary for you to adopt any radical policy
with reference to supplving materials to those smaller companies?
STATEMENT OF ROBERT S. PALMER, SECRETARY, COLORADO
Mr. NELSON. We will not adopt any radical policy at any time,
MINING ASSOCIATION, AND SECRETARY, STATE MINERAL
but if we do not have enough material to go around, We may be un-
RESOURCES BOARD, DENVER, COLO,
able to ship any mines, that do not enter into the war effort, critical
repair parts that they may need. I cannot say what the condition
Senator McCARRAN. Please state your name and official position,
of critical materials will be month by month.
Mr. Palmer.
Mr. PALMER. My name is Robert 8. Palmer.
Senator MURRAY. At the present time you do not anticipate that
The CHAIRMAN. What is your address?
there is going to be such a serious shortage as to make it necessary
Mr. PALMER. My address is Denver, Colo.
for you to adopt any stringent regulations now?
The CHAIRMAN. What is your present position and business?
Mr. NELSON. We do not need to adopt those regulations at the
Mr. PALMER. My present position is secretary of the Colorado
present moment, Senator, but I am sorry that I cannot see into the
Mining Association, and secretary of the State Mineral Resources
future. I wish ! could.
Board; and also I am attempting to assist Dr. Nelson in Colorado as
Senator MURRAY. If, for instance, as in my State, the great pro-
State Emergency Coordinator of Mines.
duction of these minerals comes from the large corporations, it would
First, I should like to explain, so that it will be a matter of record,
not be a very large amount of material or machinery that would be
that our position throughout this alleged controversy has been one of
necessary to operate the smaller concerns, would it?
the utmost cooperation. The mining people of our State are very
Mr. NELSON. That is true, Senator, but, as I have been told by BO
anxious to cooperate with Dr. Nelson and the War Production Board
many people in the W. P. B., and as I likewise have told many people,
and to assist in every possible way in bringing about a complete under-
if you save 1 percent here or a fraction of 1 percent here and do that
standing of the problems of our industry, and I wish to assure the
in a hundred different industries, you have saved enough to put over
Senate committee that we are just as anxious to win the war and do
the war effort: while if you dissipate those fractions of 1 percent of
everything that we possibly can to win the war as any other group of
critical materials in 8. hundred industries, you may affect our war
people.
effort very adversely.
Colorado, of course, is a mining State. It is primarily known for
Senator MILLIKIN. Might I put reverse English on that? If you
its gold and silver. Since the beginning of our Commonwealth we
destroy the gold camp, the silver camp, the tire man, the radio man,
have produced $1,843,294,915 in gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc.
the ice-box man, and the filling-station man 1 percent at a time,
The dollar value of the gold and silver was $1,382,552,191. But the
pretty soon this economy that must keep this war effort going has
important point that we wish to bring out is that without the gold
been destroyed.
and silver content of our ores we could not have produced $1,843,000,-
Mr. NELSON. Those people working on the over-all war effort, I
000-plus worth of copper, lead, and zinc.
think, know the picture more thoroughly than anyone else, and I am
The CHAIRMAN. At this point it would be interesting for the record
willing to follow their leadership.
to show the relative production of gold, silver, and other metals with
Senator MURRAY. I do not think they know it quite as well as those
relation to former times. I'mean by that, Is the production of gold
who are being put out of business and destroyed completely. I think
and silver increasing constantly; is it stationary; or is it decreasing?
they have a more vivid understanding of what is happening than some
In other words, are your mines playing out, with no prospect of new
of these people who are providing regulations.
ones being found?
Mr. NELSON. They may have a vivid understanding of their own
Mr. PALMER. The mining people of our State are curtailing pro-
problem; I will admit that-and it is a very serious problem to each
duction of gold and silver at the present time and are increasing pro-
individual.
duction of copper, lead, and zine. In many of the districts there is
Senator MILLIRIN. Senator Murray's committee, under his dis-
no evidence of a playing out of ore bodies; in some, of course, the
tinguished leadership, has developed many facts which go to show that
reverse is true.
there is not entirely the infallibility that Dr. Nelson suggests about
Just before coming to this hearing, we made a study of the priorities
many parts of our war direction.
situation. These are figures which we compiled just before I left
The CHAIRMAN. Senator Murray. have you finished?
Denver.
Senator MURRAY. I have finished.
Senator McCarran. Mr. Chairman, right here may I interrupt?
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Conover, have you finished?
I think that an additional statement in answer to the chairman's
Mr. CONOVER. That is all I have to say.
inquiry would not be out of place here.
The CHAIRMAN. We thank you for your statement.
I think it will be conceded that the mines that produce straight
Senator McCARRAN. Mr. Palmer, will you come forward, please?
silver, for instance, are not as prevalent and are not as much in
existence today as they were in times past. Today silver-and I
dwell on silver first-is to the largest extent produced as a byproduct
of certain nonprecious metals and minerals, as, for instance, copper,
lead, zine, and so forth. The mine that was in the class of the Com-
stock Lode, for instance, which was practically straight silver, exists
Regraded Unclassified
622
SILVER
SILVER
623
in only one instance today, of which I have any knowledge, within the
United States. That is the Sunshine Mine, of Idaho. That comes
received favorable action on their applications. It is interesting to
nearest to being & second Comstock or Virginia City. As to the
note that none of the coal mines have had their serial numbers
Virginia City mines, whether or not they are played out, which is
rescinded.
always a moot question, suffice it to say that they have been worked
A comparative study of metal production with the metal needs of
so that conditions now exist which make the mining of silver non-
the industry was presented to Dr. Nelson- at the Denver hearing. It
profitable because of a vast volume of hot water that had to be
was shown that 70,134,000 pounds of lead, zine, and copper were
handled in the lower levels of the Comstock Lode.
produced in Colorado in conjunction with gold and silver, and that all
I think that the production of silver-dealing, now, with silver
these mines required only 350 tons of manganese steel, 250 tons of
alone-is much less today, coming as straight silver, than it was in
carbon-treated steel, 1,400 tons of mild steel, and 500 tons of alloy
times past. That is a partial answer to your question.
steel, or a total of 2,500 tons.
Senator McCARRAN. As against what production?
Then, again, I cannot permit the statement of my good friend, Mr.
Palmer, to go by without comparisons, which are also very interesting,
Mr. PALMER. Seventy million-plus pounds, Mr. Dickerman, stat-
in keeping with the chairman's question, and that is the amount of
istician for the State mineral resources board, has made a study of the
precious metal produced by the State of Colorado.
needs of the industry. The results give a clear picture of 79 percent
Let it be noted that while Colorado was producing a billion and IL
of the production of the State. I desire to offer this statement for
half dollars in precious and nonprecious metals, the State of Nevada
the perusal of the committee. It shows how small our needs are, but
how important our production is to the welfare of Colorado.
took out of just one small hole in the ground a billion dollars, and at
The CHAIRMAN. Do you wish to have it placed in the record?
a. very important time in the history of this country.
Mr. PALMER. Yes.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. I may add, Senator, if you will
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection it is so ordered.
permit, that the State of California, prior to the time you took that
(Paper entitled "Priorities Information" is ns follows:)
out of the hole, produced another billion dollars.
Senator MURRAY. Mr. Chairman, while We are on this subject,
Priorities information
I want to say that we have produced two billion dollars out of the
Butte Hill, which is the richest camp on earth.
Estimated
Mr. NELSON. Mr. Chairman, might I also inject a remark? Before
Material
consump-
Estimated
Net con-
tion
salvage
sumption
the California gold rush, the gold center of the United States was in
Virginia and North Carolina, and Thomas Jefferson described one of
Drill steel
toms
607.19
230.29
376.90
the first gold nuggest ever found in the United States.
Stéel plates
do
791.75
307.15
484.00
Ball mill liners
do
364.85
106.25
The CHAIRMAN. All of which leads me to wonder what would have
262.00
Balls
do
1,044.88
3.60
1,041.28
Rails
happened to a number of these States had it not been for gold and
do
609.45
64.95
541.50
Chrome moly
do
121.13
20.47
91.06
silver,
Abrasive res. (screen plates)
da
26
8.25
17.78
114-inch wire rope
feet
7,000
Mr. PALMER. Mr. Chairman, I think it is quite evident that when
li- and 4-Inch wire rope
do
0,500
4,000
12,500
Blabbitt
there was a rumor that our mining industry, which is the basic indus-
pounds
7,169
782
Brass
6,416
do
3,893
097
3,196
try of our western section, was being threatened by an ill advised
Bronze welding rod
do
6,826
50
Solder
6,770
do
2,101
0
2,101
order, published without proper consideration of the mining industry,
Mercury, 3,845.4 (flasks)
do
49.3
0
49.3
Sodium carbonate
it was only natural that not only those directly interested in mining,
do
58,630
o
88,030
Anetylene
euble feet
706,517
o
700,017
but people generally, were very much disturbed, and still are. The
Oxygen
do
2,483,930
e
2,485,930
Hot-rolled bars
tons
141.87
27.42
114.45
reassurance of Dr. Nelson in rescinding the 30 percent clause will
Pipe (carbon)
do
203.20
25.20
178
Wire rods (alloy)
have a far reaching effect on future mining activities in our State.
do
16.85
25
16.00
Air luse
pounda
28,139
4,715
23,424
Our study shows two classifications under the priorities system in
4-ply rubber hose
do
4,456
140
4.316
Cyanide
do
397,115
0
397,115
Colorado, namely metal mines and coal mines. There were 242
Xanthate (copper sulfate)
do
222,382
o
222,342
Hydrochlorio acid
do
292,313
0
different concerns requesting preference rating numbers. Of these,
292,313
Sulturio acid
do
Nitrie seld
4,235,225
o
4,235,223
135 received them; 107 were either turned down or, at least, have not
Borax
do
16,407
o
16,407
do
13,850
o
13,550
been given numbers, for reasons unknown to the applicants. Ther
Soda bicarbonate
do
770,155
e
770,155
were 66 companies notified that their serial numbers had been with-
drawn as of March 2. Of these, 28 have been reinstated, and 38
companies have not been reinstated. Of the total number under
Mr. PALMER Some mention has been made by the Senator from
this classification, 67 have not been withdrawn. These consist largely
Montana of the small mines. Our situation in Colorado is largely &
of tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium mines and the nonmetallics.
question of small operators and small mines. The individual produe-
Including all of the varied types of mines, there are only 95 operating
tion of strategic metals from each individual mine perhaps is small
with serial numbers in Colorado.
and may not be given proper recognition by some of the war agencies,
A study of the coal mines show that 156 separate operators requested
but the sum total of the production of all of these little mines is a
serial numbers. Eighty-three were given ratings, and 73 have not
very vital part of our production of metals.
We have in Colorado the leasing system as well as the other systems.
Regraded Unclassified
624
SILVER
SILVER
625
If a man decides to develop B. particular property, having been
assured by the Price Administration that he is to be given a promium
program of the War Production Board; but the small operators, who
on lead, zine, and copper, on a marginal operation, he usually takes
go to the local merchants to buy particular pieces of equipment which
the property on a lease. Under the terms and conditions of the lease,
may be necessary to keep their operation going, are not able to main-
he is required to work a certain number of shifts per month. Now,
tain an inventory even over a 3-month period.
many of these operators find themselves in this predicament. If they
As far as allocating materials to a particular camp is concerned, I
don't work the shifts they lose their holdings, How can they work
want to point out that one company in our State, in the Cripple Creek
without tools. This is true in the strictly gold-mining areas as well
area, has done a marvelous job in helping these smaller operators by
as in the complex ore areas of the State. They have everything that
keeping a small stock available for their use prior to the priorities
they own invested in these mines. If they don't live up to the terms
and conditions set out in the leases, they will lose not only the leases
system. So, we want this clearly understood; that the mining industry wants
but also such property as has been affixed to the mines,
to do everything that it possibly can to cooperate with you men in the
These people have their homes in these mining communities.
War Production Board and to assist you. We are indeed grateful to
Many of the men who have called at my office tell me that their sons
Dr. Nelson and the others who have seen fit to modify this order,
are in the armed forces. In some instances they are actually working
which has done 80 much harm to our section of the country.
in the mines although their age is such that they should not be engaged
I will gladly answer any questions.
in active mining operations; but they are taking the places of their
The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions from any member of the
sons in order to keep the mines working. They are buying their
committee or others interested? If not, We certainly thank you, Mr.
percentage of War Bonds, they are helping to carry the tax load of our
Plamer, for your statement.
Senator McCARRAN. Thank you, Mr. Palmer.
State, and they have no desire to go on relief.
These men tell me that they cannot work in high-speed industries.
Mr. PALMER. May I introduce, Senator, the statement which was
made at the Denver hearing, as showing some additional facts?
They would be of no value whatever to the war effort, for example,
The CHAIRMAN. That is, as a part of your statement?
in an arms plant. They know their districts, because they have
Mr. PALMER, As a part of my statement.
gained their livelihood in those districts. They know the forma-
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it may be received.
tions of those districts, and they know how to mine those districts.
(The statement referred to is as follows:)
It may seem a simple matter to try to transfer these people to other
mining areas. But we might ask the question: Where? An exact
COLORADO A GOLD AND SILVER STATE
study of our situation would indicate that that is not possible. These
Colorado is well known as & gold and silver State. In total value gold was the
men have asked me in all sincerity to offer the plea here to the Senate
leading metal produced in Colorado from 1858 to the present, but in annual value
committee and to the members of the War Production Board to help
it was surpassed by silver from 1874 to 1896.
them stay in the districts in which they gain their livelihood and al-
MINING 15 ONE OF COLORADO'S MOST IMPORTANT BASIC INDUSTRIES
low them to continue in their operations and permit them to help
the war effort, if in no other way than by the purchase of War Bonds.
Mining is one of Colorado's most important basic industries. Mineral-
As to cooperation in the use of steel and other equipment, I wish
producing activities are carried on in 47 counties. The recent order issued by the
War Production Board would, in our opinion, affect mining activities in 42 of these
to call your attention to the original P-56 order. Section G, which
counties. Numerous taxes are paid by those operating these mining concerns,
provides for restrictions on inventory, as follows:
including real property taxes, production taxes, corporation taxes, income taxes,
No operator shall accept deliveries (whether or not rated pursuant to this
sales and service taxes, social security taxes, workmen's compensation costa, etc.
As an illustration of our situation in Colorado, one county has not & single acre of
order) of operating supplies or other material which will increase such operator's
inventory of such operating supplies or other material to an amount greater than
agricultural land in the county. Farm products are bought locally, and the
the minimum necessary for the efficient operation of his business, and the ratio
closing of the mines not only affects the miners themselves and their numerous
dependente but all of those who supply the mines with materials used in them as
of inventory to current production shall in no event exceed the ratio of average
well as the supplies necessary for the men who run the mines. The far-reaching
inventory to average production for the years 1938, 1930, and 1940.
effect on the counties, the State, and the Nation can only be referred to here.
The mining men with whom I have come in contact in our section
have told me that when they received this order, they did their ut-
ORES COMPLEX
most to cooperate; and after all, it is our feeling that the operator of
The large majority of Colorado mines produce gold, silver, copper, lead, and
n mine, when he gives you his cooperation, can save more than any
zine from complex ores in which all or a part of the five metals mentioned are
arbitrary ruling which may or may not be made here in Washington.
present. From 1859 through 1941 the dollar value of Colorado's production of
gold, silver, copper, lead, and zine was $1,831,304,935. The total value of the
If you have the whole-hearted cooperation of the superintendent of
gold and silver production was $1,382,552,191. Subtracting the second figure
the mine, the foremen, and the workmen, you are going to save all
from the first, we have $448,752,744 as the total figure for the production of
the equipment possible. They are not going to use any more supplies
copper, lead, and sine in Colorado. These figures show us that 75.2 percent in
in the operation of the mine than is absolutely necessary.
value of gold and silver and 24.8 percent in value of copper, lead, and sino were
produced. These figures are introduced here only to show us that if we take into
I have made mention of the small operators. These men are not
account the total production of our State from 1859 to the present we can readily
wealthy men; they are generally poor men. They are mining marginal
see that none of the production could have possibly taken place had the present
ore. They are not able to maintain large inventories. Many of the
priority classification existed.
larger operators tell me that they can comply with the inventory
75052-42-pt. ID
Regraded Unclassified
626
SILVER
SILVER
627
1940 FIGURES
The third governmental agency to announce publicly the policy of the United
Taking the 1940 production figures in value for all gold, ailver, copper, lead, and
States Government was the Secretary of the Interior, Harold L. Ickee, who
in 1940 was $10,762,153. In the same year the total copper, lead, and sine
sine producers in Colorado we find the following: Total gold and silver production
stated over B. national broadonat: "The Interior Department is for a greater use
of mineral resources of the Nation than has yet been made." The policy then BJF
duction was $4,531,512, the total of the two being $24,293,665, The perment pro-
announced by our Government is quite clear that the mining men of Colorado
value of gold and silver was 81.4 percent and the percent value of copper, lead, and
and of the West are called upon to increase the production of copper, lead, and
zine was 18.6 percent. Thus we see that the production during 1940 le far is
sinc.
excess of the 30 percent set out in the order. We know from experience in Colo-
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD BULINGS
rado that when the gold and silver production is up, copper, lead, and sime pro-
duction is up, taking into consideration all economic factors.
Under Preference Rating Order P-56, under which we have recently been
operating up until March 2, we find the following definition of a mining enterprise:
PROCEDURE
"(a) (2) (i) Any plant actually engaged in the extraction by surface, open-pit,
or underground methods, or in the beneficiation, concentration, or preparation
Two points should be made clear before we proceed any further with the pres.
for shipment of the products of mining activity, but not including that form of
entation of the facts and reasons why we believe you are justified in extending
mining known as gold placer mining.'
the provisions of Preference Rating Order P-56, amended March 2, 1942, to the
Under Preference Rating Order P-56, as amended on March 2, 1942, we find
metal mines of Colorado,
in addition to the former definition of a mine the following exclusion: "Any plant
First, The mining people of Colorado are as patriotic as any group of oitizens
more than 30 percent of the production of which in dollar value consists of gold
in the United States, As evidence of this fact miners from Colorado were name
and/or silver."
the first listed in the notices of casualties in the Far East. We have oversub-
We feel that discussion here OIL preference ratings should be restricted primarily
scribed our allotments for Defense bonds: we have curtailed the use of materials
to the reasons why this peculiar yardstick was used in granting serial numbers
vital to the national defense and made substitutions where practicable: we have
or rights to obtain materials with which to mine. Preference Rating Order P-100
replenished steel plants with our scrap metal and have kept inventories at a bare
was issued on December 18, 1941, and in A blanket order under which the mining
minimum for continued operation; we are endeavoring now to increase the pro-
industry can qualify but in numerous instances has been unable to get materials
duction of the metals which are vital to our national security, and have piedged
and supplies for repair and maintenance.
our cooperation in every other way consistent with sound policy at our recent
While we realize that discussion of PD-1-a forms will creep into this hearing,
convention in Denver on January 24.
we point out that this order was made optional last February 2 and was required
Second. We are not criticizing Dr. Wilbur Nelson, Administrator of the Mintng
after March 1. We were, therefore, operating until the recent order largely under
Branch, Materials Division of the War Production Board, for we feel that he is
Preference Rating Order P-56 BS amended December 2, 1941, and were trying
capable, efficient, conscientious, and courteous, We fully appreciate the prob-
our best to produce the metals which our Government has announced it needs to
win this war.
lems which are confronting the Mining Branch for we have visited the offices of
the Branch in Washington and know all too well of the crowded conditions under
We are at B loss to understand why in the order of March 2, 1942, we were
which Dr. Nelson and his assistants are working, and of the confusion which of
excluded simply because the values of our ore in dollar value in in excess of 30
necessity must exist with the assumption of such B. tremendous task as handling
percent and that we are restricted from using this particular order unless we go
the requirements of the mining industry. With as new staff the difficulties are
through the procedure which you have described at this hearing. You have
doubly apparent. We only wish that Dr. Nelson had more authority and more
sent to all of those companies who formerly had serial numbers a questionnaire
facilities, (LS well BS a larger staff with which to work. We feel that with the clari-
in which you have asked them to state the dollar values of the different metals
fication of the facts here presented, and the portrayal of the exact conditions which
in their ore. One might well ask "What difference does this make AS long as the
exist in the mining industry in Colorado, based on past relations with Dr. Nelson
metals needed by our Government are being produced? What value should we
and others in this governmental agency, the proper corrections will be made; and
use? The value of the ore at the collar of the shaft or at the portal of the tunnel,
or at the point of origin? Shall we use the New York, St. Louis, or Leavdille
that instead of placing obstacles in the way of progress and increased production
the War Production Board will see its way clear to assist the Industry produce
price? Shall we use the analysis given by the smelter or shall we use the assay
value taken at the mine of all of the metals produced?
those metale for victory which the mining industry of Colorado can produce.
We feel fully justified in objecting to discrimination against Colorado's mines.
We call your attention to the fact that the actual amounts received in final
RELEASE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON PREMIUM PRICES
settlements for copper, lead, and zine in Colorado are, in many instances, much
On February 1, 1942, the Office for Emergency Management released informa-
lower than in some of the other States. Are we to pay additional penalties by being
tion explaining that on that date premium prices of 17 centa for copper, 11 cente
deprived of priorities simply because we are at the present time penalized more
for zine, and 014 cents for load would be paid to producers of these metals in excess
than they are in some sections to which we will refer?
of 1941 production for a period of 2½ years, ending July 31; 1944, with the pro-
What logical basis is there for this 30 percent figure? We have shown that it
vision that should the emergency end before July 31, 1944, the Metals Reserve
certainly was not the result of an analysis of the ore values produced in the State
Company reserves the right to terminate this arrangement on equitable terms to be
in any year from 1859 to the present; or using the total figures of the entire period
announced at a later date. While it is true that as far as we are informed none of
this was not the case.
our producers have yet received this premium for metale produced in this State,
Since the order has been released you tell us that while we are excluded from
we desire to call your attention to the first paragraph of this rolease which we take
the order you intend to take care of us one by one after we have made application
to be the announced policy of William L. Batt, Director of Materials Division
to Washington, and you have referred our individual cases to the proper metal
of the War Production Board, and Leon Henderson, Administrator of the Office
divisions. For example, copper to the copper division, lead to the lead division,
and so forth.
of Price Administration:
"The expansion of the armament program following the entry of the United
We submit in all fairness that it in much easier to examine the production of the
States into the war has made it imperative that unusual steps be taken to increase
metais in our State and of the different mines in the State and to tell us whether
further the output of copper, lead, and zine because of their prime importance ⑉
you want the total amount of lead, sine, and copper we are now producing and
the production of armaments."
whether you are sincere in your announced policy and are In line with the other
In the first paragraph of Preference Rating Order P-56, as amended to March
departments of Government which seem to think that we need these metals for
our war effort,
2, 1942, We find in section 982.1, the following: "For the purpose of facilitating
the acquisition of material for continued and expanded operation of mining
When you examine our smelter schedules submitted here for your convenience
enterprises in the public interest and to promote the national defense, preference
we believe that any fair-minded person would see the inconsistency of the dollar
rating orders are hereby assigned to deliverice of such material upon the terms
value basis in & district such as ours, We again hear your answer: "We have-
hereinafter set forth."
nothing to fear." We realise that you are A square-shooter and that you mean,
Regraded Unclassified
628
SILVER
SILVER
629
just what you any, but as pointed out by Senator McCarran in Novada, you
not glued to your job and there is always the possibility that we might have in
provisions the mines of Colorado and not exclude those mines which produce
deal with someone other than yourself. We know from past. experience In dealing to
more than 30 percent of their dollar value in gold and silver.
with offices located at any distance-whether they be in Washington or elsewhere-
We have called your attention to our smelter eituation-one lead smelter in
on the same basis regardless of personalities.
that it is far better to have a ruling made specifically 80 that all will be treated
Leadville. The manager of this plant states that less than 10 percent of the
shippers to that plant could qualify under this order. If 90 percent of the shippers
We might well ask, Do you want the 0,134,000 pounds of lead, zine, and copper
were cut off, you know the smelter would close down. Since the order has been
and the additional production we can make in Colorado if you but put your
(ssued you have told us that you have no intention of shutting down these mines
orders in writing 50 that the industry will know exactly where It stands? Mining
or the smelter; that you intend to take care of us by some other method; that we
operations cannot be conducted with fairness to all on such & proposition as you
might use an A-10 rating under P-100; that we might have our rights reeatab-
submit to us. We were given assurances by other departments of the Federal
lished after our applications have been referred to Washington on an individual
Government, but we are sorry to say that experience has taught us that them
basis and individual action taken after recommendations have been made by the
assurances have never materialized.
different metals sections of the War Production Board.
MATERIAL 15 SHORT
TIME IS SHORT-RED TAPE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED
understand that there is a shortage of many of the materials used by the
It requires effort both at the mine and in Washington to handle these orders.
mining industry in producing the metals necessary for war, but in examining the
Someone pointed out that the orders themselves are printed with type made
figures in Colorado of steel, for example, we do not think that our demands are
from lead. We can do away with a great many of these orders and simplify them
great enough to justify you in closing down entire communities and In disrupting
and enable many of the men employed in Washington to help in some of the
our way of life and the economic well-being of the people who will stay at home
essential industries, and by the same token enable the miners to spend more time
and fight the battles here on the home front while their sons are fighting in the
in the mine getting out the metals we 50 desperately need.
front lines. Our figures show only 350 tons of manganese steel were used in 1941,
Boats earrying ore to this country are being sunk. We must produce these
only 250 tons of the carbon drill steels, only 1,400 tons of mild steel, and 500 tone
metals and we submit in all fairness that Individual applications, based on the
of alloy steels, or & total of 2,500 tons. Surely the production of the lead, nine,
theory that all items purchased from one company be Included on an individual
and copper justifies the use of this small amount of steel in Colorado. Had you
application but separate applications must be made where purchases are made
used the requirements of the industry in the form of steel as A basis on which
from different suppliers, complications too numerous to mention will creep In. We
priorities might be granted, there might be some logic to your position.
want the industry classified as an industry and not on an individual and possibly
a personal basis.
We even go further. We state that In many districts in Colorado the scrap
Ore bodies in Colorado may be smaller and may change from time to time In
metal finding its way back to the steel plants is much greater than at any former
period; therefore, the figures of the amount of steel used in the industry are a
metal values, but we are able to get by and produce the metals you ask us to
cessive for we returned part of this steel to the steel plants to be used for processing
produce because of the gold and silver values. Gold and silver have made many
of our other industries possible. Many of these mining organizations are today
in making new equipment.
financing additional development work in districts which have heretofore, and
FD-1-A FORMS
possibly will in the future be known for the strategic metal values.
We think that PD-1-A forms might be used by some companies where they
We are all in this war together; we want to win; we want all of the mines to
have efficient bookkeeping methods, clerical help, etc., and where the operations
work; we want all of the people in all of the mining districts to do their part.
are large enough to justify the keeping of stocks of supplies. We call your
We will pay back in taxes a large part of the values of the gold and silver. We
attention to the fact that under the old order P-56 we agreed to keep our stocks
will build up and strengthen our economic welfare. We will do the things for
at & minimum and that we would not use priority ratings except where they
which we are fighting this war and you can count on the Colorado miners to deliver.
were needed, and then you will recall each plant agreed to file each month es
The people of this State are aroused, and justly so; they are indignant to think
form PD-119 & list of those items which it has purchased during the prior month
that such an order as yours would be thrust upon us at this time. We count on
on which it had used preference ratings. You have a constant check nn these
our public officials to get the job done-not penalize the mining industry by
companies, and not only that but you have the full cooperation of the mining
making such ridiculous orders as P-56 as amended March 2, 1942.
men of this State and you can easily cut off any mining company which exceeds
its quota fixed in the former order, as well as the present order, by your own
Senator McCARBAN. Mr. MacBoyle, will you please come to the
table?
yardstick, If you want to make a survey of the amount of material used under
these higher preference retings, we will be most happy to make this survey and
show you how small the demands of the industry are in comparison with its
STATEMENT OF ERROL MacBOYLE, MINING ENGINEER AND
value to our economic welfare and to the national war effort. Surely there
must be some balance in the issuance of such orders. Objectives must be 000-
CHAIRMAN, STATE MINING BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
sidered with results, and the morale of our people, as well as the livelihood of
those of us who must stay put during this emergency, need your consideration.
Senator McCahran. Mr. MacBoyle, will you kindly state your
Our little mines keep very small inventories; in fact it can be proven that
name, address, and position or occupation for the record?
large companies use more material per ton of ore produced than little miners.
Mr. MACBOYLE. My name is Errol MacBoyle. I am a mining
Little miners must conserve their capital; they must receive prompt payments
for their shipments of ore; and they also need supplies promptly in order to
engineer and am chairman of the State Mining Board of California.
survive. It in the well known problem of little business which has been before
the public considerably recently, but the sum of the production of metals of all
here. I am representing Governor Olson, who has asked me to represent him
of these little mines is our one hope of increased metal production in this country.
I do not have any notes or any data; that will be covered very com-
Many of the larger operations are at capacity, thanks to your department's
efficient classification of their priority needs, We only ask for the same COD-
prehensively in Mr. Knorp's report, which I think you have, that was
sideration for the small mines. It is silly to say that we are misrepresenting
compiled by the California Chapter of the American Mining Congress.
your order, Your order means exactly what it says. The order should be
All of us operators-I am a gold-mining operator myself-supplied
changed to include the situation which we have in Colorado.
The mining men of the State of Colorado, after careful consideration, 5 great
that data, which I think will give any information which the War
deal of deliberation, concerted discussion, and numerous conferences with st
Production Board or the committee may need.
torneys, engineers, technicians, operators, prospectors, and miners recommend
The CHAIRMAN, For the record, would you please state whether or
to you that you amend your Order P-56, dated March 2, 1942, and include in (to
Regraded Unclassified
630
SILVER
SILVER
631
not the order as it existed 10 days ago was having a harmful effect
on the industry in your State?
Mr. NELSON. That publicity was just a misinterpretation of
8
Mr. MACBOYLE, I would say that the order, when it came out of a
priority order. It was misinterpreted by the press.
clear sky, caused great consternation, to say the least. The Governor
Mr. MACBOYLE. I appreciate that, Dr. Nelson. The unfortunate
of California was very much disturbed over that, because it meant,
part of it is that some of the press will jump at conclusions.
the way the order read, practically the closing of all our gold mines
But I think that Congressman Englebright will back me up when
on the mother lode, some of which had operated without stopping
I say that all the gold miners, if they felt in any way that their oper-
ations were interfering in the least with the winning of this war,
since 1850.
would close down and let the mines fill.
As to the mine which I represent, the Idaho-Maryland, which is
But as to the amount of this material and whether a lot of these
probably the second largest gold mine in the United States, it would
orders are really necessary, we think it can be cleared up and shown
have meant ultimately the closing down of the property, and that
to the War Production Board and shown to the people of California
means destruction of the communities. For instance, in Nevada
and the other mining States. I think it is going to take quite &
County there are about 20,000 people, of whom probably 18,000 are
burden off the shoulders of Dr. Nelson and the War Production Board.
dependent upon the gold mines.
I do not want to tell them how to run their business, but that is just
At that time we did not know whether the taking over of the mines
the opinion of an observer. We feel that the gold mines can be kept
in the Philippines by the Japs was any worse than what the War
in operation with the use of very little material. The larger mines
Production Board was going to do with the gold mines of California.
have supplies on hand that will last for some time.
But Dr. Nelson in his administration is, I think, trying to do the best
But the thing that was uppermost in our minds was the fact that
he can under very adverse circumstances.
the gold mines would be closed down without any chance afforded to
The CHAIRMAN. That gives the influence that the order had when
try to keep alive. We feel that if the gold mines can be kept alive
it was first promulgated. For the record, if you will, state whether or
through this period of stress, ultimately the gold mines are going to
not the execution or the administration of that örder has been harmful
help save the United States after this is over, because we all feel-we
to your mines,
may be prejudiced-that gold and also silver will be badly needed
Mr. MACBOYLE. Well, in 8 few cases it has. Of course, Dr. Nelson
after the expenditure of these, shall I say, astronomical figures is over
mentioned here the other day the Argonaut mine and said that the
with. Dr. Nelson in his administration has, I feel, given every con-
mine was really closed because it was making a small losa. But that
sideration he could. For instance, I asked him at Reno whether if a
mine, if I may disagree a little, has a large fund behind it. Probably
pump broke down we would have to close our mine. Since then,
the loss of $30,000 or so would not have made any difference under
under his administration, we feel that we can go ahead, operate, and
normal conditions; but under the conditions of uncertainty and the
keep our mines out of water.
lack of labor that now exists it does make a difference. For instance,
The mine I represent has about a hundred miles of working-as Mr.
our mine which a year ago was operating with 1,000 men has,
Conover said, heavy ground, and the rest of it. If that mine should
according to the last report, probably 600 left. I want to make
fill up, it would probably cost us a million dollars to reopen it, if it
mention, too, of the rather unfortunate publicity that goes out on
ever was reopened, because these deep mines are difficult to reopen.
some of these things, which, I have been assured by Dr. Nelson,
The Idaho-Maryland was filled up and was reopened a few years ago
is being taken care of. However, the last order about the powder
at & cost of a million dollars, That is mentioned just to give you a
came out in the headlines of the Wall Street Journal as Gold Mines
picture of what it means.
Denied Powder." Well, immediately there was great consternation
The CHAIRMAN. What is your reaction to the istatement made by
in California, because you cannot dig holes without dynamite.
Dr. Nelson this morning as to the clause about the 30 percent? What
Representative ENCLEBRIGHT. If I may interrupt, on that powder
effect will that have upon your industry?
order, I might say out of deference to Dr. Nelson, I got in touch
Mr. MACBOYLE. I think that that will all be from the psychological
with Dr. Nelson the day he arrived in Washington from a trip out of
end. The men have felt that they have got to move out of the gold
town and spoke to him with reference to that particular situation, and
mine areas because of the uncertainty of what the future will be.
he assured me that it was an error in publication, and I told him at
They all feel from the publicity that has been put out that the War
that time that I intended to communicate with all the northern
Production Board was ultimately going to close down the gold mines,
California papers in order to correct the situation. It was very
They were looking for some place to mine,
unfortunate. Would you tell us just what effect it had with reference
I know what has been said-that these men could be put to better
to labor right in our home community, because we both live in the
work in the strategic minerals. But we feel that if these gold mines
same community?
can be kept in operation-I am speaking now for our own mine-our
Mr. MACBOYLE. I can say that within 2 days we had lost 75
directors have said, "Go ahead into strategic minerals, even at a
men. It would have been all right if those men had gone into war
loss, in order to produce," and that is what Governor Olson has
production, but unfortunately that was not the case. Quite a number
wanted, too.
went down to that camp at Marysville and immediately became
We have out there R fund to stimulate the production of strategic
carpenters.
minerals. But to do that, gold mines will have to have some source
of income, because none of us have such large reserves that we can
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
632
SILVER
633
go in. But we want to keep our geological staffs and our mining men
together. That can be done by turning part of the income from the
Mr. MURPHY. But they didn't know it. They said, "We cannot
gold mines into the transfer to strategic minerals, which we are per-
get it. There is the order from Washington." They had a copy of
fectly willing to do. We are now working along that line with Dr.
it. So, they were kind of confused about the matter. I was just
Nelson, the Metals Reserve Company, and the rest of them, trying
thinking that if Dr. Nelson would write me a letter to the effect that
you do not need a serial number in order to get powder, I would
to do that.
