The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-04
KING COAL

odd King Cole Mas merry I'D SOUL" according the
rhyme when he depressed he called for his fife
and he called for his drum and he called for his ddrs three
There is merrmen in the modern King Coal with whom
adults familiar He is and yrannca
and his subjects his mercy From indications and the
umo OF shortage OF and OF strikes the coal miners
the quality OF that going be strained during the COM
ing winter and people going have trouble in getting coal
at all and then exorbtant prices The soft coal miners max
ing demands in which the numea six figures conspcuous
They fve-day week sxhour day and sixty per cent
advance wages This will mean is estimated increase
of from two three dollars the price of coal to the con-
sume and we well believe It, since coal has increased from
three dollars the the above last years
prices and there has been strike and shortening of hours
increase in to base The miners claim that the
sxhour day will be long enough Tor the to produce all
the coal that there any demand for and that their demands
granted the equation will be preserved because the high
of living will be than the increase wages Here
may be observed that the high of living attacks all
alike and only the fortunate few have had salary in
Those working for salaries receive only what they
ceved before the high prices IT, like the miners they had
the power compel increase doubt they would have done
The only hope for them in changing jobs and this not
agreeable If the miners granted the increase de
manded the price Of coal will surely advance and they 60
strike in large numbers production will be arrested and panic
prices will prevail In either this promises to be the winter
OF discomfort and there will be much suffering II indus
tries close down for lack OF fuel workers will be thrown into idle
ness and wages will STOP which will suffering many
The home people will suffer most with cold the women and
children Those who work adventure forth and outdoor
workers keep by while indoor workers must
be provided with suitable heat they cannot work The fuel
question that affects directly almost everyone and stop
page coal production will be greater catastrophe to the eou
try than the steel strike, great as that was
At this conjunction and in this dilemma it behooves to
look back the ways Of the fathers who had coal and who
disturbed by Of coal strikes They burned wood
and we may have do the same tide Fortunately
there abundance of wood contiguous to most towns and
cities throughout this section
good cut from four to six cords of wood in
day and good roads cord of wood be hauled by od
nary teama pair Of horses muesand in this way people
keep Those who wood ought to do and
the coal which they would otherwise burn for he less for
tunae whom wood accessible Courage and energy
and successfully cope with any crisis and If get
coal the coal barons prevent from using wood On
previous OCCASION when coal famine imminent certain land
Memphis offered free of charge wood from their
forests anyone who chose to and cut and haul it
away In OF famine this doubt the generous
offers will be made Some Of the big trucks in hardsur
faced roads haul enough cord wood load to furnish
big house with fuel for long time The waste from the
lumber mills will also help Formerly this given away
but will object to paying good price for it the worst
to the worst
Meantime neither the coal operators the retailers should
attempt to hog the and fears OF coal short
age This sort of proteeng should be attempted and will
not be tolerated