Evening star., 1919-08-31
WINTER MAY SEE BIG
COAL FAMINE IN u. S.
Outlook at End of August Not Encouraging
and Production Must Be
Speeded,

large quantity or anthracite coal z<.,.
On August 1, the production OF ps'
luminous coal was S4.00O.000 toso
short of what it was at that time Aest
year These figures are from the
geological survey. 1t indicat<e a
serious falling off in production
According to figures furnished b. she
geological survey, the production OF an
thracIte coal. the hard coal whif4 is
used by the great majority of the sesi-
dents of Washington to heat -heir
homes, is far behind this year what it
was at this time year ago. From the
beginning of the coal production year.
! which is reckoned from April ] until
August Is. the production of anthracite
was only 33.976.ooo gross tons, or Is Der
cent behind what it was at the ssIne
time in 1915
The production of anthracite In 1gtS
was 3S.237,575 gross tons The cor
sumption of anthracite coal, practically
equals the production always, il is said.
Mining of Soft Coss.
The consumption of bituminous coal
last year was 5S5 zoo, 900 TONS and the
year 1917 it was about $50, 900, 900 tons.
The estimate of the requirements ycr
bltuminous coal in this country alone
for this year has been in the ne,eD-
borhood of 530.0O0,00o tons. The re-
quirements this year are not quite SO
heavy as they were during the war
1t has been estimated that the pro-
duction SO far this year of bitumi-
nous coal has been 250,0Oo, 900 tons.
There were 30.0O0,O00 tons carried over
In stocks from last years production.
This leaves another 100000, 600 tons to
be produced during the period between
now and January 1, about nineteen
weeks. 1t will be necessary to produce
at the rate of 100000 tons a week to
meet these requirements. The produc-
tion has been running between 9,000,-
600 and 10000, 900 tons recently. The
coal producers hold that it is entire
ly possible to meet the rate of pro-
duction necessary to fill the require
ments of the country for bituminous
| coal as estimated by the geological
Soi wy thSy pohul OQl ludl last year,
when the production was intensified
to meet war needs. the miners pro-
duced more than $4,000, 900 tons per
| week. But if they produce this coal,
they say. the railroads must haul it
and the consumers must take it.
Unrest Among Miners.
The coal men also must depend upon
| the coal miners to dig the coal out
of the mines. At present there seems
to be plenty of labor in most of the
mining districts to meet the require
! ments. But there is spirit of un-
rest. In Missouri and Illinois there
are some strikes. The more radical
element among the miners is to be
| found in those districts, it is said.
There are several dark clouds on
the horizon. The threatened railroad
strike would prove a calamity in the
| coal situation. Then strikes among
the coal miners. if increased. would
prove equally ruinous for the people
of the country who must be provided
with coal this winter. A severely
cold winter. making the demand for
coal greater than usual and increas-
ing the difficulty of Transporting it,
would be a tremendous setback. So
far as the weather is concerned, the
coal producers and the consumers can
only wait and see what they get.
The coal miners have called a con-
vention, at which all of their organ
! izations are to be represented. They
make the claim that 100000 men are
members. This convention is to take
place at Cleveland. Ohio. September 8.
At this convention it is planned to
have the demands of the miners SUBJ
may be presented to the operators.
The miners at present are working
under the agreement made at Wash
ington during the war. when they
were allowed substantial increases in
pay. But now the miners are restless
tion of peace between this country
and Germany. when this agreement
expires.
Make Study in Europe.
The miners have had representatives
in Europe looking over the situation
there and learning what the demands
of miners in England were and what
the working conditions were. Frank
Jones, president of the United Mine
Workers WAS present and conferred
with the leaders of European miners.
The miners in Great Britain have de-
manded that the contract for. an
eight-hour day be cut to a six-hour
day; that they work only five days
week instead of six. and that they
be given a substantial increase in
pay. 1t is understood that the de-
mands Of the American miners are %
be the same. and in some quarters it
it reported they will ask for a Co.
percent increase in wages. The
claim is made by coal operators
that the price of bituminous coal at
the mines has not been advanced this
summer, but if the miners are to re-
ceive such an increase in wages and
are to work shorter hours. then it is-
likely the public will have to bear the
burden through increased prices of
coal.
The national officials of the miners
organization. it is reported. too. are
zation of the mines. to be presented to