The CHAIRMAN. It seems to me, under the developments brought
have it published in all the papers of the State, and it would be
out by this hearing, that every mining camp and every mine, in effect,
helpful.
Mr. NELSON. I will give you that letter before you leave.
is an individual problem.
Mr. MURPHY. I heard Dr. Nelson make the statement that he did
Mr. MACBOYLE. I think it is.
The CHAIRMAN. It has to be considered by the Board, on the one
not know of any mines that had been shut down on account of pri-
orities. I sent out a lot of questionnaires to the mines, and quite a
hand, or the mine or the community on the other. Then you will
few of them have been returned. We have had mines in Nevada
come to some agreement, and that agreement will be presumed to be
that shut down, as the statements will bear out, because they cannot
in the best interest of our war effort.
go on. They have stated, also, in some cases, that they can run only
Mr. MACBOYLE. I agree entirely with that. As I say, Dr. Nelson
from 60 to 90 days, and not later than the 1st of August, on account
has been very fair in all his rulings. I think that if it is left in hands
of a lack of supplies. The reason they are working now is that they
like that as to the future, the gold mines can get by until better times,
had supplies on hand that will carry them over until that time.
The CHAIRMAN. We thank you for your statement, unless there are
Senator McCARRAN. Are the mines you are now mentioning mines
some questions.
that are producing strategic or war-essential metals?
Mr. NELSON. Might I just state that I do not doubt at all any of
Mr. MURPHY. No; the ones producing strategic or war-essential
the statements made by Mr. MacBoyle, but I would like to call
metals have got serial numbers. It is gold and silver mines I am
attention to the fact that at the time this amendment was made on
speaking of.
March 2 there were only 9 of the 50 mines of the Mother Lode that
Senator McCARRAN. Are they straight gold or silver mines?
were operating under this order.
Mr. MURPHY. Some are gold and silver, and some are straight
Mr. MACBOYLE. Yes; I appreciate that. Of course, nobody wants
silver. For instance, the Nevlock, near Silver Peak, is purely silver;
to get under regulations until it is absolutely necessary.
nothing else. They are working 150 men there, and his question-
Senator McCARRAN. Mr. Matt Murphy is the next speaker.
naire, returned, said that about the 1st of August he would have to
shut down.
STATEMENT OF MATT MURPHY, INSPECTOR OF MINES, STATE
Senator McCARRAN. Is that Mr. Chord?
OF NEVADA, CARSON CITY, NEV.
Mr. MURPHY. No, Mr. Chord's is Silver Peak. This is Desert
Silver, of Nevlock. Mr. Chord is the one that shut down.
Senator McCARRAN. Will you please state your name, your official
Senator McCARRAN. Mr. Chord's is what?
position, and your residence for the record?
Mr. MURPHY. Mary Mines.
Mr. MURPHY. My name is Matt Murphy. I am State Mine In-
Senator McCARRAN. That has closed down?
spector for the State of Nevada, and I am located at Carson City,
Mr. MURPHY. That has closed down.
Nev. I am also Emergency Coordinator of Mines of the State of
Senator McCARRAN. Was that straight silver?
Nevada.
Mr. MURPHY. Gold and silver.
Senator McCARRAN. Any statement you care to make we will be
Senator McCARRAN. And no war essential metal?
glad to have, Mr. Murphy.
Mr. MURPHY. None whatever. The camp at Silver Peak was
Mr. MURPHY. Well, I was very well pleased when I heard Dr.
depending on that particular mine, and there is nobody at all there
Nelson say this morning that the 30 percent of gold and silver was
now.
cut out, and I am sure it will have a very good effect in our State as
Senator McCARRAN. I wonder what the record is, if the doctor has
well as in all the other Western States.
that? What is the record, if you have it with you, as to whether or
Now, there is one thing I would like to ask Dr. Nelson to do.
not the Mary Mine of Mr. Chord made application?
The CHAIRMAN. Will you spenk a little louder, please?
Mr. NELSON. They stated that they were voluntarily closing down
Mr. MURPHY. There is one thing I would like to ask Dr. Nelson
to go into the mining of strategic materials.
to do, and I think it would help out a lot in our State as well as the
Senator McCarran. That is what his written statement says?
others.
Mr. NELSON. That is what his written statement says.
A lot of the miners back there, when that order came out about
Senator McCARRAN. So, he did not make application for a serial
the powder, that they had to have a serial number under P-56, A-8,
number?
to get powder at all, came into my office and said they tried to get
Mr. NELSON. No, he said he was going to try to go into the mining
powder from the dealers and couldn't get it; they bad to have serial
of strategic minerals and was shutting his mine down.
numbers. They had been telling them that under instructions from
Mr. MURPHY. His questionnaire reads differently. He shut down
Dr. Nelson they could not get any powder without a serial number.
on account of not being able to get supplies.
Mr. NELSON. They can.
Regraded Unclassified
634
SILVER
SILVER
635
Senator McCarran. Yes.
Mr. MURPHY. Now, the conditions that existed in our State before
the present priority rating for gold and silver mines so that they can
the seriel numbers were taken away were that several of the gold
continue to work and not be forced to shut down.
mines in our State had engineers out looking over properties containing
That exists today in our State, and there is a lot of dissatisfaction,
strategic materials and were financing their inspections and develop-
especially since this powder order came out, We all appreciate what
ment work with money deriv from their gold mines, having no money
Dr. Nelson has done since the meeting in Reno. I have heard a lot
available from other sources. If they cannot operate their gold minea,
of people speak highly ef Dr. Nelson and they believe that his heart
and soul is with the mining people; at the same time they do not
I am informed, they will have to stop their exploration and develop-
think that they should be out out of powder; that they have to do
ment work.
development work even in looking for strategic materials.
Because of the uncertainty of getting material with which to work,
Mr. NELSON. They were never cut out of powder. That was
most of our gold mines are not at present doing any development work,
and when the ore they have in sight is exhausted they will not have
just a misstatement made in the press.
Mr. MURPHY. The miners in our country do not know anything
any reserves to fall back on. Consequently they will be forced to
different from what Will Rogers said: They know only what they
close, as the overhead expenses would be as great for a smell crew of
read in the papers.
men as for a full force mining ore and also doing development work.
Mr. NELSON. I do not believe that anyone supplying powder to a
We have many miners working the gold and silver mines who are
miner can stop supplying him on the basis of a newspaper story, do
now past 50 and 60 years of age and have never done any other work
you?
but mining. Put them in a mine, and they are just as good men at
Mr. MURPHY. He might not be able to stop supplying him, but
this work 05 they were 20 years ago, but take them out of a mine and
when a miner goes up and looks for powder and is told, "You can't
they would be lost.
have it," it is like the story of the man who was in jail and was told
At the present time the majority of the miners employed in the gold
by his friend, "They can't put you there." But the man said, "I
mines are past the draft age, most of the younger men having been
am here." It is the same story exactly.
called in the draft. I know of a number of instances where these elderly
Mr. NELSON. I do not think we can be blamed for that.
miners have sons that have been called to duty with the armed forces.
Mr. MURPHY. If we can clarify that situation, I think it would
Most miners have families, own their own homes, are regular investors
help a lot; and if you, Dr. Nelson, will give me that letter, as you say,
in war bonds, and are in general good, substantial citizens. If they
I will see to it that the miners in the State of Nevada all get it.
are compelled to leave their homes because of the mines shutting down,
Mr. NELSON. We have already put out a number of releases on that
and have to go out and look for some other kind of work, it will work
subject to clarify the whole thing, and We understood it went to all
n great hardship on them and their familis. These men are past the
the Western papers.
age where they can secure employment in defense work, and even if
Mr. MURPHY. Well, there are 8. lot of prospectors and men doing
they could, I am doubtful if they could hold down such jobs, because
small operating who do not get those papers except once a month or
of the difficulty of learning a new trade after a lifetime spent in mining.
once every 2 months. They are a long distance from the railroad,
Not only would there be a great deal of personal hardships if the
they have no automobile tires, and they have to walk, and the walking
gold mines should shut down, but it would have serious effects eco-
in parts of Nevada is pretty rough. That is the reason. But I can
nomically. The standard of living of this large group of people would
write to each one, after I get it from you.
be greatly reduced, and hence their ability to buy bonds and stamps.
Mr. NELSON. Allright. I will furnish you with that.
Because of their lack of skill in a new type of work, they could not
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. Just taking into consideration the
command as high wages as they had earned mining. Also, many
more or less consternation that resulted from the unfortunate press
communities in Western States are almost wholly dependent upon a
release, I wonder if it would be possible for Dr. Nelson to send to the
nearby mine or mines for their livelihood. They would be seriously
Representatives in Congress who come from these localities where
affected and their very existence threatened if those mines were closed
critical conditions exist and where gold and silver mines are located,
down.
copies of the press releases. In other words, we do not get that news
Nearly all of our gold mines are fully equipped with machinery,
until we read it in the newspapers. Then, as in this case, the damage
but in case of a break-down they should have a higher rating than the
has been done. If we can pick it up at the same time the press does,
A-10 rating provided by Order P-100. Form PD-1A, which they
perhaps we may be able to eliminate the difficulties. I wonder if
can use to apply for IL higher rating, would have to be filled in, sent to
that would be possible.
Washington, and approved by the War Production Board before
Mr. NELSON. Congressman Englebright, I will be delighted to send
needed equipment could be purchased to mend the break-down. In
any press release or any information we have in our office at any time
my opinion the amount of material the gold mines use in their opera-
to any list that will be furnished me.
tions would not work any great hardship on the need for such material
The CHAIRMAN. Again, that is an individual proposition, and those
for national defense. While in Nevada and all the Western States
Members of the Congress who desire to socure the releases should, I
the first thought of all our people is to win the war and win it as
suggest, take the matter up with the Department and make that
quickly as possible, still I believe there should be a. change made in
request, and no doubt it will be granted.
Regraded Unclassified
636
SILVER
SILVER
637
STATEMENT OF CHARLES L. BRADBURY, PRESIDENT, NEW
MEXICO MINERS AND PROSPECTORS ASSOCIATION, ALBU.
from markets that it is just impossible to bring this stuff out and get
it to a smelter.
QUERQUE, N. MEX.
It has been mentioned here several times that every mine is an
Senator McCarran. Mr. Bradbury, will you state your full name'
individual problem, which is certainly true-almost as human beings
your residence, and your position, if any?
are individuals. Of course, we are just going into this war now and
Mr. BRADBURY. My name is Charles L. Bradbury. I come from
must look forward to a long period of cooperation and help from the
Albuquerque, N. Mex. I am president of the New Mexico Miners
War Production Board and the miners in doing everything in their
and Prospectors Association. I am a mining engineer operating lead,
power to help insure the maximum production of all the metals. That
zine, and copper mines in New Mexico.
goes without saying.
When we had this friendly rivalry among the Western States about
I am sure that the War Production Board was organized very
production a while back, I believe Montana got first prize with
suddenly and very recently, but it is of the utmost importance, to
$2,000,000,000. I think it might be of interest to note that the Butte
my mind, that the management and administration problems through
mines were originally sirver mines, with hardly a trace of copper, and
which they control the entire metal-mining industry be capably
that only by working those silver mines did they eventually come into
handled. Of course, it is essentially true that the personnel of the
the copper mines, which became the richest hill in the world.
Board should be composed of the most capable, most experienced
Mr. NELSON. Gold and silver.
producers of metals available in the country. Of course, also, it is
Mr. BRADBURY. Also, I think it is a known fact that a great many
hard to say who is and who is not. But I think it might be of great
assistance to the mining men if 8. record of, say, the top 25 men in the
prospectors who are panning streams for gold have found a lot of
alluvial tin deposits in various places in the world.
Materials Division of the War Production Board, their experience
record, and so forth, were made available, so that we may understand
About this silver, which has been so kindly settled for the time
being, our principal silver mine in New Mexico is the Mogollan.
each other and talk the same language. Mining men are, you might
That is one of the few mines in our State that we have worked con-
well. say, micronisms in their own little world and know one another very
tinually for almost 60 years. In the Apache country in the early
In the most recent edition of the Mining Journal, for instance, there
years it was a very dangerous place to be, and the man who dis-
appears EL full-page diagram showing the personnel. It has on one
covered the district was killed by the Apaches on the place,
page here 25 names of top men in the Materials Division. I have been
It was only due to the fact that the Mogollan was working that the
mining for more than 20 years, and I was rather surprised-I think
very big copper deposits of Morenci, in Arizona, 30 miles away, were
perhaps I am getting out of circulation, becoming an old fogey-that
discovered and opened up. The fact that the Mogollan was the
I did not recognize a single name on the paper.
spearhead of civilization permitted that to be done. That mine is
So I undertook to inform myself and look them up in a volume
one of the mines that has gold and silver and is under a cloud on
entitled "Who's Who in Engineering," a very large, catholic document
account of this matter which we are discussing.
that has thousands of engineers listed, and I was able to find only 4
I happened to work in this mine as mine shift boss some years ago,
of those 25 listed.
so I have some personal recollection of the situation there. They
Now, this is the directory of the American Institute of Mining and
have about a 100-ton operation, and I would assume that the principal
Metallurgical Engineers. It has the names of 12,000 men who are
item of consumption of iron and steel is in grinding media-grinding
mining engineers or are engaged in allied branches. I could find the
balls and crushing surfaces-and the consumption is probably about
names of only 5 of the 25 in that. Of the 5, 4 were college professors
100 tons n year. That is A very small amount of steel or iron, and I
and I was a geologist. There is nothing in this record to show that
am sure that there must be thousands of tons of scrap on the property
any of these gentlemen have operated a mine.
at Mogollan.
The CHAIRMAN. What do you want the committee to conclude as &
I have in mind for the mines the idea that has been adopted for
result of your statement?
swapping an empty toothpaste tube in order to get a full one. Why
Mr. BRADBURY. Why, I have no suggestion whatever to make in
cannot the mines do that, working on the same basis? The only thing
that respect. I might add that, unfortunately, Dr. Nelson is not in
scarce is the metal-the iron and steel. What stops that is that this
either one of these.
particular scrap around this mine is 75 miles away from a railroad, and
Mr. EATON. Just as in a mine all the work is done underground, BO
the price at which scrap iron is now pegged makes it impossible to
in the War Production Board the work is done below the level of the
bring that scrap steel 75 miles by truck and railroad and then many
top 25 who get their pictures in the paper.
more miles to the nearest smelter, at Pueblo, Colo. So what is actu-
Mr. BRADBURY. This is just overhead, then,
ally causing that shortage is, apparently, the price peg on scrap iron
Mr. NELSON. In qualifying myself to speak on the first day of the
and steel.
hearings, I stated what my mining experience was.
I think that that is true also of a great many other mining properties
The CHAIRMAN. I am afraid that that is a matter this committee
in the remote places of the West. I think there are enormous quan-
cannot do very much about.
tities of scrap iron and steel on the properties, but they are so remote
Senator McCABRAN. We might have you listed in Who's Who.
Mr. NELSON. I have been in Who's Who for over 20 years, and I
Regraded Unclassified
638
SILVER
SHAER
639
belonged to the Association of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers
until I resigned several years ago.
mining machinery. Dr. Nelson developed yesterday or the day be-
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. I might say that when I first that
fore that many of these mining-machinery plants, because of the fine
Dr. Nelson, 15 or 16 years ago, he was, I believe, operating mines, I
quality of their equipment and the expertness of their workmen, have
been converted, in whole or in part, to making munitions. I think
knew him as a mining operator.
The CHAIRMAN. I do not believe it would be profitable to go very
it was also developed that there are probably 83,000 items of munitions
far back into the records of all of you.
and that perhaps it is a subject of speculation whether some of those
are more important than mining machinery.
Gentlemen, Mr. Knowlson is with us, and he desires to make a
Would it be a practical thing, for the benefit of the committee, to
statement.
have a survey made of the 183 plants that formerly made mining
machinery and that have, in whole or in part, been converted into
STATEMENT OF J. S. KNOWLSON, CHIEF, DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL
the making of munitions, to find out exactly what those plants are
OPERATIONS, WAR PRODUCTION BOARD
making and what percentage of their pay roll, or any other standards
Mr. KNOWLSON. My name is J. S. Knowlson. I am Chief of the
you want to take for judgment, is used in making mining machinery
Division of Industrial Operations, War Production Board.
and what percentage is used in making munitions, and also the type
of munitions, so that this committee can judge whether there is the
I simply want to take this opportunity of expressing my apprecia-
bottleneck which in part might be removed?
tion for being asked to come here and for having the opportunity of
My point is that I suspect that out of the 183 manufacturers some
listening to and learning something about the problems of the industry.
are probably making munitions, let us call them munitions, if you
I am in the Materials Division of the Board, and I have the misfor-
please, that are not PS important as mining machinery, but they are
tune to be n manufacturer rather than a mining man. Therefore, it
making those munitions because there is more profit in them than
is particularly advantageous to me to have this chance to be here with
there is in making mining machinery. If that is not developed as a
you.
fact, then we shall have witnessed a revolution in human nature.
I want to say that from the operating point of this picture, because
Would it be & practical, feasible thing to make such a survey?
the general supervision of priorities comes in under the supervision
Mr. KNOWLSON. I would think it might be perfectly feasible to
of my division, we have always felt that the mining interesta received
make at least a sample survey of that. It may be that we have at
very sympathetic and intelligent treatment under Dr. Nelson. We
this time available enough information on a survey we made in the
think that he appreciated the problems and fought the battles of that
last quarter to give a certain picture of that situation. With your
group or industry as well as any other was taken care of in the Board.
permission, I will have that checked up and give whatever information
One statement announced by Dr. Nelson created the impression
we have to Dr. Nelson at once.
that perhaps members of the staff of the War Production Board felt
Senator MILLIKIN. Mr. Chairman, I would most respectfully ask
that they were superminds. For myself and the other members, I am
that the committee receive such a report and consider it, because I
sure I can speak to say that we are far from feeling that we are super-
think it goes to the heart of one-half of our problem here.
intelligences. I think that we, more than any other group, are
Mr. KNOWLSON. We will only be able to tell you, I think, from the
conscious of how we do stumble and of how much too large for any of
rated pattern of their orders, which I have an idea we can do, how
us these jobs are that we are trying to do. Time hangs over us all
important their munitions work is.
like a vulture, and we are trying to rush to do this work. We are
Senator MILLIRIN. But it would be possible, if the committee
conscious that we make many, many mistakes. The only thing 1 can
wanted more details, to get them?
say is that we are willing to correct them as soon as possible. I think
Mr. KNOWLSON. Oh, yes.
you have evidence of that today in this removal of the 30 percent
Representative MURDOCK. Mr. Chairman, I have here a statement
limitation.
from one small mine operator in Arizona. I am wondering if it
I am very much interested in the comments about the scrap situa-
might be submitted for the record. This is just one statement from
tion. I think perhaps we can do something about that. I will take
a small mine operator in my State. I thought it might be substituted
here for the record.
it up at once with the proper authorities.
Once again I want to thank you and tell you how much I appreciate
The CHAIRMAN. Is it in the nature of a letter?
the opportunity of being here.
Representative MURDOCK. Yes, Senator. It is from the owner of
Senator MILLIKIN, May I ask a question of Mr. Knowlson, Mr.
State. A small gold mine who has attempted to get help from outside the
Chairman?
The CHAIRMAN. Certainly, Senator Millikin.
The letter indicates that the effect of the order of March 2 has been
Senator MILLIKIN. I am delighted to ask you, Mr. Knowlson,
to stop such development, and quotes three replies made by business
because you are a manufacturer.
firms showing that effect. Their statements were that due to the
I think that two points have been developed here very clearly.
order of March 2 they would not be interested for some time to come.
One is that the mining industry more than carries its weight in the
I felt that this would give some indication of the detrimental influence
boat, so far as production of critical materials is concerned.
upon the mining industry, as it worked out in this case. This is one
Then, we are confronted with the problem of the manufacturer of
of several communications I have received from Arizona complaining
Regraded Unclassified
640
SILVER
BILVER
641
of the harmful effects of the uncertainty occusioned by some of these
necessary wartime regulations.
somewhat. I do not know to what extent; perhaps Dr. Nelson does.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection the letter or the statement will
Mr. NELSON. The procedure is that you first apply to your county
be placed in the record.
board, and if you cannot get relief from your county board, you
(The letter referred to is as follows:)
apply to your State board, which has an 8-percent State quota, as I
MESA, ARIE., May 4, 1948.
understand it. If your State board does not give you relief, you
SENATE COMMITTEE ON MINES AND MINING,
apply to the national board, that has & 2-percent national quota for
Washington, D. C.
such purposes.
DEAR SIRS: While you are studying proposed legislation to give exemption
If you do not get relief from any of those agencies, I do not know
from assessment work to owners of mining claims, please permit me to present
what your next step would be.
picture of the predicament of the small gold-silver claim holder by citing my *
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Chairman, that was rectified to quite an extent
own case.
After 8 years of hard work and putting all the money I could raise into my
some time back. We could not get tires, but there was an order that
group of six claims, I now have them developed to the point where I have ship-
came out from the rationing boards that the mine inspectors can get
ping ore and should, in normal times, interest capital to work them. I have
tires, and they went. Three or four months ago we were not able to
advertised to no avail and have written to everyone I know of who mines for
get them in Nevada.
gold, and here are samples of the answers which I am receiving:
From the Ohio Mines Corporation, Goldpoint, Nev.:
One of the mine inspectors applied for a new tire. He wanted to
"With the increased restrictions on gold-silver mines imposed by the War
get R spare tire. So, the board ruled that he would have to turn in
Production Board we think it best to forego any examinations of new properties.
8 tire before he could get one. If he turned in one, that left only
If, at some future date, things should once more return to normal, we will be
three, so he told them, "If you give me one back, I will still have the
only too glad to contact you concerning the property."
same number as before."
From the Bald Mountain Mining Co., Trojan, 8. Dak.:
"It is becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain supplies for a gold and
The CHAIRMAN. I think that overybody has already observed that
silver operation and it is practically impossible to secure equipment to open 5
the conversion of a peacetime nation of 130,000,000 people into a war
new property, to place an old one in operation, or to expand production.
unit has occasioned not only delay but embarrassment. However,
"Under normal conditions we would be interested in A property having the
my own observation is that we are making rapid progress and that
apparent value of yours, but until the war in over it does not seem practical for
us to even consider making an examination."
these problems are being worked out as rapidly 85 we could reasonably
From Burton Bros., Inc., Rosamond, Calif.:
expect, and I think we are doing a fine job.
"From your description of the property it should be attractive in normal
Senator McCARRAN. The next speaker will be Mr. Dave Strickler.
times. However, under the present conditions, and with gold mines not having
a priority for supplies it would be unwise for anyone to try to open up & DEW
STATEMENT OF DAVE P. STRICKLER, PRESIDENT, CRIPPLE
property."
Such letters ILS these, coupled with the fact that the largest gold operators in
CREEK DEVELOPMENT CO., COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.
the country are shutting down for the duration of the war, are conclusive proof to
U.S. owners of gold-silver claims that we have been forced out of business for the
Senator McCARRAN. Please state your full name, residence, and
duration. Of course, you know that gold-silver claims have been excluded from
the position you hold.
the priority rating for equipment and supplies with which to mine.
Mr. STRICKLER. My name is Dave P. Strickler. I live at Colorado
In view of this situation, we feel that We are justly entitled to exemption from
our annual assessment work for as long as this condition shall exist, namely, the
Springs, Colo. I am president of the Cripple Creek Development
duration of the war, In the past, exemption was granted yearly about this time
Co., which operates in the Cripple Creek district.
of year after everyone had either made sacrifices to get his work done, or WM
I am attorney for the Midland Terminal Railroad, which hauls all
beside himself with worry because he was unable to do it. I hope that you will
the ore from the Cripple Creek district to the Golden Cycle mill. I
not give us the same treatment in this crisis.
Sincerely yours,
am also attorney for the Golden Cycle Corporation, which produces
ETHEL 8. CAPPE.
about five and a half million a year, and 90 percent of this comes
Representative MURDOCK. Senator, may I nsk a question that I am
from the Cripple Creek district. I have been familiar with the
not sure has a bearing on this? What about tires for the work of mine
Cripple Creek district for about 35 years.
inspectors, and that sort of thing? Has that been gone into?
I want to say, first, that I am greatly pleased with the statement
The CHAIRMAN. That has not been touched, as I remember.
made by Dr. Nelson this morning. I think it is going to clear up, I
Representative MURDOCK. It occurs to me that it is a vital matter
am satisfied, a great many people who were very much disturbed
to furnish tires for mine inspectors in their work of safety, lifesaving,
before that announcement. Perhaps they did not understand it,
and that sort of thing.
nevertheless, that will clear it up.
The CHAIRMAN. That gets back to the observation I made here
Another thing, Doctor, that I want to say to you is that your admin-
this morning: That each of these communities and each of the mines
istration of this order, worded particularly as it is, is certainly con-
presents an individual proposition. That is an individual proposition
clusive evidence to my mind of a most profound and sympathetic
to each inspector, and if these inspectors do not have the right to
interest that. in the mining industry. I do not think anybody can deny
priorities, then, of course, there is a place to which they can appeal
to try to make their case. In the event they are entitled to priorities,
I like Senator McCarran's suggestion, too, that the matter of ship-
no doubt they will be afforded tires by the proper authorities.
ping mining machinery to foreign countries be turned over to this
Representative MURDOCK. Perhaps the situation has been alleviated
board. I think that is where it should be.
7305242-pt.9-14
Regraded Unclassified
642
SILVER
SILVER
643
Mr. Bradbury brought up & matter here that has not been mentioned
by anyone else. It has surprised me that it was not mentioned before.
Now, how can we support our county form of Government and how
That is the price of scrap metal. There is no question that there is &
can we support our school districts if we are deprived of that tax?
lot of scrap metal, that is produced in the operation of gold and silver
It is impossible for us to function.
mines, and other mines, too, as far as that is concerned, in very romote
Another thing: That camp has been in existence since 1891. It
sections of the country, where the present selling price is insufficient
has been there so long that the people who live there are people who
to pay the cost of gathering and transporting that to the mill or the
are devoted to the gold-mining industry. They own their homes.
smelter, where it could be used. It seems to me that it would be an
I took & survey not long ago, and I found that the average age of the
advantage to the Government to have that scrap metal price increased.
miners of the district was about 48 years. To talk about transporting
It may not be fair to increase it flatly, but there ought to be some pro-
those people and putting them in to some other industry is just out
vision somewhere that will enable people who are mining in remote
of the cards.
sections to gather together that scrap metal and get it where it can be
I think I know gold miners perfectly well. I think it can be fairly
used in the war effort.
stated as a general proposition that once a gold miner, always & gold
Our production is limited solely to gold. We have just a little bit
miner. They are a good deal like firemen and policemen. By the
of silver. We do not like it to be thought that we are not engaged in
very nature of their work they have disqualified themselves from
an industry that is useful in the war effort.
becoming efficient in any other occupation. You cannot transport
The other day, in response to a question by Senator McCarran, in
them. So, it is serious.
which Senator McCarran intimated that he thought gold in the West
I know of only one other place in the country where it is any more
helped to enable the North to win the war, Dr. Nelson said he did
serious than in my county, and that is at Homestake. Homestake
not think so. Well, Dr. Nelson, that is contrary to the history of my
has the same situation. There is nothing at the Homestake except
State. General Sibley came up from Texas with one object in mind,
that mine. There is nothing up there in Cripple Creek except our
and that was to get the gold at Central City, and he was then going
gold mines.
Now, Mr. Palmer mentioned a thing I should like to touch upon.
on to California for the same purpose, because the South considered
that it needed that gold in the war effort.
We are trying the best we can up there to cooperate in every way
we can. Even before the war, as Mr. Palmer said, there was one
We fellows up North thought they were right about it. Now we
interest in the Cripple Creek district that, as he put it, did a fine job
are fighting-rather, disagreeing-about everything in the world,
in helping out everybody. That is the Carlton interests. I am
except that both sides agreed that we needed that gold to lick the
attorney for them. I have not a dollar of interest in them, but the
other fellow.
Carlton interests are the largest operators there. They own the
Mr. NELSON. No; we needed the gold not to lick the other fellow
Midland Railroad, and they own the Golden Cycle Corporation.
but perhaps to buy some things that we would have had to get by
You can 500 readily how it is to their interest.
other means if we had not had the gold.
We are fortunately situated to have an interest whose interest is
Mr. STRICKLER. Well, they had & big fight about it; I know that.
to keep that railroad going and to keep that mill going. The Carlton
I think that gold and silver are necessary to the war effort. I think
interests cannot keep the railroad going and cannot keep the mill
that hard money is an absolute necessity to any economy. I remember
going on their own production. So, they are interested in assisting
when I was a boy we had the greenback or fist currency craze. I
all the little fellows and, further, the operators, the lessors, the aplit-
remember hearing Colonel Ingersoll make a speech in which he said
check lessors, and everybody else, and they always have been, even
he had a silver certificate and a gold certificate in his hand. He made
before this war came on.
an argument against greenback or fist money.
We are continuing to do that now. We are trying to substitute as
He said, "The reason I am in favor of gold and silver certificates is
much as we can. For instance, instead of using our hose, we are
that when I look upon them, I know that their redeemer liveth."
using pipe and are doing everything we know how in order to rescue
I am an old-time Democrat, and Bob was a Republican, but I think
every bit of scrap we can. We are using it and are sending to the
that was perhaps one time when Bob was right.
smelter everything that we cannot use,
The CHAIRMAN. As far as that is concerned, that was the only
I mentioned awhile ago about that thirteen dollars and 8. half not
redeemer that Mr. Ingersoll recognized, was it not? [Laughter.]
being sufficient. It is sufficient so far as we personally are concerned,
Mr. STRICKLER. That is right. That is probably why he thought
but there is a peculiar condition existing that makes it sufficient.
so much of it.
There are some coal mines down at Canyon City, and those fellows
Gentlemen, if we have to close down our gold mines in the Cripple
haul coal up to Cripple Creek. They do not have anything to carry
Creek district, I do not know what is to become of our community.
back, 80 we are unable to get a cheap haul. So, the $13.50 is sufficient.
In the first place, mines in Colorado that have a production of more
But I am talking about the fellows-and there are a great number of
than $5,000 annually are taxed upon production. In some States
them-for whom it is not sufficient, and it is certainly to the interest
they call it a severance tax. We call it a production tax. Fifty-seven
of the Government to get that into the mill or the smelter.
percent of the entire revenue of Teller County, Colo., which embraces
Now, there is another thing that I want to bring up here. I do not
the Cripple Creek district, arises from the production tax, and 95
know whether it would be unpopular in my State or not, but I do not
percent of the total revenue of Teller County comes either directly or
like it. You take anybody in the position we are in up in Cripple
indirectly from gold mining.
Regraded Unclassified
644
SILVER
SILVER
645
Creek and tell him that he has to close down because of our small
amount of steel needed. I do not think, Doctor, that we need for the
Governor Carr, would you care to make a statement at this time?
entire district-that we can get along on-any more than about 150
Governor CARR. Yes, Mr. Chairman.
tons of steel a year. That will see us through. For us to be told that
we cannot have that steel, in order to save it for the Government in its
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE RALPH L. CARR, GOVERNOR
war effort, that is necessary, and at the same time know that the
OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
Government is driving a 15-mile tunnel through the Rocky Mountains
right now as a Government project, for only one purpose, namely,
Governor CARR. My name is Ralph L. Carr. I live at Antonito,
to transport water from one side of the mountain range to the other
Colo. I am & lawyer.
side of the mountain range, and to be doing it during these wartimes,
I am interposing here for the purpose of trying to placate some
we just do not understand it, because we do not think we can lick the
evident difficulties which may be arising between my own brothers.
Japs by throwing water at them. I think it is about time for the
Mr. Strickler just suggested that it was unfair to continue the con-
Government itself to be governed by some of its own restrictions.
struction of the tunnel through the Continental Divide, taking water
Another reason why I think 80 is that after Mylewar is over we have
out of the Colorado River over into northeastern Colorado, and
got to have some jobs for these soldiers to come back to-some honor-
suggested that we cannot lick the Japs with water. I am sorry that
able jobs, some jobs that have some proper compensation for them.
he has put that interpretation on the activities in connection with the
We cannot give them any reward by having them rake leaves, as was
driving of that tunnel and that he would suggest that we can take
done in the last depression. We have to think about our reconstrue-
care of our mining industries at the expense of the power and agri-
tion period.
cultural industries in Colorado.
I think gold and silver are necessary to this war effort. I think
The tunnel in question is being driven for two definite purposes,
they are going to be useful after this war is over.
one to make it possible to furnish a supply of irrigation water, which
Just as Mr. Knorp, of California, said, I know that after the war
is needed in northeastern Colorado, and the other to answer definitely
between the States President Lincoln said that our war debt would be
the power problem in that portion of Colorado which is east of the
paid by the gold from California and Colorado. I know also from
Continental Divide and is perhaps the most essential project which
newspaper accounts that every time Hitler goes into a country, he
Colorado may be able to offer in the solution of the war problem.
grabs all the gold that country has and takes it up to Berlin. He
There is no direct conflict possible between that activity in northern
must think that it is necessary.
Colorado, which has to do with agriculture and power, and the
As I understand it, during the last World War Australia put a $10
mining industry in Cripple Creek. For the record, I may suggest
premium on gold to assist in their war effort. I understand that
that I not only love the farms of northeastern Colorado, but 1 was
Great Britain right now is doing the best it can to aid South Africa
reared in the Cripple Creek district and spent all of my younger life
in the production of gold. It seems to me that both our Allies and our
there. I am here because of my interest in the mining situation.
