The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-02

IueDe men 0fS NOT kept oU3y fuOto8O
Of idle this summer before they leave
coal regions may be expected next
winter.
This canvass of the coal regions
has also developed the fact that very
few miners who left their work last
year to 30 to the war and who have
now been discharged from the service
are returning to the mines. These men
are choosing other lines OF work. As
a rule 1t has been ascertained they
are seeking and obtaining other Jobs
in the larger cities. such as PITTS
burgh, Chicago and New. York"
Fuel Administrator Harry A. Gar
absence no one would make an official
statement IT was pointed out, how
ever, that DR.. Garfield sent out warn
:ngs several weeks ago that there
were indications OF coal shortage
next winter. 1t Is the belief that he is
not repeating these warnings over and
over again because he does not wish
to have himself placed in the light
OF being an alarrnist Neither does ne
he IL pulling chestnuts out OF the fire
for the coal operators by booming
business for them In the slack season.
Moreover the fuel administration
is practically out OF business now and
is all ready to quit entirely as soon as
peace is proclaimed. therefore II Is in
no position to start a new campaign
to Order Your Coal Early or any
other campaign.
1t was asserted by fuel admlnistra-
ton officials that conditions have not
changed since DR.. Garfield issued MS
warning several weeks ago. AS mat
ter of fact. weekly reports show that
production has fallen to even lower
levels since that time. Current con
sumption is now greatly In excess OF
the amunt being mined Consumers
are using from stocks laid in last sum-
mer and fall, which were not used as
rapidly as expectd Tor domestic pur-
noses, on account of the mild winter.
Less than expected was used by the in
dustries, on account OF the ending OF
the war
Urge Buying Now.
In one Of the recent statements OF
the fuel administration II was said
THE best time to put in orders with
the lealers for next winters supply OF
coal Is now, when 1t is plentiful, ana
the demand for 1t is light" Another
statement said. Consumers are ad-
vlsed that the best time to buy coal is
when there is lack OF demand for It.
and that condition prevails now,
AS to what was normally expected
regarding future prices OF anthracite
before the present situation had de-
yeloped. Fuel Administrator Carried,
on January 81. at the time of the re-
moval of the government regulations
On maximum prices of anthracite. said:
Had the active control over maxi
mum prices on anthracite coal been
continued. the cost examination shows
that II would have been necessary, on
the basis of the present wage scale, TO
raise these maximum prices possibly as
much as hfty cents ton above those
last fsxed by the, government In order
10 prevent financial embarrassment and
perhaps the closing of companies pro-
ducing substantial per cent OF the
necessary anthracite output Such Il
curtailment Of production would even
tualIy result in the demand exceeding
the supply to such an extent As to IN
crease the prices much higher than they
would be il that supply were con-
tinued"
The anthracite coal operators. few
weeks after this. announced an increase
of ten cents ton per month. begin
ming May /. until a total increase OF
fifty cents a ton is reached in the
price. Many people were much per-
turbed by this increase, the reasons for
which they did not understand. Among
these was Governor William G. Sproul
of Pennsylvania. and two or three
weeks ago he instituted a thorough in
vestigation. He went into the situa-
ton fully. with the assistance of the
encouragement OF Pennsylvania and
his office force.
Governor Sproul as a result of this
investigation. issued statement on
April declaring that in view of the
existing wage agreements. the railroad
rates and general conditions he had
concluded that the action of the pro-
duccrs In announcing gradual in
crease of ten cents a ton. beginning
May /. is justified" He said he was
convinced that Or. Garheld's judgment
in regard to the proposed advance was
sound