Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-19
OTTUMWA sEMIWEEKLY COURIER, FRIDAY, APR1L 49, 1918

national fuel reconsideration, under
which coal produced in specified fields
must be marketed, II Q market IA avail
able, in specified zones.
Although there ID nothing at hand on
which to base 1t, The Courier boldly In
dulges the hope that Governor Harding
is prepared to treat this phase of the
coal problem with more practical intel.
ligence than he has displayed during
the past year with reference to other
phases. OF his past performance per-
haps the most charitable comment Is
the excuse with which he replied to q
recent inquiry regarding his failure to
follow the example of the executives
Of neighboring states in exposing the
sociahstic and otherwise disloyal rec.
ord Of the Nonpartisan league. On
that occasion he pleaded that he was
too busy to give the subject the care
full study 1t required as preparation for
an official prOnouncement.
So It is permissible, no doubt, to con-
clude that Mr.. Harding's various akti-
tudes and declarations with regard to
the coal situation in Iowa arc but the
repetition of what he has heard
trusted friends say, and that his own
views, II only he had time to formu-
late them, might exhibit more stabil-
ity at least
AS to the coming, Governor Harding
is quoted most recently as opposing
the arrangement which permits Illt-
nois operators to ship their coal into
Iowa, although he made q VISIT to
Washington only q few weeks 40
with the object, 20 1t was reported. Of
demanding for practically all Iowa
coal consumers the right to buy the
product not only of Illinois but Of
kentucky as well.
Meanwhile, 1t seems, coal miners
and others whose fortunes depend
largely on those Of 1owa's coal indus
try have deluged the governors Of
fee with kilograms, which may or
may not have changed his opinion Of
the coming system.
With memories Of the Thorne-Hard
ing ''investigation,' and its foolishness
in mind, one wonders whether DR..
CARRIED could be blamed should he
gather up all the communications he
has received from the Iowa governor.
add to them the protest to be framed
today and. telegraph back to Des
Moines some such impertinent query
a. this: Glow can I tell what you
want when you yourself don't known"
Possibly we are judging Governor
Harding too harshly, but the fact ro-
mains that with all their hectic ex-
citement over Iowa's coal problem he
and his associates have exhibited a
remarkable lack of definite knowl-
edge of conditions, with the result that
Iowa's coal buying public Is In part
responsible for the present idleness
OF Iowa's mines because no organized
effort has been made to bring about
summer buying of next winters
household coal.
1t is of vital Importance to Iowa
and the nation that coal production
shall proceed without unnecessary in
terruption all this year and that pur-
chases for winter be made and coal
be stored this summer. This 10 the
only way in which a disastrous coal
famine can be prevented next winter,
and a coal famine then. may mean r.
verses for American arms q year from
now.
me reIuS6l OF ENIFOaoS 10 MS&o
contracts for Iowa coal 1t government
prices IL responsible, hrst Of all, for
idleness in Iowa's coal mines since
April 1. II the railroads, government
controlled, were exhibiting patriotic
desire to keep coal production at its
highest point this summer, It would be
less dificult to convince the private
coal consumer OF the importance Of
early buying.
1t is folly to fret about the bound
aries Of shipping zones whom there IL
no. coal to be shipped. The men at
tending the conference in Des Mofnes
today might render a service to the
nation IL they were to send demand
to Washington for an order to the
railroads to buy Iowa coal for their
Iowa lines as they did before April l..
That might serve to break the silence
which surrounds the relations Of the
railroad administration and the fuel
administration. Obviously these rela-
lions are strained, and while an ad-
jystment is delayed the country is
moving helplessly toward coal fam-
inc.