I want to confirm before I close the statements which have been
enemies are agreed upon that one proposition, just 88 we in the West
and you southerners agreed on the same proposition during the Civil
made by Mr. Palmer and also by Mr. Murphy of Nevada as to the
War. I think that the nation that has the largest amount of gold and
conditions which are existing with respect to the order which has this
silver at hand when this war is over is going to have the loudest voice
morning been modified. A great deal of our mining activity has &
at the conference table, I think that the nation that has the largest
psychological result. Rather, it is based on faith in the industry
and the hope that we may be able to get ores out of our mines.
amount of hard money when this war is over is going to have the most
solid economy on which to rebuild the nation from the distress caused
Dr. Nelson has suggested that, as far 88 they know, no mines have
by the war.
shut down as & result of the order regarding the 30 percent gold and
I am not quarreling with Dr. Nelson's administration of this act.
silver. While the mines may not have shut down, the Honorable
J. Price Briscoe, State Senator from Colorado and chairman of the
I think he has been more liberal than anybody under the terms of the
act could possibly expect from the nature of that order. That is
Committee on Mines of the Council of Defense, was in to tell me last
simply because of his sympathy with the mining industry.
week and to supplement what I already knew of the conditions that
Doctor, you mentioned once or twice or asked the question, "Has
are existing in the mining camps of Colorado. The people are de-
anybody been deprived of any priority order? Has anybody closed
pressed as they have not been in many, many years and are looking
down?" I think when I called on you you asked me, or you did not
for places to go to with no hope that they may be able to find places
deny it. At any rate, I answered, "No." and I answer "No" now.
where they can work profitably. The situation is as difficult, I might
I think the consideration that has been given is remarkable, assuming
say, Doctor, as the one we experienced in the early years of the
depression in Colorado as the result of the uncertainty from this
you give it to everbody else as well as you give it to us, in view of the
effect of that order and in view of what I disagree with you on-that
order that has this morning been modified.
is, that you do not think that gold and hard money are necessary to
I want to say that I am as happy as Mr. Strickler or anyone else
the war economy.
about that announcement, but I deplore the fact that it was not made
2 months ago, when we were at Reno or at Denver. There has not
The CHAIRMAN. We thank you for your statement, Mr. Strickler.
been a fact or an argument suggested in this hearing to add to our
sum total about the situation which existed at Reno and Denver 2
Regraded Unclassified
646
SILVER
SILVER
647
months ago, and the 60 days just past have caused a great deal of
hardship, suffering, and loss in Colorado and the rest of the mining
It was with that in mind, Mr. Chairman, that I sought to bring
States because this was not modified then.
about the meeting which has taken place here and that I sought to
I am not satisfied with the fact that you have modified your state-
have Mr. Batt and the others of the board present.
ment by taking out the 30 percent order. I think that there will be
I only make mention of this, Mr. Chairman, to emphasize the
some more definite understanding of the status of the mining industry
proposition that sometimes in dealing with groups it is much more
in connection with the activities of your organization, so that men who
difficult and much more slow to bring about results, the happiness of
will grubstake these lessees, whom Mr. Palmer talked about, men who
which came to us this morning when there was a modification of this
will be willing to put the capital into the operation of the mines, may
order. I think, as you do, that the knowledge of this modification
know that they have some definite basis upon which to function beyond
going out to the mining communities of America will bring about a
the idea that their request for the right to operate by securing priority
rejoicing that has not been there for a long time.
numbers is dependent upon some judgment that may be reached by
There is just one other thing I want to bring to your attention before
Mr. Malone comes on.
some human being.
If it was necessary in the first place to issue an order which restricted
Dr. Nelson, I have before me what purports to be a Priorities
them, I say that there is some way in which we can say that a produc-
Bulletin under date of April 20, 1942. I take it you are familiar with
that?
tion of a certain percentage or a certain quality or a certain quantity
of strategic and base metals can be laid down, and then people with
Mr. NELSON. I will have to see what you are referring to.
money will have something definite on which to make competition in
Senator McCarran. It is put out by the American Mining
Congress.
determining whether or not they will back miners and lessees. It
seems to me there should be some substitute for the order which has
Re Interpretation of Quota Items as Related to Preference Rating Order P-56,
Amended March 2, 1942.
been withdrawn, something which will say to the mining industry,
definitely, "If you produce n certain percentage of zine, lead, copper,
I notice there all the ratings and your reference to A-10 as being
or what have you, or if you produce in proportion to some fixed stand-
the one under which certain priorities could be secured. Rating A-10
ard-this, that, or the other-then you will have a priority."
does not appear in this list at all.
I join with the others, Doctor, in my attitude toward you and your
Mr. NELSON, I think that Mr. Conover had better reply to that,
fairness toward our problem; but, Doctor, you possess along with us
that is something he published.
the frailties of other human beings, and men who do not know you
Mr. CONOVER. Senator, that has reference to the order P-56 as
and who have the money which might be put into mining do not
issued on March 2. On March 4 the announcement was made by Mr.
share with us that confidence in you. I think it would be a protec-
Knowlson that the gold and silver mines that had been excluded from
tien to you to have some definite standard by which they can put
the order would be permitted to operate under order P-100, which
their money on the line and go. I say in support of that fact that
provides for A-10. We issued a subsequent bulletin which covered
my one bit of unhappiness in connection with this is that this was
the A-10 rating.
not modified when you were called upon repeatedly at Reno and
Senator McCarran. You have a later bulletin than this?
Mr. CONNER. Yes.'
thereafter at Denver to do what you have done today, and which
has been proved by your act today as good and wise. It should
Mr. PALMER. The thing our men out our way would like to know,
have been done at that time, and we would have been saved a lot of
Dr. Nelson-and I am sure everyone else here would like to know,
trouble.
too-is: Are these ratings on this order essential to get those particular
I feel that there is not any reason why that cannot be done, and I
items, or are those simply for quota purposes? In other words, as to
think that the attendant psychological boost that the mining industry
each item you have listed officially from your office, is it necessary to
would get throughout the West would show very quickly.
have those ratings in order to get those particular items? You are
I thank you,
familiar with the order, if I may hand it to you, I am sure. Is it simply
The CHAIRMAN. We thank you, Governor Carr.
a quota basis on this A-1?
I want Mr. George Malone to have a chance to make a statement
Mr. NELSON. That is B. list of items about which there might be some
before the committee adjourns.
controversy as to whether they would come under the mine's repair
Senator McCarran. Before that is done I should like to make a
parts quota, where the mine has a serial number, or whether they
brief statement, Mr. Chairman.
should be purchased only after receiving permission direct from the
The CHAIRMAN. Proceed.
Mining Branch. As there were a number of such items, we stated
Senator McCarran. It is brought about by the expressions of my
that certain of those items could be bought under that quota with an
good friend Governor Carr of Colorado. I, too, wish that the order
A-1 rating by buying them directly from the supplier without clearing
through Washington.
could have been modified at Reno or at Denver, but the Governor
will join with me in a recollection that both at Reno and at Denver,
Mr. PALMER. My question was, Doctor, Can any of those items, in
Dr. Nelson was confronted with the situation wherein he had to say
your judgment, be obtained under an A-10 rating?
Mr. NELSON. I would have to check each item in order to answer
to us that he was only one and that he had his superiors that he was
that question.
compelled to fall back on.
Mr. PALMER. That is for quota basis and not for priorities?
Regraded Unclassified
648
SILVER
SILVER
649
Mr. NELSON. This is purely for quota basis, for & mine operator to
use as 8 guide when he is making purchases under order P-56 and to
but does not determine it and when it is fixed, he is the administrator.
tell him what things he shall charge up against his quota.
However, this committee is in & position to investigate policy, it seems
Mr. PALMER. Thank you.
to me, as to whether or not out of all the material that is available,
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Malone, will you come to the table, please?
speaking of iron and steel, which is made up from the strategic minerals
and other raw materials, the mining industry as a whole is getting its
STATEMENT OF GEORGE W. MALONE, DIRECTOR, INDUSTRIAL
just share.
Now, there must be an over-all picture somewhere by which some-
WEST FOUNDATION
one establishes policy. When that is done and the mining industry
assigned its share, they divide it as best they can between the mines
Mr. MALONE. My name is George W. Malone, of Reno, Nev.,
that are in operation and people that are trying to find mines in accord-
my Washington address is National Press Building. I am director
ance with any policy adopted. The thing is then-and that is where
of the Industrial West Foundation, a fact-finding and research
I mean the incentive price is necessary-that we must get more of these
organization dealing with the resources of 11 Western States.
materials. We have been 18 months on the job, and have not yet
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Malone, you have been present at these
adopted principles and policies that will bring out the maximum of
hearings, and you have heard the discussion. As a result of our
these raw materials. I am speaking of manganese, chromite, tungsten,
discussion and the deliberations of the conference, the War Production
mereury, antimony, zine, lead, and copper. However, the ones famil-
Board has seen fit to modify the text of & certain order. I should
iar with this production knew that they were going to be short of these
like to have you discuss that as it affects States in which you are inter-
materials a year and a half ago. The West can and will produce a
ested, and to have you make such comments as you may care to make.
large increased amount of these minerals when the unit price is right.
Mr. MALONE. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me from listening to the
This is beyond Dr. Nelson, but I have discussed it with him, and
questioning of Dr. Nelson and his answers that the situation, in fact,
1 know that he agrees with me. Take manganese, for example.
is not changed but the impression to the country will be entirely
Nearly every State in the West can produce manganese, and some
different.
States in the East, in the Appalachian range. South Dakota and
If I get his answer correctly, he did in the beginning and is going to
Minnesota also have large low-grade deposits. But most of it will
continue to decide each individual case on its merits as it comes before
have to come from the West. On large contracts a good job is being
him. But he has clarified this thing, and I agree with Senator
done, I think, on the large, low-grade deposits; but to bring out small
McCarran and all the rest of the witnesses that it will have a tremen-
deposits and to get the smaller miners and prospectors looking for
dous psychological effect.
these minerals, there is no adopted policy at this time that will bring
One of the things apparently forgotten by a good many people, and
this material out.
maybe, as indicated by one of the witnesses, not everyone knows it, is
There are two types of potential producers that must be reached:
that in order to get a mine, you have first to find a prospect. After
1. The hundreds of small miners and producers who must dispose
you find the prospect, maybe one out of a hundred of them may
of their ore in small lots-do not ask for Government funds, outside
produce some ore. In order to develop a prospect after it is found,
of a possible development loan-but must have a definite market at
someone must do a lot of digging without pay. That is the history of
designated rail or terminal stations-and must be paid promptly on
the whole mining industry. In order to get them to do that, there
A unit price basis that will pay the necessary wages and sorting, or
must be some incentive. In other words, there must be an incentive
processing costs, leaving B. reasonable margin, with a price guaranty
price, so that these men out in the hills know they can sell the ore
over a period of time which will provide an opportunity for the return
when they find it.
of development and plant investments. These are the men who
There was a tendency in the War Production Board and other organ-
discover new occurrences of ore in their widespread operations, and
izations to assume that they knew where all the minerals were located
develop "prospects" to a point where the Federal Bureau of Mines
and that they must conserve those minerals. I am speaking now of
is justified in further exploration.
the strategic minerals-manganese, chromite, zinc, lead, copper, and
2. The larger investor in processing plants and development opera-
tungsten. As a matter of fact, that is far from the facts. A prospect
tions, requires Government financing-these can be handled through
today may be a mine tomorrow, and they find new prospects when
a negotiated unit price in the customary and established procedure
enough people are looking for them.
of your organization.
In order to keep these thousands of men in the hills looking for the
There are six principles that must be recognized in any practicable
prospects, digging, there has to be an incentive price for the product
set-up to increase this Nation's production of its strategic minerals:
to assure an adequate reward for their work.
1. Adjusted unit price that will pay American wages, and the
I wanted to bring out two or three points that I do not think were
necessary sorting and processing costa.
touched upon in previous statements. Most of the rest of it has been
2. Designated points of acceptance of ore or concentrates.
adequately covered by Mr. MacBoyle, Mr. Conover, Mr. Palmer,
3. Prompt payment to the producer on the assay returns.
Governor Carr, and others. I want to endorse their statements.
4. Guaranty of such adjusted unit price over A period sufficient
First, we understand that Dr. Nelson carries out only what the
to return development and plant investments-a minimum of 2
Board decides to do. In other words, he may assist in fixing a policy,
years following notification.
Regraded Unclassified
650
SILVER
SILVER
651
providing for the construction of "access roads
5. Liberal use of the provision of the National Highway Act,
the 48 percent grade is academic, and of no practical effect, since this
to soumes
of raw materials." (This smendment was sponsored by the Senate
grade of material is simply not available in large quantities in this
Military Affairs Subcommittee on Strategic and Critical Minerals
country.
and Materials.)
TUNGSTEN
6. Establish the grade of acceptable material in each case to con-
form to the available mineral and the requirements of industry.
A. Establish the minimum base unit price at $35 for 60 percent
The recent announcements on chromite, manganess, and tungsten
WO2 with a premium on higher grades, with suggestions under
numbers 3 and 4 under chromite applying, and number 2 as far as
each contain elements of the above factors, but in none of them is the
procedure complete-chromite is accepted in truckload lots-35 per-
applicable in getting ore to existing processing plants.
The Metals Reserve Co. has guaranteed the present price of $24
cent manganese will be accepted-and the unit price for tungsten is
guaranteed until December 1943. Suggestions included in this
per unit until December 1943 which adopts the principle recom-
mended, but the price will not bring the necessary marginal properties
Memorandum follow substantially the principle outlined in May
1941, and included in the hearings by the Senate Military Affairs
into production, and valuable time is being lost.
Subcommittee on Strategic and Critical Minerals and Materials.
GENERAL
CHROMITE
The remainder of the list should be handled on the same general
principle, of establishing a stable market at adequate unit prices with
In the announcement dated March 5, 1942, the price of $50.70
a guarantee over a period of time long enough to return investments
per long ton (2,240 pounds) is established for 48 percent Cr₂O₂, 3 to 1
in plants and developments.
chrome-iron ratio; $40.50 is the base price for high-grade-45 percent
The higher unit price on lead and zipe should be available to the
Cr₂O₂, with a chrome-iron ratio of 2.5 to 1. There is practically none
established producer when shown that he has invested a reasonable
of the first grade available, and very little of the second.
percentage of the added price in new development and exploration
The price then immediately drops to a $28 base price per long
work. The dual price is not a satisfactory method, but would be
ton for low-grade-40 percent Cr₂O₂ with no limit on iron content.
more workable if arranged to stimulate exploration for new ore bodies.
No product under 40 percent Cr₂O₂ is accepted. A large tonnage of
The total amount of funds involved in the necessary adjusted unit
this ore can be secured but not at $28 per long ton.
prices to bring in the maximum amount of these materials is relatively
The following suggestions are made to facilitate procurement of the
small, considering that they are the basic raw materials for the entire
minerals:
war production effort and is shown in the accompanying table.
A. A minimum unit price of $1 per 100 percent ($40 per ton for 40
The regular 2,000-pound ton should be adopted in dealing with
percent Cr₂O₂)-acceptance of a 35 percent Cr₂O₂ product, with &
American purchases-the 2,240-pound, or long ton, is a throw-back
premium on the higher grades, above 40 percent, and lower chrome-
to the old British shipping days, allowing for shrinkage in wet ship-
iron ratio.
ments-in this country it is only confusing and serves no good purpose,
B. Establish additional purchasing depots at rail stations in any
since the moisture content is handled in the specifications.
area presenting evidence of substantial annual production-continue
By establishing a market at & specified adequate unit price, and
to accept the material in truckload lots-paying the producer almost
point of acceptance, the Government assumes no responsibility in
immediately upon the assay returns.
development operations, thereby avoiding any possibility of claims
C. Guarantee such established unit price for a minimum period of
for adjustments following the war, that proved so troublesome after
2 years following date of official notification, that purchases by your
World War I.
company will cease. This takes care of investments, and gives the
All of the chromite, tungsten, and mercury-and most of the
Congress an opportunity to determine policy.
manganese, antimony, lead, and copper is found in the 11 Western
D. Accelerate clearance of requests for construction of necessary
States. They do not understand why priorities in these materials
roads to such chromite deposits under the National Highway Act.
are being cut to the bone, with many marginal properties available
These deposits are, for the most part, in the higher altitudes-the
for added production.
operating season is short.
The top price for domestic chromium (Cr₂O₂) was reached in 1918-
MANGANESE
$84 per ton, with an average price of $44.99-83,240 tons, or 45
percent of our consumption, was delivered that year. The all-time
A. A minimum unit price of $1 per unit for the 35 percent man-
low was $10.28, reached in 1921.
ganese with a premium on the grades over 40 percent, and lower
The top price for domestic manganese (50 percent Mn) was also
alumina, iron and silica content-accept it in truckload lots at desig-
reached that year (1918) $68.50, and 305,861 tons were produced.
nated stations, and pay the producer immediately on the assay
The top price paid for antimony was 45 cents per pound.
returns-with suggestions, numbers 2, 3, and 4, for chromite, applying
equally to manganese. The recent announcement of $1 per unit for
Regraded Unclassified
652
SILVER
SILVER
653
High- and low-price domestic production
beyond official notification that they will cease buying such minerals,
Percent supplied
so that investments would be protected. Then the incentive price
Wartime high
domastic mines
Prim
would bring out investments, because they could be reasonably certain
Mineral
of repaying the capital investment.
Date
High
Average
1918
1940
1913
THE
Mr. Chairman, I have prepared some data for Dr. Nelson at his
request, and with his permission I will submit it for the record. It
1918
$84.00
$44.99
45.0
20
$11.19
Chrome
1915
68.50
63.63
35.0
6.0
shows, for example, the relationship between the production of zine,
12.50
Manganese
1918
.45
:12
.14
10.0
4a
.07
lead, and copper and the production of silver and lead in the Western
Antimony
1916
300.00
125.12
82.0
100.0
40.07
Mercury
1910
105.00
22.27
81.0
100.0
18g
7,24
States. For instance, you will find on inspection that the amount of
Tungsten
1918
.46
.42
20
,2
Re
.41
Nickel
1.10
.85
is
silver and gold in the ores many times helped just enough in the
1918
a
is
44
Tin
ID
mining operations of the companies to keep the mines running.
Nors.-Mercury went to 100 percent production, in fact & small amount was exported. Tunnistes
In these tables, you will find the amount of gold and silver, lead,
listed at 100 percent in view of recent performance, and on account of recent Idaho discoveries of - "
zine, and copper produced through the siliceous ores-more than 30
grade ore,
percent in dollar value of gold and silver-by State for the 11 western
The top price per pound during World War I was-lead, 11 cents;
States, together with & summary, and the amount of money returned
from the sale of these ores. In other words, it was predicated on the
zine, 18 cents; and copper, 31 cents.
We were getting these materials when this war started from
30 percent order, but it is still pertinent in any discussion as to what
about 32 foreign nations, widely scattered throughout the world,
effect silver and gold mines have upon the production of strategic
where the low-wage policy prevailed and where in the main, material
minerals.
I submit the brief containing tables and charts for the record.
like manganese and chromite were of a high grade. You could get
The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be very glad to have them.
your manganese from Russia and lay it down here at the ports or
Are there any questions to be submitted to Mr. Malone? If not,
even in Pittsburgh for $17 ot $18 a ton-44 to 48 percent manganese.
we thank you again, Mr. Malone.
You could get chromite from New Caledonia or Turkey for about the
(The above-referred-to document follows:)
same price and grade.
It had been a matter of economic policy, up to the time of the decla-
BRIEF SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD BY GEOBOE W. MALONE, FRIDAY, MAY 8
ration of war, where you got those materials. Many of us, accused
of trying to develop the western States, since we lived in the mining
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 5, 1948.
Dr. WILBUR NELSON,
country, thought we should develop strategic minerals in peacetime,
Director Mining Division, War Production Board,
so that we would not be off balance when war was declared. Never-
Washington, D. C.
theless, it is n matter of necessity now and they can get them in this
DEAR DR. NELSON: Pursuant to your request, I am submitting herewith an
country. Therefore, it must now be determined what unit price and
line of factual material, including the necessary charts and tables, showingout
what conditions of acceptance will bring out the maximum of these
the relation between the domestic production of silver and gold, and certain critical
metals essential for national defense.
minerals.
The data and information contain charts showing the effect of drafting available
I believe that in order to bring out the maximum of chromite and
"free silver" in the United States Treasury, to replace copper in industry, and the
manganese that you will have to establish at least a dollar a unit for
tables show the possible effect on the production of copper, lead, and sine, of
manganese and a dollar per 1.00 percent for chromite accepting
retarding the operation of mines producing ores containing in excess of 30 percent
of their total dollar value in gold and silver, or gold, or silver.
35 percent with a premium on the higher grades. The Metals Reserve
The report simply presents the factual material, with no attempt to interpret
Company is now accepting as low as 40 percent in these materials
the many ramifications, or indirect effects of any economic rearrangement.
but at the price being offered the small operator cannot produce and
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. MALONE, Managing Director,
deliver the ore, But if a price is offered that will pay American wages
and necessary processing costs-thousands of additional miners and
RELATION BETWEEN THE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF SILVER, GOLD, AND CERTAIN
prospectors will go to the hills and get these minerals out of the ground
CRITICAL METALS ESSENTIAL FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE
besides keeping such men who are already in the hills at work who
INTRODUCTION
otherwise would go to other work. Buy the lower grades, below 40
percent, you use lower grades in industry, but even if it must be
The present world conflict has been aptly described as a war of metals and those
stock-piled alongside the high grade, and processed later it is good
nations which possess the greatest resources of metalliferous ores and the facilities
to turn them into finished products should eventually be victorious.
insurance. In other words, if the war is over right away, you may not
While nearly all metals are essential In conducting modern warfare, their degree
need it, by the same token if the fire never hits your house, you do not
of importance varies considerably both from the standpoint of tonnage required
need your insurance; but if it does, it is well worth it.
and the practicability of employing substitutes.
Therefore, there is n lot to be done where this committee could be
Since our monetary system is founded on gold and silver, the chief function of
these so-called precious metals is buying power. Gold has very few essential
very helpful in getting the information before the proper people,
industrial applications, and its high price and searcity further limits its uses.
members of the War Production Board and the Metals Reserve
Silver, on the other hand, plays an important role in Industry and while the
Company-the proposition of purchasing lower grades, paying higher
quantities normally required for essential purposes represente less than 50 percent
unit prices, and guaranteeing them over a period of, say, two years,
Regraded Unclassified.
SILVER
654
SILVER
655
of our annual output, It could be substituted advantageously for other metals
DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC
were it available in large quantities.
The domestic production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and sine in 1940 and 1941
OUTSTANDING NONFERROUS METALS
is given in tables 1 and 2. These tables were compiled from the figures of the
Practically all of the metals have been placed on the strategic and critical lista
of materials, but from the standpoint of tonnages produced, aluminum, copper,
lead, and zine are the most essential of the nonferrous group.
In the case of aluminum, we are dependent to some extent on outside sources
for our supplies of aluminum ore (bauxite), but the bulk of our copper, lead, and
sine is derived from domestic sources.
During the past 2 years our output of these metals has been stepped up sharply,
yet the demand has increased to such an extent that we cannot adequately supply
both military and civilian needs.
Out of
scale
PROPOSALS MADE BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MEET EXPANDING NEED FOR
COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC
To meet the expanding need for copper, lead, and sine, the two following sug-
gestions have been made:
1. Substitute available silver supplies for copper, lead, or zine and thus release
some of these other metals for essential uses.
GOLD
2. Mine and smelt only those copper, lead, and zine ores which contain less than
$510.41
30 percent of their metal value in the form of gold and silver.¹
Por Avol
The object of the first suggestion is to utilize silver which is not employed for
Pound
essential purposes and substitute it for those metals which can be advantageously
used elsewhere.
The announced objection of the second suggestion is to step up the production
of copper, lead, and zine by employing ores containing higher percentages of these
metals and thus save the time and expense required in separating the gold and
silver from ores carrying substantial quantities of the precious metals.
The object of this report is to show the practicability and effect of these two
schemes.
SILVER
COMPARISON OF PRICES
$10.37
The two outstanding objections to the industrial use of gold and silver are:
Per Avoil
Pound
(1) The high price of these metals; (2) the limited supplies available.
In the case of gold, these two objections outweigh most of the advantages of this
metal and only when small quantities are required has this metal any important
industrial application.
In the case of silver, however, neither the limited quantity nor relatively high
price precludes its industrial use, and hence it plays an important, if not essential,
role in commercial processes.
While the price of silver is nearly 90 times greater than that of copper, the sug-
gestion has been made that because of its high conductivity, it might be tempo-
rarily used (in lieu of copper) for certain types of electrical equipment. This
silver could later be released and again be replaced by copper when the present
emergency has passed.
The relative prices of gold, silver, lead, and sine are shown diagrammatically
in figure 1.
FREE SILVER
In addition to the silver which "backs" the paper currency, there is a relatively
large quantity of this metal held in reserve by the Government. Such metal to
termed "free silver" and it has been proposed to use this idle metal to replace as
equivalent quantity of copper which in turn, would be employed for essential
COPPER
LEAD
ZINC
$0.116
$0.073
80.083
purposes. The quantity of free silver on hand according to the Treasury Department la
Per Pound
Per Pound
Per Pound
46,740 short tons, an amount equivalent (by weight) to 4.77 percent of our output
//////////
-
<<<<<<<<<<
of copper in 1941.
The use of this surplus silver for purposes which involved no permanent loss
SCALE:
0.10
of the metal, would release at least 46,740 tons of copper for those uses wherein
FIGURE 1.
the latter is essential.
Such a scheme would have to be carefully safeguarded and the silver employed
United States Bureau of Mines and while the data for 1941 are preliminary, they
protected against possible loss; but, the tonnage of copper thus released would be
show the upward trend in domestic production. The output of copper in 1941
quite helpful in offsetting a temporary shortage of this metal.
increased 9 percent, the production of lead 0.5 percent, and the output of zine
The relation of free silver on hand to our production of copper in 1941 is shown
about 11 percent over 1940. Gold and silver production, however, fell off slightly
diagrammatically in figure 2.
in 1941.
1 Preserence Rating Order P-56 and P-M-A, War Production Board (1042).
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
656
SILVER
657
The tonnage and value of these metals produced in 1941 are shown diagram-
POSSIBLE AVAILABLE SILVER
matically in figures 3 and 4.
Figure 3 brings out rather foreibly the fact that our annual production of the
As shown in figure 3, the annual production of silver is but & fraction of the
precious metals is extremely small as compared all with of this our output of copper, lead,
copper output, so even if all this silver was substituted for copper the tonnage of
and zinc. It is clear, therefore, that even if gold and silver were sub-
PROPORTION
REPLACABLE BY FREE SILVER
46,740
tons
735,860
SHORT Toms
Other States
Western States
5,000 Tons
ZINC
$111,851,680
loos
(4.77%)
ZING
$3.1%
369%
Scale:
SCALE
LEAD
46,740
$51,492,672
TONS
4.11%
LEAD
459,756
SHORT TOMS
Other States
46.6%
Western States
53.4%
FIGURE 3- Domestic Output of various Metals in 1941 (Short tons)
COPPER
$225,466,287
Other
States
COPPER
PRODUCTION
1941
COPPER
957,394 SHORT TONS
Western States
93.7%
979,500
SILVER
tons
$47,674.305
Figure 4--Value of domestic output of various metals in 1941 (dellars)
. Over 99.4% of our silver and gold is produced in Alasks, tax Philippines and the
SILVER
2299
SHORT TOMS
GOLD
201
SHORT TOND
GOLD
$205,060.485
Western States.
FIGURE 2.
stituted for any one of the other nonferrous metals the quantity of the latter
released would represent only & fraction of 1 percent of the annual production.
In figure 4 the total relative values of these metals produced in 1941 are shown.
the latter metal released for other purposes would be relatively small. But all
By comparing figures 3 and 4, the great cost of substituting gold and silver for
of this silver could not be released because this metal has certain essential uses
copper, lead, and zine can be readily visualized. As a concrete example, the
for which there are no adequate substitutes. Its importance in photography in
amount of copper produced in 1941 was nearly 307 times greater than the silver
such that the quantities required for this purpose could not be diverted. More-
production yet the total value of all this copper was less than 5 times that of the
over, photography is playing an increasingly important role in aerial warfare and
silver produced.
hence the demand for silver to meet military needs is growing. The silver used
73052-12-pt. 9-15
Regraded Unclassified
658
SILVER
BILVER
659
80 only a portion of the annual output would be available as a substitute for copper.
in solder and in certain chemical processes could not be released for other purposes
The normal distribution of silver according to uses is given in table 3 and this
same data is shown diagrammatically in figure 5.
The shaded portion of this diagram represents the nonessential uses of silver,
amounting to about 62 percent of the normal annual consumption. This
portion available of from the our silver annual consumption production. therefore the Assuming would that available probably the production be the maximum of silver pro-
in 1941 was distributed on this basis, supply as & substitute for
copper would be 1,732 short tons, an amount less than one-half of that required
for the clocks and watches produced each year.
1941
PRODUCTION
of
COPPER
957.394
Short tons
FIGURE 7.
Sterlings Silver 4%
36
1583 short tons
0.17%
Photographic
/DENTAL SUPPLIES 1,9%
Industry
25.4%
COPPER
'v
Jewelery Optical Novelties
8 %2°9 Chemical
REPLACABLE BY
SILVER
Goods %9`8
218 %9'9 199105 Silver
1420 short tons
0.15%
FIGURE 5.
Since silver is a better conductor of electricity than copper, a given quantity of
1941
the former would go further when used in certain types of electrical equipment.
PRODUCTION
of
COPPER
957.394
Short tons
Froom 9.
This additional conductivity of silver, however, is not sufficient to make any great
difference in the actual quantity of copper replaced.
The estimated quantities of copper replaceable by silver on the basis of the
1941 production of these two metals is shown diagrammatically in figures 6 and 7.
Figure 6 gives the saving of copper when replaced by an equivalent weight of
silver, and figure 7 gives the saving when advantage is taken of the additional
conductivity of silver,
EFFECT ON COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC PRODUCTION OF LIMITING MINING AND
SMELTING OPERATIONS TO ORES CONTAINING LESS THAN 30 PERCENT OF THEIR
VALUE IN FORM OF SILVER AND GOLD
With a view to encouraging the production of copper, lead, and zine without
greatly increasing our output of gold and silver, an order was recently issued by
Regraded Unclassified
660
SILVER
SILVER
661
the War Production Board I denying equipment priorities to all operating proper-
ties producing more than 30 percent in dollar value of gold or silver or both.
Companies and operators which come within this classification must present their
cases to the War Production Board.
In order to show what effect strict adherence to this regulation would have on
ZINC
PRODUCTION
1940
Zinc
Gold & Silver Ores
our annual output of copper, lead, and sine from the 11 Western States the fol-
Derived from
lowing tables and chart have been prepared:3
589,988
Table 4 is & summary showing the quantity and value (by States) of copper,
tons
lead. and zine recovered from sillceous gold and silver ores in 1940 and the pro-
portions of our total domestic production of copper, lead, and sine which these
tonnages represent. In figure 8 these same data are given in diagrammatic form.
In tables 5 to 14, inclusive, the quantities and value of all the metals in each
type of ore (coming within the classification mentioned above) are given for the
individual States. These tables also show what proportion of the total metal
value in such ores is represented by the gold and silver content.
These date may be briefly summarized as follows: From these siliceous gold
and (which can only be probably worked if the precious metals are
marketed), there were recovered in 1940 the following quantities and values of
copper, lead, and zine: Copper, 37,379 tons, valued at $7,475,853; lead, 107,502
tons. valued at $11,262,768; zine, 48,858 tons, valued at $6,156,144.
This means that by eliminating ores of this type, our domestic production of
these all-important metals in 1940 would have been reduced by the amountsshown
above. In terms of percentages of our total annual production of these metals
from domestic ores, the reduction in output in 1940 would have been as follows:
Copper, 4.25 percent; lead, 24.80 percent; sine, 8.28 percent.
TABLE I.-Production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and sine (by States) in 1940
States
Gold
Sllver
Copper 1
Lead
Zine
Fine ounces
Fine ounces
Short tons
Short fass
LEAD
PRODUCTION
433,065
Derived from
Gold & Silver Ores
Short done
Ficture 8.
5
1940
tons
Alabama
3
TONS
Alaska
756,964
173,141
55
779
Lead
Arizona
299,345
6,129,788
281,169
13,266
15,456
205'L01
Arkansas
55
440
California
1,443,889
2,224,590
6,438
1,772
79
Colorado
369,075
9,378,408
12,152
11,476
5,060
Georgia
966
632
13
Idaho
144,080
17,477,054
3,349
104,834
70,601
Illnois
544
1,508
4,818
Indiana
5
Kansas
11,927
57,032
Kentucky
350
1,278
Michigan
90,218
45,198
Missouri
145,190
685
172,052
12,703
Montana
273,369
12,152,044
126,391
23,036
52,587
Nevada
379,868
5,102,102
78,454
11,833
New Jersey
91,406
New Mexico
39,210
1,876,102
60,848
3,822
30,313
New York
35,743
1,973
35,686
North Carolina
1,683
6,390
Oklahoma
21,240
162,935
Orema
113,715
191,820
88
35
Pennsylvania
1,977
14,077
Philippines
1,140,126
1,299,199
South Carolina
12,872
7,907
South Dakota
587,100
170,680
6
7
Tennessee
177
38,947
573
Texas
303
1,294,966
30
205
Utah
352,331
11,686,321
231,864
75,688
43,788
Virginia
494
313
2,285
Gold & Silver Ores
Washington
83,880
389,481
9,612
2,555
11,560
Wisconsin
445
5,770
COPPER
PRODUCTION
878,086
Copper
Derived from
Wyoming
711
=
Undistributed
12,732
1940
tons
smoll
ole
Total
6,003,105
*69,585,734
878,056
457,392
665,068
Mine returns.
Silver production-0.3 percent of weight of copper produced.
# Preference Ratings orders P-56 and P-55-A, War Production Board (1942).
I
Wyoming is not included because of its almost negligible production of such ores.
Regraded Unclassified
662
SILVER
SILVER
663
small, but in terms of work performed by these metals such a reduction would be
The above reduction in the output of copper and sine may appear relatively
TABLE III.-Normal distribution of ailver consumption by industrial uses (percent
very serious. For instance, the above quantity of copper is more than equivalent
of weight)
to that used in all the radio sets manufactured in 1940; the lead recovered from
Percent
such ores was sufficient to cover all the electrio cables produced, and the yield of
Sterling silver industry
36. 4
metallic zine was more than enough for all the galvanized wire and screen mans.
Photographie industry
25. 4
factured in 1940.
Electroplating industry
14. 9
Unless, therefore, we are assured of making up this deficit in such metals from
Jewelry, optical goods and novelty industry
8.6
other sources, & curtailment in the production of the ores containing more than
Chemical industry (exclusive of electroplating)
6.0
30 percent or their total metal value in the form of gold and silver would be 1
Silver solder and other industrial uses
6.6
serious matter and one which requires careful analysis.
