Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-22
COAL MEN WANT
BETTER EXPERTS
An Appeal for a Change in
Methods of Fuel Admin
istration

To the Editor Of the EVening Ledger:
Sir The fuel administrator has sent
out forms to be filled in by the soft-coaf
operators by which the cost of coal pro.
duction can be estimated at each mine.
Good forms! They will soon have the
returns in Washington. Last June the
Government sent out form from which
they derived the cost of operation (O at
bituminous mines. 1t was purely superficial
July / the Government set the maximum
price at which soft coal was to be sold
at SO per net ton.
Apparently it was satisfactory to the Gov.
ernment at the time. However, following
this, Secretary Baker denounced the coal
men and branded SO as an exorbitant and
outrageous price. We call attention to the
fact that this price was set by the Govern.
ment, not by the coal men. The patriotism
of the coal barons" was attacked and
they were branded as slackers. In answer
to these charges one of the coal men, a
Philadelphian, addressing a meeting at
Washington, resented being termed a slack.
er. He called attention TO the fact that his
son had gone to France to serve in the
war against autocracy before the United
States had entered the conflict. His son
returned unharmed and had taken up arms
to do his bit for the United States. He
emphasized the fact that he was not a
Stacker and that the Government could
have his coal as they might direct to aid
our common cause in the present crisis.
His resentment was bitter, and he did not
hesitate in voicing 1t. Who can blame
him?
Must Expedite Transportation
We have good men in Washington giving
their every effort to obtain the proper solu-
ton of the chaotic bituminOus coal situa-
ton Our administrator is a splendid man,
of the best type produced by this coun-
try. He will be fair to all parties con-
cerned and will make every effort to get
down to actual facts and justice. But he
is not coal man. 1t is a significant fact
that in other cases administrators have
been chosen for their success in the busi-
ness they were to administer. Mr.. Hoover
is an expert on food distribution, as was
demonstrated by his success in Belgium.
Mr. Earle and all of the men on the sugar
administration board are sugar men, yet
the soft-coal men are not considered pa
triotic enough to administer the business
they know and about which no other class
of men can be expected to know more
We have less than three months of good
coal-producing and shipping weather be-
fore the barrage Of winter hnders the soft
coal producers output We have lost good
time and coal during the last few months.
production is falling of and we must ex-
pedite production and transportation. The
president should appoint 20 the admlnistra-
tive board an experienced coal operator, an
official Of a transportation company di-
rectly connected with the coal situation
and the coal purchaser of large con-
surnlng company Let these men work not
aa advisors, but as a board let them elect
their own chairman. They will all have
sons or near-relatives in the service Of
Uncle Sam and they viii all be patriots
They will all serve the common cause.
We as selling agents, have come in con-
tact with numerous and various classes OF
bituminous coal users, among them a COM
pany supplying small arms to our lighting
men. a company producing cloth for their
uniforms and a public utilities companv
which supplies light and power for persons
and industries engaged In the manufac-
turs OF products necessary and essential
10 provide equipment for our nghtinR men
under Pershing.
Few "$20-a-Ton Shylocks"
We will speak Of the three designated
No one OF these concerns has endeayored 10
purchase coal from us I'm the usual man
ner. They have all requested that we shin
them suficient coal 70 keep their plants IN
operations at any price 30 long as il ,vould
not neceasitate them suffering the Denaltiea
OF the Government for breaking TIE awe
one Of them went 40 Tar as 10 saw fhaf ~
the Government would permit hla com - .,f
would pay go yer ton before thew 1-o,'II