Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-09-24
SAYSU. S. COAL
EXPORTS WILL
NOT STINT US

" S~Nhaaa SSha' NSPSSt6st( shAASAbSehAA
coal producers seeking to relieve a
worldwide shortage, are not sending
coal abroad In sufficient volume to
deprive the American consumer, in
the opinion of s. Y. Saint. head of
the shipping boards export depart
ment, witness before the senate sub.
committee. conducting an inquiry into
the coal situation. headed by Senator
Erelinghuysen, of New Jersey.
Mr., Saint submitted to the commit
tee the shipping boards official est.
mate Of the extent of the worldwide
Goa! shortage. totalling s2,4ss.00 tons.
most Of which, II made UP. he said.
presumably must be made up by the
United States" Exclusive of ship,
ments to Canada, the United States is
exporting coal, he said. at the rate of
about 100000 tons a year. This Is
little more than one per cent Of the
total amount Of b!tuminous coal pro
duced in the country for d year, Ao.
cording to Mr., Saints figures Canada
will need ,bout 16.s5s.0oo tons; France
100000 tons; Belgium 100000
tons, which may be reduced later, as
Belgium Is rapidly restoring her
mines; The Netherlands 100000
tons; China 3,1S5, 900 tons; Italy 6,000,.
900 tons; Sweden, Norway and other
countries, many millions more. To
help supply the needs Of these and
other countries, Mr. Saint stated, the
shipping board has allocated to the
coal trade 1914 American ships of e29,
694 deadweight tons as follows In
the Swedish trade s6,111 tons; to
Switzerland and The Netherlands 235,
633 tons; to Denmark 1000 tons; It
ally 105,50S tons; France 1883 tons;
South America 207,512 tons. There
was included in these figures, he said
109,6e1 tons In the coastwise or New
England trade, which would have to
be deducted from the total tonnage,
leaving approximately $4,000 tons
engaged in the overseas transporta.
ton of coal.
These figures represented only
shipping board vessels, he said, OF
about thirty per cent of the total.
THE export coal trade 80 far this
year." Mr.. Saint said, is running a
little behind the export trade of last
year, owing t. the dropping down OF
the Canadian trade. But the foreign
trade has increased over last year. By
the time this year is up we will have
exported think, about 100000
tons" So great was the dearth Of coal
abroad, Mr.. Saint asserted, that de.
mand had come from practically every
European country, including the Brit.
ish Isles, heretofore the chief coal ex.
porting nation of the world. England's
inability to produce coal in pre-wa1
quantities, he thought, was primarily
responsible for the increased demand
on the bituminous coal producers OF
the United States.
Her exports have dropped from
100000 tons Of coal a year." he
said, ito 100000 tons. 1t was the
understanding that England was to
take care of the italian situation. ]
believe that conclusion was reached
In Paris during the economic confer
enCe there But England has radi,
cally failed t. take care Of the Ital,
Ian situation. italian imports OF coal
before tie war We're 10000 900 tons
annually. Last year England sent 1t.
ally 100000 tons and this year, UP
to date, she is doing very little bet.
ter. This leaves from 100000 to s,
100000 tons TO be supplied Italy by
other nations, and we are practically
the only nation that can supply her
that coal"
Are we relieving England at our
EXPENSE Senator Frelinghuysen
asked.
IF you mean expense in the sense OF
taking coal that should go to our OWL
people," replied Mr.. Saint, 81 DO not
believe that sufficient coal is going
abroad to particularly injure our do.
nestle situation. If you look at our
foreign shipments as 4 development
Of a legitimate foreign trade, which
will mean a very great deal to this
country in future years, I think we
can we'll send what we are sending
now, and considerably more, abroad
at this time" Mr.. Saint said that we
are trying to distribute our tonnage
equitably among the countries thai
need coal"