Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
Some of Its Problems Dis
cussed by President Baer
AT P0TTSVILLE, PA.
ONE OF SERIES OF LECTURES ON
PRACTICAL TOPICS.
Delivered for Benefit of Railway and
Mine Employes-Phases of
Mining Life.

- - ' AAsi-Ess IA April S.-SDeclal
trains from every part of SchuyIkin county
carried the superintendent and employees
of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company to Pottsyille tonight to hear
lecture by President George +. Baer of
the Reading company. The lecture was de-
livered in the Academy of Music and mark
ed the close of the series OF lectures which
the company has had delivered to its EN-
ployes during the winter.
These lectures have been on practical
topics. embracing instruction on first aid
to the injured and every phase of practical
mining. After Mr. Baer had finished his
lecture a banquet took place in Union
Hall
Mr. Baer spoke, in part as follows:
Some problems OF the coal industry-the
pubic wants cheap fuel: the miners ana
workers want high wages; the owners want
reasonable profit on their investment.
Inns simple statement at once discIoses
an rrepressfble conflict. | regret to say
that the coal company managers lot IS
not happy one" 1t Is not materially i'm
proved by giving him the barren title OF
coal baron
PublicInterested in the Industry.
Permit me to say few words on the pub
lie interest in the industry which we man
age.
In general. because coal is necessity of
our modern life. the owners of coal are I'M
der some kind of obligation to do all within
their power to supply coal to the public
IN reasonable quantities and at a fair price
Inc suggestion that coal being a natural
product in some mysterious way this public
obligation is higher than the duty involved
IN the supply of any other necessity of life
food. for example. is utterly untenable
Relatively coal deep in the ground is OF
no more use until it is mined and prepa red
for consumption than is the waste field
which needs to be ploughed and sown to
on the farmer to cultivate his field and
produce food to be sold at a loss because
the public needs food there can be no
obligation on owners of coal mines 10
operate them at loss, because the public
needs fuel.
OF course no industry of any kind can
be operated at a loss. 1t may be for a
short time. in the hope that the near
future Will reimburse the loss.
State Ownership
But some one will say that these natural
products, like oil and coal. should belong
to the state for the benefit of all the peo-
pie. Has it ever occurred to you that il
the state owned the coal mines the wotN
incident to mining the coal and marketing
1t would still have to be done in exactly
the same way as we are doing 1t. and at a
greater cost.
How much more per ton would the pub
lie pay for coal If government officials.
with political pulls. and tie accustomed
graft, and notorious inefficiency of state
and municipal management conducted the
work which you are doing? What mathe-
NAUTICAL rule do you know equal to its
solution? Would 1t be an arithmetical or
a geometrical progression?
The economic rule which will satisfy the
public demand for increase in wages with
resulting increase in cost of production and
at the same time lessen the cost to the pub
lie. has thus far not been formulated with
that exactness which is essential to give
it practical effect.
Interest of Wage Garner.
The interest of the wage Garner is I'M
doubteily to get the highest return for his
labor which the conditions OF the business
will justify. Every management Is neces-
sarily limited in fixing schedules of wages
by the cost of production and the price
obtainable for the thing produced. The
owner is entitled to reasonable return on
his investment.
have stated these simple fundamental
things with a view to more clearly present
a few thoughts on the part we coworkers
have in this business.
We are not the owners OF the mines and
plants which We are called upon to man
age The owners are many, scattered all
over the country. They have selected US
to manage their business From the high
est to the humDleSt workers among US, We
are servants. We are stewards. You re-
call in the parable, when the several stew
ards were intrusted with talents they who
wisely used the talents and made money
for the absent owner were commended; but
the fellow who hid his, and made no in
creased return to his master con-
demned. Now, are to be wise stewards.
Responsibility and Duty.
The responsibility that is upon us is to
manage this coal industry honestly and
fairly, so as to make IT profitable to our
masters. We have no other duty. We must
labor together to produce results. Part
of our duty is to pay reasonable wages
to insure good work. We cannot fix
wages on any sentimental basis. We can
only pay such wages as the conditions
of the business will permit. We must make
the business profitable to our masters. We
cannot sell coal to the public on any char
liable basis. We must sell Ii at rea-
sonable profit. If we manage so unwisely
to bring loss instead of gain to our
masters, We will be discharged unworthy
stewards.
/ believe today that we have the good
will of our co-workers, and that We will
continue to have II until unfair demands,
supported by appeals to passion and
prejudice, shall cause many of them to
forget our kindness and friendship.