Dental suppliers
1.9
Miscellaneous consumption
0.2
TABLE II.-Production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and sine (by States) in 1941
Total
100. o
(preliminary figures, U. 8. Bureau of Mines)
TABLE IV.-Summary showing quantity and value of lead, copper, and zine re-
States
Gold
Bilver
Copper
Lead
Zipe
covered in 1940 from orea containing 30 percent or more of their total metal value
in form of gold and silver
WESTERN STATES, ALASKA, PHILIPPINES
Fine
Fine
ounces
ounces
Short loss
Short tons
Short loss
690,649
Copper
Lead
Alaska
191,800
92
Zine
696
Arizona
315,000
7,551,000
332,750
Total
10,275
15,000
California
1,411,800
2,147,000
905
value
8,305
If
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Colorado
377,
7,234,487
6,501
12,607
15,98
Idaho
150,000
16,605,000
3,900 3,
108,500
77,500
Montana
246,500
11,304,000
127,500
21,750
55,900
Nevada
372,300
78,810
Arizona
098,773
$98,877
5,118,178
$255,909
$354,788
6,786,000
9,490
14,01
California
12,874,300
1,287.420
3,502,600
175,310
52,000
$3,276
1,465,826
New Mexico
28,469
1,359,308
71,562
4,565
37,548
8
Colorado
24,304,000
2, 2,430,401
22,952,000
1,147,601
10,113,481
637,149
4,215,151
Oregon
94,600
276,000
68
Philippines
1,109,667
Idaho
5,407,838
540,785
24,211.642
1,210,582
1,751,367
1,207,307
Montana
1,235,671
123,567
14,380,055
731,202
854,769
South Dakota
010,223
166,202
Nevada
456,900
45,690
2,692,100 692,
134,605
180,295
Texas
325
1,105,913
5
175
New Mexico
101,766
10,177
713,769
35,688
45,868
Utah
347,784
11,203,733
262,577
69,435
39,630
Oregon
176,000
17,600
70.000
3,500
21,100
Washington
81,509
385,290
8,612
3,660
13,987
Utah
9,990.393
999,039
141,337,357
7,566,862
87,551.100
5,515,719
14,081,620
Wyoming
482
80
a
Washington
19,222,977
1,922,297
26,836
1,689
1,923,986
Total
5,836,871
66,523,216
896,346
245,526
271,943
Total
74,758,618
7,475,853
215,004,537
11,262,768
97,716,581
6,156,144
24,894,765
EASTERN STATES
Alabama
35
4
Percent
Georgia
300
34
Proportion of copper from domestic ore thus affected
4.25
New Jersey
90,300
Proportion of lead from domestic ore thus affected
34.80
New York
36,000
2,100
38,200
Proportion of tine from domestic ore thus affected
8.28
North Carolina
3,117
6,861
Pennsylvania
2,675
17,000
Copoer at $0.10 per pound; lead at $0.05 per pound; sine at $0,063 por pound.
South Carolina
15,400
6,051
Propared by Industrial West Foundation from data by U. 8. Geological Survey, U. 8. Bureau of Mines,
Tennessee
228
39,177
19
$5,000
and State bureaus of mines.
Virginia
245
135
3,381
Total
22,000
105,282
13,453
5,500
190,000
CENTRAL STATES
Arkansas
4
190
Illinois
18,990
2,250
7,580
Indiana
Kansas
13,975
67,037
Kentucky
280
or
Michigan
54,000
Missouri
351,000
166,271
20,985
Oklahoma
25,200
159,000
Wisconsin
750
7,820
Total
423,990
47,595
208,730
273,92
Grand total
5,858,871
67,052,469
957,394
459,756
735,860
Regraded Unclassified
TABLE V.-Arizona: Ore sold or treated in Arizona in 1940, with content in terms of recovered metals
664
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
tion of
each type
total
Ounees
Value
Ounees
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of ore
value
(percent)
Dry and siliceous-
Gold ore
129,938
$4,547.830
210,312
$149,322
344,107
$33,411
3,979,458
$198,973
$4,929,536
95
Gold and silver ore
478,100
570,363
404,958
433,072
43,307
998,109
49,905
976,270
90
13,660
Silver ore
863
30,205
597,643
424.327
221,594
22,159
140,611
7,031
483,752
94
Total
144,461
5,056,135
1,378,318
978,607
988,773
98,877
5,118,178
255,909
6,389,528
94
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounee; copper, $0.10 per pound: lead, $0.05 per pound; rine, $0.063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
TABLE VI.-California: Ore and old tailings sold or treated in California in 1940, with content in terms of recovered metals
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Gold and
SILVER
Zine
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
tion of
each type
Ounces
Value
Ounes
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
total
of ore
value
(percent)
Dry and siliceous-
Gold ore
712,395
$3,561,975
1,211,052
$859,847
344,900
$34,490
111,600
$5,880
$4,461,892
98.8
Gold-silver ore
19,519
683,165
591,651
420,092
14,500
1,450
4,200
210
1,104,917
99.8
Silver ore
274
9,590
106,572
75,666
123,700
12,370
163,700
8,185
52,000
$3,276
109,087
78. 1
Copper ore
16,669
583,415
291,914
207,259
12,326,100
1,232,610
81,000
4,050
2,027,334
39.0
Lend ore
1,860
65,100
93,739
66,555
65,100
6,500
3,142,100
157,105
295,260
44.6
Total
750,717
4,903,245
2,294,928
1,629,419
12,874,300
1,287,420
3,502,600
175,130
52,000
3,276
7,998,490
8L7
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; sine, 80.063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, D. 8. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines,
TABLE VII.-Colorado: Ore sold or treated in Colorado in 1940 with content in terms of recovered metal
Gold
Silver
Cripper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
tion of
each type
Ounces
Value
Ounces
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
total
of ore
value
(pereont)
Dry and sillceous-
Gold ore
292,830
$10,249,050
736,298
$522,772
1,059,775
$105,978
4,912,272
$245,614
$11,123,414
96.8
Gold and silver ore
7,196
251,860
252,554
179,313
145,635
14,564
1,204,779
60,239
505,976
85.0
Silver ore
1,020
35,700
918,320
652,007
43,673
4,367
1,691,921
84,596
776,670
88.5
Copper ore
30,331
1,061,585
6,765,877
4,803,730
21,254,198
2,125,420
2,822,982
141,142
8,131,877
72.0
Lead ore
1,854
64,890
291,905
207,252
12,780
1,278
2,095,766
104,788
378,208
7L 9
Lead-copper ore
45
1,575
16,630
11,827
56,469
5,647
295,734
14,787
33,836
60.0
Zino-lead ore
17,000
397,100
725,487
515,096
1,731,470
173,147
9,928,696
496,435
10,113,481 113,
$637,149
2,218,927
41.1
Total
350,336
12,061,760
9,707,071
6,891,997
24,304,000
2,430,401
22,962.000
000
1,147,001
10,113,481
637,149
23,168,908
81.8
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; zine, $0.063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, U. B. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
SILVER
TABLE VIII.-Idaho: Ore sold or treated in Idaho in 1940 with content in terms of recovered metal
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lend
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
each type
tion of
Ounces
Value
Ounoes
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of are
total
value
(percent)
Dry and
Regraded Unclassified
Gold ore
67,243
$2,353,505
217,516
$154,436
156,896
$15,690
264,721
$13,236
$1,536,867
98.8
Gold and silver ore
6,226
217,910
264,201
187,583
13,388
1,339
95,929 929
4,797
411,629
98.5
Silver ore
652
22,820
10,787,758
7,659,308
4,432,055
443, 443,206
1,666,140
83,307
5,208,641
03.5
Copper are
597
20,890
17,762
12,611
695,365
69,537 69,
1,549
77
103,115
325
Lead are
658
23,030 23,
867,066
615,617
110,134
11,013
22,183,303
1,109,165
1,758,825
36.3
Total
75,376
2,638,155
12,154,303
8,629,555
5,407,838
540,785
24,211,642
1,210,582
13,019,077
86.5
Gold. $35 per ounee; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; zine, $0,063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, U. 8, Bureau of Mines, and State burenus of mines.
999
TABLE IX.-Montana: Ore sold or treated in Montana in 1940 with content in terms of recovered metal
999
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
tion of
each ton
total
Ounees
Value
Ounces
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of ore
value
(percent)
Dry and siliceous:
Gold ore
167,186
$5,851,510
459,052
$325,926
215,113
$21,511
617,767
$43,088
$6,242,035
98. 9
Gold and silver ore
11,230
393,050
881,541
625,894
244,959
24,496
633,521
31,676
1,075,116
94. 7
Silver ore
3,053
106,855
1,571,060
1,115,452
745,514
74,551
1,892,280
94,614
1,301,472
80.8
Lead ore
3,036
106,260
262,996
186,727
30,085
3,009
11,236,487
561,824
857,820
34. 2
Total
185,205
6,457,675
3,174,649
2,253,999
1,235,671
123,567
14,380,055
731,202
9,566,443
91. 1
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounce: copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; zinc, $0.063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
TABLE X.-Nevada: Ore and old tailings sold or treated in Nevada in 1940, with content in terms of recovered metal
SILVER
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal in
propor-
each ton
tion of
Ounces
Value
Ounees
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of ore
total
value
(percent)
Dry and siliceous:
Gold ore
238,220
$8,337,700
678,255
$481,561
73,200
$7,320
65,500
$3,275
$8,829,856
99.8
Gold and silver ore
39,342
1,376,970
1,910,417
1,356,396
334,900
33,490 33,
391,400
19,570
2,786,426
98. 9
Silver ore
5,716
200,060
1,274,948
905,213
16,400
1,640
219,100
10,955
1,117,868
98.0
Lead ore
1,118
39,130
235,396
167,131
32,400
3,240
2,016,100
100,805
310,306
06.4
Total
284,396
9,953,860
4,099,016
2,910,301
456,900
45,690
2,692,100
134,605
13,044,456
98.6
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; zine, $0.003 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.S. Geological Survey, U. B. Bureso of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
TABLE XI.-New Mexico: Ore sold or treated in New Merico in 1940 with content in terms of recovered metals
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
silver-
of metal In
propor-
each type
tion of
Ounoss
Value
Ounces
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of ore
total
value
(percent)
Dry and sillceous-
Gold ore
4,895
$171,325
15,951
$11,325
59,975
$5,998
67,710
$3,386
$192,034
95. 1
Gold and aftver ore
14,245
498,575
775,228
550,412
10,048
1, 1,005
78,867
3,943
1,053,935
99.0
Silver ore
12
420
13,156
9,340
5,226
522
50,000
2,500
12,782
76.4
Lead ore
505
17,675
13,404 13,
9,517 9,
26,517
2,652
517,192
25,859
55,703
48.8
Total
19,657
687,995
817,739
580,594
101,766
10,177
713,769
35,688
1,314,454
96.
Gold, $35 per ounce; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound; zine, $0.063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West FoundationJrom data of U. 8, Geological Survey, U. B. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
TABLE XII.-Oregon: Ore and old trailings sold or treated in Oregon in 1940, with content in terms of recovered metals
SILVER
Gold
Silver
Copper
Lead
Zine
Gold and
Total value
aliver-
of metal in
propor-
Ounces
Value
each type
tion of
Ounces
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
Pounds
Value
of ore
total
value
(percent)
Dry and
Gold ore
40,620
$1,421,700
140,487
$99,745
131,800
$13,180
25,700
$1,285
Gold and silver ore
$1,535,911
1,193
99.0
41, 41,755
62,965
44,705 44,
14,000
1,400
43,000
Copper ore
2,150
90,010
6
190
95. 1
Regraded Unclassified
2,696
1,914
30,100
3,010
Lead ore
6
190
169
4,104
41.
120
100
10
1,300
65
385
75. 4
Total
41,825
1,463,835
206,817
146,485
176,000
17,600
70,000
3,500
1,611,410
26, 7
Gold, $35 per ounes; silver, $0.71 per ounce; copper, $0.10 per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound, rino, $0.063 per pound,
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U.8. Geological Survey, U. 8. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
667
668
SILVER
SILVER
669
Gold and
(percent)
&
62.
31.3
31.6
45.5
allver-
propor-
tion of
total
value
Gold and
silver-
propor-
tion of
total
value
(percent)
SML
BL
ar.2
THE CHAIRMAN. The committee will not adjourn; it will stand in
recess subject to the call of the chairman. I cannot now say when
it will be reconvened, but it will be reconvened at any time the com-
mittee has some business to transact.
Total value
of metal in
each type
of ore
089, 060 $2,089,060
1,913,261
YOU of
1,871,689
396,
399 17,425,399
25, 25,831,900
Total value
of metal In
each type
of ore
11, 083, 180
10, 193
16,
84A, 3,845,381
4. 955, CGM
Senator MUCARRAN. May I express my personal sincere gratitude
to Dr. Nelson, Mr. Batt, Mr. Knowlson, and the others who have
come here with them for their attendance at these meetings and for
the happy manner in which they have cooperated in the meetings
Value
719 $5,515,719
Value
and for their general attitude toward the problems which we have
tried to present.
Zine
Zine
Representative CHENOWETH. May 1 inquire if there will be a time
Pounds
87,551,100
87,551,100
Pounds
when persons who desire to make statements but cannot appear may
submit briefs?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes. I will-say now that if anyone who is present
would like to submit something for the consideration of the com-
Value
$17,860
214 193,214
388,759
803,036
221, 221,931 931
5,042,062
7, 7,566,862
$60
195
Value
1,425
1,689
mittee, we will welcome it. Send it to either Senator McCarran or
myself.
TABLE XIII.-Utah: Ore sold or treated in Utah, with content in terms of recovered metal
Lead
Lead
Representative CHENOWITH. You are not fixing any time limit
Pounds
357, 194 357,194
3, 864, 286 3,864,286
175 7,775,175
16, 16,060,728
4,438,625
841, 118,841,249
952
141,337,357
200 °C
813 If
178
26,836
on that?
Pounds
The CHAIRMAN. Well, like this war, this matter will probably run
for a good while. Like the Government, it will probably go on for
a good while. So, this committee, as long as the Senate sees fit to
Value
$66, 397 $66,397
130,465
254,461
45,643
219 50,219
451,854
999,039
TABLE XIV.-Washington: Ores sold or treated in Washington in 1940, with content in terma of recovered metals
138
693
886, 1,886,466
Gold, $35 per ounes; silver, $0.71 por ounce, copper, $0.10 per pound; load, $0.05 per pound; zine, $0.053 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U. Geological Survey, U. 8. Bureau of Mines, and State bureaus of mines.
$35, 000 $35,000
297 1,922,297
Gold, BUS per other, silver, $0.71 per ounre; copper, an. se per pound; lead, $0.05 per pound: sine. 80,063 per pound.
Prepared by Industrial West Foundation from data of U. B. Geological Survey, B. Bureau of Mines, and State bureeus of mines.
keep it alive, will remain alive.
Value
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. I should like to file a statement
for the record.
Copper
Copper
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection I will state for the committee
Pounds
974 663,974
304, 1,304,653
2,544,605
456,425
502,193
4,518,543
9,990,393
Pounds
350, 000 350,000
188'1
6,934
18,854,662
19, 222, 977
that the committee will welcome your statements and suggestions.
Representative ENGLEBRIGHT. May I add just a further word?
I take Dr. Nelson's statement in his modification of the order of
March 2 to mean this: that the gold-mining industry is an industry
Value
$83,968
750,947 947
1,318,362
753,860
121,869
4,099,069
7,128,075
Value
$79, 250 $79,250
4,430
13,452
155, 155,391
3 252,
that is entitled to survive; that he is now placing it in the category
of industries that have that right-an industry that can survive.
Silver
Silver
Representative WHITE. Is there any limit to the time in which a
Ounces
118, 265 118,265
1,057,672
848 1,856,848
1,061,774
645 171,645
A. 5,773,336
10,030,541
Ounces
619 111,619
6, 6,239
18,946
218,861
355, 665
statement may be submitted for printing in the hearings?
The CHAIRMAN. Well of course, there would be n. limit, Congress-
man White, but a reasonable time will be allowed before the state-
ments are made ready for the printer.
Value
835 $1,920,835
83.03 BY,
174, 174,860
269, 269,150
2,030
1,416,695
205
Value
$968, 870
1,803,515
778, 515
What disposition will be made of the transcript when it is prepared
will be subject to the decision of the committee. I do not know what
Gold
Gold
the committee will see fit to do with it, but I will say, speaking for
myself and, I am sure, for the committee, that we will welcome state-
Ounces
54,881
961 23,961
4,990
7,690
28
E 46,
Cunces
27.80 882
158
20
132,063
51,529
888
ments made by those who are interested, and they will be placed in
the record and considered in connection with the printed transcript.
I want to reiterate the statement made by Senator McCarran:
that we thank all of you gentlemen for attending and participating
in this conference. I am sure all of us will agree it has been most
helpful, and I am glad we have made the progress we have.
The committeee will stand in recess subject to the call of the
chairman.
Dry and silleeous-
Gold ore
Gold and silver one
Silver ore.
Lead-copper ore
09
Zine-lead-copper ore
Total
Dry and siliceous-
Gold and silver ore
(At 12:42 p. m. the hearing was concluded, and the committee
stood in recess subject to the call of the chairman.)
Lend ore
Gold ore
Bilver ore
Copper ore
Total
Regraded Unclassified
INDUSTRIAL USE OF SILVER
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1942
UNITED STATES SENATE,
SPECIAL SILVER COMMITTEE,
Washington, D. O.
The Special Silver Committee met at 10:30 a. m., pursuant to call,
in room 424, Senate Office Building, Senator Pat McCarran presiding.
Present: Senators McCarran (presiding), Johnson of Colorado, and
Thomas of Idaho; and Albert A. Grorud, secretary to the committee.
Present also: Senators Wheeler, Hayden, Murdock, Clark of Idaho,
Bulow, Wiley, Langer, Holman and Millikin; Representatives White,
Chenowith, Lewis, and Murdock.
Present also: Hon. Henry Morganthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treas
ury, accompanied by Edward H. Foley, Esq., General Counsel, and
Dr. Harry D. White, Director of Monetary Research; Hon. Jesse H.
Jones, Secretary of Commerce; Hon. Donald M. Nelson, Chairman,
War Production Board; Mr. James A. White, Director, Rocky Moun-
tain Metals Foundation, Washington, D. C.; and Mr. William Broad-
gate, representing Small Mine Operators' Association of the State of
Arizona.
Senator McCARRAN (presiding). The committee will come to order.
For the benefit of those who came in after I made my preliminary
statement, it may be said that this group was called together pur-
suant to a telephonic call that I had from Secretary Morgenthau, in
which he stated that, in keeping with an understanding that We had
when we last met, he would like to discuss again with us the matter
of silver and silver legislation. With that in mind, I called together
all those who are or might be interested in this particular subject.
Mr. Morgenthau, we will be glad to hear from you.
STATEMENT OF HON. HENRY MORGENTHAU, JR.,
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen: The reason I
am here is this: Mr. Nelson feels that he needs more silver than the
amount that we feel we can give him under the existing laws. He
will explain why he wants it and for what purposes he wants to use it.
As I explained to you when I was here the last time, we were about
to conclude an arrangement through the Defense Plant Corporation,
under Mr. Jones, to lend up to some 40,000 tons of silver. I use tons
because that is the language that is now used in talking about silver.
Mr. Nelson wants an amount over and above that.
We have in the Treasury, in round figures, about 100,000 tons.
There are about 47,000 tons of so-called free silver, leaving the
balance of the silver behind outstanding currency.
That is a very brief picture of the Treasury's position. I think Mr.
671
Regraded Unclassified
672
SILVER
SILVER
673
Nelson will explain to you why he wants this, and the picture will "hen
unfold itself.
hear Mr. Nelson, first, and then to discuss the subject at large. I
Senator WHEELER. You propose to lend the 40,000 tons?
think perhaps the story would unfold better.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is, as I understand it, our arrangement
Mr. Nelson, will you kindly give us your statement on this?
with the Defense Plant Corporation, of which Mr. Jones is the head.
We lent to the Defense Plant Corporation, under a ruling of the
STATEMENT OF DONALD M. NELSON, CHAIRMAN, WAR PRODUC-
Attorney General, some 40,000 tons, which the Defense Plant Cor-
TION BOARD
poration guarantees the Treasury it will return to us.
Senator WHEELER. Why could you not lend 80,000 tons, or an
Mr. NELSON. Mr. Chairman, our present production of war ma-
tériel is, in my opinion, limited only by the materials that we have to
extra 40,000?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. My general counsel feels that we cannot, That
make things out of. We have plenty of facilities in the United States
is why we are here.
to produce practically anything we want and in practically any
Senator WHEELER. Why not?
quantity, limited only by our materials, and that goes today down
Mr. MORGANTHAU. May Mr. Foley explain that?
even to wood. Wood is scarce at the present time. But of the items
Senator McCarran. Certainly.
that are most important, copper is one of the most important single
Mr. FOLEY. Senator Wheeler, what We propose to lend Mr. Jones
items of which we are limited in quantity, We are, of course, sup-
calls for the use of the free silver; the rest of the silver is behind the
plying copper to all of the United Nations. Copper is used for a
wide variety of things, the principal one being ammunition; and in
silver certificates. We feel that without some authority from Con-
this war, with so many airplanes, so many machine guns, and so
gress we should not take the silver that is behind the circulating
many rapid-firing rifles, the quantities of ammunition that we need
certificates.
are perfectly staggering and take an immense amount of copper,
Senator McCarran. What do you mean by "free silver"?
Also, of course, we use copper for producing some of the other
Mr. FOLEY. I mean silver that has not been put behind the cer-
very important things we need, such as aluminum, chlorine, or
tificates.
magnesium. A great amount of copper is used in bus bars for the
Senator McCARRAN. You have not much of that, have you, in the
conduction of electricity. It occurred to us that we could borrow
Treasury?
silver from the Treasury in order to replace the copper and have
Mr. FOLEY. There are approximately 47,000 tons of that.
the copper to use for ammunition. We took the matter up with
Senator McCarran. Against which currency has not been issued?
the Secretary, and he worked it out so that we could use free silver,
Mr. FOLEY. That is right.
which we have loaned to Mr. Jesse Jones to put into the defense
Senator McCarran. You have other silver besides that, do you
plants as bus bars, therefore replacing more than an equivalent
not? What you are speaking of is really the seigniorage silver?
amount of copper, because silver is a better conductor.
Mr. FOLEY. That is silver that has not been monetized. It could
Senator WILEY. You will put it into defense plants for what?
be called the seigniorage silver. We feel that. to take the silver that
Mr. NELSON. As bus bars. I think we will use up in that way the
has been put behind the certificates that are circulating as money
whole 40,000 or 45,000 tons that the Secretary has in the Treasury.
and to lend it to Mr. Jones for nonconsumption uses would require
Indeed, that silver will be comparatively safe, with about 30,000 volts
some affirmative grant of power from Congress, since it is part of our
of electricity going through it; and being in the form of very large bars
money.
hanging from the ceiling, it can readily be guarded. There will be
Senator WHEELER. You have not anything behind the rest of the
very little trouble about its return when this war is over and it can be
money, have you?
replaced with copper.
Mr. FOLEY. Well, I think that this is a rather novel use for the
Senator McCarran, It is not likely to be taken with high voltage
silver that is behind the certificates that we are circulating as money
passing through it.
and that Congress should tell us to what use it should be put.
Mr. NELSON. No, sir; it is not likely to be taken when 30,000
Senator WHEELER. Then, what I understand you to want is some
volts are going through it.
law that will permit you to use the silver that is behind the silver
We have another problem facing us, and that is in connection with
certificates for lending to the Defense Plant Corporation?
the making of synthetic rubber. We are keenly and eagerly following
Mr. FOLEY. That, as I understand it, is part of Mr. Nelson's
every process for making butadiene, which is one of the principal
proposal.
constituents of synthetic rubber. In making butadiene from grain,
Senator MURDOCK. Mr. Chairman-
you catalyze alcohol. You make alcohol from the grain, run it through
Senator McCarran. Yes, Senator Murdock,
il catalyzer, and then through a condenser made of rubber. It may
Senator MURDOCK. If that is the only question confronting the
take large amounts of copper in order that this thing may be done
Treasury, the War Production Board, and the Defense Plant Corpora-
quickly. We should like, if possible, to get from the Secretary more
tion, why could it not be handled by merely suspending redemption
silver in case we need it. We are investigating all methods of making
in silver during the period of the emergency?
synthetic rubber. As you know, it can be made from petroleum,
Senator McCarran. I worder if it would not be well for us to
it can be made from grain alcohol, which is ethyl alcohol, it can be
73052-42-pt. 0-10
Regraded Unclassified
674
SILVER
SILVER
675
made from butyl alcohol, and it can be made from various other
that I am very jealous in watching anything that will attempt to
processes.
You spoke about Seagram's. We are authorizing for them a pilot
disturb the existing monetary system or the existing laws on silver.
plant for them to make butadiene out of ethyl glycol under a method
STATEMENT OF MR. MORGENTHAU-Resumed
worked up by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with
Seagram's. That is a few months away. But that may also be &
Mr. MORGENTHAU. We estimate the production of U. S. silver to
good or better or cheaper way of making it.
be 62,000,000 ounces, or an equivalent of 2,123 tons, and our imports
Of course, it is time that is the principal element in this whole
will be, we estimate, 120,000,000 ounces, or the equivalent of 4,110
synthetic rubber picture. We want to use the process that will get it
tons for the year 1942.
for us the quickest. If it becomes necessary to use ethyl alcohol and
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. The last figure is for the imports?
to use copper in connection with the conversion of ethyl alcohol into
Mr. MORGENTHAU. The last figure is for the imports.
butadiene, we should like permission to borrow this silver again for
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. The first was domestic?
making these coils out of it. We are making experiments to see if
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes, sir.
there is any reaction of heated gases to silver. It looks entirely
Senator HAYDEN. The imports are about twice the domestic pro-
possible at the present moment, but we are not entirely sure of it.
duction?
But we want to have permission, if we need copper, to substitute
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes, sir.
silver for the copper in these condensing tubes in the conversion of
Senator THOMAS of Idaho. Is that the maximum amount of im-
grain alcohol into butadiene.
ports you might be able to acquire?
That, sir, is the story.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I would not say that, but I think we are getting
Senator McCarran. At the present time, as I understand it,
about all that we can get, because in the silver purchase program that
tentative permission has been granted by an opinion of the Attorney
we have followed, now, since 1934 we have, I think, mopped up most
General by which 40,000 tons could be turned over to you by the
of the silver of the world that is salable or for sale.
Treasury?
Representative WHITE. Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Secretary a
Mr. NELSON. That is right, sir.
few questions?
Senator McCarran. Of which only about 13,000 tons have been
Senator McCARRAN. Yes, Congressman White.
turned over up to date?
Representative WHITE. Secretary Morgenthau, in operating the
Mr. NELSON. That is right, sir.
Treasury's fiscal policy in dealing with silver, it averages out that the
Senator McCarran. Leaving a balance of some 20,000 tons yet to
total volume of silver costs about 50 cents an ounce, averaging the price
be turned over?
paid for foreign silver and domestic silver?
Mr. NELSON. That is right, sir.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Over what period, Mr. White?
Senator McCarran. Is it in excess of that?
Representative WHITE. Since you started purchasing under the act
Mr. NELSON. It is in excess of the 40,000 tons; sir.
of 1934. I have the seigniorage figures before me, taken from the
Senator McCarran. The minimum requirements of the United
bulletin of March.
States in all lines, both manufacturing and arts and sciences, are
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I understand my men to say that that is approx-
about 230,000,000 ounces of silver. That is the average annual
imately correct. You most likely have it.
requirement. The over-all maximum requirements are about
Representative WHITE. Could you give the committee just about
445,000,000 ounces of silver, that being for the currency and for the
the average cost of all the silver you have bought, that is now on hand,
arts and sciences,
both for the silver certificates outstanding and the silver that you call
My recollection of our intake, Mr. Secretary-and will your experts
free silver over in the Treasury?
check me on this, please?-of silver from all sources for the last year
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes, I have that right here. Had I better talk
or so has not been in excess of something like 140,000,000 or 150,000,000
in ounces?
ounces? Am I correct or nearly correct in that?
Senator McCARRAN. I think it would be more understandable.
Mr. NELSON. I have 6,200 tons.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I can give it in both ways. The silver in the
Senator McCarhan. You are dealing in tons; I was dealing in
Treasury as of April 30 was 2,900,000,000 ounces, or 99,438 short tons,
ounces. The question is, Are we acquiring silver as rapidly as we
Silver coinage in circulation outside the Treasury, like silver dollars
could acquire silver under existing law? Can we not acquire more
and subsidiary silver coin, was 409,000,000 ounces, the equivalent of
domestic silver, for instance, by a more encouraging and conducive
14,018 tons,
price for domestic silver and thus produce more silver domestically?
That made a total of silver owned by the Treasury and coinage in
Again, can We acquire more silver from abroad if we purchase more
circulation of 3,309,500,000 ounces, the equivalent of 113,456 tons.
silver? Can we raise the world price of silver? It is 35 now, In
Senator McCarran. That is the total amount of silver owned by
place of freezing it at 35, as Mr. Henderson has-or at approximately
the Treasury, both in and out?
35-can we take off that ceiling and thus find silver coming to us and
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes.
not have to disturb the existing laws?
Representative WHITE. But under date of April 30, 1942, according
Let me say to you frankly-and I am now speaking personally-
to your circulation statement, you had outstanding in silver certificates
Regraded Unclassified
676
SILVER
SILVER
677
$1,964,527,420. Also, you had silver dollars to the amount of
$63,465,132. That was at the rate of $1.29 cents an ounce?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes.
Representative WHITE. There is nothing in the law to prevent it?
Representative WHITE. You had on hand this silver that you
Mr. MORGENTHAU. No.
mentioned, and if you balance what you received for sílver in circula-
Representative WHITE. Has the Treasury any definite reason for
tion and silver dollars with what you have on hand, it averages about
not using that silver?
50 cents an ounce?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Mr. Chairman, if you want to go into the whole
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I agreed with you; yes.
Treasury policy on silver and why we have not issued silver certifi-
Representative WHITE. You have on hand quite a volume of free
cates, I shall be delighted to do it, while I am here. We are not
silver. According to your statement which came in this morning, I
hiding 4,000,000 ounces by taking it from one pocket and placing it
find that it is carried as 1,360,000,000 ounces. Going back to
in another; it is all accounted for. If you want to go into the whole
April 20, I found the amount WBS 1,364,000,000. So, as against the
monetary policy on silver, I will stay here until I can, at least, answer
1,360,000,000 ounces, there is a decrease there. Is that accounted
every question that every member of the committee has.
for by the 13,000 tons you have disposed of?
But if you are interested in the terrible situation that are up
Mr. MORGENTHAU. No; there is a little misunderstanding some-
against and why we cannot assist Mr. Nelson in prosecuting the war,
where. We actually have not yet turned over any silver.
by lending to him, through Mr. Jones, the silver that he needs as a
Representative WHITE. Well, you have moved out of the Treasury
substitute for copper, then, if you do not mind my saying so, 1 think
stocks, silver to the amount of 4,000,000 ounces, according to your
that is another proposition.
Senator McCarran. May I state what my views are?
own figure.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Whatever it is, we shall be glad to furnish it
Mr. NELSON. I have one more thing that I should like to say.
to the committee; but, to my mind, that has nothing to do with silver
Representative WHITE. At this juncture, I should like to make
going to the Defense Plant Corporation.
apology to the Secretary for having put a question that may be dis-
Representative WHITE. I believe you are asking for legislation
turbing; but the question is, as I understand it, the disposition of
authorizing you to move certain idle stocks of silver. The figures in
this silver, because we have idle silver, all of which has been acquired
your statements coming out from time to time develop that you are
under provisions of the Silver Purchase Act of 1935 and the Silver
Act of 1939.
moving it. It fluctuates, and I was told 3 months ago that the dimin-
ishing figures indicated the quantity of silver revalued in the general
Mr. MORGENTHAU. You do not owe me any apology, Congressman
White.
fund represented that you had moved or disposed of. If you take the
two figures, the figures for April 20 and those in this morning's state-
Representative WHITE. I will ask a direct question: Is it a fear of
ment, they show a difference of 4,000,000 ounces that you have dis-
inflation that causes the failure to use the silver as money?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. No. We have never done it. We have never
posed of or by which you have reduced stocks.
issued these extra silver certificates.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. The slight movement of silver from one cate-
Representative WHITE. You just have not done it, but there is
gory to another is due to the fact that more coinage is required.
nothing to prevent your doing it?
When coinage is required for a quantity of silver quarters, that will
Mr. MORGENTHAU. There is nothing to prevent our doing it; but
take the silver from one category and place it in another.
it has been our policy since the Silver Purchase Act not to do it.
Representative WHITE. Would the coinage of minor coins account
There is nothing new about it. Since 1934 we have not done it.
for that reduction of stocks?
Senator McCarran. Mr. Nelson wished to make a further and
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I am sure that you will find, after we have
concluding statement, as I understand it. I should like to have him
given you an explanation of these items, that there has not been any
make it now.
diminution in the monetary situation.
Am I correct in that understanding, Mr. Nelson?
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. Why can we not go ahead and get
Mr. NELSON. That is right. I had not finished when you asked
the statements from our guests this morning, first.
Senator McCarran. I understood that Mr. Nelson had not finished.
about the purchase price.
If we can replace the copper that will be needed for making other
Representative WHITE. I am a member of the Coinage and Weights
things, such as aluminum, chlorine, or magnesium, or butadiene, and
Committee of the House. I had quite a little to do with the passage
use this silver instead, the silver will have only 8. very nominal amount
of the Gold Revaluation Act. I think that this is pertinent to the
issue.
of wear. I mean we are not talking about using up thesilver; although,
frankly, if it meant making ammunition, and we had to have the
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado, I should like to know what the pro-
ammunition, and silver would do, we probably should use it up as
posal is.
ammunition, if that is the thing we need to prosecute this war.
Representative WHITE. Well, I should like to ask one or two more
Senator WILEY. Will it be determined by chemical or engineering
questions; then I will yield.
experts whether silver can be used?
Senator McCarran. Go ahead.
Mr. NELSON. Oh, yes.
Representative WHITE. Could not this idle silver be used as money
Senator WILEY. That has not been tried out?
by issuing silver certificates against it?
Regraded Unclassified
678
SILVER
SILVER
679
Mr. NELSON. In the case of butadiene it has not; in the case of bus
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I stand just where I did before. I am here
bars it has been.
Senator WHEELER. You can use silver instead of copper in the
simply backing up Mr. Nelson's request that we be given the legal
authority to do what he needs to have done.
stills, can you not?
Senator WHEELER. I am speaking only for myself. As far as I am
Mr. NELSON. Oh, yes. It is a good conductor, an excellent con-
concerned, I feel that if it is necessary to use this silver under these
ductor, of electricity.
circumstances, in order to conserve other needed war materials, those
Why we came before you, sir, was to ask if we could not find some
of us who are interested in silver could not very well take the position
way to use this silver to replace copper, because of the deficit of
that we were not going to permit the use of that silver or of any other
copper; and this deficit of copper will come right out of our ammuni-
material, no matter what it was. If we needed to use the gold that
tion requirements. I think it would be B great pity if we had to
is in the Treasury in order to carry on the war, I would say to use
close down any one of our ammunition plants for a lack of copper if
the gold-or the silver or anything else that we have.
we could substitute another metal which we have on hand and are
Senator MURDOCK. Mr. Chairman-
not using, and thereby make more ammunition out of the copper
Senator McCarran (presiding). Senator Murdock.
which we have.
