International Control Of Minerals

The annual world production of minerals approximates 1,700,000,000 tons, over 90 per cent. of which consists of coal and iron. Of this amount about two-thirds is used within the countries where the minerals are produced and one-third is shipped to other countries. The movement of most of these minerals, though, shows a rather remarkable concentration. For instance, manganese moves from three principal sources and converges at four or five consuming centers; chromite and tungsten move from two principal sources. The United States is more nearly self-sustaining in regard to mineral commodities as a whole than any 'other country on the globe; but the interests of conservation - call for an international viewpoint in the handling of our mineral resources., There is perhaps as much need of specializing in mineral output as there is of specializing in manufacturing. The thought that every country on the globe should be self-sustaining in regard to mineral supplies is of somewhat the same order as the thought that every family should produce all its own raw materials rather than take advantage of the more favorable conditions existing elsewhere and so specialize in human effort. Extension of international control of minerals seems to offer possibilities of loss and gain-loss through a considerable sacrifice of national trade .and a narrowing of the field for private initiative in trade; gain through the possibility of attaining certain ends which are attainable only by international agreement, such as an allocation of supplies which will be to the advantage of the greater number of nations rather than to the advantage of the few that are strong enough to dominate the situation. The interests of conservation clearly require international control. Moreover, the lesson of the war points to the necessity of overhauling old international understandings and machinery, even though such a task would encounter great difficulties, not the least of which lie in the persistence of human habits and inertia. Whether the time has come to establish a league of nations with economic control can be determined only by our individual and collective answers to the question whether we are willing to make the necessary economic sacrifices, individually and nationally, in the interest of world harmony. The mineral industry should fully understand that, with international control, efforts to promote export will need to be modified and curtailed; that expansion of our trade in many lines will mean equivalent loss of trade to other nations; that the almost universal conception that expansion of foreign trade is a meritorious aim and end in itself, without regard to its effect on other countries, will need revision.