New-York tribune., 1918-07-18
Plan to Increase Output Is
Being Held Up,
Operators Say
Proposal of June ~
Included Prohibition
Fuel Crisis Is Described as
Too Grave To Be Over
estimated
By Theodore M. knappen

ALTOONA, Penn, July 1.-THE rail-
,oads have certainly caught the coal
oc.rstors in the production race. At
tbs quarterly meeting of the Central
Pennsylvania Coal Producers Asso-
eiation yesterday. the operators for
once had nothing to say about car
shortage. They are surprised at the
vay they have been overtaken. They
were not ready for such feat
Neither was the fuel administration.
The result is that the latter is about q
month behind where it should be in
pushing production.
On the other hand, the operators
we're warned that they could not ex-
pect this abundance of transportation
10 last longer than September Is. or
October at the latest. There are just
two months of excellent coal produc-
ton conditions before the producers
and they are not ready.
Complaint was heard among the op-
orators over President Wilson'S slow
ness in acting on the production pro-
gramme, of which prohibition was one
feature, that was submitted to him on
June 27.
The fuel administration asked the
producers to submit programme for
stimulating production. They did in
hurry. 1t went to President Wilson be-
cause it called for his cooperation. not
otly in the matter of prohibition, but
in almost every other feature of the
programme Three of the best produc-
ton weeks of the year have passed,
and the President has not as yet acted.
Operators Plan Held Up
In the mean time the plan for in
ereasing production that was developed
BY the best minds in the coal business
is being held up. The operators pro-
duc.on committee of the national asso-
thing until there is a clear understand
ing Of the conditions under which it
is to work. The members realize the
reputation of the coal mining industry,
and perhaps its identity for the period
of the war is at stake. They think they
know how they can greatly increase
production. They want to do it their
way.
Before going ahead at all they
want to know whether the programme
that is to be followed is to be theirs or
some one else. If their programme is
adopted they are willing to take the
responsibility of success or failure in
the effort to save the country from
age in the midst of war. If this pro-
aGnnfoA +knu x1yiG MT
their shoulders to the wheel behind
any programme, but in that event they
want the record to show clearly that
1t is not their programme.
In the mean time, rather than con-
fuse the issue, they prefer not to start
anything. The programme that was
put up to the President on June 27 by
forty-six of the leading bituminous
operators of the United States is more
or less a confidential document, but
part of it was disclosed to-day by J. b.
Neale, director of production of the
fuel administration, in his address to
the district operators. In addition to
the prohibition feature, it calls for the
direct personal cooperation Of Presi-
dent Wilson in stimulating the miners
to renewed efforts and longer hours.
Honor Badge for Miners
1t is proposed that by means of a
awarded by authority of the President
to every miner who keeps up to a GER
tain standard of production for given
time, to arouse such spirit among
the miners that the man among them
who does not do his best will be as
unpopular as the man who does not
subscribe to Liberty bonds. And that
degree of unpopulari'ty is demonstrat-
ed IN the mining districts with appli-
cations of tar and feathers. The idea
is TO create sort of national service
army, of which the President himself
der.
Practical mining men say that there
is no doubt that the miners would re-
spond to such call as to no possible
coupled with prohibition. 1t is sup
posed that it is the latter feature of
me programme that causes the Presi-
oent to hesitate.
IN the mean time three of the best
..Ks neeKs In the year have been lost, and
cue tae operators, who have the opportunity
ior the broadest view of the fuel stu
sslon, assert that it is impossible to
ssSEer-emphasize the gravity of the crisis
mat .has confronts the country, a crisis,
saey say, that nothing short Of the
measures they have proposed, and that
now are before the Presj dent, can miti-
tate IN any large measure. They fear
,'a' II these measures are not prompt
y adopted the coal mines will be
M M1en over by the government when
.s .se crisis comes to head, and that
~ ,aen the government will itself resort
w the
Is too late.
Tells Need of Fight