Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-07-25
B. J. MCKAY ATTENDS
DEFENSE MEETING
County Defense Councils Met i'm Des
Moines Last Friday With State
Council.
PRICE OF COAL
WAS TAKEN UP
Gov. Harding Says to Give the Food
Pirates the Rope and Telephone
Pole. State May Take
Charge Coal Mines.

Cashier B. j. Mckay of the Citizens
Savings Bank of this city, a member
of the Wilneshiek County council OF
the state, appointed by Gov. Hal din 9
to direct Iowa in war actions, was at
Des Moines last week in attendance
at meeing of the defense council
members
One matter of great Importance to
our people was taken up and that was
the coal question. Col French,
chairman Of the industrial committee e
advised every member present to ad-
wise their people at home to put in
their coal right now regardless of
the price as the situation later will
perhaps be hard to control. It is we'll
for all who can afford to buy thei
coal to do so now, as later a car
shortage, on account of using them
for war purposes will be on, and a
serious situation may be the result.
Every county in the state with the
exception of one was represented at
the big meeting held in the house
chamber Of the state house Friday.
Many of the counties sent de,ega tions
with as many as ten TO fifteen MEM
bers. A considerable number of wo-
man workers in the women's defense
council were present and altogether
the crowd more than filled the hous.
chamber of the capitol building.
Patriotism and service characer>
lied the spirit of the meeting and
many Of the farmer members of the
various county councils dropped their
work and went long distances at their
own expense to attend the meeting.
Patriotic addresses were given by
Governor Harding, Judge Martin J..
Wade and Nate Kendall of Abba
Mrs. Francis Whitley of Webster City,
head of the women's work on the state
council, explained the work of the wo-
men. lafayette Young chairman Of
the state defense council, presided.
Gov. Harding digressed far enough
from his written manuscript in Civ.
ing his address to declare that slack
ers and food pirates should receive no
clemency.
I'VE may forgive man in time of
peace if perchance he allows his
greed to possess him but il the time
of war such a man needs just rope
and a telephone pole" declared the
governor. He said further that if we
don't get coal at fair prices and it is
possible for us to take charge of it
and furnish it we will do that"
Colonel French of Davenport,
chairman of the industrial committee
of the council, gave report on the
coal investigation. He said:
While the committee has quite a
number of figures as to costs last year
and this year we do not feel they are
sufficiently checked to offer them at
this time.
The investigation of the commi-
tee as to the increase in the selling
prices of coal throughout the country
shows that in the Pocahontas region
prices have advanced 800 per cent; in
the Indiana and Illinois region 200
per cent; while the average advance
Of iowa coal over last year is less
than fifty per cent.
"The annual consumption Of coal
in Iowa is about 21,0O0,000 tons of
which one-third is produced in the
state.
"The committee advises he storage
of Iowa coal at the present time in
order to prevent a probable shortage
this winter and to increase the output
of Iowa coal.
"Our investigation Of costs of Iowa
coal has proved to the committee that
costs are higher than they thought or
than the general public supposed.
eve expect to have meeting with
committee of the retail dealers and
hear their side of this question in the
f,,t