New-York tribune., 1918-07-13
Fuel Producers Unanimous
in Demanding National
Prohibition at Once
Stand Approved by
Congress Members
Liquor Said To Be Robbing
Miners of 40 Per Cent
of Efficiency
BY Theodore M. Knappen

WASHINGTON, July 12. - Coal o.
booze is the alternative that has beer
put squarely up to President Wilson
and Congress by the National Coal AS
soclatlon and the fuel administration
The National Coal Association an.
nounced to-day that "a definite pro.
gramme for increased coal production
placed formally before the United
States Fuel Administration as the best
thought of the industry, carries with
it the recommendation that nation
wide prohibition be put into effect al
once"
The association represents bitumi-
nous coal operators with an annual pro-
duction of 400,000,o0O tons, and at a
meeting Of it's production committee
held here recently and attended by
coal men from all sections of the coun.
trv. it was unanimously decided that
the chief hope of obtaining a large in
crease of coal production lay in keep
ing liquor away from the miners.
The resolution. which was trans
mitted to President Wilson by the Fuel
Administrator Or. Garfield, is we'll
known to be in accord with the latter's
views, and is said to have made a deep
impression on President Wilson, who
is now represented as being willing to
40 anything he can to bring about ma
tlonal prohibition for the period of
the war at the earliest possible mo-
ment. Every member of Congress was
notified Of the associations position
two days ago, and many have already
responded expressing their approval OF
its stand.
The coal operators are not satisfied
with the Gore amendment to the food
stimulation act which would cut off
Wine, beer and whiskey on December
81 next, but want steps taken to elimi-
nate them Immediately, so the miner
can swing into increased coal produc-
ton at the most favorable time of the
year for operations.
All Fears Allayed
The fuel administration has been
afraid that any intmaton it was work
ing for prohibition would have bad
effect on the disposition of the miners
SOWNAO 40 DuI tIC COdl ASSOCIATION
says. that Frank harrington, president
of the United Mine Workers for the
State of Illinois, is in favor of pro-
hibition and has so informed DR.. Gar
field and President Wilson, as we'll as
the Illinois members of Congress.
The text of the committees recon-
mendation to the President and Con-
gress is as follows:
Regardless Of political affiliations of
the members of the association, and
leaving out OF consideration the moral
issues involved, and bssing it's opinion
entirely on economic and patriotic
and unqualifiedly believes that national
prohibition for the period of the war
IS absolutely necessary to make effec-
tive this or any other plan for in
creased coal production A comparison
of the records of production of mines
in wet and dry territories furnishes
ample proof OF the need of prohibition.
The various instances cited to you to-
day need not be repeated here, but they
typlfy the experience of operators
throughout the entire country"
In their statement to the public the
coal operators say that nationwide
prohibition during the war is absolute
~ essential to make effective any plan
for speeding up the mines sufficiently
to get the 1o0,OooOO additional tons
of coal the country will require this
winter. In fact, the coal men say it is
straight case of giving up booze now
or getting along without coal next win
ter, and they don't know how it will be
possible to deprive all We miners Of
drink without depriving the whole
country of it.
All for Prohibition
"Our committee" said Chairman A.
r. Hamilton, "is composed of practical
operating men, representing all the
principal producing districts of the
country. They are men of all shades
OF personal opinion. Some come from
wet states. some from dry states and
some from states partly wet and partly
dry. They all told their stories and
presented their figures to show not
only the relative efficiency of the mines
as between wet and dry states, but the
difficulties of working out any practical
benefits from drink restriction along
the border line between wet and drv
territory. The result was determined
and unqualified stand for national pro
hibtion.
"The committee feels that the drink
ing evil has become so rampant in the
mining communities that its complete
eIlHl lNatloH IS fundamentally necessary
in the effort to speed up the mines
sufficiently to get the 100,Ooo.O 900 addi
tional tons of coal this country will re-
quire this year. IT is now IN to Con-
gress to make q clean-cut choice be-
tween booze for the mining communi-
ties and coal for the war and the pub
lie"
Always source Of decentralization
of the coal industry, the riotous pros
rerity that has come to the miners
with the high wages and the unlimit-
cd opportunity for employment that
war has brought to them has made
drinking the chief impeachment to ex-
pansion Of production. In every min
ing community where the sale of in
toxicants is permitted, saloons and
drinking clubs and associations
abound. The miners "bowl up" Sat
urday night and Sunday and either
put in Monday bracing up or appear
at the mines with paralyzing chang
overs" Besides. they resort to the
cheering bowl as occasion offers-and
it always offers - through the week.
The men thus not only lose much time.
but their effectiveness when they do
work is greatly impaired and they are
kept in an unsoGnd mental condition.