Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-13
The Anthracite Shortage.

various reasons advanced Dy large
coal operators account for the shortage
Of anthracite fuel In the eastern market.
from the effect Of which Washington is
now suffering One Is that there Is a
lack Of cars for carrying the coal: an
other. that the strike last spring lessened
the output; also that mine laborers have
been scarce owing to the fact that many
workers who went home to Europe on
the occasion OF the strike failed to return.
while others answered the call to arms
sounded by the Balkan states; finally.
that heavy shipments by water to the
west and northwest are lowering the sup
ply available for the eastern market.
As a matter of fact none Of these
reasons is convincing. and the belief will
persist that the supply OF coal doled out
to the eastern markets is short because
the large operators hope to increase the
price for larger profits. perhaps to recoup
the losses incident to the strike of last
spring. AS to the shortage Of cars, that
Is a condition which lies well within the
control of the railroad companies. which
are. 1t Is notorious. directly In possession
OF the anthracite field. The great bulk
OF tho hard coal mined in this country
comes from properties owned by railroad
corporations, which have a presumably
adequate car equipment for meeting all
the demands Of the market II there Is
a car shortage sufficient to affect the coal
supply to the extent now felt 1t Is because
either Of bad management in maintaining
the rolling stock in condition or through
q deliberate shifting Of these conveyors,
which are suitable for no other purpose.
to other fields.
The strike Of last spring lasted about
ST. zen weeks and caused an immaterial
reduction In the years output It was
virtually little else than an opportunity
for the coal companies to make repairs
in the mines. and with the large accu-
mulated stocks that each OF the railroad
operators maintained in the storage
yards. in anticipation Of an even longer
strike. this short shutdown Of the mines
should have had no effect whatever upon
the market today. With few exceptions
the laborers who returned to the Balkan
states were unskilled. uncertified miners.
There Is no lack Of labor Of this class in
the anthracite district. Had any consid
cradle number Of certified or contract
miners gone abroad and failed to return
there would. indeed. be q possible short
ening Of the output. But the majority of
these men are Americans, and without
question enough Of them returned after
the strike and have remained at work
ever since to keep the mines running at
full capacity.
The shifting OF the output Of coal to-
ward the west may. indeed, be legiti-
mate reason for a shortage in the east
ern market, though this indicates q new
development OF the trade, the west hav-
ing heretofore consumed only a small per-
centage Of the anthracite output II 1t
Is true that the hard coal is now In
greater demand in the west, to such an
extent as to affect the supply required by
the eastern markets. 1t Is plainly incum-
bent upon the anthracite operators to in
crease their output by charging the col
ieries and developing properties that
have hitherto been allowed to remain
dormant for the purpose, 1t Is alleged, OF
maintaining the prices on a high level.
Taken altogether. these excuses adj
vanced by the hard coal interests TO JUS
tify the present shortage. which may any
day at this season cause widespread SUI
fering, are unavailing to convince the
public that 1t Is getting q square deal
from those interests that now almost
exclusively control the anthracite deposits
In this country.