Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-02
THE PuBLlc's SIDE.

D0ldll6O TcpOTtS OL Tue COuNcALACA
of coal operators which was held last
week at Pittsburg have come to hand
in the weekly issue of The Black Dia
mond, organ of the coal industry. Il
seems, from a reading of several
lengthy articles, that the men who
own the nations mines are in full
accord with DIR. Garfield as a result 81
his appearance on the platform before
them and his delivery Of a speech in
which he assured them of fair treat.
ment and of his belief that they were
loyal citizens.
He promised to administer hi,
Office, that of national fuel admins
traitor, with all the wisdom and care
Iof which he is capable and without
for moment ignoring the fact that
the men to whom he spoke are de-
pendent on his actions for the safety
of their fortunes.
The coal operators, according to
their spokesman, are content to leave
their financial futures in the admins
traitors hands. They are content,
even, with his decision to employ as
his assistants in the conduct Of the
nations coal industry only men who
have no connection with any branch
of the coal trade and hence no detail
ed knowledge of it's details.
This spirit of acquiesence follows a
period in which practically every
coal operator in the country was up
in arms against what he regarded as
an unjust intimation that he and all
other coal operators. jobbers and
dealers were disloyal or dishonest.
Either DR.. Garfield is particularly
convincing speaker and possesses a
remarkably strong personality or the
coal men were less disgruntled than
they seemed, or they are more loyal
than the public has been permitting
itself to believe.
1t is charitable. of course, to accept
the third hypothesis. We wish to be
charitable.
The condition into which the coal
situation is working just now prob
ably is the best the public could hope
for in view of the many errors that
were made. quite naturally, while the
fuel administrator was learning the
rudiments of his job. 1t appears that
everything that is possible will DO
done by the government and the var
ious branches of the coal industry to
minimize the effects of the inevitable
coal shortage now that it is upon us.
But there will be much suffering
this winter in some states. The price
of coal will be high and the supply
will not equal the demand. These
facts must be faced with what
we can summon.
Meanwhile. it is important that
plans be made at once for continuous
production of coal through the sum-
mer and for distribution and storage
at the same time. 1t is essential that
prices be arranged and consumers be
warned to purchase their coal in ad-
vance of cold weather. 1t Is OF the
highest Importance that the admins
traitor come to the rescue of the In
consumer by reforming the
vicious system which permits rail-
roads and other big industries to OBJ
tain their coal at prices approximat-
ing production cost while retail buy
ers are forced to supply practically
all the profit to dealers and opera
tors not only on the coal they use
but on the vastly bigger amount used
by the railroads and similar indus
tries.
There is no way, now, by which
coal shortage this winter can be
avoided. IT will be dificult to find an
excuse il this shortage exists next
winter