Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-10
BRITISH FEAR
DISASTER IF
COAL PRICE,
SHOULD GO Ut
High Wages and |ncreas
Production Cost May Mali
English Competition In
Coal Impotent.
BY FLOYD MACGRIFF,
International News Service staff c.;
spOndent

International News Service staff c.
sp0ndent.
London, Aug. 9-"Dearer
means disaster"
That headline, carried by
Daily Express over the most heat
edly debated subject in England to
day, sums up the opinion on al
sides.
Big British business men say il
means disaster for industry which
cannot meet foreign competition
especially that by America and Ger.
many.
Radical labor leaders say it mean:
disaster for the coalition govern
ment.
Anti naturalization pluggers
hope it means disaster for the min
ers' campaign to force state owner
ship and operation of the coa'
mines.
And the poor consumer, who VIII
have to pay $11.25 a ton for his
coal, besides higher prices all aroune
for everything else. is very certain
it means disaster for his own per,
sonal finances.
liner eased~ Charge s2e2,e5o,oo0
Yhe Increased charge on coal
which the government asserts is
necessary to meet higher wages and
shorter working hours for British
miners, will be some $292950,000.
The increase authorized has fol
lowed succession of others
throughout the war which has prac-
ticaliy doubled the cost of coal.
RESPONSIBLE big business men sec
British industry sorely handicapped
with these immediate prospects:
American coal interests will sup
My SPAN. Italy, Mediterranean and
South American markets which
heretofore pot their coal from Great
Britain. the 1913 expectation
amounting to 1900 900 tons.
American iron and steel interests
will undersell British companies in
every market of the world, includ-
ing the British home market.
American textile interests will
have a greater opportunity of meet
ing British connection.
American sbipbrilders will have
all advantage over British yards. not
only in construction. but in opera
ton, because of cheaper American
coal. British steel will be increased
50 a ton, and the price already is
higher than in America.
Increase in Freight Rates.
In addition to. these and other
advantages reacting toward Ameri-
can industries, British concerns will
be further handicapped by increased
freight rates, the government hav-
ing decided to take off the $300,000,-
600 annual Subsidy and substitute in
creased rates. On to this huge sum
will be added a further sum equal
to the increased cost of coal used
by railroads.
Then the British factories will be
faced by steadily increasing wage
demands, for the worker will have
to pay higher transportation fares
higher prices for food and other
necessities, the increase in the gas
rate being about 10 per cent.
If any British export trade is
diminished at this time when it is
so essential for Great Britain to in
crease steadily and quickly her for
eign business so as to meet her war
debt charges, then disaster is ahead,
For decreased foreign trade means
unemployment at home. when every
effort is now being made to get
some 100000 men and women back
into industry and thus eliminate the
government unemployment dole.
The government has guaranteed
every mine operator a profit of 26h
cents a ton on coal, though we'll
situated mines may earn far more,
On the basis of production of Ill.,
100000 tons for 1919, this would
mean guaranteed profit of $50,
5O5O00.
Frank Hodges, miners secretary,
cites figures certified to by Sir
Arthur Loves Dickinson before
the coal commission, that during the
war the government and the coal
GENERATORS between them received
$910000,000 in taxes = and profits
from the coal industry, which was
S125,0OO,OOO more than the total pre-
war capital invested in the husi-
ness. And Hodges declares the
miners increased pay and shorter
hours can be continued without
adding anv further charges on the
consumers bill. And he cites the
fact that a 80 cents per ton in.
crease authorized a year ago to aid
poor producing mines simply re-
suited in three-fifths of that charge
Going into the state treasury as ex-
ress profits ard IN making free
oft Of some $1,000 n0o to already
n-osnerons mines Thus some S75,-
nna mn v,ae ta1-er ont Of the con