The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-11-11
Famine: IN GOAL
IS ARTIFICIAL
RAILROAD FAKE
(By BASIL NJ. MANLEY.)


WASHINGTON, Nov. 3. - The
United States is in the grip Of a coal
famine, artifictally created by the rail-
roads for the sole purpose Of boosting
prices!
Cities. towns and villages, from New
York to, Seattle, report they are I'M
able to obtain, enough coal to supply
their needs FROM day to day, much
less to prepare for the winters cold.
The same thing happens every year
and is just as acute and terrifying to
the householder as the railroads and
coal companies can make it.
This year, favorable conditions have
made it possible to create the ap-
pearance of q. complete coal famine
and scare the consumer so badly he is
willing to pay any price for coal. In
New York anthracite coal is selling
for $12 a. ton.
The annual game of the railroads,
which own 30 per cent of the anthra-
cite coal and more than so per cent
of the soft coal, is to create a coal
shortage at the very beginning of the
winter.
Has Three Effects.
This shortage has the triple effect
of making every consumer eager to
buy coal, ready to pay any price, and
willing to accept any quality that may
be offered.
Then, when. the consumer is in
proper frame Of mind, the coal is
brought into the market by the rail-
roads and sold to the eager public at
monopoly prices.
This annual robbery of rich and
poor by the railroads and the coal
companies must be stopped. The de-
partment of justice, the interstate
commerce commission and the fed
eral trade commission have all the
power necessary, if they choose to ex-
ercise it.
This fraud on the American people
is made possible chiefly by the rail-
road ownership of the coal mines.
This ownership was prohibited by the
accommodates clause" of the interstate
commerce act, which fo:hidc railroads
to own. an interest in the production
of any commodity which trey trans
port: This illegal ownership of coal
mines and other commodities is con-
tinued only through. the plain subter-
fuge of dummy mining and industrial
corporations, which, in fact, are SUBJ
salaries Of the railroads..
1t is true this evasion of the law has
been sanctioned. by decision Of the
United States supreme court. But
there is every reason to believe the
court will reverse it's indefensible de-
cision IT the issue is again presented
hind it. :. -"
Judges Against Roads.
Since that decision Y rendered
two liberal justices who certainly will
not stand for the Observation-Disclosures
and Clarke--haYs been added to the
court.
Moreover, the, court has heard the
rumblings of discomfort and has seen
the commerce court destroyed because
of it's betrayal of the people for the
benefit. of the railroads."
AS Judge Grosscup once said,
There are windows in the supreme
court room from which what is going
on In the world world. outside is in plain
sight,
The supreme court reversed it's legal
tender decisions. its income tax de-
cisions, its Sherman act decisions, and
Will reverse it's commodities clause
decisions if the American people de-
mand it.
The railroad companies, by convert
ing hundreds Of coal cars for the
Transportation Of munitions and other
industrial exports, are discriminating
against the consumers of coal. The
interstate commerce commission has
power to stop that discrimination.
The federal trade commission has
powers broad enough to call a. quick
halt on the 'holdup game. Up. to the
present time thu trade commission
has been illy-dallying with cost &C.
counting systems.