The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-21

l. nlLGQ states BONeTHIIltlll LoS loASAi fS~ session of the railroads and issued or ders for workless days throughout the country.
 Nothing more sweeping has ever been done in the history of the nation.
 It is established scientifically that there is more coal in the United States than in any other country of the globe that the supply, based on present nor. nal consumption, is large enough to last 4,000 years
 Then why the lamentable conditions?
 LACK OF STIMULATION
 The correspondent of The Age-Herald has endeavored to ascertain Various reasons have been assigned. First or all abnormal consumption incident to Americas participation in the European war, is cited Secondly, reference IS made to inability of railroads rapidly and equitably to distribute production. Thirdly, the charge is preferred that the government, in regulating prices, failed to consider the necessity of stimulating production.
 It is an admitted fact that there Is a sufficient supply of coal under the ground, and it is not disputed that even had there been adequate means Of dis tribution, the shortage would have pre- vailed.
 The recognition among officials is now general that production must be in creased Congress charges, and officials enter no denial, that production would have been increased had the government, instead of discouraging operators, stim- ulated them by permitting them to re- ceive a profit for their staple commen- surate with profits legally received by practically every other producer of ne- cessities.
 SLIP OF INDIVIDUALS
 For individual suffering-for the fact that the average consumer by the com ing of winter, had an insufficient sup ply of coal in his cellar-the agents ot the fuel administration are blamed.
 The word was disseminated during the summer and fall that early purchases should not be consummated because a reduction in price was bound to follow government regulation In Birmingham, as is recalled, hundreds of contracts were revoked by telephone as soon as The Age-Herald proclaimed the fact that Dr. Garfield had taken charge and would regulate selling prices.
 To less degree, suffering of industries and public utility corporations is at tributable to the same causes. Priority orders, which sometimes left Birming ham shivering while Birmingham coal was routed to Atlanta, was another con- tributing factor. Government regulation of local consumption resulted in Gov ernor Cox of Ohio selling Ohio coal billed for remote sections, ana Governor Hen erson of Alabama practically taking charge of Alabama mines operated by convicts of Alabama.
 OPERATOR STATES CASE
 But for the general situation-that in which the government has found it nec- essary to secure distribution by govern mental operation of railroads, and to conserve available supply by closing the doors of industry-the government be- cause it failed to stimulate production when production might have been stimu- lated, is held responsible.
 An Alabama operator, in Washington today, stated the case in this wise:
 ITO double production, the operator that the supply must be increased to an abnormal extent doubled if possible.
 ''The government, at time when it was offering royalties and bounties to producers of other necessities, took the coal producer under supervision and re- quired him to sell. first at figure be- low cost, and secondly. at figure which guaranteed him only very req sonable profit.
 GAS result tho 0Dara t0r rlrocaeded tO do his best with his properties in the condition in which the war found them.
 PROBLEM OF OPERATOR
 ITO double production, the operators of the country must rehabilitate exlst- ing mines by track extensions. the in- stallation of innumerable new cars, and by working his force in two or three shifts. In addition, he must open new mines
 "A car which prior to the war could have been bought for $25, and which fol- lowing the war will be worth no more than $25, costs today $95 To increase shifts, the operator must import and train new and abundant labor at great expense.
 Because the government forced rhe operator to accept only a small profit when everything that he required for increasing production retailed at abnor- mally high figures, the operator did not see his way clear to make extensions. SEES GOVERNMENT CONTROL
 AS result. the government, because it failed to stimulate the business, has been forced to take over the railroads and to declare certain coalless days, and in all probability the government will be compelled to take over the coal mines. an act which the President de- clares he would be loath to perform.
 This operator is prominent in Alabama business circles, and while his argu- ment might be the result of his personal connection with the coal industry, he is generally regarded as a far-seeing in dividual with power accurately to ana lyze conditions.
 He declares that in making his state ment he has nothing to gain, and the people, trying to find reason for the present situation may take it for what 1t is worth.