New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-18
Pity the Coal Man
Everybody Heaps
Blame on Him
But He Ha. a Defence, IF You
Will Only Take Time to
Hear 1t

Efforts to speed Up the production
of coal and facilitate the distribution
to meet the added requirements of
American industry as a result Of
the war are making progress. The
Railroad War Board is taking
every step possible to this end, and
figures compiled by the government
and placed before the railroad men
this last week indicate that ap-
proximately 80 per cent more BIZ
luminous coal was hauled by the
railroads Of the country In April
compared with year ago. At the
same time the coal fields Of Penn
sylvania, Maryland, the Virginias,
Ohio, Michigan and Eastern Ken
lucky originated $4,000 more car
loads of bituminous coal than last
year, while Illinois, Indiana and
Western Kentucky shipped $4,000
more cars.
Meanwhile, with prices tending to
rise as a result Of the steadily in
creasing demand, the American coal
industry is compelled to bear a heavy
share Of the blame for the high cost
Of living. This has challenged the
trade to a reply, and spirited de-
fence has been prepared by the
BLACK Diamond" one of the leading
organs of the coal industry, which
is presented in part below:
The coal man does not complain
against the common point Of view
Certainly, we do not. Tho coal men
know where the public got its informa-
ton. So do we. That Is, the public
il represented by certain commissions.
Those commissions have been investi-
eating the rising cost of living in
America. As they investigated every
one expressed his pet "peeve,' and so
the butcher, the baker, the candlestlck
maker, and all the rest, told the public
that the basic wrong in America to-
day is the price of coal.
The Truth in the Case
This charge would be vitality i'm
portant if the facts supported it. How
ever, the facts are that coal was the
last thing in the list Of commodities
to advance in price. That is, steel,
which normally sells at s2S to s32 a
ton, was selling for upward Of $50 a
ton before the price of coal advanced
5 cents.
Wheat, which ordinarily sells at a
maximum of 81 a bushel, was selling
upward Of So bushel before coal had
advanced 5 cents ton.
Copper wire, which ordinarily sells
from IA to II cents q pound, was above
80 cents a pound before coal had ad-
vanced nickel.
Meat, bread and milk had all ad-
vanced in price sharply before coal
began to show any rise in price what
ever.
To be specific, the price Of other
things began to go up as early as Sep
TENDER !, 1914. Coal, over the nation.
did not begin to advance until August
10, 1916.
In a word, coal prices began to rise
two years, lacking two weeks, after
everything else in the nation began to
go up.
Since all other price advances pre-
coded any rise at all in the price of
coal, how is 1t possible to explain at
this late date the increase in every
thing else by saying that the price Of
coal has gone up?
Very evidently, the other people are
trying to find a scapegoat. And, with
one accord. they have selected coal 10
act in that unenviable role. Appar-
emily, they believe they can get away
with il. because they know there is no
organization in coal which can defend
the industry. They expect, therefore.
to mako broad and sweeping state