Senator MURDOCK. My question is based on a statement made to
Senator WHEELER. If this is done, would it affect the financial
me that we are not only taking care of our own country but are also
policy of the Treasury at the present time with reference to the silver
furnishing a large amount of copper to the United Nations.
situation? You are not seeking to change the silver law with refer-
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir.
ence to the purchase of silver, as to prices, in any way, shape, or form?
Senator MURDOCK. I cm wondering if you have made or if anyone
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I do not know if Mr. Nelson has told his whole
else has made an investigation of any kind to determine whether or
story.
not any of the other United Nations are utilizing silver in place of
Mr. NELSON. Yes, I have. I wish, if I may, to make one request,
copper in order to make copper readily available.
and that is that the amounts of these deficits be kept off the record;
Mr. NELSON. Well, as far as I know, I do not know of any case
I only wanted the committee to have a picture of what our copper
where the United Nations-unless Russia is doing it, and we have no
requirements really are.
information on that-are doing the same kind of job of increasing their
Senator McCarran. Have you now, Mr. Nelson, concluded your
supply of other things as we are, such as in the case of aluminum and
statement or gone as far as you want to go? Have you now con-
synthetic rubber.
cluded such statement as you think you should preliminarily make?
In the case of synthetic rubber, we are the only one that has increased
Mr. NELSON. At this time, sir.
the production of synthetic rubber. We have grain over here and
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Senator Wheeler, in answer to your question
we have the petroleum to make synthetic rubber. We will have to
just now, Mr. Nelson tells me that that is all he is asking for.
supply synthetic rubber for the United Nations.
If this committee feels that this is a worthwhile project-and I
Senator MURDOCK. It seems to me, Mr. Chairman, that certainly
hope that they will, and will give us the legal authority, or that this
the Congress and the officials of this Government should be informed
committee will recommend to Congress that we be given the legal
on that question. If it is necessary here in the United States to utilize
authority, then, to answer your question, we have, as far as I am
silver in place of copper in nonconsumptive uses, it seems to me that
concerned, no idea of disturbing the silver legislation, other than,
we should certainly ask our Allies, before sending copper over there to
with your authority, to lend to Mr. Jones' Corporation the balance
them-and I am wholeheartedly in favor of doing that-What are
of the silver in the Treasury if Mr. Nelson says he needs it for war
you doing along this same line?
purposes.
have asked that question, because it seemed an important question,
Senator WHEELER. That is the thing that seems important to me
for this reason: That when the war comes to & conclusion-and I think
at the present time, I mean the fact that we passed this law would
it will come to a victorious conclusion for the United Nations-the
not change the silver policy as enunciated by Congress heretofore?
United States is going to find at the peace conference that its large
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Well, from what Mr. Nelson has told you, I
stocks of gold and silver are going to be very important factors. So,
do not see why it would be necessary.
while I agree with Senator Wheeler, I have no objection, coming from
Senator WHEELER. I could not see why it would be necessary either,
a big silver-producing State, to the utilization of every ounce of silver
but I wanted to get your own view upon it.
and every ounce of gold, if necessary, in nonconsumptive uses for
Mr. MORGENTHAU. But We in the Treasury do feel that we need
the winning of this war. But, as the chairman of the committee has
legislation to give him the balance of the silver.
stated, I do not want to see at this time any material change made
Senator WHEELER. I understand that; but if we pass the legisla-
with reference to the monetary use of silver. However, I can see no
tion that you have suggested, it will not change the silver policy with
damage or no harm to the silver program if the Treasury is allowed to
respect to the price of silver?
safeguards. use the silver or to lend it for nonconsumptive uses under proper
Mr. MORGENTHAU. It could not.
Senator WHEELER. That is what I thought.
Senator McCABRAN. Mr. Secretary, do you care to comment.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. You want the assurance?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I can answer Senator Murdock's question.
Senator WHEELER. I wanted that assurance.
As far as I know-if I am wrong, I will correct it-none of the United
Regraded Unclassified
680
SILVER
SILVER
681
Nations has any substantial stock of silver. In the case of England,
we have had an official request asking if we could assist her by selling or
Senator McCarran. Boiled down to the last analysis, as I gather
lease-lending some silver for industrial uses. England is short of
the whole question here-and I will express this in my own homely
silver; in fact it has not enough silver now for its own coins. That is
way-the bus bars, or the silver that is in the bus bars, being in such
the situation as far as England goes.
condition as not to be deteriorated, may be regarded, as I view it, na
Senator MURDOCK. Is that true with reference to China?
silver backing for certificates that might be issued. Am I correct in
Mr. MORGENTHAU. As far as I know, I think we bought about all
that?
the silver that China had to sell.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. You are perfectly correct in that, but you
Senator MURDOCK. What about India?
know, certainly as well as I do, Mr. Chairman, that as we buy silver
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Well, I do not know offhand how large their
it has been the policy of the Treasury to issue silver certificates up to
the cost of the silver. We have done that consistently. We have
silver stocks are or whether they would be readily available for indus-
not issued silver certificates against what you call free silver or
trial purposes.
Senator MURDOCK. There is an inflow of silver into this country?
seigniorage but purely up to the cost, and that has been our policy.
As far as I know, by and large, with the exception of a few individuals,
Mr. MORGENTHAU. But certainly as far as England is concerned,
there has not been any criticism. That is the policy we have followed
England is asking us now for silver for industrial use.
since 1934.
Representative WHITE. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question?
Senator McCARRAN. Following that policy out, suppose you turned
Senator McCARRAN. Yes.
over to Mr. Nelson for his use all the silver, we will say-47,000 tons-
Representative WHITE. Mr. Secretary, in your opinion, which do
that you have and that you then continued to acquire silver, as you
you think would be more beneficial to the American people: to take
naturally would in the annual purchasing. That newly acquired
this silver and issue it in circulation under silver certificates to pay
silver could in turn have certificates issued against it and also could
running expenses of the Government or to use it industrially, as you
be turned over to Mr. Nelson for his use; is that correct?
propose?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Just a minute. You are asking me a very
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I do not see how you can compare the two
important question; I want to be sure I am right.
things.
Representative WHITE. Then, by this scheme we have the dual use
Representative WHITE. I am just asking for your opinion.
of silver. We use it industrially and at the same time use it as
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I could not compare them. In one situation
security for silver certificates?
we have a gun at our belly, and we need copper bullets. Issuing the
Senator CLARK of Idaho. It could be put into a bar of the type that
maximum amount of silver certificates is not going to help us one bit
electricity flows through.
at the front. I do not see how you can compare the two things.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is right.
Representative WHITE. There are a great many metals that can
Representative WHITE. To do this, you will have to get away from
be substituted for copper. One of them is aluminum. Do you think
the old redemption provision, because you could not very well say that
it would be more advantageous to the American people to use this
"on presentation of this certificate, you can demand $1 in silver."
silver industrially than to turn it into money or to issue silver certifi-
Senator WILEY. Well, a person could go down and take a piece off
cates against it, just as you have been doing all the time in buying
8 bus bar.
silver and putting out silver certificates?
Senator McCaRRAN. Let us have the Secretary's answer.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I do not think the two things are comparable,
Mr. MORGENTHAU. The answer to your question is just about the
Mr. White.
way you put it. We would continue the same policy, but 08 we
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. You are doing both under your plan.
acquired new silver, we would continue to issue silver certificates
Senator CLARK of Idaho. There is no reason why you cannot issue
against the cost. If Congress enacted the legislation, we would con-
silver certificates against these bus bars, as long as they are properly
tinue to issue silver certificates against newly acquired silver and
policed.
then turn around and lend it on arrangement with Mr. Jones, who
Mr. MORGENTHAU: We could. Thank you.
would turn it over to the plants that Mr. Nelson designated.
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. That would be doing two things: It
Senator WHEELER. By doing that, you would help to pay for the war.
would be doing what Congressman White would have you do and what
Representative WHITE. In the event all the silver was now used as
Mr. Nelson would have you do.
coverage for the issuance of silver certificates and you had no free
Mr. Morgenthau. We could do that.
silver, would it be possible to put silver to dual use-to use it indus-
Representative WHITE. I was just trying to get at the policy of the
trially and still have it available for coverage of your silver currency?
Treasury as to the use of this silver: Whether it should be used as
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Well, Mr. White, we in the Treasury like to
money or whether it is better to keep it idle. I am wondering why it
live up to both the spirit and the letter of the law. My legal counsel
has not been used as money before.
advises me that we can lend to the Defense Plant Corporation the
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Well, it has.
so-called free silver, but the silver which is in the Treasury, backing
Representative WHITE. You have the mechanics for creating silver
up the outstanding silver certificates, we feel we cannot lend out unless
money and are using silver all the time. It is not my purpose to em-
We get additional legislation from the Congress, and that is why we
barrass the Secretary; it is simply my purpose to get at the policy of
are here today.
the Treasury in the use of this silver.
Regraded Unclassified
682
SILVER
SILVER
683
Representative WHITE. Well, Mr. Secretary, since June 30 of last
year there has been $2,000,000,000 of new Federal Reserve money
return to the usual storage place of the Treasury of this silver follow-
placed in circulation, more than the equivalent of all the idle silver.
ing the conclusion of the war?
Is not that a fact?
Mr. NELSON. The proposal I am making to you today, sir, does
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I think that is correct.
involve just that.
Representative WHITE. Since June 30, 1941, there has been placed
Senator MILLIKIN. The contracts would cover that feature?
Mr. NELSON. That is right.
in circulation more Federal Reserve currency than the equivalent of
all the silver. In other words, the currency of this country has been
Senator MILLIKIN. So it simply amounts to changing the usual
expanded or inflated to an extent far larger than the utilization of all
place of storage of the silver?
the idle silver? That is a fact?
Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir; and putting it to IL useful purpose.
Mr. WHITE. The increase in the Federal Reserve notes is more than
Senator MILLIKIN. It would simply be stored in another place?
Mr. NELSON. That is right.
the increase in the silver certificates.
Senator McCARRAN, Let me see if I express the views of all here.
Senator MILLIKIN. There is no consumptive use being contemplated
at the present time?
If I do not, someone may take issue with me. I will speak now for
myself. It would be my view that no group in this country could
Mr. NELSON. No, sir; not at the present time on this proposal we
are making.
afford-and certainly I would not think that I could afford-to
Senator McCARRAN. Secretary Morgenthau, I do not want to be
oppose any policy or plan for the successful prosecution of this war,
captious, but I did not quite like your answer to Senator Wheeler's
If there is in the Treasury of the United States metal essential for the
question; in other words, I did not think you were quite clear or
successful prosecution of the war, and the value of that metal in its
emphatic enough. Maybe I want you to be more emphatic than you
place in the monetary system of this country can still be retained, and
would be, but I want to ask you this: Is there now in contemplation
it is integrated while retained in the monetary system, then personally
any plan or scheme whereby through this legislation you would
I would try to work out n law that would afford the Treasury and
impair the integrity and value of silver in the monetary system of this
Mr. Nelson on opportunity to utilize that silver in industrial uses,
country?
but always remembering that it is integrated as a part of the mone-
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I am glad you asked me that question, because
tary system and the economic plan of our country, which must be
it gives me a chance to ask one.
retained, I believe that that can be worked out.
My answer to you is emphatically No. At the same, time what I
Is there anyone who is here and is interested in this subject who
should like to have an expression from this committee on is this: As I
takes issue with me?
understand it, by my saying emphatically to you No, it establishes
Senator JOHNSON of Colorado. I concur completely, Senator. Iam
what I shall call, for want of B better name, a friendly truce. I
sorry that I must now leave to go to another meeting.
should like to have from this committee an expression that if legislation
Representative WHITE. I might observe that the question resolves
is introduced to make it legally possible for us to lend through Mr.
itself into a simple proposition, whether it is more beneficial to the
Jones' Defense Corporation this silver, at the same time there will
people of the United States to utilize silver as money by issuing it in
not be any legislation making it mandatory upon the Treasury to
the form of silver certificates, to pay the Government's running ex-
issue certificates up to the full amount of the silver; in other words,
penses, just as is being done now, or whether it should be used indus-
changing our policy to issue silver certificates against the seigniorage,
trially as a substitute for copper.
the thing evidently that Mr. White has in mind. In other words, I
It occurs to me that there is a possibility in framing this law that
should like to keep the status quo,
you have in mind the putting of this silver to a dual use. Will
Senator McCarran. That comes back again to my thought, perhaps
it be held as coverage for this currency, and available for that pur-
poorly expressed, that the silver, if I understand the proposal fairly
pose, and at the same time used industrially but checked and held in
well, can be utilized in two ways. It stands as a backing for the
control by the Treasury in that industrial use?
issuance of certificates, and it also serves an industrial use. Is that
I should like to point out at this juncture that the currency of Hong
your conception of it?
Kong was good money until something upset the government over
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is perfectly correct. But may I restate
there; then the Hong Kong dollars were flying around the street, not
my position again? What I should like to see, if you gentlemen agree,
worth picking up. Had that been silver, those dollars would have
is a law that will make it legally possible for us to lend all of the silver
been good in any country at the bullion value of the silver.
that we have in the Treasury to plants designated by Mr. Nelson, the
Senator McCarran. You are entirely right on that, Congressman.
silver to be used as a substitute for copper.
Senator Millikin, Mr. Nelson, during the course of your explana-
But in this proposed legislation, you are asking me if we are going to
tion of the proposition, you made some reference to possible con-
ask for anything which will change the silver picture. I say No.
sumptive use of silver. That is not contemplated in your proposal?
I think, in fairness, that I might say that I hope you gentlemen, if
Mr. NELSON, No, sir; not in the proposal I am presenting.
this legislation goes through, will not change the silver picture or the
Senator MILLIKIN. Such a proposal would call for more legislation?
monetary picture as far as the Treasury goes. Is that fair?
Mr. NELSON. That would call for logislation different from this.
Senator McCARRAN. It looks fair, but I want to protect it a little
Senator MILLIKIN. Your proposal, of course, contemplates the
Regraded Unclassified
684
BILVER
SILVER
685
bit. You are not looking beyond the emergency or the war, are you?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. No. sir.
Senator CLARK of Idaho. That is clear enough, and I think you
Senator McCARRAN. In other words, any legislation that you would
are right.
ask for would terminate with the war?
Senator MURDOCK. You say you do not want to disturb the silver-
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Or 6 months after the war, in order to give
monetary policy, but am I not right in this: that you will have to
those plants a chance
ask, or we will have to ask, if we go along with you on this policy,
Mr. NELSON (interposing). That is right; in order to give those
for at least a suspension of redemption of silver certificates during
plants a chance to replace the silver with copper.
the emergency? You cannot redeem silver certificates if there is
Senator CLARK of Idaho. My own view, Mr. Secretary, is that
nothing in the Treasury with which to redeem them. It would seem
whatever legislation is enacted here should be enacted, on both sides,
to me that if we from the beginning would suspend the redemption
entirely apart from the silver policy, you for your part to go ahead
of silver certificates during the period of the emergency, the question
would practically be solved.
exactly as you have been under the Silver Purchase Act, and this
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is the way you write legislation.
legislation to be confined to a war use of silver, 80 that we will not
Senator MURDOCK. That is the point I have been making, or have
get into the silver question as an outgrowth of this legislation.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is what I am asking for, and that is what
tried to make a time or two, that we must, if we follow your policy,
suspend redemption during the period of the emergency and for 6
the chairman has asked me. Yes; for my part, if this is introduced,
months thereafter, and at the same time authorize you to lend to the
I, speaking for the Treasury, will not ask for anything else than to
war effort the silver in the Treasury.
make it legally possible; but I think that in return-
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I think you are right.
Senator CLARK of Idaho. I do not think we should clutter it up.
Representative WHITE. You stated that there were 100,000 tons
That is my offhand opinion.
of silver on hand. Of those 100,000 tons, 47,000 tons are free silver
Mr. MORGENTHAU. If this committee says it will not be, it will not
not obligated for redemption into anything. You are only proposing
be.
today to get a law that will permit you to move 47,000 tons?
Senator McCarran. One other question, Mr. Secretary. You
Senator McCARRAN. No, he is going to go the whole road.
have in circulation how much in silver dollars? What is the amount
Mr. NELSON. If necessary.
of your metal silver, both in the Treasury and out?
Representative WHITE. You propose to take the entire 100,000
Mr. WHITE. Do you want to know how much silver there is in
tons?
circulation at this time?
Mr. MORGENTHAU. If Mr. Nelson certifies it as a necessity, yes.
Senator McCarran. In and out of the Treasury.
Representative WHITE. Does Mr. Nelson contemplate using more
Mr. WHITE. In ounces, if you would like it that way, there are
than 47,000 tons of free silver?
2,900,000,000 ounces held in the Treasury, either against silver
Mr. NELSON. That is what I am here for.
certificates or as free silver.
Representative WHITE. You want the whole 100,000 tons?
Senator McCarran. I am speaking of coined silver.
Mr. NELSON. We may need or we may not need the whole 100,000
Representative WHITE. In the Treasury, in standard silver dollars,
tons.
there are $481,741,220. That is money that is in the Treasury but
Representative WHITE. In other words, you would do exactly as
not in circulation, as of April 30, 1942.
Canada has recently done. You would suspend coverage of your
In circulation, ns of April 30, in silver dollars, there are $63,465,132.
currency, and we would have, as far as silver certificates are concerned,
Senator MURDOCK. Does that include your subsidiary coins?
a fiat money basis?
Representative WHITE. No, just coined silver dollars.
Senator MURDOCK. You would be in the same position as on gold.
Senator MURDOCK. Is it intended to do away with subsidiary coins
You cannot redeem gold certificates, but you know the gold is there.
BS well as silver dollars?
If it is necessary in the war effort, as Senator Clark has said, what
Senator McCarran. That is what I was just going to follow up.
difference does it make to the silver people whether it is buried in the
Does this plan propose to interfere with the silver money, as I choose
vaults or whether it has 30,000, 40,000, or 60,000 volts of electricity
to term the coins in circulation and in the Treasury? In other words,
going through it in the form of a bus bar?
would that be a withdrawal of your circulating medium?
Representative WHITE. It is a question of whether you have
Mr. MORGENTHAU. No, I have nothing in mind today like that.
coverage-redemption of your silver-certificate currency.
As I told you before, if I do, I will tell you here. I do not want to
Senator MURDOCK. But the gold is buried, and you cannot redeem
disturb the status quo of the silver-monetary situation at all in com-
gold certificates. As I understand it, this would be only during the
ing up here and asking on behalf of the Treasury to make it legally
emergency.
possible to lend silver. We will continue in the same way we have
Representative WHITE. Referring to the law of 1939, you are
since 1934. To use the vernacular, what I should like to say to this
working under subsection (b) of section 4. We are in effect re-
committee thing. is that we won't start anything if you won't start any-
monetizing silver. That section reads as follows:
The Director of such mint with the consent of the owner shall deduct and retain
Senator CLARK of Idaho. I think you are right.
of such silver so received 45 per centum as seigniorage for services performed by
Mr. MORGENTHAU. That is clear enough.
the Government of the United States relative to the coinage and delivery of silver
dollars. The balance of such silver 80 received, that is 55 per centum, shall be
Regraded Unclassified
686
SILVER
SILVER
687
standard silver dollars shall be delivered to the owner or depositor of such ailver,
coined into standard silver dollars and the same or any equal number of other
in the thought that you have expressed several times during the hour.
and no provisions of law taxing transfers of silver shall extend or apply to
I want to ask Mr. Nelson a question which seems to me to have a
delivery of silver to & United States mint under this section. The 45 per centum Any
bearing on this matter.
of such silver so deducted shall be retained as bullion by the Treasury or coined
into standard silver dollars and held or disposed of in the same manner As other
Your request now is based on the assumption that you need so
bullion or silver dollars held in or belonging to the Treasury.
many additional tons of copper over and above what we are now
Is it proposed in any way to disturb that present existing law that
getting. You are not able to obtain that extra tonnage apparently
from any source; therefore, you ask for this substitution?
has in effect remonetized silver?
Mr. NELSON. That is right.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. May I ask one of my attorneys to answer that?
Mr. FOLEY. The answer, Congressman White, I would say, is no.
Representative MURDOCK. May I ask how many tons of copper
Representative WHITE. Silver has in effect after 77 years been
you think we might need but will be short of?
remonetized with seigniorage to the Government of 45 percent
Mr. NELSON. I would not like this information to go into the
record.
You are not proposing to disturb that at all? You are just going to
Senator McCARRAN. Very well. This will be off the record.
use the silver you have taken in for industrial purposes?
(Mr. Nelson then made B. statement which, at the direction of
Mr. FOLEY. For nonconsumptive purposes.
Senator McCarran, was not recorded.)
Senator MURDOCK. I think that has been emphasized. What is
wanted this morning is the nonconsumptive industrial use of idle silver
Representative MURDOCK. This request is based on the assumption
that you are inevitably going to be short that much?
in the Treasury.
Mr. NELSON. Yes.
Senator CLARK of Idaho. Let us get that clear. The Secretary
Representative MURDOCK. You see no possibility of increasing the
told us at our previous meeting his personal views on silver, which are
output of copper in order to meet that need? Arizona is the greatest
definitely in disagreement with the views of this committee. On the
copper producing State and we want to go the limit.
other hand, he told us that he was trying as best he could to follow the
Mr. NELSON. I think we are doing everything we can to increase it.
law as Congress had written it in the Silver Pnrchase Act. As I
If anybody can suggest additional things to do in order to increase it,
understand his proposal now, it is that neither side, as he puts it, will
we, of course, will be glad to know about them.
start anything; that Mr. Nelson needs some metallic silver in order to
Representative MURDOCK. As a Congressman from a silver-produc-
conduct electricity and perhaps to be used in stills; and that if we will
ing State, I am tremendously interested, and I want to make that
broaden his authority, he can get that silver into something useful in
clear. One of the gentlemen here said that he would be willing to see
the war effort.
not only silver used in a double capacity, but gold, too, and so would
Mr. NELSON. In place of copper.
I, for the winning of this war.
Senator CLARK of Idaho. The Secretary and his staff will not
Senator MURDOCK. I made that statement, and I am very emphatic
undertake in any way to let that policy interfere with the established
init.
monetary policy of purchasing under the Silver Purchase Act, and we
Representative MURDOCK. I feel exactly the same way. I would
on our side should not undertake to clutter up this law with any
be willing to see the gold taken from the ground at Fort Knox and
further silver legislation looking toward the benefiting of silver mines
used to fill the teeth of soldiers, if necessary, or to be make into bullets,
or looking toward any other general policy legislation. Is that
if it is necessary, in order to win this war.
correct?
Representative WHITE. Has the cost of guarding that gold ever
Mr. MORGENTHAU. You have put it much better than I could.
occurred to the gentleman?
Senator CLARK of Idaho. Oh, no.
Representative MURDOCK. With this understanding, I concur
Senator McCarran. Let me amend that. If that policy is carried
especially in your statement, Senator McCarran, that we must main-
out, the Secretary will then go forward with the silver program in the
tain the integrity of silver in our monetary system. I believe that
full spirit of the law.
the moment we put it to industrial use, even to nonconsumptive bus
Senator CLARK of Idaho. Yes: as he has.
bar use, there will be a psychological undermining of that integrity.
Mr. MORGENTHAU. As I have since 1934. I mean I will not change
Silver may become thought less a precious metal and more an indus-
anything in the Treasury as to the policy of carrying out the Silver
trial metal. However, this is an offhand opinion and may not
Act of 1934, and I will not change the policy of the Treasury in carry-
necessarily be correct. Jealous 88 I am of its previous value in our
ing out the Silver Purchase Act in the future in any way. If at any
monetary system, I am willing to have it jeopardized, to whatever
time I feel that I should want to do that, I will come before you
extent it will become jeopardized, in order that it may be used in the
gentlemen. But you have my word that we in the Treasury will
war purposes.
continue carrying out the Silver Purchase Act in exactly the same way
Representative WHITE. In taking over this silver, Mr. Nelson, is
as we have from 1934 to date. If there is any time when 1 want to
it proposed that the title remain in the Treasury of the United States?
change that, I will come before you gentlemen.
Mr. NELSON. By whatever mechanism they lend silver for defense
Representative MURDOCK. Mr. Chairman-
plants-by whatever lending process-
Senator McCARRAN. Congressman Murdock.
Representative WHITE. Title will remain in the Treasury, and the
Representative MURDOCK. I want to any at the outset that I concur
silver will be returned to the Treasury?
Regraded Unclassified
688
SILVER
SILVER
689
Mr. NELSON. It will be returned to the Treasury.
Senator McCABRAN. Very well. They will be inserted in the
Senator McCarran. May I ask one more question while this group
record.
is here? My understanding is that this legislation, if it is worked out,
(The matter referred to is 88 follows:)
will affect only bullion silver and not coined silver. In other words,
we have silver in the Treasury that is coined into subsidiary coins and
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, May 85, 1940.
into dollars, and we have in circulation silver dollars and silver sub-
Hon. COMPTON I. WHITE,
sidiary coins. None of them would be affected, and there would not
House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.
be-and this is one question that I wish the experts from the Treasury
Mr DEAR MR. WHITE: In accordance with your telephonie request of Mr.
would listen to-there would not be such curtailment of coining as
Southard of a few days ago, I am enclosing herewith for your information A short
memorandum on Note-issuing Powers and Regulations in Canada,
would affect the circulating medium of silver in the United States and
Very truly yours,
the commercial transactions of the country?
D. W. BELL,
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I am sure that the answer is "No," as far as"
Under Secretary of the Treasury.
circulating coinage is concerned.
NOTE-ISSUING Powers AND REQULATIONS IN CANADA
Mr. WHITE. With one exception. There are silver dollars which
have been gathered into the Treasury and are the backing of the silver
The right to issue notes payable to bearer on demand and intended for circula-
certificates. If the legislation is written in such general terms as are
tion in Canada is vested in the Bank of Canada by section 24, of the Bank of
Canada Act of 1934. This act authorizes the Bank of Canada to issue notes to
suggested here, it would include not only the silver bullion, but it
any amount subject to the condition that it maintain & gold reserve equal to an
would also include silver dollars which are now the backing for out-
amount not less than 25 percent of its total notes and deposit liabilities, Under
standing silver certificates.
the Order in Council of April 30, 1940, authorizing the transfer of the bank's
Senator McCabran. Do you mean outstanding silver certificates in
gold holdings to the Foreign Exchange Control Board, the minimum gold reserve
requirement has been temporarily suspended.
circulation?
Bank of Canada notes are legal tender and are the first charge upon the assets
Mr. WHITE. Yes.
of the bank. The Bank of Canada Act of 1934 provided for their redemption to
Senator McCarran. Why should we have to go that far?
gold bullion, but it also provided that this provision could be suspended by the
Canadian Government, and this was done immediately.
Mr. WHITE. I say that it all depends on how your legislation is
Prior to the establishment of the Bank of Canada in March 1935, notes issued by
written. If it is written in the general terms you were speaking of,
Canadian chartered banks were the chief circulating medium in the hands of the
it will include not only bullion but also silver dollars which have come
public. The provisions regarding these notes were immediately changed, with the
back into the Treasury and which had been minted earlier as a reserve
establishment of the Bank of Canada, under section 24 of the Bank Act of 1934.
Under this act Canadian chartered banks are required to reduce the issue of their
behind the silver certificates now held in the Treasury amounting to
own bank notes gradually during the 10-year period, 1935-45, by 5 percent
481,627,820 silver dollars. So, they would be subject to the same gen-
annually during each of the first 5 years, and by 10 percent during each of the latter
eral principle as bullion.
5 years, to an amount not in excess of 25 percent of their unimpaired paid-up
capital on March 11, 1935.
With respect to the coins outstanding, that, as I gather, is a matter
Chartered bank notes are not legal tender but they are convertible into Bank
not mentioned herein.
of Canada notes which are legal tender. Chartered banks are obliged to accept
Senator McCahran. I would hesitate to concur in a policy that
payment in their own notes, which are & first charge on the asseta of these banks,
would take the silver dollar, that Americans know today 88 the
Each chartered bank is required to keep a deposit with the Minister of Finance
equal to 5 percent of the amount of its notes in circulation. This "eirculation
American silver dollar, out of free circulation in the business transac-
redemption fund" is held solely for redeeming the notes of banks which have failed,
tions of the country. I think it would be exceedingly depressing to
In the event of failure of any bank the others may be called upon to make further
the people of this country if that were done.
contributions to the fund 80 that in this way each bank is partly responsible for
Representative WHITE. The gentleman knows that only $63,000,000
the redemption of the notes of all other banks,
Ever since the passage of the Silver Purchase Act of 1934, silver has proven to
of those are in circulation, according to the Treasury statement.
be a practical and satisfactory backing for 8 substantial amount of the national
Senator McCarhan. There are more than that in the Treasury.
eurrency now amounting to around $2,000,000,000. A fist currency has always
Representative WHITE. Mr. Nelson, if this legislation is drafted 60
been abhorrent to our banks and business interests. In explanation of the opera-
that it affects only the free silver, which is 47,000 tons, do you not
tion of the Treasury's fiscal operations in creating and circulating our present
silver currency, the following article was written for publication by Congressinan
think that that would be a good start?
Compton I. White of Idaho:
Mr. NELSON. That would not be enough. We do not need any
"Not many people know it but Uncle Sam, which is another way of saying the
legislation for that.
United States, is making a tidy profit on the Treasury silver-purchase program in
Senator McCarran. All bullion silver will be affected. Let that
meeting the monthly pay rolls of the Members of Congress and Capitol employees.
Stacks of newly engraved silver certificates, costing the Government about 50
be understood. Let no one have any misconception about that.
centa on the dollar are being put out by the Sergeant of Arma of the House of
Representative WHITE. I want to propound a unanimous-consent
Representatives and the Senate disbursing office in meeting pay rolls.
question at this time. 1 have a letter from Mr. Bell, the Secretary
"Our dollar, it may be explained, contains B little less than seven-eighths of an
ounce of silver, or to be exact 412½ grains standard silver which makes a full
of the Treasury's assistant, giving factual data concerning monetary
ounce of silver worth $1.29%; if a dollar was an even ounce of silver, all allver
operations with reference to silver in Canada. I should like to know
money calculations would be much simpler.
if I may have that included in the record at this point and also have
"For many months the currency sent over from the Treasury has been brand
included at this point a statement I have recently written, for publica-
new money in denominations of $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. The $1, $5, and $10-
tion, on the Silver Purchase Act.
78052-42-pt. 0-17
Regraded Unclassified
690
SILVER
SILVER
691
bills are exclusively new silver certificates redeemable in silver dollars, The
[From the Congresional Record, February 2, INC. p. AMN)
only Federal Reserve notes being paid out by these Government offices are the
1920's. This money flows into general circulation very quickly-the well-known
MONEY
spending propensity of Federal employees takes care of that.
"From the money making standpoint (literally and figuratively) the plan has
Extension of Remarks of Hon. Compton 1. White of Idaho, in the House of
two advantages; the Government saves the difference between the cost of the
Representatives, Monday, February 2, 1942
silver this paper money represents and the face value of the certificates (billa)
which amounts to about 50 cente on each dollar when you average the price of
LETTER BY non, COMPTON 1. WHITE, OF IDAHO
domestic and foreign silver the Government is buying all the time and check on
the silver seigniorage figures in the Treasury statement, The other advantage
Mr. WHITE. Mr. Speaker, under leave to extend my remarks in the Record
is the saving in interest to business, realized In using this kind of money la place
I submit an analysis of the development of our monetary system Bd I have out-
lined it in a letter replying to & treatise on the subject:
of bank currency.
"The sticker in the plan is that for some unexplained reason the Secretary of
Mr. CABL SCHMIDT,
the Treasury will not put all of the silver the Government in buying to work M
Daylon, Ohio.
money, putting out only about one-half of what he buys in issuing silver dollars
and silver certificates (or an amount 'up to the cost of the eilver') and piles up
DEAR MR. SCHMIDT: In appreciation of your interest in the money question,
the other half that really represents the Government's profit in a stock surplus
the subject of the treatise which accompanied your letter recently received, I
wish to commend your bringing this vitally important subject to the attention
that could just as well be used like the first half is being used as money, In
of the Members of Congress.
reality the only cost of this so-called surplus silver to the Government is the
Any medium of exchange to be real money must be legal tender established by
administration expenses in acquiring this money material that could be turned
law. Other things may function as n medium of exchange but they are not real
into a profit at a time when everyone seems to think the Government really
money, We must not confuse the function of money with money itself.
needs the money,
Under the system of money adopted when our Government was established,
"The fact is that the gains made by the Treasury in revaluing both gold and
both gold and silver, of standard fineness and quantity, were made money by
wilver is about even, the increment on gold being & little more than the increment
statute and the unit of value was fixed by law. Section 314 of the United States
on silver.
Code provides:
"Both of these figures show up every day in the Treasury statement. The
"The dollar consisting of 25.8 grains of gold 0.09 fine shall be the standard of
gold increment is set aside in the stabilization fund carried now at $1,800,000,000
value."
and silver increment is put in the general fund in terms of ounces (unrevalued)
Section 316 of the United States Code provides that:
and carried at the original cost of the silver before the seigniorage is taken into
"The weight of the dollar shall be 412½ grains troy of standard silver."
account. "This is B bookkeeping entry that may be compared to the transaction of a
80, we see that the two metals, gold and silver, of standard fineness are made
money by law which fixes the weight of our monetary unit-the dollar-and other
whent buyer purchasing wheat for 70 centa a bushel and selling it for 51 a bushel
forms of money were established on this foundation.
and keeping his working capital in hand by selling up to the cost of his wheat
The Government has the prerogative and can exercise a monopoly in the
as fast as it comes in. When he has bought up to a thousand busbels for $700
creation of money; however, our Government has always maintained a position
and sold 700 bushels for $1 a bushel and has 300 busbels on hand, his bookkeep-
as an entity that deals with money BM an individual raising its Income by taxation
ing entry would show his 300 bushels representing an investment of $210 when
and paying its obligation by money obtained from taxable sources of public
in fact he has his money all back and the 300 bushels of wheat to show as a proût.
borrowing.
"Bo it is with surplus silver in the Treasury carried at $664,421,302.93 in the
The effect of the law establishing our money medium was to make the metal
Treasury statement but when we come to analyze this situation, if the seigniorage
gold and the metal silver of definite weight and fineness wherever they existed.
in taken into account, this surplus silver did not actually cost anything and M
The prospector roaming the mountains that came upon a gravel bar containing
to the seigniorage item, it is either one thing or another. If it is entered as a
muggets of gold, when be mined this gold, dug lawful money out of the ground.
profit to the Government, then the surplus silver represents what it cost. If
The silver minor, mining and crushing his ore to extract the silver from a vein, in
the selgniorage is not carried on the Trensury books as a profit, then the total
effect dug lawful money from the ground, and his Government removed the dross
surplus silver represents a profit which may account for the Secretary's sidestep-
by refining the metal and coining it for the convenience of the miner and the
ping the question recently when he Was asked as to the extent of the loss the
people who used money.
