The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-11-20

return to work"
Duluth, Mimi, NOV. l9.-All supplies
of bituminous coal from the docks at
the head OF the lakes to Industries in
Duluth and Superior and to industries
over the northwest regarded as non.
essential, were cut off under an order
issued this morning by L. ID. Brigham,
chairman Of the coal distribution com.
mittec, and w. II. Groycrman, local
United States facl administrator.
Garfield on Production Cost
DR. Garfield expressed regret that the
operators and miners had not establish.
ed a permanent body to ajudicatc their
disputes. Lacking that, he said, the
question revolved around the cost of
production.
During 1918, he said. 81 800 900 900
was paid for btuminous coal, the aver.
age price being s2.61 per ton. The pro.
duction cost was $2.15 per ton, the min.
ers receiving 100000, 900, or an aver.
age of $3.50 per ton. A total of $3.50.
0000O went to the mine owners. but
Or. Garfield said this was not all pro.
tit, as federal income and excess pro.
fits tax had to be deducted.
"In 1917" Dr. Garfield said. "the
taxes amounted to 80 cents 4 ton aver.
age over the whole country, but il Is
difficult TO estimate for 1918. The tax.
es in 1918, however, 10 come out Of
the margins, are somewhat less, | be.
lieve. than in 1917, but II viii continue
my Investigation to determine them &c.
curately."
"Do you think the mine workers
should give consideration to the opera.
tors because they have to pay taxes"
asked John l.. Lewis. president OF the
United Mine Workers of America.
Shall Consumer Pay Tax
THE question is whether the con.
sumer should pay enough to cover the
excess profits tax ami at the same
time, give the operators their normal
profit too" replied DR.. Garfield.
"If the federal government took all
the pSofits, by taxation, even that cir.
cumstance should not prevent the min
ers from asking reasonable Increases"
said Lewis.
"WeN, we must bear in mind that the
Lever act guarantees Il reasonable pro
fit on the production OF fuel" returned
Dr. Garfield. "Of course congress is
responsible for all tax enactments."
Contrasting mining with commercial
enterprises. DR.. Garfield said, II was
necessary not to lose sight Of the fact
that coal mining was the basic indus
try necessary to the winning of the war
and that reasonable profits had to be
1t was because a fair
return was guaranteed under the Lever
act that congress could not tax away
all the mine owners profits, he said.
But the mine workers cannot be
deferred from demanding higher wages
and better conditions as a result of the
federal tax, Mr.. Lewis replied. THAT
is the governments responsibility.
Replying to William Green, secretary
Of the United Mine Workers, DIR. Car
field explained that the fuel administra.
ton In increasing the price of coal dur
ing the war had made an allowance Of
10 cents for overhead because there
was not time to make a minute exami-
nation into every case and for that
reason 80 cents was allowed as royalty
Referring to the 45 cents allowed for
wages, DR.. Garfield said that was "a
crude thing to do but that it was later
found that the amount was in the
average absorbed for wages.
Thomas y. Brewster, chairman of the
operators scale committee, told the
miners that "a fabulous margin in the
;oal industry does not exist" DR.. Gar.
ield's impartial figures" he said, had
-efuted the reports of enormous profits
n the coal business. which, he said,
lad been run on a slender margin.
Lewis Charges Undue Profits
President Lewis said the workers had
never alleged that the operators made
Undue profits in 1918, under government
control. But we have made some re-
marks about profits in 1919" he said.
We are prepared to prove that some
have sold coal at the mines at
i3 ton, at 81 ton, yes, and even
;4.50 a ton.
1--WE are prepared to demonstrate that
n 1919 the operators have gotten 120 to
% per cent more for coal than they
lid in 1914, and that wage increases TO
he workers has been only 81 $40 per
,ent above 1914 figures, while the cost
II living has increased 10 per cent.
That's our situation in a nutshell"
DIR. Garfield said he had no complete
igures on the 1919 operations and was
iuspicious Of partial figures, but that
le did have some data which showed
hat in certain fields operators were
making less in 1919 than in 1918.
But il that is true, why it is that
he selling price of coal to the con
umer has increased 81 q ton this year?'
-sked Percy Tetlow, Of the miners.
Il do not know as to that" DR.. Gar.
ield replied. But even if that is so,
ioes it enter into our problem here ex-
ept as it affects the cost OF living?"
"Well, it's a question of Importance
0 the consumer" Tetlow returned. |
Our figures show that the warrant to
he retailer is more than 81 ton on
oal. 1t is important that the public be
We realize that one OF the /.
,reatest problems is that Of the profit |