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way were practically the only pro- rluvers of nickel in the. world. On- tario produced about eighty per cent. of the nickel in the world, and if the Government could get control of the industry it might mean the prevention of war in the future. Now was the time for the Province to de- clare its polioy. The Ontario Gov- ernment should get in touch with the Dominion and Imperial Govern- ments and see what could be done. Also they should take steps to see that nickel was refined in the Pro- vince. He was a strong believer in public ownership. The people ot On- tario were. more than capable of managing their own business. he thought. Under private ownership of. the mines at Copper Cliff the condi- tion of some of the workers was wretched. He had visited Copper Cliff and seen the novels in which I it was reliable. Might Prvvom War in Future Hon. Mr. Hanna asked Mr. Proud-i toot where he go: his Information re-i gaming the connection of the Kruppsé with the International Nickel Com-5 pany. Mr. Proudfoot said it was general information. but he believed. "What it wrutld mean to our Em- Piro if we could get control of the nickel ompm at Ontario," comment- ed Mr. Sam I'arter (South Welling- ton), after he had pointed out that Northern Ontario, France and Nor- Mr. William Proudtoot, Liberal member for Centre Huron, said he was informed that the Krupps of Germany owned about twenty-five per cent. of the stock of the Inter- national Nickel Company of the Unit- ed States, which at present controls a large portion of the nickel output of Ontario. He added that the Interna- tional Nickel Company was reported to have had a big contract for the supply of nickel to the Krupps and that the Kaiser was a stockholder in the Krupp concern. ME BRITISH glllil'tllllr"" Ill: [INTARII] NICKEL "That in the opinion of this House the production and sale of nickel in this Province! should be under Gov- ernment control; and that negotia- tions should be at once entered into " the Government of this Province with the Government of the Dominion of Canada and the Government of the United Kingdom to secure united notion to acquire the absolute con- trol of the nickel mines and nickol product of the Province of Ontario." In the course of the debate it was shown that about eighty per cent. of the world's supply of nickel is pro- duced in Ontario. and Mr. Howell urged that in view of the military value of nickel it was important that the control of the nickel product of Ontario should be retained by British interests. Germans Financially Interested. The Provincial Government last night rejected a. proposal to prevent the shipment. of Ontario nickel to enemy countries. The decision was reached following a tive-hour debate in the Legislature, which arose from the introduction of the following mo- tion by Mr. Sam Carter. Liberal member for South Wellington: Tories Reject Proposal to Acquire Pro. ponies of Foreign Corporation in Which Germans Are Said to be Financially Interested. GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP Liberals Would Prevent Ship- ment to Enemy Countries Mr. R. R. Gamay contended that if the Government were to contueate the properties of the nickel com- parties it would discourage capitalists who were planning to invest money in Ontario mining districts. He also pointed out that the Government of the Province or the Dominion or the Imperial Government had no process for refining nickel. The International Nickel Company was a "grasping and unscrupulous corporation" in regard to its competitors, but it treated its labor well. They might as well con- fiscate the gold deposits of the Pro- vince as the nickel deposits, in his opinion. " is Not, Cottttseation. game of the miners were compelléd to live on account of the low wages they received.. The company's pro- tttg were fisre times greater than the amount paid in wages. Opposes Public Ownership. The International Nickel Company or any other company or person do- ing pioneering work should be dealt fairly with, said Mr. J. C. Elliott (West Middlesex), hut there was a vast difference between confiscation and expropriation at a fair valuation. Neither the resolution nor the mover of the resolution mentioned Contistma- tion. If Ontario produced eighty per cent. of the world's nickel supply the refining should take place in Ontario. Mr. Allan Studholme (East Hamil- ton), referring to the statement of Mr. Gamay to the effect that there was no equipment in l"anada for rp- fining nickel, thought Canadians and Britishers were just as able as the citizens of any other country. They had made a success of the Hydro. why could they not make a success of the nickel industry? s. Government Control Important. Mr. Howell said it seemed to him that the nation which controls the supply of nickel controls the question of naval armament and nav- al and military efficiency' of the future. If there could be in the future some arrangement dealing with the industries ot the Em- pire and the industries of the allies it would be a. most valuable asset in any economic arrangement that could be worked out that there should be Government control of the whole out- put of nickel so far as this Province is concerned. Two and a half million dollars is invested in the Province by the Canadian Copper Company, and, according to the statement of Sir Thomas White, the International Nickel Company had profits for nine months of something like t9.000,000 or $10,000,000, which, of course, in- r'luded the rettnirur as well as mining. "It is of the highest possible import- ance that the control should be in our hands," said Mr. Rowen. "Tor what- ever the result of this war may he there will be an enormous demand in Germany tor nickel for the purpose of res-establishing her armaments." Now is the rlime. l Referring to the argument that while the Nickel Commission was In- vestigating it was inadvisable to pro- ceed along lines such as suggested, Mr. Rowen replied: "The misfortune of that situation is this: that while the Commission is investigating the policy is being settled for us. for we hare read the announcement that an ar- rangement was ahout to he entered Into by the Federal Government whereby the International Nickel Co. would establish a retinin.k plant on the eastern seaboard of ("anacla. If the policy is being settled by the events as transpiring from month to month. then it is the duty of this House to consider the general lines of our policy." The order in Council passed recently by the Federal Gov- ernment was an indication that the Government recognized some nickel was going to Germany from Canada or some other source. and that it was the duty of Canada to conserve so far as possible the supply." It ditticulties had been looked at the same way they were that afternoon there would have been no progress in the Hydro. They should tackle the nickel question with the same courage and resource as had been manifested in grappling