Government might sustain in disposing of its surplus silver.
Trade and business put this money in circulation, a circulation the Government
"Some think that the fear of inflation has prevented the United States Treasury
accelerated by levying taxes and imports and accepting this silver and gold in
from making a profit and a big saving at the same time by using our idle silver as
payment. paying out the silver and gold again in meeting the expenses of con-
money but B lot more Federal Reserve money than all of our surplus silver would
ducting the Government.
make has been put in circulation in the last 9 months. The record discloses
In pursuing the subject of money further some have asked why not use other
that we had most of the idle silver on the last day of last June when the total
metals for money-copper, aluminum, tin, or platinum, as well as gold and silver.
Federal Reserve notes stood at $7,001,580,625; just 9 months later on March
These other metals mentioned are too unstable for use as money when we consider
31, this figure stood at $9,056,131,000, an increase of over $2,000,000,000; and
the basic principles of economic law affecting the function of money. Any money
now when the April statement comes along we find another big jump in the
to be stable in value must increase of itself or by substitutes evenly in volume with
circulation of Federal Reserve notes which have increased to $9,230,843,390.
the growth of population or the expansion of business, an increase which is esti-
Evidently inflation is not the answer to our surplus silver problem.
mated by economists at a rate of 3 percent annually. The requirement for A
"With these facts 80 obvious and easily understood and the patriotism of our
money medium of stable value has been met from the beginning of civilization until
leading publications being constantly proclaimed, it is difficult to understand the
very recently by the production and use of gold and silver.
barrage of propaganda and innuendo appearing in these high-class publications
Statistics disclose that on the average about 14½ times by weight of silver is
against silver. The interest income the banks would get if this form of cash
produced to that of gold, with the result that a ratio of value has been established
was retired and replaced with Federal Reserve currency is well understood
between the two metale of 16 to 1. Over a long period of time we find from
although it is difficult to believe that the patriotism of our bankers would permit
statistics that the average of gold increases in volume by I percent annually and
a profit motive to outweigh their interest in the welfare of the American people
silver by 2 percent. When taken together the production of these metals make the
struggling under the overburden of an interest load; as for our leading publica-
3-percent increase in volume that keeps pace with the growth of population.
tions, it is difficult to understand their motive in putting out all this flood of
If we consider copper, we find that the production of this metal far exceeds the
misleading propaganda against silver."
growth of population and would, if the mints were open for copper coinage, HOOD
become no plentiful that it would steadily lose value an money. On the other
hand, if we were to use platinum for money alone, the production of the metal in 80
Regraded Unclassified
692
SILVER
far short of keeping pace with the growth of population that the continued demand
SILVER
693
for money and the resulting appreciation of this coinage would bring unstable
and services to obtain the necessary money to meet their obligations.
business conditions and a continued fall in prices, as people sacrificed their goods
market transactions-dealing in Government bonds.
the loans are controlled by this device. And then e third provision in the open
By discarding the use of silver as money, the world governments have Upset the
When the Federal Reserve banking authorities deem It expedient to reduce the
equilibrium between money and the value of the things exchanged for money.
amount of money in circulation they go into the market and sell Government
As & result of the financial disturbances of the Civil War period in this country,
bonds and the money paid for the bonds la withdrawn from circulation; on the
& new kind of money was invented based on government credit and regulated as to
other hand, if they want more money In circulation, they go into the market and
quantity by the ability of people to borrow and pay interest on bank loans. This
buy Government bonds and the money paid for the bonds flows out to be in-
currency is the national bank note (made legal tender by law) which up to recent
vested and put to use by the people selling the bonds.
years circulated in our currency system and got into circulation by being losned
managed currency, a system that is largely dependent for its normal function on &
So you see we are today conducting all the business of this country with
out at interest by the national banks. This kind of money after the Civil War
supplemented the use of silver and gold coins and silver and gold certificates and
confidence.
its use as money in trade and business yielded an Income to the issuing banks in
If a banker to whom an application is made for & loan lacks confidence concern-
the form of an interest charge in & system which also operated to increase the
ing any conditions affecting the repayment of principal and interest the loan is
banks' income by the interest received from the Government bonde deposited with
not made. It may be his apprehension of the effect of legislative or administra-
the United States Treasury as security for the repayment of the national bank-
tive policies of the Government; it may be due to his uncertainty of local busi-
note currency.
ness situations, but in all events, confidence is a controlling factor. The cash
With this kind of money in circulation, the American people soon saw legiala-
element in the hands or ownership of the average business organization or indi-
tion enacted to discontinue the use of any new silver as money; & plan which natu-
vidual is a email factor and a decreasing element.
rally increased the demand for and the use of national bank-note currency and
We find the Government handles its financial dealings on practically the same
precipitated the struggle between the free-coinage champions of silver and the
basis of individuality as any other corporation. We also find that weareusing
gold-standard advocates, who supported a plan which would work for the wider
and depending upon a managed currency controlled principally by the ability of
use of national bank-note currency. This struggle resulted in the adoption of
the people to borrow money and repay the principal with interest and that the
several monetary expedients directed to stabilizing the price of silver but never
interest on business borrowings that supports the circulation of our currency is in
restoring the metal to its former status as money of Itself but leaving it to remain
reality an income to the members of the Federal Reserve banking system and we
a commodity to be bought and sold by the Government on & commodity basis.
are further confronted with the fact that if all business could be placed on a cash
and when new silver was used after demonetization in connection with the national
basis and was out of debt and the Government paid off the national debt, na it
currency system, its use was based on its commodity value,
did when Andrew Jackson was President, business would be paralyzed because
The principle that the stability of money value rests on the control of the
we would not have a cent of money under our present system, except the small
volume in circulation is generally recognized.
change, our subsidiary coinage-the halves, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies,
In the past the stabilization of the volume of the money medium has been 000-
a few silver dollars and silver certificates,
trolled automatically by the natural limitation of the production of precious
You are to be commended upon your interest in this subject and your efforts to
metals, gold and silver, After silver was demonetized, there came into operation
help devise and put into operation a good workable, adequate money system with
a mixed control, one, the natural limitation of production of gold; the other,
which to transact the business of this country.
governing national bank note currency (a substitute for silver money) was limited
Sincerely yours,
in volume by gold reserve and redemption restrictions and the ability of the people
COMPTON I. WHITE.
to borrow and repay the principal with interest, based in a large measure on the
element confidence, or rather the confidence of the banker which operated as &
Senator McCarran. Mr. Secretary, would you care to have in-
large factor in regulating the volume of national bank note currency in circulation.
serted in the record the statement that you used? Would it be use-
During the period from demonetization of silver in 1873 and the nationalization
ful in giving us light on this?
of gold in 1933, this country had a dual control on the creation of money exercised
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I have it available.
by the natural limitation of the production of gold on one hand and the ability
of the people to borrow money and repay the principal with interest on the other
Senator McCarran. It will be inserted in the record, with your
hand, a scheme which functioned for A time, until commercial and bank credit,
permission.
which had largely replaced money (cash) in the transaction of business, collapeed
Mr. Morgenthau. It is just statistics.
with almost total failure of the element of confidence. In this emergency, due
Senator McCARRAN. Yes.
to the shortage of the only money metal in use, gold, it developed that the cur-
rency system based on gold and gold redemption could not fulfill the money re-
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Surely.
quirements of the several nations and gold in turn was demonetized and our
Senator McCarran. As of today?
monetary system shifted to & managed currency. In this system gold is na-
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes. That is available.
tionalized and held on deposit as & 40-percent coverage for the outstanding Federal
reserve notes which were controlled in volume by the component organization
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
in the Federal Reserve Bank System, the main control being the ability of the
people to borrow money and repay the principal with interest which was supple-
TABLE I.-United States monetary stocks of ailver (Apr. so, 1942)
mented with special devices to regulate the flow of money in the channels of trade
and business. These devices were also under the control of the Federal Reserve
Millions of
Banking System. The first of these adjustable controls is the discount rale
Short tons
ounces
whereby the lending operations of the lending banks is stimulated or depressed
by the rediscount rate charged by the Federal Reserve bank, 1. B,, the division of
Bilver held in Treasury
Silver outside the Treasury
2,000.6
00,438
the interest between the Federal Reserve bank and the member bank who is
408.9
14,018
responsible for the collection of the note which is offered for the security of the
Total
issuance of currency by the Federal Reserve bank. If the lending bank taken
3,709.5
113,450
all the risk and the Federal Reserve bank gets the bulk of the interest, naturally
the lending bank will be more conservative in making loans. The next regulation
is the bank reserve requirements. The more cash the banks are required to keep
in their vaults, the less they will have to lend their customers, 80 the volume of
Regraded Unclassified
694
SILVER
SILVER
695
TABLE II.-Estimated monetary stocks of vilver of other countries (Jan. 1, 1941).
Senator McCarran. I would not want anything to happen to pre-
vent the continual replacement that keeps this silver money in circula-
Millions of
ounces
Short loss
tion. I think it would be very depressing for the people.
Senator MILLIKIN. There would have to be some reserve kept.
China
480
I,ta
Mr. MORGENTHAU. We would have to keep some reserve on hand
India
950
1,530
AN
at all times to keep, at least, the number of silver coins in circula-
Other countries
4,201
Total
2,960
tion; and as the volume of business increases, we are constantly adding
10,10
to the number of silver coins in circulation.
I Includes coin held by the public. Does not Include 890 million ounoss not allocated to monetary or No.
Senator McCARRAN. I am going to make this suggestion, and if
monetary uses.
there is any objection to it, I should like to hear it. It is quite ap-
TABLE III.-Classification of Treasury holdings of silver (May 21, 1942)
parent that those who are interested in this subject should be in very
close contact with the officials and the experts of the Treasury in the
original drafting of this legislation. I for one look upon this with a
Millions of
ounces
Short loss
great deal of anxiety, to be very frank with you. I say anxiety, and
I use the word advisedly. I would be very jealous of the language that
Silver bullion held for silver certificates
1,160.4
36,7%
is to be used.
Silver dollars held against silver certificates
371.8
12,70
Bullion at cost
1,360.5
40,640
I want to know if it would be in keeping with the spirit of those
Subsidiary coin in the general fund
9.8
236
Bullion in the general fund at recolnage value
.001
present here if a group or a committee of, say, three or five, as you may
see fit, were selected from among this group that is present to confer
Total Treasury holdings of ailver
2,902.5
90,200
with the experts of the Treasury and the Secretary of the Treasury
and others interested along that line in the drafting of the proposed
TABLE IV.-Sources of Treasury holdings of silver bullion at cost (Apr. 30, 1945)
legislation, and that following the action of this group in working with
the Treasury, the chairman be again authorized to call your group
Millions of
together for study of the legislation.
ounors
Short tona
Does that meet with general approbation?
Mr. Secretary, what do you think of it?
Bilver Purchase Act silver
1,246.1
43,719
Proclamation silver
35.5
1,217
Mr. MORGENTHAU. I think it is an excellent suggestion, but before
Act of July d. 1030
78.3
2,6M
Bilver, ordinary
4.9
100
the legislation goes to the floor of Congress I should like to have a
sort of general understanding that I have declared myself, so to speak,
Total silver bullion at cost
1,364.8
46,788
by saying that we are not going to start anything other than what we
have been here to ask for, and I should like to have the same sort of
I Disposable by the Treasury.
expression from this committee, namely, that it is not going to start
TABLE V.-Estimated production, 1942
anything such as adding any riders of a monetary nature to this
legislation. I think that is a fair request.
Millions of
Bhort tone
Senator McCarran. I will speak for myself. if I may.
ounces
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Certainly.
World production
245
ase
Senator McCARRAN. My policy would be just as you have expressed
United States production
62
112
it.
United States imports
120
4,119
Senator CLARK of Idaho. And it would be mine, Mr. Chairman.
Senator McCarran. I am not trying to bind anybody, but I think
TABLE VI.-Estimated demand, including military
that I may, with a reasonable degree of propriety, say that I think
that is the spirit of this meeting.
Millions of
Short total
Mr. MORGENTHAU. If something like that should happen-and I
ounces
hope it will not-we should want to feel free to protect ourselves in
the matter; that is all.
Bearing materials
14.6
500
Chemical industry
20.0
08
Representative WHITE. With the cooperation of the Treasury, I
Containers (returnable)
102.1
1,500
Dental and medical
2.9
100
prepared an analysis from the earlier statement of the Treasury, and
Electrical Industry
58.3
1000
2,300
it has been extended in the Congressionel Record. I should like to
Solder
67.1
Miscellaneous
14.6
300
include that and another extension in this record.
Decorative arts (silverware, Jewelry, etc.)
49.6
L700
Senator McCarran. Very well.
Total
329.2
11,365
Nonconsuming uses, bus bars
1,166.8
40,000
Other nonconsuming uses
583.4
20,000
Regraded Unclassified
696
SILVER
SHAVER
697
(The matter referred to is as follows:)
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
enclosed circulation statement of United States money shows the amounts of
ailver certificates and Federal Reserve notes outstanding and in circulation. The
Washington, April 27, 1940.
circulation of gilver certificates la governed by the provisions of section 5 of the
Hon. COMPTON I. WHITE,
Silver Purchase Act of 1934 and section 821 (b) (2) of title 31, United States Code.
House of Representatives,
10. (a) Q. Who has control of the $2,000,000,000 of idle, unused silver
Washington, D. C.
seigniorage now in the Treasury vaults, Congress or the Secretary of the Treas-
MY DEAR MR. WHITE: In further reply to your letter of March 2, 1942, the
ury!-A An shown on page 1 of the enclosed Daily Treasury Statement, there are
Treasury is glad to submit the following replies to the 12 questions concerning
over 1.362,000,000 ounces of silver bullion at cost value in the general fund of the
silver which you quote from one of your constituents:
Treasury, valued at over $663,000,000. This silver is administered in accordance
1, Q. Is foreign silver coming into this country In exchange for goods in the
with the enactments of Congress. As of possible interest, copies are enclosed of
form of bullion?-A. The foreign silver imported into this country is chiefly in
extracts from Annual Reports of the Secretary of the Treasury for various years.
the form of coin, bars, ore, and concentrates.
Pages 42 and 43 of the report for 1935 set forth the policy concerning monetization
The dollar proceeds from silver imports are credit Items in the international
of newly acquired silver, and pages 130-135 of the report for 1940 review silver
balance of payments of the countries which sell silver and B8 such, offset the
policy and seigniorage on silver.
various debit items, which include payments for imports, transfers of capital,
(b) Q. And how can Congress claim there is no moneyfor old-age pensions
service of foreign debts, and other international transactions,
with $2,000,000,000 of idle silver on hand?-A. It has been the Government's
2. Q. Does our Government ever actually buy silver, either domestic or
policy, as explained in full in the Secretary's annual report of 1035, to issue silver
foreign, or just coin and issue It as money for the owners?-A. Bilver is acquired
certificates only up to the cost of the silver acquired under the silver purchase
by the Treasury pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of the Silver Purchase
program. Certificates have been issued up to that amount.
Act of 1934. Silver certificates are Issued against such silver in an amount
11. Q. Are new silver certificates based upon bullion out of these "profits"?-
equal to its cost. Of the newly mined domestic silver eligible for acceptance by
A. Silver certificates are issued against eilver held in the account entitled "Silver"
the mints and delivered to them, in keeping with the terms of the act of July 6,
on page I of the Daily Treasury Statement. No silver certificates are issued
1939, and the regulations issued thereunder, 45 percent is retained by the mints
against the silver in the general fund.
12. Q. How are the Government-owned silver certificates paid into circulation
and 55 percent, in allver dollars, or its equivalent in value, is returned to the
and who has the "say" as to what silver shall lie idle, or what proportion shall be
depositor. 3. Q. At what value is foreign silver rated? Domestic silver?-A. Silver pur-
used as money!-A. New silver certificates which are not paid out at the office of
the Treasurer of the United States are deposited in Federal Reserve banks in
chased pursuant to the Silver Purchase Act of 1934 is carried on the Daily State-
exchange for deposit credits where they are paid out by the Federal Reserve banks
ment of the United States Treasury at its cost value, except that silver against
BP required by the demands of the public for additional paper currency. The
which silver certificates have been issued in carried at its monetary value ($1.29
Sceretary of the Treasury has authority to issue silver certificates against silver
per fine ounce). By the terms of the Act of July 6, 1939, domestic silver mined
purchased under section 3 of the Silver Purchase Act of 1934 (see, 5 of the act of
since July 1, 1939, and eligible for delivery to the coinage mints is aettled for at 5
June 19, 1934, 48 Stat. 1178, U.S. C. title 31, sec. 405 a).
return to the depositor of 71.11 cents per fine ounce. This silver, too, is valued
The President has authority to issue silver certificates against any silver bullion,
at cost or, when made the basis of outstanding silver certificates, at $1.29 per
eilver, or standard silver dollars in the Treasury not then held for redemption
fine ounce.
of any outstanding silver certificates (see. 12 of the act of January 30, 1934, 48
4. Q. What nations use silver for money? Is the silver certificate issued by
Stat. 342, U. 8. C. title 31, BOO, 821 (b) (2)).
our Nation only?-A. Aa shown in the enclosed extract from the annual report
Very truly yours,
of the Director of the Mint entitled "The World's Monetary Stocks," many
D. W. BELL,
countries have stocks of monetary silver. The United States silver certificate is
Under Secretary of the Treasury.
United States currency and is issued only by the United States. Certain other
countries have issued paper currencies which are redeemable in silver coins and
against which reserves of silver coins are held, among such countries being Brtiish
India, Mexico, and Cuba.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
5. Q. Since when have silver certificates been used as money in the United
Washington, May 8, 1948.
States?-A. Silver certificates were first authorized by the act of February 28,
Hon. COMPTON I. WHITE,
1878.
House of Representatives,
6. Q. Are our silver certificates acceptable at face value in other nations?-A.
Washington, D. C.
So far as is known silver certificates are accepted everywhere on the same basis
MY DEAR Ma. WHITE: Reference is made to your letter of May 4 to the Sec-
as other United States paper currency.
retary of the Treasury requesting information relative to the amounts of gold
7. Q. When did our Government first begin coining silver at a profit?-A. The
certificates, silver certificates, national bank notes, and Federal Reserve notes
act of February 21, 1853, authorized the coinage of fractional silver coins con-
of the large size outstanding at the present time.
taining about 7 percent less silver than the proportional weight of the silver
The amounts of these kinds of the old series or large size paper currency out-
dollar. Silver dollars were first coined out of silver costing less than the mone-
standing on April 30, 1942, were as follows:
tary value of the coin In pursuance of the act of February 28, 1875.
Gold certificates
$28, 136, 224. 00
8. (a) Q. Is all profit on the coinage of silver termed seigniorage?-A. Broadly
Silver certificates
31, 305, 427. 00
speaking, all "profit" on the coinage of silver is termed seigniorage.
National bank notes
34,360,061.50
(b) Q. What has been the total profit on the eoinage of silver since the Bilver
Federal Reserve notes
58, 699, 170.
Purchase Act was passed in 1034?-A. The enclosed extract from the Treasury
Bulletin contains B table entitled "Seigniorage on silver" on B. cumulative basia
Very truly yours,
since January 1, 1934.
D. W. BELL,
(c) Q. What becomes of this 45 percent profit?-A. Seigniorage on silver is
Under Secretary of the Treasury.
entered on the Treasury's books as receipts under two headings, as shown on pages
2 and 3 of the enclosed Daily Statement of the United States Treasury. Seignior-
age on newly mined domestic silver is included in the seigniorage on page 2 along
with certain other Items. Seigniorage on foreign silver is shown on page 3.
eral Reserve banks allowed to take silver certificates out of circulation?-A. The
Federal Reserve notes in existence? Is the Secretary of
9. Q. What ratio do silver certificates in circulation bear to printing the Form
Regraded Unclassified
698
SILVER
SILVER
699
(From the Congressional Record, February 12, 1942, p. 9572)
THE PRESENT Use OF GOLD AND SILVER IN OUR MONETARY SYSTEM
Office of the Secretary of the Treasury-Daily Statement of the United States Treasury,
compiled from latest proved reports from Treasury offices and depositaries, June 12,
1941-Continued
Extension of Remarks of Hon. Compton I. White of Idaho in the House of Rep.
CURRENT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES-Continued
resentatives, Thursday, February 12, 1942
HENERAL FUNDS
STATEMENT AND LETTER SUBMITTED BY HON. COMPTON 1. WHITE, OF IDAHO
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Mr. WHITE. Mr. Speaker, many inquiries are being made as to the ownership
of the gold stored in this country and its relation to our national currency system.
Gold (as above)
$257,021,962.19
Treasurer's checks outstanding
$28,365,349.18
Deposita of Government offleers:
To clear up any existing misunderstanding concerning the status of this gold in
Silver:
Al monetary value (as
Post Office Department
12,556,574.13
our monetary system and the status of silver and the profits made by the Treasury
above)
H,778,704.65
Board of trustees, Postal Savings
in the form of silver seigniorage I have prepared a statement analyzing the gold
Subsidiary coin (oz. 2,218,-
System:
804.2)
3,067,294.50
5-percent reserve, lawful
and silver items appearing on the Treasury statement of June 12, 1941, printed
Bullion:
money
50,300,000.00
herewith in answer to & letter I have received and which I submit for inclusion in
At recoinage value (oz.
Other deposita
4,689,242.18
the RECORD under permission to revise and extend my remarks,
236,851.8)
327,426.03
Postmasters, cireks of courts, dis-
At cost value (oz. 1.350,-
bursing officers, etc
87,944,680.54
The Treasury statement follows:
317,670.8)
066,354,764.20
Uncollected Items, exchanges, etc
15,948,493.09
Minor coin
2,581,689.53
Office of the Secretary of the Treasury-Daily Statement of the United States Treasury,
United States notes
1,993,181.00
200,001,339.12
Federal Reserve notes
12,885,362.50
Balance today:
compiled from latest proved reports from Treasury offices and depositaries, June 12,
Federal Reserve bank notes
228,135.00
Increment on
1941
National bank notes
271,595.00
gold e
Unciastfed-Collections, etc
22,092,325.38
above)
$143,161,553.72
CURRENT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
Deposits in:
Seigniorage on-
Federal Reserve banks
993,877,884.10
ver) see note
COLD
Special depositaries account
604,760,956.10
of sales of Government
Working bal-
securities
654,004,000.00
snoe
1,799,550,962.48
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
National and other bank
Gold certificates:
depositaries:
$22,599,331,246.28
Outstanding (outside of Treas-
To credit of Treasurer
Gold (or. 045.695.178.5)
ury)
United States
69,662,477.80
Gold rertificate fund- Hoard of
To credit of other Gov-
emment officers
Governors, Federal Reserve
61,444,268.37
system
Foreign depositaries:
17,498,287,508.00
To credit of other Gov-
Redemption fund-Federal Re-
ernment officers
213,160.58
serve 5% notos
9,506,153.26
Gold reserve
Philippine treasury:
150,039,430.00
To credit of Treasurer
Nore.-Reserve against $146,-
United States
1,970,579.09
2,547,473,472.30
681,016 of United States notes and
$1.100,822 of Treasury notes of
Total
2,756,474,811.42
Total
2,736,474,811.42
1890outstanding. Treasury notes
of 1890 are also secured by silver
dollars in the Treasury.
Exchange stabilization fund
1,800,000,000.00
MISS FLORENCE SELBY,
22,342,309,254.00
Eagle, Idaho:
Gold to general fund:
In answering your communication of June 11, I wish more of the people of this
Balance of Incre-
country would give their attention to the principles and the workings of our
ment resulting
from reduction
monetary system. I am very pleased to give you such information as I can on
in the weight of
this subject, a subject which I feel is paramount to all other issues affecting the
the gold dollar.
$143,161,563.72
welfare of our country and the American people.
In working bal-
anos
113,860,408.47
Answering your question as to who owns the gold stored in this country, there is
257,023,962.19
enclosed a copy of the daily statement of the United States Treasury for June 12,
Total
the day following the date of your card. Under the heading "Gold" on the credit
22,509,331,246.28
Total
22,599,331,246.29
side, you will find the first item, $2,878,476,189 represents the gold for which gold
certificates (warehouse receipts) have been issued and delivered to the Federal
SILVER
Reserve banks, to be held in the reserve fund of the Federal Reserve Banking
System. The item also includes gold held in a fund set aside to redeem out-
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
standing gold certificates called in for redemption under the provisions of the Gold
Silver (ost. 1,108,735,993.1)
Silver certificates outstanding
$1,916,433,191.00
Reserve Act of 1936, amounting to $60,000,000 of old series of certificates that for
$1,433,517,243.65
Billver dollars(or. 381,192,905.7)
492,855,474.00
Treasury notes of 1890 outstanding
1,160,822.00
some reason have never been returned for redemption.
Total
Silver in general fund
8,778,784.85
The next item of $17,498,287,510.80 represents the gold held as security for gold
1,926,372,717.65
1,926,372,717.66
certificates (warehouse receipts) in the possession and ownership of the Federal
Total
Reserve Banking System. The next item, $9,506,153.36 (redemption fund), is
held as security for the redemption of outstanding Federal Reserve notes, and to all
intents and purposes is the property of the holder of the several denominations of
the paper dollar (Federal Reserve notes) bills circulating against the gold.
The next item, $156,039,430.93, as explained by the note just below the item on
the balance sheet, is held as security against the United States notes and Treasury
notes outstanding (in circulation), to all intents and purposes the property of the
holder of the paper dollar bills now in circulation or being hoarded some place.
The next item of $1,800,000,000 represents the famous stabilization fund which
came into being by changing the gold in the dollar from 25.8 to 15.5/21 grains;
Regraded Unclassified
SILVER
700
SILVER
701
thereby increasing the number of dollars as represented by the gold taken
would be $1,745,865,267.64. This silver was obtained by buying silver at the
into nominal ownership of the Government under the provisions of the Gold over
market price in the domestic and foreign market, with enough of the ailver NO
Reserve Act of 1934, which increased the dollar value to a little over $2,000.-
purchased revalued by the Treasury up to its coinage value equal in an amount
to equal the total cost of the silver acquired. This revalued silver la then set
000,000. This increment was set aside at the time of the change as a fund to be
aside in a reserve fund against which its dollar value equivalent is issued and put
used by the Secretary of the Treasury to stabilize (manipulate) the value of the
in circulation as money in the form of silver certificates (legal tender currency
United States money in relation to foreign money by the process of buying or
redeemable in silver dollars). This idle silver, like the gold in the stabilization
selling our money or their money Be the exigency might require,
fund, represents an increment without actual cost to the Government and the
The next item of $257,021,962.19 includes $143,161,553.72, the balance of the
entry io the statement in equivalent to the item carried representing the gold in
increment of gold subsequently acquired which has not been used or include in
the stabilization fund.
other items, It also includes gold delivered to the Treasury by Federal Reserve
By way of explanation of the financial status of the unused silver, we find that
banks for which gold certificates have not been issued.
while the Treasury carries a cost value of this idle silver at $666,354,764.20 in
So you see, reduced to fundamental principles, the only gold actually owned by
fact, it has issued and its creditors have accepted ellver certificate currency up
the United States Treasury is the gold in the stabilization fund of $1,800,000,000,
to the total cost of all the eilver bought, this item represents the allocation of
which will not be spent in paying Government expenses or put in circulation in our
that part of the cost of purchasing this silver, based on the actual cost of all the
regular currency system, except the item of $143,161,553.72, "the balance of the
gilver purchased from any source by the Government before any part of the
gold increment resulting from the reduction in the weight of the gold dollar"
ailver was revalued for use M money in the national currency system.
(see note on Treasury statement), which can only be spent by being transferred
On the other side of the statement (liabilities) as an offect there is the item
to the gold certificate fund of the Federal Reserve banks in exchange for bank
$604,760,956.10 seigniorage (silver) but this.is not the total profit on the silver
credit, All gold enumerated in the other items is stored by the Government and
that has been purchased. On page 2 of this same statement we find in the gon-
in really owned by the banks, as represented by the Federal Reserve Banking
eral and special accounts another item seigniorage $63,692,754.44 for the fiscal
System, just as wheat that the farmer delivers to a grain elevator, for which be
year 1941, representing another profit made in minting and placing in circulation
receives a warehouse receipt, is the property of the farmer or the firm to which be
the subsidiary silver coins (half dollars, quarters, and dimes) between the post of
sells the wheat as represented by the warehouse receipt; with the difference, of
the silver and the face value of the coins.
course, that the farmer must pay the taxes and storage charges on his whent.
In considering the total actual profit made on silver since the Silver Purchase Act
while the gold in nominally the property of the Treasury, and the banks, the real
went into operation, in consulting the bulletin of the Treasury Department of
owners or its equivalent in gold certificates, escapes storage, insurance charge,
January 1942 we find on page 79 that the seigniorage (profits) on silver dollars and
and taxes,
and silver certificates amounts to $580,400,000 and the seigniorage (profits) on
As this is Sunday afternoon with no one else about the office and I sm on an
subsidiary coins (half dollars, quarters, and dimes) amounts to $182,100,000.
interesting subject, I might explain the item of silver In the Treasury statement
Taken together, the seigniorage totals $799,700,000. The Treasury statement
BB I understand it. For a more extensive discussion of silver, see my answer to
goes further and gives the potential seigniorage on the idle silver in the general
68 eminent economists made in the March 10, 1939, issue of the Congressional
fund at $1,089,000,000.
Record, a copy of which is enclosed,
The continued use of the silver money now in circulation and utilization of the
The silver items represent all the silver owned and in the possession of the
idle silver as money is the subject of considerable controversy. When we consider
United States Treasury. The Treasury is buying ailver all the time. The silver
the function of money and the present state of our country's finances in relation to
mined in the United States la bought at the price fixed by law, 71.11 cents per
our national indebtedness, and the stimulating effect of n new gold discovery on
ounee, The foreign silver is bought at the world market price of somewhere
business and the national income, it appears the idle silver should be put to use as
around 35 centa, the last time [ noticed the quotation.
money to service business in the form of eilver certificates, currency of small
In taking up the silver Items as shown on the Treasury statement, we find on
denominations, the same kind of money that in now flowing in the channels of trade
the debit side assets of two items. The first (1,108,735,993.1 ounces) valued at
and business in the form of 81, $5, and 810 bills, money that is eagerly accepted
$1,433,517,243.65. The second item in silver dollars on deposit in the Amount of
through the country, the kind of money that in created and paid out by the Gov-
$492,855,474, making & total of almost $2,000,000,000, or exactly $1,926,372,717.65.
ernment in paying current expenses, a currency that circulates continuously
(A dollar is roughly seven-eighths of an ounce of silver, of 417½ grains of standard
minus the interest charge inherent to the issuance and circulation of Federal
allver, which is equal to 3711/4 grains of pure silver with 10-percent copper added
Reserve bank note currency.
when coined.)
Trusting I have answered your question, I am,
On the credit side we find the account balanced with $1,916,433,191, represented
Sincerely yours,
by silver certificates in circulation in the form of $1, $5, and $10 bills, money that
COMPTON I. WHITE,
is in circulation and is being handled every day in every community in the United
Member of Congress,
States,
The next item, $1,160,822, represents silver held as security for redemption of
(From the Congressional Record, May 14. 1942, p. 1929]
Treasury notes of 1890, These notes are, in fact, 8 reissue of the famous green-
backs of Civil War days. The item of $8,778,704.65 represente silver money that
THE CASE FOR SILVER
has flowed back to the Treasury and its several branches throughout the country
in its transaction of Government business.
Extension of Remarks of Hon. Compton I. White, of Idaho, in the House of
So you see, the three items just mentioned on the credit side balances with the
Representatives, Wednesday, May 13, 1942
two items on the debit side, which represents the money value of silver currency.
But there in more silver owned by the Treasury.
Mr. WHITE. Mr. Speaker, In reading current newspapers and many of the
Coming down to the items in the general fund, you find the first silver item of
leading publications, it is very evident the real facta concerning the place of
$8,778,704.65 on the debit side is the same item as the last Item on the eredit eide
silver in our monetary system and the profit the Government is making on its
above under the heading of "Silver" coins (or certificates) reserved and on hand
silver-purchase program in not understood by the public in general, and for
for transacting Government business, The next silver item of $3,067,204.50
some reason in belog purposely misrepresented to the average reader.
representa subsidiary coins (half dollars, quarters, and dimes) on hand. The
In an endeavor to correct this situation and present factual information con-
Item of $327,426.03, expressed in the terms of ounces (236,851.8) represente, I
cerning silver, the records of the Treasury Department have been consulted,
am told, defective, abraded, and mutilated coins on hand waiting to be reminted.
and I have endeavored to present these facts in a radio address in a Nation-wide
The next item as carried on the statement of $666,354,764.20 represents gilver
broadeast which I submit for printing in the Record:
on hand and owned by the Government not in use as money in any form. This
"With 80 much being said about silver and the Government's ailver purchasing
item of silver represents neither its actual cost to the Treasury nor ita coinage
program and the cost of this program to the American people, I am sure everybody
value ILS money.
listening in will be interested to learn the facts about silver and the way the
The statement shows it to be 1,350,317,670.8 ounces of silver, which if coined
Regraded Unclassified
702
SILVER
SILVER
703
Government finances the purchase of silver and the use of this metal in our
tary system. There is much to be said about the fundamental principles of
"The papers persist in telling us how useless the ellver in and how we should
money and the use of gold and silver as money, but I desire to address myself to
get rid of it. Make electric bare of it. make anything out of it, anything to get
stating the facts concerning the present-day purchase and use of silver as money
rid of it. They might just as well talk about retiring the silver certificates and
and to avoid a todious recitation of figures. 1 shall use M far AS practical round
melting down the silver reserves now being held for their redemption. The one
numbers in stating these facts.
would reduce the monetary metal reserve as much as the other; the only difference
"The figures presented in the Treasury statement from day to day and the
would be that one lot of silver is in vise as money and the other is available and
compilation of figures in the Treasury bulletin issued every month contains the
ready to be put to the same use. There le not & line of law to prevent it-and
record of the Government's fiscal operations in buying and using silver an money,
I'm sure all of us agree that the Government needs the money just now, even the
The profits the Government has actually made in buying and using silver under
Defense-bond salesmen will tell you that,
the Silver Purchase Act now stands, or did on the 20th day of April, at $997,000,000.
