El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-19

ztors 10 have inst return, but what
IS just return
Dr. Garfield said he was not yet
prepared 10 say what changes could
reasonable he made in the price OF
coal as all the necessary data was
not in band
Need Fermrnens Body.
Doctor Garfield expressed regret
that the operators and miners had not
established a permanent boav 10 adj
1udicate their disputes. Lacking that
he said. the question reVolVeQ around
the cost Of production
During 1878 he said. S1,3Qo,0oo. 000
was paid for bItuminous coal. the
averare price being 81 .61 per ton. TIE
production cost was S2-l5 per ton, the
miners receiving s75O-000.0Qo, or an
average Of $50 per ton
A total Of $3.50. 100000 went 70 the
mine owners. but DIT. Garfield said
this was not all profit as federal in-
come and excess profits taxes had 20
De deducted.
In Ia17.7 Dr. Garfield said, '.the
taxes amounted 20 80 cents q ton
average over the whole country
but q g. difficult 10 testimute for
Ic1c-~
Contrasting mining with COM
mercia1 enterprises. Dr. Garfield said
Do was necessary not to lose sight Or
the fact that coal mining WAS the
basic industry necessary TO the Win-
profits had 10 be maintained i was
because a fair return was guaranteed
under the Lever act that congress
could not tax away all the mi1e own
er's profits, he said
Replies TO Greer.
Replying 10 William Green. sec
retary 81 the United Mine workers.
nr. Garfield explained that the fuel
adm strsrion III increasing the price
OF coal during the war bad mace an
allowance OF Is cents Ter Overhead
because there was not time 10 take
a minute examination into every
ease, and t0r the same reason 10
cents was allowed as royalty
Referring 70 The IS cents allowed
Tor wages. Dr. Garfield said that was
later found that the amount vas in
the average absorbed FOR wages
Thomas q. Brewster, chairman OF
the operators scale committee told
The miners that "a fabulous margin
iu the coal industry does not exist
said, had refuted TIE reports OF
neormous profits IN the coal business
which he said. had been run on
slender margin
President Lewis said the workers
never had alleged that TIE operators
made undue profits in 1915 under
government control
Can Prove Statements.
but we nave maze some remarks
about profits in 1873 he said we
are prepared e prove that some con
Germs have sold coal at the mines az
s. a ton, 81 a ton. yes and even $3.50
"a ton we are prepared 20 demon
strare that I'm 1918 the OPERATOR have
gotten 10 TO 1z5 per cent more for
coal than they did On 1914 and thar
wage increases 20 the WORKERS has
been only 80 $40 per cent above 1915 Z
figures while the cost OF living has
increased l18 per cent That's our
situation En- a NUTSHELL
Dr. Garfield said he had no com 3
piete figures on the 1913 operations f
and was Suspicious Of partial figures. .
which showed Lllr ln certain fields .
operators we're making less fin 1913
than IN 1878
aEFhv IncrensesH
But Z that IS true. why Is 10 that
The selling price OF coal 70 the con-
sumer has increased 81 a ton this
gear asked Percy Ieuow, OF the
miners
d don't kn5w as to that" d.. Car +
field replied But even if that is
So. does O. enter into our problem .
here except as il affects, the cost Of
lirinEg
wen. its a question Of Importance 7
81 the consumer. TetloW returned. i
Our figures SHOW that the margin .
20 the retailer is more than s. a ton
On coas II IS important lhat the .
public be protected we realize that f
one OF The greatest problems is that /
if The protest that is added 10 coal .
alfs- 10 leaves the mine. and that the .
producer is not receiving a fair pro-
portion Of what the consumer pays" (