The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-19
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PENNSYLVANIA COAL
NVADES MONTREAL
Nova Scotia Mine Men Demand
Some Action to Recover
Their Market.
LABOR SHORTAGE FACTOR
War and Consequent Change in
Vacations Create Serious
Situation.
LABOR SHORTAGE FACTOR

SITUATION.
Special Correspondence TO tho Comedian
Section Of THE SUN.
MONTREAL. Aug. 1s.-The coal situa-
ton In Nova Scotia, which has been
constantly brought to public attention
Of late by the demands OF local poll
ticians Of the Liberal party that the
Conservative Government Of the Domin-
ion do something to provide mora en-
ployment for the miners, is a very Pc
culiar one and decidedly disgusting The
main fact is that a large part Of the
territory formerly supplied by Nova
Scotia by way OF waterborne shipments
to tina port of Montreal 10 now being cup
piled by Pennsylvania Railroad shipped
coal, and II does not seem possible for
the Nova Scotians to recover this terri
tory without an increase in the tariff
Two factors are -esponsibls for the
extension of the Pennsylvania territory.
The nrst is that rail shipment rates
have not risen nearly as much az water
shipment rates. The ships formerly en-
gagged in transporting coal from Cape
Breton to Montreal are largely engaged
in Government service or destroyed. but
those which are still available for pri-
vate charters can earn more in other
lines than they can possibly make out
of the coal business. Tho second factor
is the rise in cost Of mining itself And
this, by the irony of fate, In caused by
shortage of labor. although there is a
large quantity of mine labor in Nova
Scotia clamoring for employment.
The mines have lost a heavy percent
~ hAl he
cutters, and there seems to be no pos
sibility Of replacing them. A reduction
in the number Of cutters causes a direct
and proportional reduction In the amount
OF product and consequently in the in
come of the mine but 1t leaves I'M
touched a considerable part of tho cost
of operation, for nearly half of the
workers in the mine have to be employed
30 long as Il is operated at all. whether
II is producing at full capacity or only
quarter Of that amount This OBJ
viously means that the cost a ton Is
vastly increased by reducing the output.
Labor Scarce I'm Nova Scotia.
II the Nova Scotia mines could get
back their full force of cutters they could
doubtless produce at a low enough cost
to reenter the Montreal market but they
be had. Their ranks were decimated
during the era OF voluntary enlistment,
and conscription. unscientincally sp-
piled. finished the task. MANY were
killed, and Of the survivors many have
found their way into other vocations or
are physically unfit for this exacting
work
There has been no foreign immigration
into Nova Scotia for a generation. and
native sons do not go for anything SO
strenuous and 80 unambitious as coal
cutting. II is even possible. as has been
alleged, that a few OF the surviving cut
tiers are unemployed; for the reduction
in costs which would be necessary to
enable Nova Scotia coal to recover the
Montreal territory could only be effected
by very large addition to the number
of cutters. and failing that largo addi-
ton. the purely local demand may at
times be insufficient to employ even those
cutters who are available.
The situation makes ono wonder how
long the people OF Nova Scotia will toll
crate one factor which adds materially
to the COST of coal mining in the Cape
Breton submarine territories The squab-
bles of the two great steel and coal COM
panies at Sydney have now been going
on for something Ike n generation. Dach
company acquired at various times and
from legislators who had no conception
of the methods and principles OF subma-
rins coal mining. leases upon large areas
of submarine coal which II could not pos
sibly mine itself and which were only
desired in order to block the mining op-
erations of its rivals.
Which of the two companies Is more
for this suicidal policy need
not be discussed here; but the lesfsla-
tors, and therefore the people Of Nova
Scotia, were more responsible than either.
There is no doubt. however. a. to which
OF the companies Is now more seriously
affected by the results OF this policy, for
tho Nova Scotia Steel Company by its
application for a reailotment of leases
admits that II 10 nearing the end OF the
coal within its present leases which It
can commercially develop.
Government Alters Coal Leases.
This application has been strenuously
resisted by the Dominion Steel CorSora-
ton, operating the Dominion Coal Com
pany, upon the ground OF invasion Of
rights and with a denial of the
alleged inability OF the Nova Scotia Com
pany to mine further In its own areas.
The Nova Scotia Government took to
itself power. by a recent act of the
TO alter coal leases at its
pleasure and to fix compensation and
the future Of the coal industry of Cape
Breton and Of investments of many mil
ions OF dollars now lies In the hands
Of half score OF statesmen and politi-
clans constituting the Leutenant-Gov-
ernor in Council.
1t cannot be said that this Is either a
healthy or satisfactory arrangement
for the coal industry or the politics of
Nova Scotia. Some action on the ques-
ton Is imperative in the early future.
Until action Is taken, and action of a
fairly drastic and final character both
the mining Industry and the politics OF
Nova Scotia seem likely to be bedevilled.
An examination Of the map OF the coal
areas in question shows that the present
coal situation at Sydney is much as II
two persons were told to start eating
the same sandwich, beginning from op-
posite sides. but each being strictly for
hidden to touch. ono the top slice OF
bread and the other the bottom slice
OF bread respectively. II is no wonder
that sand persons are strongly convinced
that the rights OF the two eaters should
be readjusted so that each can enjoy
half OF the sandwich divided in the
manner. The simplest solution.
of course, would be an amalgamation
OF the two companies; but that cannot
be procured until a price basis Cor the
respective properties can be arrived at,
which depends In turn upon what each
can squeeze out OF the Govern
rnent in the reimbursement proceedings.