Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-27
LOW PRODUCTION
Of COAL CHARGED
UP To RAIL ROADS
IN CAPITAL QUIZ
Witnesses Tell Interstate COM
merCe Subcommittee That
Shortage of Cars is Hinder
ing Output of Mines,
LABOR TROUBLES ALSO
RESPONSIBLE, CHARGE
Certain Elements in Miners
Union Are Intent on Nation
aIization of Properties, Evi-
>d6nCe Shows,


Washington. Aug, 26.-Entering on
an investigation of the increased price
of coal. a senate interstate commerce
subcommittee today brought forth tes-
timony that shortage of cars and
labor difficulties were hindering coal
| production, that certain elements in
the miners union We're intent on ma
| tionalization of the coal mi-es with
adoption of siX-hour day and five
day week plus wage increase and
that unless problems of production
were solved the country would be
brought face to face with a coal
famine in the coming winter.
So emphatic were the witnesses that
the railroads were at the bottom OF
the present low production that SEN
ator Frelinghuysen, chairman of the
committee, indicated the committee s
intention of bringing Director General
Hines into the hearing.
Demands of Miners.
After detailing the effects of labor
difficulties and alleged car shortage
on coal production, Harry ~ Taylor,
president of the National Coal asso-
citation, an organization of operators,
declared a BIN had been prepared for
submission tc congress providing for
the naturalization of the mines, He
added dat what the miners w}tnte d
was not only that the government
should own the properties out that
the mines should be turned over to
them for operation. He insisted that
the more radical of the miners APP
peared TO be gaining control in GER
tain districts and that there was a
serious danger that these elements
would make an earnest effort for the
institution of something approaching
Soviet methods" in conducting the
properties.
Fear was expressed by Mr.. Taylor
that at the miners convention Sep
tember 8 in Cleveland and at the
Joint conference of miners and oper-
ators in Buffalo September %. action
might be taken to further endanger
production. He told the committee
that the strikes in Illinois, Kansas
and Missouri were in violation of the
Washington agreement which provid-
ed for the continuous operation of the
mines until peace definitely IS estab-
lished. The conduct of the strikes in
the middle west, he said, were in many
cases influenced by radical elements.
He said it was known generally in the
industry that an attempt would be
made at the Cleveland meeting to put
through a naturalization program
with a ix-hour day. five-day week
and an increase in wages.
Hines May Be Dragged In.
The possible conversion Of the coal
price hearing into an investigation on
the efficiency of the railroad admin
istration was indicated during the tes-
timony of John Callahan. traffic di-
rector of the coal association. 3oth
MIR. Callahan and j. d. Morrow. "ice
president of the association, had sup
plemented the statements of Mr.. Tay-
Ior that a war shortage was the most
important single factor delaying de-
livery. Senator Frelinghuysen asned
Mr.. Callahan if he would obtain for
him certain specific information re-
garding idle cars and other features
of operation, adding that he wanted
that information in order to question
Director General Hines.