Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-29
Industry Not Modernized
[From Kansas City Starl

Americans like to think of them
selves as a progressive people, es-
pecially IN business and industry.
They like to read about the restless
energy and bold innovation of the
great captains of industry who are
always scrapping expensive machin-
cry to put in something better and
newer. They have come to believe
America achieved and holds its lead
ership because of this unwillingness
to he bound by past methods.
But the national vanity will come
down a little perhaps when the
revelations of the coal strike are
fully grasped. That great industry
seems to have bean conducted in an
amazingly haphazard manner, the
evils of which appear to have been
communicated to the great coal
users also. to the railroads, public
utilities and large Industrial plants.
Neither the coal operators nor large
consumers have made any effort to
provide a coal supply beyond the
demand of the passing day. AS
pointed out by The Stars Washing
ton correspondent who looked care
fully into the questions of produc-
ton and distribution, there /is sys-
tenn in neither. No coal is stacked
at the mines, there is none, or little,
stacked anywhere.
Consumers have been accustomed
to buying their coal as they want it.
Consequently there is big demand
in cold weather and light demand
in the summer. In order to have
enough men available to produce the
coar in seasons of heavy demand, so
large a force is required that 1t must
be idle a good share of the time In
summer.
The situation is like that of a
club that maintains a staff of walt
ers large enough to serve a heavy
dinner demand, and then keeps the
same staff for breakfast and lunch
con when very few persons wish TO
be served. 1t is convenient to clup
members to-have such service, put
it is luxury they expect to pay LOT.
The conclusion must be that
American enterprise has failed 10
breathe it's spirit into the coal IN
dustry. 1t is not up with the times.
Production and distribution have not
been modernized. 1t seems time TO
do a little junk:ng, both as to ma
chinery and ideas, and put this IN
dustry where it can serve, even IL IL
takes a little educating all around.
1t has been suggested by Mr.. ii:
n. TAYLOR, of Kansas City, president
Of the National Coal Association,
that this condition might be reme-
died by Joint action on the part OF
operators and tho railroads. II the
operators should reduce the price IN
summer and the railroads should
ireduce the freight rate at the same
time. then the reduction. he believes.
would be sufficient to INDUCE large
consumers. like the public utilities
and factories, to prepare large stor-
age accommodations.
The Star doesn't pretend to say
whether this plan is the right one.
But some plan should be devised TO
regularize the industry for the sake
of both the miners and the public.
1t would be for the benefit OF the
miners to have regular employment
all the year. go they need not LOAF
a good share of the time in the
summer. 1t would be, for the bene-
fit of the public to have the labor
force of the Nation used economic
ally. 1t is certainly highly wastefi'l
to conduct an industry on such a
basis that hundreds of thousands OF
men are idle for months In the year.