RESOLUTION Be it resolved, by the Silverton Rotary Club, That this organidation feels the country should know of the disastrous results of low prices for the commercial metals-copper, lead, and zinc-now prevailing. As a result of this drop in the price of commercial metals, many mines in the West have been compelled to close down, throwing many men out of employment, with a consequent reduction in the income taxes formerly paid by them and the companies which employed them. Such results are increased by the reduction in purchasing power of these miners now out of employment. This is far-reaching in effect because the machines and explosives used in the mines here are manufactured in various parts of the country; and the food to sustain these miners and their families is not grown in the immediate vicinity of the mines employing the men, but comes from other sections of the country which will be adversely affected by the loss of this market. We believe it will be to the advantage of all sections of the United States to take measures which will insure greater and continuous operation of the metal mines of the West. STATE OF COLORADO, County of San Juan, ss: I, Carl A. Larson, hereby certify the above and foregoing to be a true copy of a resolution passed by the Rotary Club of Silverton at a meeting held April 8, 1953. Made and certified this 10th day of April 1953. CARL A. LARSON, Secretary. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Ehrlinger. Mr. MULTER. I just want to say this: Mr. Ehrlinger has passed over it, but it is in his main statement on page 8. He passed over it. He states that in the Defense Production Act of 1950 we did write into the law provisions which would help the small miners, but unfortunately in the administration it worked out to help only the big miners, which lends strength to the point I made. If we can write these provisions into the Hill bill, I think the small miners would get the help they can get. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. Before we continue, let me say it looks like we are going to have plenty of work for tomorrow. If there is anyone that can't come back tomorrow, we can probably hear one more witness. Is there anyone that cannot come back that is listed for testimony? We could probably take one more. STATEMENT OF WESLEY D. BUSH, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TOOELE, UTAH Mr. BUSH. I am Wesley D. Bush. I am the executive secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Tooele. The CHAIRMAN. Utah? Mr. BUSH. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. Tomorrow morning we are going to start, so they tell me, at 9:30 sharp. Now we will hear Mr. Bush and then we will adjourn for the day. Mr. BUSH. In order to save time, Mr. Chairman, I will give you that letter, which is from our city council, signed by the city councilmen, addressed to our congressional representative. That is your copy. The CHAIRMAN. Do you want to file it? Mr. BUSH. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Mr. BUSH. Here is a letter authorizing me to speak for the chamber of commerce, of which I am a member. The CHAIRMAN. We will put it in the record. (The letters referred to follow :) Hon. WILLIAM A. DAWSON, House of Representatives, 1205 House Office Building, Washington, D. C. APRIL 20, 1953. DEAR CONGRESSMAN DAWSON: The problems facing our lead-zinc industry have prompted the Tooele City Council to take some positive action toward the solution of this serious economic situation. The citizens of Tooele City for many years have been dependent upon the smelting and mining industry. During recent months the local plant of the International Smelting & Refining Co. has been shut down due to a shortage of ore to process. This shortage, according to the smelting officials, has resulted from the inability of the marginal mines to produce ore at the prevailing metal prices. It appears, therefore, that the price of metals, particularly lead and zinc, is the prime factor in the dilemma in which not only our citizens are experiencing but all those allied industries and businessmen who depend upon the payroll and metals produced by this important industry. From the foregoing it is the desire of our official body representing the citizens of this community to do everything within our power to alleviate this economic crisis. It is with this thought in mind that we urge you as our representative to exert all the influence of your office to work out an amicable and fair solution to the problem. The details in this matter facing the lead-zinc industry are not known to us, and we must of necessity rely upon the Congress of the United States to obtain the facts and act accordingly to preserve our economic wellbeing. Your consideration of this appeal will be greatly appreciated by everyone in this area and by the city council in particular. Yours very truly, Mr. WESLEY D. BUSH, TOOELE CITY COUNCIL, A. W. RHONE. FRANK MCKELLAR. W. BEVAN ANDERSON. JACK CLARKE. UTAH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES, Manager, Chamber of Commerce, Tooele, Utah. DEAR MR. BUSH: After talking with the directors and other members of our organization, I find we are unanimous in believing the Federal Government should take such steps as are necessary to stabilize metal prices, particularly lead and zinc, so mines in Utah will continue to operate. A sliding tariff seems the logical solution, but some other means may be found to protect our mining industry from the lower prices of foreign imports. I wish that you, as a director of the Utah Chamber of Commerce Executives, would present our views to the Small Business Committee of the House of Representatives at their hearing at Denver, April 22 and 23, and urge that action be taken on this matter. Yours truly, J. A. MILLER, President. Mr. BUSH. Before I start, I would like to say that I am not a member of any special mining or industrial group, nor am I connected in any way with any labor group. My purpose in coming here is because my hometown is generally concerned with the present conditions under which the lead-zinc industry is operating, and, frankly, I am too. I am not as experienced in these matters as most of you |