POLITICAL CONTROL
Political control of the lead resources of the world up to the outbreak of the war in 1914 seems to have been a minor factor in the industry, and to have made itself felt chiefly through imposition of protective tariffs or bonuses designed to stimulate domestic production, smelting, and refining. Such measures resulted in the establishment of lead smelting in British Columbia and were an inducement to the development of the Altai district of Siberia. As will be described later in detail, the growth of international commercial relations had permitted the establishment by German interests of organizations which, although not all-inclusive, gave effective control of the industry.
During the World War, however, political jurisdiction was largely invoked to restore control of national resources to citizens. This movement was particularly marked in the British Empire, where there now exists a joint political and commercial control. Alien interests have been eliminated by governmental action and the government retains a share in the control through its interest in marketing organizations or its financial participation in reduction works. In France, the consortium Société Minerais et Metaux, organized by government action, is the arbiter of the industry and comprises all the important French companies both at home and abroad. In the United States the Alien Property Custodian was active in eliminating all enemy-alien interests.