The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-06

the leading coal journals of the United States is interesting:
 With a congressional inquiry as one of the possibilities of the next few weeks, and the coal operators counting the fullest investigation to get at the real facts underlying the coal shortage and present prices, there was a hopeful feeling throughout the coal fields of the nation It is be- lieved sincere legislative investigation will en- tighten the public on subject which it now mani festly is ignorant upon. The people are not talk ing the coal mans warning seriously at the pres ent time. Buying has been delayed in many sec tions, particularly in the Central West If pro- per publicity is given the facts that are sure to be disclosed when the proposed inquiry develops the operators feel that there will be an active mar ket created immediately in not only domestic coas, but also in steam sizes. Such an action will minimize the coal shortage and help keep prices down to reasonable level
 "The shortage of labor has become acute in most of the eastern fields particularly in Pennsy- vania, Northern West Virginia and the Kanawha- Logan districts. Eastern Kentucky, too, reports growing shortage and Indiana and Illinois are be- ginning to feel the lack of help
 "The car shortage has improved in the east, especially III tIlo SfnOkoleSS IlolQSa where the gov ernment has rushed all available rolling stock to help take care of the export The supply is not nearly adequate, by any means, but may be said to be decidedly better for the time being. This improvement is largely due to the fact, that many of the homeless" cars which have been refused by the railroads and which have been on side {, tracks since last year. unstenciled and unnamed, were put into service. Another factor that helped was the action of the government in rushing cars from Indiana and Illinois where, until now pro- duction has not been anywhere near the maxi num- While helping out the east it frightened up the supply in Illinois, and particularly iii South ern Illinois where production has been gradually developing into most satisfactory stage
 Considerable activity is noted in West Virginia fields, with little slowing down on the New Eng land coast because of the marine strike. Anthra- cite is in good demand industrial activities at Pttsburg makes hopeful outlook for Pennsyl- vania bitumnous coal
 Demand for domestic grades is gold in Ohio and Indiana, but steam coal is not so ofortunate. In Indiana the mines have been running about two and d half days week x Of the southern coal fields, Black Diamond says:
 "The south is showing considerable activity in both domestic and steam coal. There is much heavier buying from the Kentucky and Tennessee fields in the southern market than from the north. Much of this coal is gng to the textile plants and cotton mills which storing up from three to four months supplies Prices are good KeI. lucky operators not fighting for business ou steam sizes as they were This is particularly true of Eastern Kentucky where the mines ars sold out Western Kentucky is not so fortunate although conditions continue to improve littk each week In Alabama there is good improve ment in the steam trade and continued deman, for the domestic sizes which are becoming scarce Car shortage developed in some operations d'~ ing the week. and while this has not, as yet, hamL- cred production seriously, operators look forward to serious interference as soon as demand reaches normal
 Black Diamond circulates among the coal operators and the coal trade generously, but has no circulation outside of that tradI. It may be assumed, therefore, that it fairly reflects coal trade conditions