The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-11-29
TO
|BE GIVEN MINERS.
Persons Restricting Coal Out
| put to Be Prosecuted
by Government.
MINE PROFITS REVEALED
appalachian Region Shown to
Have Made Highest :
Earnings.

washington, Nov. 2s.-U. N. s.)-
'ns nation Is tuenlng to the coal
miner today for relief from the coal
shortage.
With negotiation: Of waa. adjust.
"enss broken of, II Is now up to the
Individual miner to determine
whether he will return to his work
and accept the wage Increase de.
cIared Just by DR.. Garfield, fuel ad-
ninistrator.
majority of the mines through
ous the country notices were posted
soudy oHerlng IL per cent. increase
- wages to those miners who return
70 their work. This is the increase
auvocated by DR.. Garfield. The union
!eaeers VIII not be permitted t in
Ieriere with the miners, who must
oecide as individuals whether they
VIII Jake up their picks and 60 down
INTO the earth to their work again.
Frotection will be given by the gov
ernment. The department of justice
and the war department are both
prepared to see that there shall be
no interference with those miners
VINO desire to return to their work.
Any person, whether miner or oper-
ator, who attempts to restrict the
coal output will be prosecuted by the
department of justice. Judge C. B.
Ames has made this positive state
ment.
Watchfui Waiting.
omclais here today were disposed
10 adopt policy of watchful wait
ing. They declare that within a week.
1T will be determined whether the
miners are going to follow the lead
|of the government or whether they
VIII stand by their leaders, who have
refused the governments proffer.
Actual earnings Of coal operators
reaching as high as 4,34s.23 per cent.
lon the capital stock are shown in
the government report on corporate
earnings and government revenues
for the year 1917. II was on this re-
port that former Secretary of the
Treasury MeAdoo says his informa-
|tion reltaiye to- excess profits charged
against coal operators was taken.
The report contains the income tax
|utatements of corporations making
more than Is per cent. on their capital
stock. 1t was prepared by the Sec
|retary of the treasury in response to
p senate resolution
Names of the companies are not
given. They are designated by code
Plumbers as they are known In the
records
Small Mines Hold Record.
The large earnings appear to be
made by the small mines or by OPP
Orators with small investments. The
Operators contend that earnings
|ghould be calculated on the capital
Invested rather than the capital
btock
The report shows in the Appalach-
Ian region that earnings based on
capital invested range from 1892 to
P28.92 per cent. This percentage is
computed on earnings after the in
ccme and excess profits taxes are de-
ducted.
AS basis of comparison, one of the
)arsest mines in the Appalachian re-
W1n, with invested capital of $2,000,-
pDtt made a profit in 1917 of 1890 per
fens A mine showing 1882 per cent.
Rarhtngs on amount invested reported
put 1852 as the amount invested.
Another large mine in the Appa-
|achian region with $4,1S3,S0s in.
Vested, showed profit of 1926 on the
Investment.
In the midcontinent districts the
Earnings were less and more evenly
4ivided among the operators.
II 1850 Per Cent. Highest.
The highest was 160 per cent on an
INVESTMENT of $4,000, while the lowest
(n the report was 1874 per cent. on
f664,266 invested. There was one ex-
reption in the midcontinent field to
fhe general rule of small profits for
large investors. One operator with an
Investment of $4,000, showed a
profit of 1889 per cent.
The western district returned the
lowest profits. One mine with an in
Festment of, s7,Ss2,161, returned but
P.65 in profits. The largest profit in
this zone was 34.43 on a capital of
100000. No report was made on the
honey invested.
The operator showing the maxi
hum profit on capital, that is, A.
B49.23 per cent, was located in the
region. The capital of
This corporation was $4,000. They
flaimed investments of $1,274.364,
which would lower the earnings on
Invested capital to which it might be
considered a normal rate compared
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