"The best answer to this barrage of propaganda against silver in the figures in
This money, or the profit on silver, is now invested in the unrevalued silver which
the printed tables on silver selgniorage appearing regularly in the monthly bulletin
amounts to one and a third billion ounces and is carried in the Treasury secoint
of the Treasury Department, and for your information there is submitted the
Bd an item in the general fund.
figures of three totals taken from the columns of the table appearing on page 80
"How has the Government made the profit that le represented by this surplus
of the March bulletin under the heading, 'Seigniorage on gilver." The total of
and unused silver? Simply by purchasing domestic and foreign silver at the
the first column is $192,400,000; this is seigniorage (profit) made in buying silver
prevailing market patoes and then revaluing the metal that is used for monetary
and minting the subsidiary coins, half dollars, quarters, and dimes; the next
purposes. The Treasury statements disclose that the Government bas revalued
figure important for our consideration in the total shown in column of $804,700,000.
and put in circulation as money enough silver to evenly balance with all the money
This is the seigniorage or profit on silver that has already been revalued and put
that has been spent in buying silver-and in doing this has placed in circulation
in circulation as dollars and silver certificates: add these two figures together and
silver money amounting to $2,024,000,000 in silver dollars and silver certificates.
you get the actual profit the Government has made up to the present on the silver
These certificates are redeemable in silver dollars. The silver money in circula-
that the Government has bought and put into circulation, but there in A larger
tion is chiefly silver certificates in the form of 81, $5, and $10 bills, as you will fund
figure to take into account, the seigniorage on the silver that has been obtained
and laid aside and is not as yet in use as money; whenever this extra silver is
in checking the daily Treasury statement.
"To give you an example of how the plan has worked, we can compare it to the
revalued and put into circulation in the form of silver certificates, the Govern-
transaction of a miller in taking toll when the farmer brings In his grain to the
ment will realize the full amount of the profit on its silver-purchase program.
mill to have it ground into flour or meal; the farmer's grist is measured and
The seigniorage on this unused silver remainder has been taken into account by
the Treasury and appears in the total in this table under the heading, Potential
dumped into the receiving bin; the miller takes ont the toll (his share) and pula
seigniorage on silver bullion at cost in the general fund,' I give you the exact
it into the toll bin, and then grinds the farmer's grist and delivere it back to him
figure amounting to $1,096,300,000.
without further costs. In the case of domestic silver the miner brings his bullion
"I know that I have promised not to tire you with e tedious recital of figures but
to the mint and gets for every ounce 71.11 cents in silver certificates (paper money),
to get the facts and determine the full amount the Government has made on ita
by which the Government pute a value on the silver the miner brings in of $1.20%
silver-purchase program, it will be necessary to add the three silver seigniorage
per ounce. The silver left over is put in the Treasury toll bin, general fund.
items shown in the Treasury statement which makes a grand total of $2,093,-
Under this plan the Treasury has piled up-and here I'm going to give you the
000,000. In the face of these figures and the incontrovertible facts, what becomes
exact figures-1,364,566,900.1 ounces of unrevalued silver, as shown on the
of all this barrage of propaganda concerning the loss the Government is taking
Treasury statement of April 20 this year.
in buying silver?
"This plan has worked 80 well and made such & big profit for the Government us
"The fact is that the gains made by the Treasury in revaluing both gold and
wonder why the Treasury doesn't use the balance of its silver the same way, just
silver are about even, the increment on gold being a little more than the increment
as it is doing with the first half, revalue it and issue its equivalent in silver etc-
on silver. Both of these figures show up every day in the Treasury statement.
tificates, cash money, in paying some of the Government's running expenses.
The gold increment is set aside in the stabilization fund carried now at $1,800,-
1 do not believe anybody would say Uncle Sam doce not need this money, especially
000,000 and silver increment put in the general fund in terms of ounces (unre-
when we have unused in the Treasury a billion and one-third ounces of silver
valued) is carried at the original cost of the silver before the seigniorage is taken
bullion ready to be revalued which would bring its money value up to one and
into account.
three-fourths billion dollars that can be kept on hand to redeem the new crisp
"This in a bookkeeping entry that may be compared to the transaction of &
paper bills, the kind of money that is being engraved by the Treasury every day.
wheat buyer purchasing wheat for 70 cents & bushel and selling it for $1 a bushel
"There is nothing in the law to prevent it. Section 5 of the Silver Purchase
and keeping his working capital in hand by selling up to the cost of his wheat M
Act provides:
fast IMI it comes in. When he has bought up to a thousand bushels for $700 and
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to issue ollver
sold 700 bushels for $1 a bushel and has 300 bushels on hand, his bookkeeping
certificates in such denominations as he may from time to time prescribe in à face
entry would show his 300 bushels representing an investment of $210 when in fact
amount of not less than the cost of all silver purchased under the authority of
he has his money all back and the 300 bushels of wheat to show a profit.
section 3. and such certificates shall be placed in actual circulation."
"So it is with surplus silver in the Treasury carried at $664,421,302.95 in the
"Please note the provision just quoted 'not less than the cost of all silver pur-
Treasury statement but when we come to analyze this situation, if the seigniorage
chased.' There is nothing anywhere in the language of the law itself or in the
is taken into account, this surplus silver did not actually cost anything and as to
ameudment of July 6, 1939, that prevents the Secretary of the Treasury from
the seigniorage item, it is either one thing or another. If it is entered BH a profit
putting the surplus silver owned by the Government into circulation na money.
to the Government, then the surplus silver represents what it cost. If the seignior-
It may be that the Secretary is afraid of inflation-evidently this fear has failed
age is not carried on the Treasury books as & profit, then the total surplus silver
to influence the policy of the Federal Reserve banks.
represents a profit which may account for the Secretary's sidestepping the question
"In checking the record we find that we had most of this idle silver OR June R
recently when be was asked as to the extent of the loss the Government might
a year ago-when the Federal Reserve money in circulation was a little over
sustain in disposing of its surplus silver.
$7,000,000,000. and now, according to the circulation statement of the Treasury.
"With these facts so obvious and easily understood and the patriotism of our
regardless of inflation, the Federal Reserve banks have put another $2,000,000,000
leading publications being constantly proclaimed, it in difficult to understand the
of this kind of bank-note money in circulation and are stendily increasing the
barrage of propaganda and innuendo appearing in these high-class publications
amount. The Treasury circulation statement for March shows the Federal Re-
against silver. The interest income the banks would get if this form of cash was
serve money in circulation has been increased to $9,056,000,000, and now comes
retired and replaced with Federal Reserve currency is well understood although
along the April circulation statement showing a further increase of $200,000,000.
it in difficult to believe that the patriotism of our bankers would permit a profit
And we, you and I, and the rest of the good American people, still have OUT idle
motive to outweigh their interest in the welfare of the American people struggling
silver.
under the overburden of an interest load; as for our leading publications, it. Le
Regraded Unclassified
704
SILVER
SILVER
difficult to understand their motive in putting out all this flood of misleading
705
propaganda against silver.
"In closing let me quote the immortal words of one of America's greatest states
tables giving the selgulorage on silver, taken from page so, March Bulletin of
nen, James G. Blaine, Speaker of the House of Representatives, when be enid,
the Treasury Department.
If, therefore, silver has been demonetised, I am in favor of ordering it to be
The SPEAKER pro tempore. la there objection to the request of the gentleman
resumed. If it has been restricted, I am in favor of having It enlarged. The
from Idaho?
two metals have existed side by side in harmonious, honorable companionship M
There was no objection.
money, ever since intelligent trade was known among men. It in well-nigh 40
Mr. WHITE. Mr. Speaker, the statement of the Economists' National Com-
centuries since "Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in
mittee on Monetary Policy la MI follows:
the audience of the sons of Heth-400 shekels of ailver current money with the
merchant." Since that time nations have risen and fallen, races have disep-
"SIXTY-FIVE MEMBERS URGE CONGRESS TO REPEAL THE SILVER PURCHASE ACT
peared, dialects and languages have been forgotten, arte have been lost, treasures
OF JUNE 19, 1934, AND TUE DOMESTIC SILVER PURCHASE LAW OF JULY 6, 1939
have perished, continente have been discovered, Islands have been sunk in the
APRIL 20, 1942.
sea, and through all these ages and through all these changes, ailver and gold
"We the undersigned members of the Economists' National Committee on
reigned supreme, as the representative of value, as the media of exchange. The
Monetary Policy, again urge Congress to repeal the Silver Purchase Act of June
dethronement of each has been attempted in turn and sometimes the dethrone-
19, 1934. and the domestic silver purchase law of July 6, 1939,
emtn of both: but always in vain. And here we are today, deliberating allow
"The former has never been sound in principal or practice, the common argu-
over the problem which comes down to us from Abraham's time-the weight of
ments for it were neither valid nor admirable, and its results have in the main
ailver-that shall be "current money with the merchant.'
been harmful to both the United States and certain foreign countries.
"The latter act has been an indefensible subsidy to the domestic producers of
silver and has forced the Treasury to pay approximately twice the world market
[From the Congressional Record, April 30, p. 3978)
price for this domestic silver with the consequence that the Treasury has greatly
overvalued the silver which it holds.
MONETARY POLICY
"Both neta have disturbed the silver markets of the world, have drained silver
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentle-
from industry and other countries' treasuries to our Treasury vaulta, and have
man from Idaho (Mr. White) is recognized for 20 minutes.
been important factors in the expansion of our money supply at a time when such
Mr. WHITE, Mr. Speaker, today le pay day in the Capitol of the United States.
expansion has been unnecessary and undesirable.
It in very interesting to go into the office of the Sergeant at Arms of the House
"It is gratifying to note that both Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau and
and then go over to the disbursing office of the Senate and see all the young follo,
Chairman Eccles of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System are
the clerical help employed about the Capitol, lined up and drawing down their
recommending the repeal of these laws. In January of this year, Secretary
pay, cashing their Government checks, and being handed out cash for those checks.
Morgenthau stated to the House Appropriations Committee that "So far as I am
When we stop to think of the operations of the Treasury's fiscal policy, it is
concerned, I will be glad to see Congress strike all of the silver legislation off the
interesting to see that most of the money that is being paid to these folks, being
books.' In the hearings before the Committee on Ways and Means of the House
paid to the Senators, and being paid to the Members of the House, in silver cer-
in March and at a press conference in February he again made similar statements.
lificates, in $1, $5, and $10 denominations, that are redeemable in silver dollars,
Chairman Eccles, in n letter to Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg on March 30, this
silver that is costing the Government, so the magazine Time said in an article I
year, stated that his views on this matter are generally in accord with those
have just read, and that is borne out by the record of the Treasury, about 50
expressed by Secretary Morgenthau. Chairman Eccles pointed out in this
letter that he had held these views for several years, and added: 'In view of the
cents. In other words, instead of its costing the Government $10,000 & year to
war situation, it is all the more urgent that the inflationary effects of the silver
maintain one Congrossman in Washington, it costs the Government in actual
program be removed and that 80 far as possible the materials, machinery, and
eash about $5,000 a year. That is a very interesting situation.
labor now devoted to silver production be utilized in the war effort.'
Today when the Sergeant at Arms was himself on hand I took occasion to draw
"On April 20, 1934, the executive committee of the Economists' National Com-
a little check in the amount of $16 in drawing down some of the pay that inder
mittee on Monetary Policy issued a statement opposing the enactment of the
me for serving here in this capacity. The Sergeant at Arms handed me a brand-
pending Silver Purchase Act of 1934.
spanking-new $1 bill, a 85 bill, and A $10 bill. On each one of these bills is is-
"Substantial majorities of the full committee signed pronouncements in oppo-
seribed "Redeomable in silver."
sition to the Government's silver program as follows:
It was such an interesting fact, and no well refutes the constant harrage of
'May 25, 1936: Recommending abandonment of the silver-purchase policy
propaganda put out against the Government's silver policy, that I took occasion
and that Treasury silver be disposed of as advantageously as possible;'
to have a photographer on hand, a gentleman with a flash bulb and & camera,
"June 14, 1937: Advocating repeal of the silver-purchase program;
to take a picture and give ocular evidence that there WAR such a policy in opent-
"December 28, 1937: Urging, among other things, repeal of the Silver Purchase
tion by the Government, and that we are being paid with money "as good as
Act of 1934;
gold,' these silver certificates, flowing through the channels of trade and business,
"December 23, 1938: Urging that Government subsidy to silver interesta be
in every pocket and every till in this country where money is handled, certifi-
ended and that the Silver Purchase Act be repealed;
cates on which the Government is making a profit and on which the good people
"May 15, 1939: Urging enactment of the Townsend bill repealing the Rilver
of the United States are making & big saving every day in the form of interest
Purchase Act of 1934; and
that they would have to pay if this money were retired and replaced by Federal
"September 30, 1941: Recommending, among other things, repeal of the Silver
Reserve notes.
Purchase Act of 1934 and of the act of July 6, 1939, providing for the purchase of
Mr. Speaker, I want to refute this specious propaganda that is being put out
domestic silver at 71.11 cents per ounce-spproximately twice the market price.
against one of the best pieces of money ever invented, the American eilver dollar.
"We agree with Secretary Morgenthau's statement of January that If the
A monetary unit which we got from the good people of Poland, as I mentioned in
Government's silver program were repealed
it would be helpful at this
my remarks a few minutes ago, I take this occasion to answer B pronouncement
time, I think it would be well received.'
by 65 members of the Economists' National Committee on Monetary Policy.
"Signed: Eugene E. Agger, Rutgers University: Benjamin M. Ander-
They have just made a pronouncement under date of April 20 against the gilver-
son, Jr., University of California in L. A.; Charles C. Arbuthnot,
purchase program of the Government and against this kind of money, on which
Western Reserve University: Don C. Barrett, Haverford College:
the Government is making & profit and on which the people are making a huge
Benjamin H. Beckhart, Columbia University: James Washington
saving in interest.
Bell, Northwestern University: Ernest L. Bogart, University of
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in connection with my remarks
Illinois; Frederick A. Bradford, Lehigh University: William A.
there may appear In toto, with all the signatures attached, this communication
Brown. Jr., Brown University; J. Ray Cable, Washington Un.
from the Economists' National Committee on Monetary Policy, and also the
versity; Wilbur P. Calhoun, University of Cincinnati: N
73002-42-pt. 9-18
Regraded Unclassified
706
SILVER
SILVER
707
Herald Tribune; Garfield V. Cox, The University of Colongo:
Carothers, Lehigh University; Edward H. Collins, New York
Mr. Speaker, what I want to know is, what is it worth to the banks to keep
William W Cumberland, Wellington & Co., New York: Charles
silver money out of circulation? And in connection with that I should like to
A. Dice, the Ohio State University; D. W. Ellsworth, E. W.
know what is the profit to the Government and the saving to the American
& Co., Inc., New York;, William D. Ennis, Stevens Institute AR
people in using silver money In transacting business?
Technology; Fred R. Fairchild, Yale University: Clyde Olla of
Now I am going to read you my reply to these eminent economists of the lead-
Fisher, Wesleyan University; J. Anderson Fitagerald, The Unk
ing institutions of higher education in this country, analyzing and making TO-
versity of Texas; Herbert F. Fraser, Swarthmore College; Roy L
sponse to this communication put out to the country, the President, and the
Harry D. Gideonse, Brooklyn College; Earl J. Hamilton, Duko
Garis Vanderbilt University; Arthur D. Gayer, Queens College:
Congress for their guidance:
To the Members of the Economists' National Committee on Monetary Policy:
University, with reservations as to second paragraph; Lewis H,
Haney, New York University; E. C. Harwood, American Institute
"GENTLEMEN: In considering the recommendations of your committee of 65
for Economic Research; Hudson B, Hastings, Yale University:
economists to repeal the Silver Purchase Act of June 19, 1934, and the domestic
William F. Hauhart, Southern Methodist University: Frederick
silver-purchase law of July 6, 1939, made in your communication of April 20,
C. Hicks, University of Cincinnati; John Thom Holdsworth, The
presumably addressed to the President, the Congress, and the country, you
University of Miami; Edwin W. Kommerer, Princeton University:
state: 'Its results have been harmful to both the United States and certain
William H. Kiekhofer, The University of Wisconsin: David
foreign countries.' How has it been harmful? Do you seek to imply that
Kinley, University of Illinois; William H. Kniffin, Bank of
$2,024,000,000 in the form of silver dollars and silver certificates, $1, $5, and $10
Rockville Centre Trust Co., Long Island; Frederic E. Lee,
hills, redeemable in silver dollars now in circulation in the channels of trade and
University of Illinois; J. F. Leonard, University of Bouthern
business, is harmful to our national economy or to the American people?
California: James D. Magee, New York University; Arthur W.
"For fear that some of the details of the Treasury fiscal operations may have
escaped the notice of the members of your economists' committee, and, to be
Marget, University of Minnesota; A. Wilfred May, New York
more specific, let me point out to you, gentlemen, first, that on the day your
City; Mark C, Mills, Indiana University; Margaret G. Myers,
communication was issued, April 20, there were $1,962,101,367 In silver cer-
Vassar College; Melchior Palyl, The University of Wisconsin:
tificatoe outstanding, which, as you know, are redeemable in silver dollars (April
Ernest Minor Patterson, University of Penneylvania; Clyde W.
20 daily statement, U.S. Treasury), and in addition there were 62,327,405 silver
Phelps, University of Chattanooga; Charles L. Prather, Syracuse
dollars in circulation (March 31 Treasury Statement, United States money in
University; Howard H. Preston, University of Washington:
circulation)-money issued by the Government interest free and in use through-
Leland Rex Robinson, 76 Beaver Street, New York; R. G. Rod.
out the country in handling the Nation's business-the kind of money that your
key, University of Michigan; Olin Glenn Saxon, Yale University;
members have steadily opposed; money which you say is harmful and should
Joseph A. Schumpeter, Harvard University: Walter E. Spahr,
never have been lasued, and now could best be replaced by unredeemable Federal
New York University; Oliver M. W. Sprague, Harvard University;
Reserve currency, the other kind of money which business or the Government
William H. Steiner, Brooklyn College; Charles 8. Tippetta,
would be required to borrow from the bank at interest to get it issued and must
Mercersburg Academy; Alvin 8. Tostlebe, The College of Wooster;
continue to pay interest to the loaning banks to keep it in circulation.
James B. Trant, Louisiana State University; Rufus 8. Tucker,
"In making you recommendations, it would be interesting to know if the mem-
Westfield, N. J.; Russell Weisman, Western Reserve University,
bers of your committee have calculated the difference in cost on the item of inter-
William O. Weyforth, The Johns Hopkins University; Nathsale
est between the expense of using Federal Reserve money and the use of interest-
R. Whitney, The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati: Edward
free silver money to which your members object so strenuously, or in this conneo-
Wiest, University of Kentucky: Max Winkler, College of the City
tion has your committee considered the profits accruing to the Government in
of New York; Ivan Wright, Brooklyn College."
purchasing domestic and foreign silver and revaluing it and putring it into cir-
Mr. Speaker, for the information of the Members of the House and especially
culation as money in paying current Government expense. For fear that by
for the enlightenment of all these 65 economists, there is inserted below & table
some mischance all of your 65 members may have overlooked some of these
appearing on page 80 of the March Bulletin of the Treasury Department, 000-
small items, there is presented the record of seigniorage taken from the report of
taining the record of seigniorage made on the silver purchases under the Silver
the Secretary of the Treasury (Treasury Bulletin, March 1942) which I submit
Purchase Act of 1934.
for your files and information in event you desire to have the actual facts, to wit:
Sergniorage on silver
"On page 80 of this bulletin we find the following totals of seigniorage on silver:
[Cumulative from Jan. 1. 1934-In millions of dollars]
"(2) Total seigniorage on silver revalued less minor coins (January 1, 1934, to
February 28, 1942), $804,700,000;
Boureus of selgninrage on allver bullien revaloed
"(2) The total seigniorago on minor coinage (January 1, 1934, to February 28
Potential
1942) $192,400,000, which represents the actual gain to the Government on this
End of
Behenior-
Miscèlls-
neous
Newly
National-
seignione
calendar
HUDO on
mined
Newly
silver by revaluing it and putting it out as money.
silver and
sliver (In-
Bilver
silver
mined
fsed sliver
Total
allver
Purchase
bullies
"This still leaves the Government with a surplus of unused silver amounting
year or
mine
cluding
month
silver bul-
(proclama-
Act of
(proclams-
seigniorage
at cost it
colus
(net of
Mon of
on silver
to 1,364,566,969.7 ounces on hand in the general fund, as appears on Treasury
Hon held
tion of
July 6,
June 19,
general
Dec. 21,
1934
Ang. 0,
revalued
hand
statement of even date with your communication (April 20), surplus silver that
June 14,
1933)
1939)
1004)
can be revalued and put into circulation as money under existing law in the form
1934)
of silver certificates or silver dollare by the Secretary of the Treasury amounting
1934
4,5
48.7
0.4
51.1
25.5
128.7
to $1,764,288,605.24 when revalued for use as money.
1935
18.5
48.7
16.8
225.2
34.5
200.2
2011
"By consulting the Treasury statement, you will find that this nilver has been
1936
00.1
48.7
36,0
3027
3L7
422.1
57.1
1937
63.7
48.7
58.0
361.7
34.7
508.1
MLI
taken into consideration by the Treasury in computing the seigniorage as appears
1938
69.8
48.7
74.9
4/7.7
34.7
616.0
in
in the last column of the table on page 80 of the March Treasury bulletin, headed
1939,
91.7
48.7
87.3
4.2
520.7
SL7
705.5
SOLF
'Potential Seigniorage on Silver Bullion at Cost in General Fund,' amounting
1040
122.2
48.7
87.6
20.7
M3.7
24.7
789.4
1,00A)
1941
152.1
48.7
87.6
49.3
580.4
04.7
799.7
1,09.0
to a total of $1,096,300,000. When you add up these three seignlorage items,
1942:
which is the difference between the cost of the silver to the Government as bullion
January
188.5
48.7
87.6
50.2
581.5
34.7
802.5
and its money value when issued by the Treasury in paying Government expense,
February
192.4
48.7
87.6
51.6
5821
36.7
804.7
you have a grand total of $2,093,400,000 seigniorage, making a tidy profit of
These items represent the difference between the and value and the monetary value of give beller
over $2,000,000,000, which has and will accrue to the Government If the Treasury
revalued and held to secture nilver certificates.
The figures in this column are not cumulative; MI the amount of bullion held changes. the potential
will use all the silver as money it has bought under the 'objectionable' Silver
relgniorage thereon changes.
Purchase Act since 1934. Leaving out the item of potential seigniorage: To date
Basis: Daily Treasury Statements.
the record discloses the Government has made on the silver used as money, a
Regraded Unclassified
708
SILVER
SILVER
709
total in seigniorage, amounting to $997,000,000 and has, in addition, enough
gilver left over to make another $1,096,300,000 in seignlorage as disclosed in the
Senator MUCARRAN. Secretary Jones wishes to make a statement.
last Treasury bulletin, and you 65 eminent economists and educators in our lend.
ing institutions of learning object to our Government making this little profit in
the present emergency, at a time when every monetary thread in the national
STATEMENT OF HON. JESSE H. JONES, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
financial fabric is strained to the utmost.
"When you consider the cost in the form of Interest the people would be 76-
Mr. JONES. Mr. Chairman, there is one point that I think has not
quired to pay by retiring the silver money now in use and replacing it with Federal
Reserve notes, think of what your plan would add to the expense of doing business.
been made quite clear. If the Secretary of the Treasury is to issue
"In order to determine the full amount that business has saved by our Govern-
money against silver that may be used in bus bars, I think the legisla-
ment refusing to follow the money plan you have urged in your repeated recom.
tion must include that fact particularly and also the fact that the
mendations, we must get the figures on silver in cireulation year by year since the
title to that silver remains in the Treasury. I doubt if we can follow
silver-purchase program went into effect in 1934 and calculate the interest on Ha
the plan we have started with, that we can lend-lease silver and still
equivalent in Federal Reserve money. I hope your committee will do that for
your own information and the good of the American people.
issue currency against it. I think the legislation must take the course
"In this time of emergency and mounting tax load on business what valid
that the title to the silver remains in the Treasury. I do not think
objection is there to Issuing the balance of silver the Government has on hand is
that that has been developed quite enough. I think the spirit of
money and putting this currency into circulation in paying current Government
everybody here is to use the silver but to allow it to be used for dual
expenses? Inflation. Your committee will say pointing to all the danger to our
national economy and the disastrous effect on the living standards of labor-if
purposes-that is, both in the war program and in the monetary
we increase the volume of eash-money of ultimate redemption In the channels
program. That has to be taken into account.
of trade and business. If this is true, it may be that another fact has escaped the
Senator McCarran. That is right. There is just one thought that
notice of all of your committee. If I may call this fact to your attention, the
I wish to leave with you, Mr. Secretary, and that is this: It would be
record discloses that on June 30, 1941, & little less than a year ago at a time when
the policy of the chairman of this group at this time to work with you
credit WAS vastly expanded in financing our national-defense program, there was
Federal Reserve notes in circulation in the amount of $7,001,520.625, and at the
to the end that this legislation may be so worked out that the so-called
same time there was 1,349,488,385.7 ounces of surplus and idle silver in the
truce, as you choose to term it, would be effective. To that end we
Treasury which the Secretary of the Treasury could have revalued and issued
would work.
as money in paying the Government's current expenses. Now less than A year
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes,
later on March 31 we find the Federal Reserve has increased its currency in
circulation to $9,056,131,060, an increase of over $2,000,000,000 and we still
Senator MCCARRAN. To that end we shall gladly meet with you,
have the unused surplus silver left in the Treasury: to be exact the amount
with your experts, and with others interested here and try to go
as of the date of your communication was 1,364,566,969.1 ounces. The money in
forward with this general policy.
circulation has been inflated all right but not by revaluing and using our idle
Does that meet with the approbation of those present?
silver, Money material which represents real profit to the Government now on
What would be the thought of your group as to the number who
hand and ready to be turned into $1, $5, and $10 bills and put into circulation in
should serve on this committee to do the work?
paying Government expense just as is being done every day with the new silver
that is coming in, these newly engraved silver certificates 'as good ILS gold' being
Senator MURDOCK. Do you intend to include only Senate Mem-
paid to the Members of Congress and their clerical help are eagerly accepted in
bers or to include House Members, too?
transacting business everywhere when the Government employees put them in
Senator McCARBAN. I do not have any authority or jurisdiction
circulation. "In view of these incontrovertible facts and the heavy load of interest piling
over the House. We would like to have their advice, counsel, and
higher and higher on business everywhere, it is unfortunate, distressingly unfortu-
membership, as far as that is concerned.
nate, that the true situation and the real facts concerning the profits and the
Senator MURDOCK. I move that the chairman of this committee be
saving that the American people are deriving from their silver-purchase program
empowered or authorized to appoint a committee of whatever number
is so confused, and 80 little understood, particularly by the educational leaders
he thinks best to confer with representatives of the Treasury, the War
in this country. Surely in this critical hour when BO much depends on the stability
of national economy and the security of the monetary foundation on which both
Production Board, the Defense Plant Corporation, in the preparation
public and private credit must rest, the patriotism of our economist and educa-
and drafting of this legislation.
tional leaders should direct their efforts first to understanding and presenting the
Senator McCARRANN. My offhand thought would be that five
true facts concerning money and then to advising and assisting those in charge of
members would be ample.
directing the affairs of our Government in establishing and maintaining a stronger
national economy to safeguard the financial integrity of our Government and the
Senator CLARK of Idaho. Three would be better.
business security of the American people by effecting any saving and obtaining
Senator MURDOCK. I will amend my motion to conform with the
any profits available in any quarter.
suggestion of the chairman. I move that the chairman of the com-
Gentlemen, be patriotic; lend your knowledge and your ability to your coun-
mittee appoint a committee of five to confer with representatives of
try; help the Members of Congress representing the people to right the financial
ship of state and provide an equitable, workable, adequate monetary system to
the Treasury and other agencies interested in this legislation.
lift business and the American people out of this morass of debt and case this
Senator McCarran. Without objection, the motion made by the
crushing burden of interest and taxes.
Senator from Utah is carried. The chair will appoint the committee
"Sincerely,
between now and 1 o'clock and will notify the members who are so
"COMPTON I. WHITE,
appointed.
"Member of Congress."
I will also notify you, Mr. Secretary, and we will try to hold our-
solves available. We are grateful to you for coming, and we appreciate
your assistance.
Regraded Unclassified
708
SILVER
BILVER
709
total in seigniorage, amounting to $997,000,000 and has, In addition, enough
silver left over to make another $1,096,300,000 in seiguiorage B8 disclosed in the
Senator MCCABRAN. Secretary Jones wishes to make 6 statement.
last Treasury bulletin, and you 65 eminent economists and educators in our lead-
ing institutions of learning object to our Government making this Little prodit in
the present emergency, at a time when every monetary thread In the national
STATEMENT OF HON. JESSE H. JONES, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
financial fabrie is strained to the utmost.
"When you consider the cost in the form of interest the people would be no-
Mr. JONES. Mr. Chairman, there is one point that I think bas not
quired to pay by retiring the silver money now in use and replacing It with Federal
been made quite clear. If the Secretary of the Treasury is to issue
Reserve notes, think of what your plan would add to the expense of doing business.
"In order to determine the full amount that business has saved by our Govern-
money against silver that may be used in bus bare, I think the legiala-
ment refusing to follow the money plan you have urged in your repeated recom-
tion must include that fact particularly and also the fact that the
mendations, we must get the figures on silver in circulation year by year since the
title to that silver remains in the Treasury. I doubt if we can follow
allver-purchase program went into effect in 1934 and calculate the interest on its
the plan we have started with, that we can lend-lease ailver and still
equivalent in Federal Reserve money. I hope your committee will do that for
your own information and the good of the American people.
issue currency against it. I think the legislation must take the course
"In this time of emergency and mounting tax load on business what valid
that the title to the silver remains in the Treasury, I do not think
objection la there to issuing the balance of silver the Government has on hand is
that that has been developed quite enough. I think the spirit of
money and putting this currency into circulation in paying current Government
everybody here is to use the silver but to allow it to be used for dual
expenses? Inflation. Your committee will say pointing to all the danger to our
national economy and the disastrous effect on the living standards of labor-if
purposes-that is, both in the war program and in the monetary
we increase the volume of easti-money of ultimate redemption in the channels
program. That has to be taken into account.
of trade and business. If this is true, it may be that another fact has escaped the
Senator McCarean. That is right. There is just one thought that
notice of all of your committee. If I may call this fact to your attention, the
I wish to leave with you, Mr. Secretary, and that is this: It would be
record discloses that on June 30, 1941, a little less than a year ago at a time when
the policy of the chairman of this group at this time to work with you
credit WAS vastly expanded in financing our national-defense program, there was
Federal Reserve notes in circulation in the amount of $7,001,520.625. and at the
to the end that this legislation may be so worked out that the so-called
same time there was 1,349,488,385.7 ounces of surplus and Idle silver in the
truce, as you choose to term it, would be effective. To that end we
Treasury which the Secretary of the Treasury could have revalued and Issued
would work.
na money in paying the Government's current expenses. Now less than a year
Mr. MORGENTHAU. Yes.
later on March 31 we find the Federal Reserve has increased its currency in
circulation to $9,050,131,060, an increase of over $2,000,000,000 and we still
Senator McCaRRAN. To that end we shall gladly meet with you,
have the unused surplus silver left in the Treasury: to be exact the amount
with your experts, and with others interested here and try to go
as of the date of your communication was 1,364,566,069.1 ounces. The money in
forward with this general policy.
circulation has been inflated all right but not by revaluing and using our idle
Does that meet with the approbation of those present?
silver. Money material which represents real profit to the Government now on
What would be the thought of your group as to the number who
hand and ready to be turned into 81, $5, and $10 bills and put into circulation in
should servo on this committee to do the work?
paying Government expense just as is being done every day with the new silver
that is coming in, these newly engraved silver certificates 'as good as gold' being
Senator MURDOCK. Do you intend to include only Senate Mem-
paid to the Members of Congress and their clerical help are eagerly accepted in
bers or to include House Members, too?
transacting business everywhere when the Government employees put them in
Senator McCarran. I do not have any authority or jurisdiction
circulation. "In view of these incontrovertible facts and the heavy load of interest piling
over the House. We would like to have their advice, counsel, and
higher and higher on business everywhere, it is unfortunate, distressingly unfortu-
membership, as far as that is concerned.
nate, that the true situation and the real facts concerning the profits and the
Senator MURDOCK. I move that the chairman of this committee be
saving that the American people are deriving from their silver-purchase program
empowered or authorized to appoint a committee of whatever number
is 80 confused, and 80 little understood, particularly by the educational leaders
he thinks best to confer with representatives of the Treasury, the War
in this country. Surely in this critical hour when BO much depends on the stability
of national economy and the security of the monetary foundation on which both
Production Board, the Defense Plant Corporation, in the preparation
public and private credit must rest, the patriotism of our economist and educa-
and drafting of this legislation.
tional leaders should direct their efforts first to understanding and presenting the
Senator McCarrann. My offhand thought would be that five
true facts concerning money and then to advising and assisting those in charge of
members would be ample.
directing the affairs of our Government in establishing and maintaining a stronger
national economy to safeguard the financial integrity of our Government and the
Senator CLARK of Idaho. Three would be better.
business security of the American people by effecting any saving and obtaining
Senator MURDOCK. I will amend my motion to conform with the
any profits available in any quarter.
suggestion of the chairman. I move that the chairman of the com-
"Gentlemen, be patriotic; lend your knowledge and your ability to your coun-
mittee appoint a committee of five to confer with representatives of
try; help the Members of Congress representing the people to right the financial
ship of state and provide an equitable, workable, adequate monetary system to
the Treasury and other agencies interested in this legislation.
lift business and the American people out of this morass of debt and case this
Senator McCarran. Without objection, the motion made by the
crushing burden of interest and taxes.
Senator from Utah is carried. The chair will appoint the committee
"Sincerely,
between now and 1 o'clock and will notify the members who are so
"COMPTON I. WHITE,
appointed.
"Member of Congress."
I will also notify you, Mr. Secretary, and we will try to hold our-
selves available. We are grateful to you for coming, and we appreciate
your assistance.
Regraded Unclassified
710
SILVER
for unanimous consent that Senator McCarran be ex officio chairman
Senator CLARK of Idaho. I am going to amend the motion by asking
of the committee. That is carried. [Laughter.]
Senator McCARRAN. Well!
Senator MURDOCK. Because of the chairman's modesty, I also will
say that the motion is carried.
(At 11:40 a. m. the hearing was concluded.)
X
Just
their
Sas
Regraded Unclassified
44
May 28, 1942
12:05 p.m.
HMJr:
Hello.
Operator:
Mahan.
Sidney
Mahan:
Yes.
HMJr:
Mr. Mahan.
M:
Yes. Good morning, sir.
HMJr:
Good morning. Who gave you the authority to
put a billboard on the Treasury property? Hello.
M:
Yes. That was the one that I showed you in
Room 281 one morning.
HMJr:
Yeah, but you didn't tell me where you were
going to put it.
M:
Well, I thought that had been all cleared,
Mr. Secretary.
HMJr:
With whom?
M:
With Kuhn.
HMJr:
With Kuhn?
M:
I thought SO.
HMJr:
Well, I'll ask him. It certainly never was
cleared with me. I'll ask him. Just - all
right, thank you.
M:
Yes.
45
May 28, 1942
12:06 p.m.
HMJr:
Hello.
