The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-11-29
Declares William Jasper .NicolIs
An Expert in the Business
and An Authority.


WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 29.-
although Europe is facing coal
famine there Will be no benefit de-
rived from II by Wet Virginia nor
by any Of the coal producing states
in this country, individually or col
lectiveiy. That is the opinion of Will
liam Jasper Nichols, an expert in
the business and an authority. He
is we'll known TO coal operators in
West virginia and his position to
speak authorltatively on any phase OF
the coal business is fully conceded
by them.
Mr.. Nichols reasons fer declaring
that this country will rot benefit. By,
the threatened European coal famine
as given to the Telegram correspon-
dent are interesting. In the begin-
ming of his interview he started with.
the total coal production OF the last
year which was. ono billion, four htn-
sdred and thirty -one million tons. OF
which 570.G00.G09 tons we're mined In
the United States. The remainder
was mined in the countries now at
war-Great Britain, Germany, Aus
tro-Hungary, France, Russia, Belgium
and japan, their Importance in pro-
duction being in the order named,
ranging all the way from Great
britain with her 322, 100000 tons to
Japan with her 22,O00,00O tons.
From these figures nave given
yon,. said Mr.. Nicoll5, at will be
seen that the countries now at war,
in Europe are the producers Of con-
siderably more than half of the
world s tonnage. To mine and trans
port this coal commercially requires
an army OF at least 100000 men.
Now, IL these men are to be drafted
into the fighting armies OF long
drawn-out war, who will produce this
coal?
This Is one OF the few industries
in which women cannot take the
place of men; and impoverished, de-
waited Europe, must soon turn to
diminishing supply OF coal. And this
is where Europe will meet with dis
appointment, for even with our sup
ierb annual output of 570,O00,000 tons,
it Is doubtful where we could give
the warning nations very much as
sistance. We have use, fer all our
coal at home; we used practically all
sof 1t last year, only fractional part
of this enormous coal output was eX-
ported in i91S-say about 25,C00,000
net tons-and this small. amount
would be about as much as We would
have to spare for foreign shipment.
A very small amount to help reffif
the European coal bins empty coal
bins that must be filled every year
with 7S5,O00,0O0 tons of coal. Even
though We could produce the coal or
any appreciable amount of it, we
must consider another thing, and
that Is the question OF transportation.
Unfortunately our mines are not sit
uated on or near the sea coast, but
at a distance inland, and our coal
carrying railroads are already taxed
to their utmost capacity to move the
domestic coal tonnage that is offered
them. A sudden demand from abroad
that would materially increase our
production would find the railroads
unable to transport it from the
mines to the vessels.
Nor could we increase our pro-
duction, even though we had the nee
essary transportation facilities. There
is no surplus Of miners in the United
States. The tonnage Of. 1913 gave
steady employment to every miner
who wanted work. and there can be
no sudden increase, of the labor that
Mould be snecessary In order to fill
any large foreign orders.
THAT these orders are pending.
seems almost certain. Etaly--a neu:-
trial country with population OF
30,0e0,DGD produces only an insignifi-
cant output of 200, 900 tons of infer.
Tor coal. the balance necessary to
maintain life in hes homes. and .in-
dustries must he obtained from her
neighboring coal producing countries.
IF these countries continue their
record of the enlistment Of: miners.
the slaughter OF able bodied men; n
l III. rfsr : s.-@s-1.ls- =