Evening journal., 1919-07-29
HuddIesfon and the Coal Supply
BY AMEDEE !. CASEY.
Editor. American Coal Journal.

I and, while all Europe and South Amer
lea wanted our coal, the shipping
Board would not release shipping Tor
/ the purpose Of carrying coal abroad,
even though this would have enabled
the mines 10 keep running until the
| domestic demand picked up, and would
have aided materially in building up a
lasting export trade, TO say nothing OF
keeping mine forces together
The information would have been
forthcoming that, now the domestic
demand is improving, there Is real
and growing shortage OF miners; that
thousands OF them are leaving Tor
their former homes In Europe and that
the thousands Of solder-miners' VINO,
he says. cannot get work because the
mines are not going are not at all in
cllned 10 go back TO work underground
after their open-a.r training. There -
plenty OF work FOR them, as Mr.. Hud-
dleston would have learned at the
same time he heard OF mine operators
In some districts offering premiums
over and above the unprecedcntedly
hish, government-nXed wage scale, in
vain attempts to secure sufficient la
Dor. lie might also have been told the
true story about the three italian m n
ers who drove up IN a high-powered
motor car 20 report for work.
But "wsges are not being increased
asserts Mr.. Huddleston. Not yet, per
haps. but soon. The government
agreement is still in effect and VIII be
until peace Is declared. But did not
Mr.. Huddleston read in the papers that
Indiana miners have decided 10 demand
a 40 per cent. increase in wages and
a slX-hour day? Has he not heard that
there Is mine workers convention
in Scranton right now where demands
for a 20-per cent increase and the
short day are going to be put through ?
But, he Is right, wages have not been
lncreased-yet.
"All kinds OF mine supplies are
cheaper" declares the Alabama gentle
man. There are. very cOnseryatively,
2jO0 mine operators who would call
down manifold blessings ON the Hud-
dlesion head il. it would tell them
where these cheaper supplies are to
be had
Mr. Huddleston says the sidlngs are
crowded with idle coal cars. Maybe
the Railroad Administration Will tell
him how many thousands Of these
cars have been permitted 10 fall into
such a state Of disrepair that they are
practically useless and that this condl-
tlon has created a coal car shortage
even this early in the season.
IL would prevent a coal shortage"
Mr.. Huddeston says. "by forcing Op-
orators TO keep tho mines going a, full |
capacity" Maybe IL could be done. |
It Is unsafe TO say anything is impos- |
sible these days. But after years OF |
palnslaklng effort the coal operators |
have been unable 10 figure out any
way 10 keep running unless they can |
sell enough coal 10 meet running ex-
penses. which have a habit Of gong on /
in the coal industry as in any other
business,
I am wondering H. after all, Mr.
Is not really aware OF /
these things and II there Is not some /
thing Of a political nature back OF his 1
action. Il seems hardly possible that
a member Of Congress should not be 4
informed regarding a situation with |
which the general public Is so well so-
quainted. And the coal industry has
always been fair game for politicians. |