Operator:
Mr. Kuhn.
Ferdinand
Kuhn:
Hello.
HMJr:
Ferdie.
K:
Yes, sir.
HMJr:
I called up Mahan to ask him where he got the
authority from to put a billboard on the Treasury
lawn.
K:
Yes.
HMJr:
He said he got it from you.
K:
Well, that's right. I talked to Norman Thompson
and Bell about it, and I thought that it was all
part of our quota campaign to put a billboard in
a central place in any town, and
HMJr:
Yeah, but not on the Treasury property. I've
refused that ever since I've been here.
K:
Well, I didn't realize that at all.
HMJr:
Yeah.
K:
Well, it's my fault.
HMJr:
Yes, it 18.
K:
You're opposed to it?
HMJr:
Absolutely.
K:
Okay.
HMJr:
Yeah.
K:
I'll tell them.
HMJr:
I'll tell them. Norman's here.
Regraded Unclassified
46
- 2 -
K:
All right.
HMJr:
Yeah.
K:
Sorry.
47
May 28, 1942
2:00 p.m.
TAXES
Present: Mr. Gaston
Mr. Sullivan
Mr. Blough
Mr. Kuhn
H.M.JR: (Reading speech) "The very helpful inter-
est in tax collection problems shown by the members of
the Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation, under
the able leadership of your Chairman, Mr. Doughton,
encourages me to appear before you to discuss an admin-
istrative matter.
That is good. That is worth two dollars.
"I know that this Committee and the Congress are
determined that no man and no corporation shall be per-
mitted to make exorbitant profits out of the war effort.
It is the responsibility of the Congress to draft legis-
lation to achieve that purpose. It is our responsibility
at the Treasury to use all the powers the Congress has
given us to see that all taxes are fully, honestly and
justly collected. It is our responsibility to see that
by no form of trick or chicanery is any one taxpayer
permitted to escape his just share and thus to throw
unjust burdens on others."
This is good.
"I have come before this Committee tonight to tell
you of some instances of what seem to me to be particularly
unpardonable attempts to escape wartime taxation, and I
intends to do to stop these practices. In every instance -"
should like to report what the Treasury is doing and
That would refer us back to what?
Regraded Unclassified
48
- 2 -
MR. GASTON: "Instances" in the sentence before that.
"I have come before you to tell you of some instances."
H.M.JR: "In every instance the method used by the
taxpayer was to inflate expenses with the evident purpose
of avoiding normal and excess profits taxes on corporation
earnings. The devices used included the payment of exces-
sive salaries, the distribution of unearned bonuses and
the payment of unreasonable sums for purported services
to persons closely connected with the management of the
companies involved."
It seems to me to go very smoothly now.
"It will be obvious to members of this Committee
that these practices, if successful, would reduce the
revenue of the Government, the revenue we need so urgently
for fighting and winning the war. Even if those who
receive such excessive payments should fully declare them
a personal income, the amounts involved would escape
corporate profits and excess profits taxation."
MR. SULLIVAN: I don't like that. That is assuming
that they don't. It says, "Even if those who receive
such--"
H.M.JR: What do you want?
MR. KUHN: Do you want "Even when those who receive
such excessive payments should fully declare"?
MR. SULLIVAN: We haven't any such instances.
MR. BLOUGH: Strike "should fully" out.
MR. KUHN: Just "declare them fully."
MR. GASTON: We will make that change.
H.M.JR: "We do not intend that this shall happen.
We do not intend that any of these practices shall succeed.
49
- 3 -
The Congress has already given power to the Bureau of
Internal Revenue given the Treasury or the Bureau of
Internal Revenue?
MR. GASTON: Let's make it the Treasury.
H.M.JR: The Treasury - "The Congress has already
given power to the Treasury.'
"We have come upon the instances I shall mention to
you through speeding up our investigation of 1941 returns
of corporations holding war contracts." I would say there
"Through speeding up our investigation of 1941 we have
come upon instances.'
MR. GASTON: You have already said you come here to
point out instances, and we say that "We have come upon
these instances I shall mention to you through speeding
up our investigation
H.M.JR: That is the way I would say it, but I am
not going to - I would say "through speeding up our
investigations." That is the whole thing.
MR. SULLIVAN: "We have come upon these instances."
H.M.JR: I am not going to argue with you English
scholars.
"Reports of the examination of 32 returns for 1941
are now available.'
MR. SULLIVAN: That should be thirty-one.
H.M.JR: Somebody died since this morning?
MR. SULLIVAN: No.
H.M.JR: Picked at random?
MR. SULLIVAN: They are picked from the thirty-one.
I'll bet we will get worse things than this before we
get through.
H.M.JR: I hope you do.
Regraded Unclassified
50
- 4 -
H.M.JR: "Let me mention briefly seven cases illustrat-
ing the practices with which we have to deal.
"Company A makes an important airplane part. This
corporation is owned by one man who hired himself as its
sales representative. His compensation in 1941 was
$1,656,000. By consolidating these earnings with those
of the corporation, we have blocked this obvious attempt
to divert profits and we have increased the corporation's
income tax by $1,117,000.
"Company B makes steel. All stock in this corpora-
tion is held by three families. Excessive salaries were
paid by officers who were also stockholders. The Revenue
Agent has recommended disallowance of $82,000 in salaries,
and the company has already agreed to a disallowance of
$58,000.
"Company C makes vital equipment for airplane pilots.
This corporation paid $31,104 in rent in one year to the
wife of the president for using property which had cost
her $45,412. A brother of the principal stockholder,
without special training or ability, drew a salary of
$15,000 a year and a son and daughter, just out of school,
got $7,500 a year each.
"Company D makes tools and dies. This company is
owned by two brothers and their wives. It paid dividends
of $40,000 in 1940 and $100,000 in 1941, while salaries
totaling $128,000 were paid in 1941 to the president, his
wife, and his brother.
"Company E makes forgings. The stock is owned by
three families. From 1938 to 1941 the salaries of
employees who were stockholders and relatives of stock-
holders increased 523 per cent. Excessive salaries for
1941 have been disallowed to the amount of $568,000.
"Company F makes equipment for airplanes. Three
principal officers of this corporation took salaries of
$100,000 each and the corporation claimed it had set
aside over $575,000 in bonuses. Amounts of salary above
$35,000 have been disallowed, and $516,000 of salaries
and bonuses combined were found to be excessive."
Regraded Unclassified
51
- 5 -
H.M.JR: Where is my favorite company?
MR. GASTON: F.
H.M.JR: What is the difference between disallowing
and excessive?
MR. GASTON: They were disallowed.
H.M.JR: Why $35,000 disallowed and $516,000--
MR. BLOUGH: Salaries and bonuses combined.
MR. GASTON: That is to just avoid using the same
language again. That is salaries and bonuses combined,
and they disallowed $516,000.
MR. KUHN: You could say, "We have disallowed salary
payments above $35,000 and a combined total of $516,000--
MR. GASTON: Three $100,000 employees cut to $35,000,
the balance disallowed as a corporation expense. That
made a total of $195,000, plus the bonuses disallowed
makes $516,000.
H.M.JR: That is not clear at all. Please put a
check on that. I would say "The $300,000 salaries had
been disallowed and reduced to $35,000 each."
Then you say you don't believe in the President's
$25,000 policy?
MR. KUHN: I see what you mean.
H.M.JR: I am just wondering. It is confusing. Just
put a question mark. Anyway, if that one sentence could
be two sentences, it might be all right.
"Other disallowed deductions included $16,000 paid
for watches given to employees, $14,000 for banquets and
picnics, $4,000 for photographs taken at banquets and
picnics, and $1,900 for tickets to football games. Other
important deficiencies were found in the tax return.
52
- 6 -
"Company G makes a device important to aviation.
This corporation is owned almost entirely by one man,
his wife, and his brother. The two men increased their
salaries from $12,000 and $15,000 in 1939 to $72,000 and
$90,000 in 1941. The royalty rate on the patent jointly
held by them was increased, with the result that with
expanded sales for war purposes, the royalties paid to
them increased from $87,000 in 1939 to $1,179,000 in 1941.
"You will note that I have not named any of the
corporations or the individuals concerned. I leave it to
this Committee to decide whether that should be done.
Personally I am inclined to believe it would have a very
wholesome effect."
MR. SULLIVAN: I think I would leave it to this
Committee to decide whether it should do it. Even if
the Committee, Mr. Secretary, directs you to do it, you
are in trouble.
H.M.JR: How would you word it?
MR. GASTON: You don't need to spell that out.
MR. SULLIVAN: What happens if the Committee comes
back and says, "Mr. Secretary, we think you should make
this public"?
MR. GASTON: Just simply tell them what the law is -
you do that.
MR. BLOUGH: Say, "You write us and ask us for it;
we will furnish it to you, and you publish it."
H.M.JR: "Assistant Secretary Sullivan and Commissioner
Helvering are here tonight to give you further details
of the results of some of these investigations. They
stand ready to come before you from time to time and to
report the results of further investigations now in
progress.
"It should be noted that these cases all deal with
returns for 1941. It is of course true that all of the
contracts for war work covered by these 1941 returns
53
- 7 -
were signed before the United States entered the war
and that nearly all the earnings represented in the
tax-dodging devices attempted were pre-war earnings.
But I think that changes the situation very little.
An attempt to escape lawful taxes while we were actually
at war would be only a slight degree blacker than an
attempt to evade taxes which would pay for arming and
equipping our Army and Navy when we stood in imminent
danger of attack.
MR. KUHN: Change that "evade" to "escape" to make
it the same as the other.
H.M.JR: That is all right; that is the hair on the
chest right there.
MR. GASTON: Yes, some of it.
H.M.JR: "It may be that these instances are an
isolated few and that not many more of the same kind will
be found. I sincerely hope that will be the case. I am
wholly confident that the great and overwhelming propor-
tion of American corporations are too patriotic even to
consider such practices.
"We are taking two steps to detect and deal with the
evils I have mentioned. In the first place, we are ex-
pediting examination of the tax returns and records of
all corporations, beginning with those who have war con-
tracts, to determine whether excessive expenses are
being claimed. Ordinarily our investigation of returns
filed for the year 1941 would not begin until July 1,
1942, and this work would continue through the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1943. Under present regulations
we can not afford to wait so long before acting. By
speeding up our investigations we expect to check unlawful
practices of this sort at an earlier stage, whether they
have been entered into innocently or for the definite
purpose of evading taxation.
"In the second place, we are disallowing excessive
expenditures which have the effect of reducing corporate
tax liabilities. We are compelling the corporation to
Regraded Unclassified
54
- 8 -
include such amounts in earnings, and at the same time
we are requiring the recipient to pay full personal
income taxes on the amounts received."
MR. GASTON: Requiring persons to pay full income
taxes--
MR. SULLIVAN: That is all right.
H.M.JR: "The disallowance of excessive expenditures
does not represent a new procedure. The law and regulations
permit the deduction only of ordinary and necessary business
expenses for the purpose of determining profits. In
applying the law and regulations, the Bureau of Internal
Revenue has often disallowed expenditures which seemed
to lack sound business justification and which were, in
effect, distributions of profits. Today, however, the
problem has assumed major importance because of the huge.
increases in income of a great number of corporations
because of the war effort.
"In presenting this problem to you, I am anxious to
be as constructive as possible. It seems to me that the
businessmen of this country are entitled to know not only
the extent of our powers but also the standards that we
shall follow. Accordingly, it may be helpful if I outline
the following general considerations that will guide us
in examining expenses claimed in tax returns."
I don't like "powers"- "extent of our powers," I don't
like.
MR. SULLIVAN: I think "authority"is a better word.
MR. GASTON: Of course, "powers" means legal powers.
H.M.JR: Then put in the word "legal" if you want
to.
MR. BLOUGH: I think that might help.
H.M.JR: I don't like the word "powers" alone.
Regraded Unclassified
55
- 9 -
MR. BLOUGH: "Authority" has the same connotation to me.
H.M.JR: How about "legal powers"?
MR. BLOUGH: "Legal powers" is all right.
MR. SULLIVAN: "Also the standards that we shall follow."
H.M.JR: He is right. Is the rest the same?
MR. GASTON: Up until you get to advertising. Page
twelve, "Amounts paid for advertising."
MR. KUHN: Get your book.
H.M.JR: What book - you mean the Good Book?
MR. SULLIVAN: It looked pretty good to me, I will
tell you.
MR. KUHN: That strikes Peter and me as a fair state-
ment.
MR. GASTON: We went over it pretty carefully, and I
think we all agreed that that was all right. We had Norman
Cann and Tim Mooney in. They are not afraid of it. The
thing that it opens up in this sentence - Peter inserted
there, "This is not intended to exclude institutional adver-
tising in reasonable amounts or good will advertising cal-
culated to influence the buying habits of the public." They
consider two things. One is the maintenance of a trade
name, the name of the product, keeping the company before
the public, although there is no immediate patronage in
sight; second, advertising by associations, such as Sunkist
Fruit Growers, and the bakers of the United States, "Eat
More Bread, Drink More Milk," and so on.
MR. KUHN: And the druggists.
MR. GASTON: The place that is advertising isn't
selling any product.
56
- 10 -
MR. KUHN: As it stood before, it ruled out all
advertising by associations.
H.M.JR: Have you got a way with this with them?
MR. BLOUGH: I am not too happy about it, but I
think the word "reasonable" fixes it up all right. We
can take care of it later.
MR. GASTON: We had quite a bit of conversation on
this problem of War Savings advertising, and I think
there was general agreement among us that we would dis-
allow War Savings advertising if it was excessive from
the standpoint of a reasonable advertising budget for
this concern. In other words, the budget for advertising
has to have some reasonable relation to their present and
future business. If they choose to use part of that bud-
get for War Savings advertising, that is all right; but if
they undertake to greatly expand their advertising budget,
and make War Savings advertising, use it for War Savings
advertising, that isn't all right.
H.M.JR: Well, just as long as John Sullivan feels
very strongly - feels that he can rule justly and fairly
on this thing--
MR. SULLIVAN: That is exactly as Herbert said, Mr.
Secretary, if a concern spends a disproportionate amount
of their income in advertising we disallow it; whether it
goes into ordinary advertising, institutional advertising,
or War Bonds, it is all treated the same.
MR. KUHN: Disproportionate in comparison to what
they have been spending in the past.
MR. GASTON: We treat War Savings advertising as 8.
part of their institutional advertising.
H.M.JR: In other words, if in 1939 a company spent
a hundred thousand dollars for advertising and they want
to spend a hundred thousand in 1942, you wouldn't disallow
it?
57
- 11 -
MR. SULLIVAN: No, sir, if they choose to do that
through having War Bond advertisements.
H.M.JR: Red Cross, USO?
MR. SULLIVAN: That is right. We have been able to
find just one case on it. This was decided in 1926 by
the Board of Tax Appeals. The taxpayer was B. F. Boyer
Company, a manufacturer of woolen yarn in New Jersey. The
item was forty-five dollars for advertising and promoting
the sale of Liberty Bonds in an advertisement which appeared
over its corporate name. The taxpayer sought to deduct
this amount in its return for 1919 as a donation for adver-
tising the sale of Liberty Bonds. The Commissioner disallowed
the deduction.
The Court said, "On the first of these questions the
parties stipulated that the expenditures of forty-five
dollars in 1919 for advertising and promoting the sale of
Liberty Bonds was for an advertisement over the corpora-
tion's name. This advertisement was made in accordance
with the custom of the time. Such an advertisement was a
combination of patriotic endeavor and business publicity,
and received the recognition of the Commissioner in article
562 of Regulations 45. A corporation of the character of
the taxpayer is entitled to deduct amounts spent in adver-
tising as a part of its ordinary and necessary business
expense and, as the particular form of advertising to be
employed is, of necessity, within the judgment of the
officers of such a corporation as the taxpayer, we believe
that the Commissioner improperly disallowed the deduction."
H.M.JR: That is the only case?
MR. SULLIVAN: That is the only one we have been
able to find.
H.M.JR: How high did that go?
MR. KUHN: To the Board of Tax Appeals.
MR. BLOUGH: There is only one sentence there that
worries me, and that is where we deliberately come out
58
- 12 -
and mention by name institutional advertising and good-
will advertising, and thereby put our stamp of approval
on it, which I think is very likely to come back and bite
us later on.
MR. GASTON: But, Roy, right now more than fifter
percent of the advertising is institutional advertising,
especially the magazine advertising. It may be a high
estimate, but & large proportion of it is.
MR. BLOUGH: If you strike out that sentence, why
does it change the meaning of the next sentence?
MR. KUHN: Because institutional advertising - it
would have the effect of ruling out institutional adver-
tising in which the name of the concern doesn't figure at
all, the name of the concern or its product is not mentioned.
MR. BLOUGH: If they are not directed to public patron-
age, which might - they are disallowed anyway, aren't they?
MR. KUHN: No, because institutional advertising--
MR. BLOUGH: That is what the next sentence says.
MR. KUHN:
institutional advertising can be
directed to public patronage, such as milk and oranges,
but unless you spell it out there with those safeguards
about reasonable amounts, I think that you are seeming
to shut the door on perhaps half of the advertising that
is going on.
MR. BLOUGH: I think when you put it in, you are
seeming to open the door in a rather widespread use of it.
MR. GASTON. - : think you have got it backstopped
there.
MR. BLOUGH: I hope you are right. I want to be on
record. I think we are being in & position where we are
going to regret it.
59
- 13 -
H.M.JR: Why didn't you have the argument before you
got in here?
MR. BLOUGH: We did. I am sorry, this is a repetition
of the same argument. I just want to make it clear I am
not entirely satisfied.
H.M.JR: Who did you pull in to offset Roy?
MR. BLOUGH: I am the only one.
MR. SULLIVAN: The Commissioner and Tim Mooney.
H.M.JR: This is a minority report?
MR. BLOUGH: I am just going on record.
H.M.JR: "With these principles as our guideposts, we
are progressing as fast as practicable with our investi-
gation of the 1941 returns.
Where did you get that word "guideposts" from?
MR. KUHN: This morning--
H.M.JR: That is right - & very good word.
"Those who are engaged in this work must, of course,
think not only of the best interests of the Government,
but also of the need of being completely fair to the tax-
payers. The Committee, the Congress and the country are
entitled to know that the unscrupulous and selfish few
are not being allowed to distort their tax returns so as
to escape their fair share of the costs of the war."
"The Committee, the Congress, and the country - If
that is a funny way to put it.
MR. KUHN: The country as a whole.
H.M.JR: Why not say "The country, the Congress, and
the Committee"?
60
- 14 -
MR. GASTON: No, but you build up to a climax.
H.M.JR: "The Commitee, the Congress, and the
country are entitled to know - " that is all right.
Gentlemen, I am very much pleased.
MR. KUHN: Mr. Secretary, this is going to break
so late tonight.
H.M.JR: I just got an idea. My idea was, between
him and John we might get--
(Mr. Schwarz entered the conference.)
H.M.JR: The thing is finished except for 8. word
here and there. I wonder if you (Schwarz) and Mr.
Sullivan wouldn't get Mr. Doughton's permission to release
this before I go up on the Hill. I think, John, if you
showed him the opening sentences that there would be a
good chance of getting that released.
MR. GASTON: You mean release copies for morning
publication?
MR. KUHN: It wouldn't be published before.
MR. SCHWARZ: We have had a lot of requests.
MR. SULLIVAN: I would ask him. If there is any
hesitancy, I will bring it up and show it to him.
H.M.JR: I would go up and do it and say this, that
Mr. Morgenthau was very much upset by that editorial by
Mr. Ingersoll last night, and he thought that the best
way, in view of the fact that there is such a thing as
freedom of the press - it only might make it worse if we
paid Mr. Ingersoll the compliment of denying it that
night. He is going out of his way in this statement.
MR. SULLIVAN: And to give it the fullest possible
publicity, we want to release it now.
61
- 15 -
H.M.JR: You got it.
MR. SULLIVAN: O.K., chief.
H.M.JR: And that I feel that I can do him more good
by answering directly publicly my approval and confidence
in him than in trying to answer a scurrilous editorial of
that kind.
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes.
H.M.JR: Then on that basis, the thing would be
released by five o'clock.
MR. KUHN: For the morning.
MR. GASTON: There are two or three slight corrections
there.
H.M.JR: Now, I would like to see Herbert all alone.
Regraded Unclassified
4th Draje 62
STATEMENT OF SECRETARY MORGENTHAU TO THE JOINT
2 pm
COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL REVENUE TAXATION,
May 28, 1942
5/28/42
The very helpful interest in tax collection problems
shown by the members of the Joint Committee on Internal
Revenue Taxation, under the able leadership of your Chair-
man, Mr. Doughton, encourages me to appear before you to
discuss an administrative matter.
I know that this Committee and the Congress are
determined that no man and no corporation shall be per-
mitted to make exorbitant profits out of the war effort.
It is the responsibility of the Congress to draft legis-
lation to achieve that purpose. It is our responsibility
at the Treasury to use all the powers the Congress has
given us to see that all taxes are fully, honestly and
justly collected. It is our responsibility to see that
by no form of trick or chicanery is any one taxpayer
permitted to escape his just share and thus to throw
unjust burdens on others.
I have come before this Committee tonight to tell
you of some instances of what seem to me to be particularly
unpardonable attempts to escape wartime taxation, and
I should like to report what the Treasury is doing and
Regraded Unclassified
63
- 2 -
intends to do to stop these practices. In every instance
the method used by the taxpayer was to inflate expenses
with the evident purpose of avoiding normal and excess
profits taxes on corporation earnings. The devices used
included the payment of excessive salaries, the distribu-
tion of unearned bonuses and the payment of unreasonable
sums for purported services to persons closely connected
with the management of the companies involved.
It will be obvious to members of this Committee
that these practices, if successful, would reduce the
revenue of the Government, the revenue we need 80 urgently
for fighting and winning the war. Even if those who
receive such excessive payments should fully declare
them as personal income, the amounts involved would
escape corporate profits and excess profits taxation.
We do not intend that this shall happen. We do
not intend that any of these practices shall succeed.
The Congress has already given power to the Bureau of
Internal Revenue to deal with cases of this kind and
that power is being exercised.
We have come upon the instances I shall mention
to you through speeding up our investigation of 1941
64
- 3 -
returns of corporations holding war contracts. Reports
of the examination of 32 returns for 1941 are now avail-
able. Let me mention briefly seven cases illustrating
the practices with which we have to deal.
Company A makes an important airplane part. This
corpæration is owned by one man who hired himself as its
sales representative. His compensation in 1941 was
$1,656,000. By consolidating these earnings with those
of the corporation, we have blocked this obvious attempt
to divert profits and we have increased the corporation's
income tax by $1,117,000.
Company B makes steel. All stock in this corporation
is held by three families. Excessive salaries were paid
to officers who were also stockholders. The Revenue
Agent has recommended disallowance of $82,000 in salaries,
and the company has already agreed to a disallowance of
$58,000.
Company C makes vital equipment for airplane pilots.
This corporation paid $31,104 in rent in one year to the
wife of the president for using property which had cost
65
- 4 -
her $45,412. A brother of the principal stockholder,
without special training or ability, drew a salary of
$15,000 a year and a son and daughter, just out of school,
got $7,500 a year each.
Company D makes tools and dies. This company is
owned by two brothers and their wives. It paid dividends
of $40,000 in 1940 and $100,000 in 1941, while salaries
totaling $128,000 were paid in 1941 to the president,
his wife and his brother.
Company E makes forgings. The stock is owned by
three families. From 1938 to 1941 the salaries of
employees who were stockholders and relatives of stock-
holders increased 523 per cent. Excessive salaries for
1941 have been disallowed to the amount of $568,000.
Company F makes equipment for airplanes. Three
principal officers of this corporation took salaries
of $100,000 each and the corporation claimed it had
set aside over $575,000 in bonuses. Amounts of salary
above $35,000 have been disallowed, and $516,000 of
salaries and bonuses combined were found to be excessive.
66
- 5 -
Other disallowed deductions included $16,000 paid for
watches given to employees, $14,000 for banquets and
picnics, $4,000 for photographs taken at banquets and
picnics, and $1,900 for tickets to football games.
Other important deficiencies were found in the tax
return.
Company G makes a device important to aviation.
This corporation is owned almost entirely by one man,
his wife and his brother. The two men increased their
salaries from $12,000 and $15,000 in 1939 to $72,000 and
$90,000 in 1941. The royalty rate on the patent jointly
held by them was increased, with the result that with
expanded sales for war purposes, the royalties paid to
them increased from $87,000 in 1939 to $1,179,000 in
1941.
You will note that I have not named any of the
corporations or the individuals concerned. I leave it
to this Committee to decide whether that should be done.
Personally I am inclined to believe it would have a very
wholesome effect.
Regraded Unclassified
67
- 6 -
Assistant Secretary Sullivan and Commissioner
Helvering are here tonight to give you further details
of the results of some of these investigations. They
stand ready to come before you from time to time and
to report the results of further investigations now
in progress.
It should be noted that these cases all deal with
returns for 1941. It is of course true that all of
the contracts for war work covered by these 1941
returns were signed before the United States entered
the war and that nearly all the earnings represented
in the tax-dodging devices attempted were pre-war
earnings. But I think that changes the situation very
little. An attempt to escape lawful taxes while we
were actually at war would be only a slight degree
blacker than an attempt to evade taxes which would
pay for arming and equipping our Army and Navy when
we stood in imminent danger of attack.
It may be that these instances are an isolated
few and that not many more of the same kind will be
found. I sincerely hope that will be the case. I
Regraded Unclassified
68
- 7 -
am wholly confident that the great and overwhelming
proportion of American corporations are too patriotic
even to consider such practices.
We are taking two steps to detect and deal with
the evils I have mentioned. In the first place, we
are expediting examination of the tax returns and
records of all corporations, beginning with those who
have war contracts, to determine whether excessive
expenses are being claimed. Ordinarily our investiga-
tion of returns filed for the year 1941 would not
begin until July 1, 1942, and this work would continue
through the fiscal year ending June 30, 1943. Under
present circumstances we can not afford to wait so
long before acting. By speeding up our investigations
we expect to check unlawful practices of this sort at
an earlier stage, whether they have been entered into
innocently or for the definite purpose of evading
taxation.
In the second place, we are disallowing excessive
expenditures which have the effect of reducing corporate
tax liabilities. We are compelling the corporations
Regraded Unclassified
69
- 8 -
to include such amounts in earnings, and at the same
time we are requiring the recipient to pay full personal
income taxes on the amounts received.
The disallowance of excessive expenditures does
not represent a new procedure. The law and regulations
permit the deduction only of ordinary and necessary
business expenses for the purpose of determining profits.
In applying the law and regulations, the Bureau of
Internal Revenue has often disallowed expenditures which
seemed to lack sound business justification and which
were, in effect, distributions of profits. Today, how-
ever, the problem has assumed major importance because
of the huge increases in income of a great number of
corporations because of the war effort.
In presenting this problem to you, I am anxious
to be as constructive as possible. It seems to me that
the businessmen of this country are entitled to know
not only the extent of our powers but also the standards
that we shall follow. Accordingly, it may be helpful
if I outline the following general considerations
that will guide us in examining expenses claimed in
tax returns.
Regraded Unclassified
70
- 9 -
1. Salaries and Bonuses Paid to Officers and Employees.
Deductions claimed for greatly increased salaries
and extraordinary bonuses paid to officers or employees
will be disallowed unless the taxpayer proves that the
payments are, in fact, for services actually rendered
and are reasonable.
In determining whether the payments are reasonable,
it will be assumed that reasonable compensation is only
as much as would ordinarily be paid for like services by
like enterprises under like circumstances. The factors
that will be considered in determining the reasonableness
of such payments are the duties performed by the recipient,
the character and amount of responsibility, the time
devoted to the enterprise, and the peculiar ability or
special talent of the particular officer or employee.
Where the payments are to relatives or to shareholders,
the taxpayer must show that family considerations have
not influenced the amount paid and that the payments are
not distributions of profits in disguise. Large profits
attributable to causes entirely unrelated to the
activities of the officers or employees, which are not
Regraded Unclassified
71
- 10 -
unusual in these abnormal times, do not of themselves
justify or warrant large salary payments.
2. Rents, Royalties and Other Payments to Shareholders.
Deductibility of rents, royalties or other payments
to shareholders depends upon whether such charges are
in fact fair and reasonable payments for the use of
property and are not merely a device for distribution
of profits. Any shareholder should be entitled only
to 8. fair return on his investment in the property
which he permits the corporation to use.
3. Payments to Profit Sharing or Pension Trusts.
The deductibility of payments to pension trusts is
governed by section 23(p) of the Internal Revenue Code.
If payments to such trusts are reasonable, their deduction
will be allowed. If the payments are unreasonable in
amount, or if the trust is not created for the exclusive
benefit of employees, or if it is a device to distribute
profits to shareholders, the deductions will be dis-
allowed. It is also our purpose to 8 et up a barrier to
deductions of large salaries, bonuses, or insurance
premiums for officers under the guise of payments to &
Regraded Unclassified
72
- 11 -
pension trust.
4. Payments for Repairs.
The deductibility for income tax purposes of
costs of repairs depends upon whether the expenditure
is actually for repairs, or is in fact a capital ex-
penditure which should be added to capital investment
or charged against reserve for depreciation, since the
costs of repairs are deductible while capital expendi-
tures are not. We must guard against the tendency dur-
ing high profit years to make extensive improvements
and to charge the cost of such improvements against
profits under the caption of repairs.
It will be our policy to scrutinize carefully
the items claimed as deductions for expenditures for
repairs. We shall disallow such deductions where it
is not shown that the expenditures are in fact for
repairs instead of for improvements or betterments
which should be capitalized.
5. Expenses or Allowances Paid to Obtain Government
Business, Including Fees Paid to Washington
Representatives or for Other Professional Services.
Regraded Unclassified
73
- 12 -
Whether deductions for items of this class will
be allowed depends upon whether they meet the test
laid down in the Internal Revenue Code, that is,
whether they are necessary and ordinary and reasonable.
If such items are considered exorbitant or unreasonable,
they will be disallowed as deductions. Many of the
factors that apply in determining the deductibility
of salaries and bonuses will apply also in determining
the deductibility of items of this class. Particular
attention will be given to deductions for payments which
are against public policy, and all such deductions will
be disallowed.
6. Amounts Paid For Advertising.
The test of whether expenditures for advertising
are deductible is whether they are ordinary and necessary
and bear a reasonable relation to the business activities
in which the enterprise is engaged. This is not intended
to exclude institutional advertising in reasonable
amounts or good will advertising calculated to influence
Regraded Unclassified
74
- 13 -
the buying habits of the public. If such expenditures
are extravagant and out of proportion to the size of
the company or to the amount of its advertising budget
in the past or if they are not directed to public
patronage which might reasonably be expected in the
future, such payments will be disallowed as deductions.
With these principles as our guideposts, we are
progressing as fast as practicable with our investigation
of the 1941 returns. Those who are engaged in this
work must, of course, think not only of the best interests
of the Government but also of the need of being completely
fair to the taxpayers. The Committee, the Congress and
the country are entitled to know that the unscrupulous
and selfish few are not being allowed to distort their
tax returns 80 as to escape their fair share of the
costs of the war. I can assure the Committee of this:
that nothing is being left undone which will expedite
our work. If we find that our existing powers are not
adequate to deal with the evil I have been discussing,
I shall not hesitate to come before the appropriate
committee to ask for any additional authority that may
be needed.
Regraded Unclassified
75
May 28, 1942
2:35 p.m.
Operator:
Mayor LaGuardia is on his way back to New York
and he should be there by four or four-thirty.
HMJr:
Well, let me talk to his secretary, whoever it
1s.
Operator:
All right.
HMJr:
Will you?
Operator:
Right. I have his secretary, Miss Cullen. Go
ahead.
HMJr:
Hello.
Miss
Cullen:
Yes, sir. Hello.
HMJr:
This is Mr. Morgenthau speaking.
C:
Yes, Mr. Secretary.
HMJr:
I wondered if you could get this message to the
Mayor when he gets in.
C:
Surely, I'll be glad to.
HMJr:
Mr. Spyros, S-p-y-r-o-s - it's Skouras, S-k-o-u-r-a-s.
C:
Mr. Skouras, yeah.
HMJr:
Of the Twentieth Century Fox
C:
Yes.
HMJr:
He's handling for the Treasury these English
aviators that are coming over early in June.
C:
I see.
HMJr:
And he's leaving for the West Coast either late
tonight or very early in the morning, and we
need the Mayor's help very badly; and I wondered
if the Mayor could see him for a few minutes
still late this afternoon.
75
May 28, 1942
2:35 p.m.
Operator:
Mayor LaGuardia is on his way back to New York
and he should be there by four or four-thirty.
HMJr:
Well, let me talk to his secretary, whoever it
1s.
Operator:
All right.
HMJr:
Will you?
Operator:
Right. I have his secretary, Miss Cullen. Go
ahead.
HMJr:
Hello.
Miss
Cullen:
Yes, sir. Hello.
HMJr:
This 1s Mr. Morgenthau speaking.
C:
Yes, Mr. Secretary.
HMJr:
I wondered if you could get this message to the
Mayor when he gets in.
C:
Surely, I'll be glad to.
HMJr:
Mr. Spyros, S-p-y-r-o-s - it's Skouras, S-K-O-U-r-a-s.
C:
Mr. Skouras, yeah.
HMJr:
Of the Twentieth Century Fox
C:
Yes.
HMJr:
He's handling for the Treasury these English
aviators that are coming over early in June.
C:
I see.
HMJr:
And he's leaving for the West Coast either late
tonight or very early in the morning, and we
need the Mayor's help very badly; and I wondered
if the Mayor could see him for a few minutes
still late this afternoon.
76
- 2 -
C:
I see. Where is Mr. Skouras?
HMJr:
You can get him at Twentieth Century Fox in
New York.
C:
In New York. I see. Well, I'll be glad to
get that message to him; and if it's at all
possible, I'm sure he will.
HMJr:
Well, I mean, couldn't you give him a tentative
appointment?
C:
All right. We'll call him up and see what we
can do on it.
HMJr:
Why don't you give him a tentative appointment
80 he'll be - he won't leave his office, you
see.
C:
All right.
HMJr:
And I'm counting on the Mayor to help me out
on this. We're having these English aviators
come over, you see.
C:
Yes.
HMJr:
And they're coming to New York first.
C:
Yes, I see.
HMJr:
To tour the country for War Bonds.
C:
All right, Mr. Secretary. I'm sure we can
arrange it. The Mayor is coming in but going
directly to a Board of Estimates meeting, but
I don't think that will last too long.
HMJr:
Well
C:
And we'll give him a tentative sppointment or
we'll arrange for him to get a call from us
just as soon as we can give him a definite time.
HMJr:
Well, this is - I'm laying enough stress on it,
and I'd really like it.
77
- 3 -
C:
Well, I'm sure that the Mayor will do it.
HMJr:
Thank you.
C:
Thank you 80 much. Good-bye.
Relations
belongs_to
belongs_to