The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-18
.,.r..coAt $40 PER TON
Hardships Which Italy Endures From
the War.

the war;
Rome, Nov. 80. Correspondence Of
The Associated Press Coal is $40
ton in lt4ly. end continues to soar. It
went up $40 a ton IN one week. This
has become a serious, and might be-
come decisive, war factor, SO far as
Italy is concerned, for coal is the fun
dsmental element of Italian Industry.
and commerce, moving the railways,
running the factories, and keeping up
such public utilities as electric light
and power plants, gas and water
works, street railways, as well as for
household heating and cooking, not
only in Rome, but all over Italy.
Such a phenomenal rise in the
price of coal has never before been
known. TO Italy the shortage is
serious chiefly because Italy possess
es no coal mines CT her own at home
or in the African colonies, so there is
no outlook for getting a supply ex-
cept from abroad, and the foreign sup
ply is in the hands Of the enemy or
taxed to its utmost capacity for its
own needs. While there was no war
Italy needed no coal fields of her own
as the French and Belgian fields were
near at hand. But now the French
coal fields of Pas de Calais, and those
of Belgium, have passed into control
of Germany, the ally Of Austria, with
whom Italy is at war. Similarly Aus
tria stretches as barrier between
the Polish coalfelds and Italy. SO
that about the only supply left for
Italy is England, where the Welsh
coal fields are hardly equal to the de-
mand of England's own factories and
navy, and her nearby ally, France,
without also supplying Italy's needs.
And so coal is mounting-$8 some
time ago, then $40, then SIS, then $50,
$50, and now $40 a ton.
People no longer buy coal by the
ton, but by the bag. and bag al coal
which can be swung Owe rthe shoul,
der costs 81. This means Of course
that poor people can no longer buy
coal, and can no longer keep warm.
except as the mild Italian climate
may help them. But the climate does
not help the railways ana factories,
and Industrial Italy is the worst suf-
ferer from coal shortage ard exces-
sive price There has even been talk
since Italy is not at war with Ger
many Of getting coal from Germany,
and for the possible exchange Of
some other articles of mutual need
Importing coal from Japan is also be-
ing considered, but the transportation
cost is so great that Japanese coal
would probably not bring the price
down much in Italy Wood as a sub
stitute is ont OF tine question, FOR TIA
ly's tree and timber supply is pcactic-
ally exhausted, and even lunches OF
twigs and fagg1ts have become q
luxury at hisn price.
The leading hotels of Rome have
posted notice stating that owing to
the high price Of coal the Association
OF Hotel Keepers have agreed 70
charge e&eh' guest one Ira t30 eentsl
per day for the hotels expense for
coal. This is in the large and impor-
tant hotels known to Americans,
where no such requirement. Inns ever
before prevailed. a family Of FIVE
thus pays $50 extra per month for its
share Of the hotels coal.
American coal shippers have been
urged to enter the Italian field But
the scarcity OF ships and the high
cost Of Observation-Disclosures to the
dangers od submarines and the eX-
cessiye charges for transportation
due to the shortage ships have limit
ed the shipment OF American coal to
Europe.