The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-11-20
Public Grows Restless Over Delay
In Adjustment Of the Coal Strike
Facts and Figures Presented By DR.. Garfield Tend
to Produce No Feelings Of Jubilation the
Part Of the Miners.

Washington Nov fa---The public, as
the chief party IN interest IN the pres
ent controversy Is not in mood 10
tolerate either excessive prices of coal
or prolonged storpsge of production
This was Impressed upon coal miners
aud operators TODAY hy Or Harry A.
Garfeld, federal fuel administrator
Basic government data on produc-
ton and labor costs realizattons AMI
operators margins in the coal INDUS
try were given by Dr Garfield with
the warning that AIRY average employed
should be taken as base ard not As
figure applicable n any particular
mine or field
r,r GARFIELD said ne would adhere
TO his policy nf making no statements
as to what he regarded rroper basis
OF settlement. but taken on their face,
the agurea furnished by him lent ne
support 10 the miners' demand Tor a
50 per cent increase IN wages
Using 1918 figures, nr Garfield said
the average margin to the operator,
after deductinS the cost Of production
including la Dor. was fcrty~*tx Giants
per tan. out of which interest charges,
selling expense and federal taxes. as
we'll as other items had to be paid
The government estimate OF the
amount paid 10 labor was si5o on
~
per cent increase. the Increase per ton
would he ninetN cents per Ton which
would not only eat up the forty six
cent margin af the operator bat would
result, In q net loss per ton of forty
four cents
MINERS SAY JOKER"
The miners said that there is 4
''toker" ia rho data submitted hy the
government in thas II covers low cost
as well as high cost ~ mines, and
that other n1edifications should he m ade
sst.Ss -z1sss sssssess' ts7sssse trs ~ IL Off"
f"rent light.
Heyond enphasiTlne that the pnhiic
demanded an early settlement and that
Its interest was paramount mr.. Car
neld's talk to tho joint conference sp-
narentiy consisted In simply submitting
data an the coal industry
Tho differences 70 he drawn from the
presentation Of figures are significant.
IT the government data Is accepted,
then the miners can be given little OF
no increase in wages unless the gov
eminent sees ~ to a gree to an increase
in the price cf coal TO the consumer.
pr. e;arfelds presentation OF coal
data should quite clearly ae that one n
tho reasons the operators have behaved
presenting 4 counter nrorosa. to the
him to show the minors what the gov
eminent knows about the costs Ut pro-
ducing coal.
The array ri figures presented by
Or GARFIELD had the effect NJ stiffen-
ing the backs Of the group of opera
tors. which is opposing offering the
miners any increase at all. The sub
communities of sixteen composed nj
eight miners and eight operators Went
into conference after the talk from,
pr. Garfield. hut while no proposal
was made IN the miners, the confer
ence is to 60 on tomorrow,
Tonight predictions were being made
that the negotiations will fall 60 Tar
short Of what the miners want that
arbitration will have 10 he resorted
to. The government officials are watch
ing the situation very closely and II
this contingency becomes reality.
the government will then endeavor to
take further measures to bring the
mines To higher percentage Of pro-
duction
OfIicial Figures
The data furnished by the fuel ad :
ministrator was as follows.
THE total production of hitun1in.
ors coal for 1918 was 7s.3s5,s20 tons.
which will he nearer the 1919 pro-
duction On this basis the tota, bit
luminous coal bill OF the country was
over st.3on, 900. ooo. This is at the
rate OF sail per ton rea iization, These
figures are (. o. b. cars at the mines
and do not include freight. commits
sions, or retail margins.
THE average COST Of production
for the same period was SAILS per ton,
leaving an average margin of Is cents
per ton to the operator. This mar
gin Of 46 cents per ton includes profit
but does not represent profit only,
fnasmuch as interest charges. selling
expense. federal taxes, both normal
and excess profit, rs well as certain
other items. not allowed In comput-
ing costs Of production. were paid
out OF II.
"of the cost OF production, approx
fmafely 30 per cent went for supplies
and general expense. while substantial
" 70 per cent or $150 and fraction
per ton was baid to labor The total
therefore. paid TO labor On an rs
4 49,