Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-16
Circulation Every 1A01A
Evening Yesterday i 1fOAf
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER le, 1920.
Why the Coal Famine?

". h.l,cye We state an undisputen lac'
in saving the people OF Wilmington 90 ho'
,,,dcrst.nd why there should be such
n,n,hinr coal famine rs that from "r'ch
thew ar. suffering so severely at TINS time
\, !. far vor,e than the famine that pre-
v,,l,d during the winter OF 1900, "iei'
,h.v h,rclv managed 10 pull through COM
sor..hly. beng supplied only with ton ~
. ,,m. nv dealers who themselves were
..dIv r-~.rcted a. TO supplies. and some
~ vhom mulcsed tho people quite severely
=, .,n..U,>no.. while others treated their
customer. a. Justly in respect oi price as
,be conditions warranted but uia'
.,,,,s,,on ue. well understood There was
i. gen.,al strike of anthracite coal MINERS
.,d :, va impossible 70 get coal IN the
us1si quantities
Rr, no such adverse physical conditions
nrrv,il today 10 explain such severe
eur,s,lmcnt Of the coal supply OF our Guy
Dealer after dealer. on being sppealeh TO-
,eIl. unfortunate customers he mas not
ron ~ coal in his yards and does not kno"
.ben he will have 4 fuel administrator
Las hecn appointed. 10 distribute such
.irplle. 50 may come 70 hand among ~
.s,cp. claimants. Meanwhile, people
src actually suffering from inability 70
.eer their houses properly warmed ana
one sad tragedy was reported last "'FN'
,No death of 3 little child whose ciothihR
,.,,cb, srr a. be wa. attempting To warm
himself Al a gas stove, and burned MN
ss,all, before he could be rescued from
ihc flames
Rrt while the situation IS plaln 70 all the
reason for its prevalence Is a mystery
lber "a no strike of the anthracite coai
r,,,e-, Coal production apparently goes
IS, a. usual The railroads are opera'ins N
successful manner, transporting !reis''''
~ all kinds in all directions But for some
r,v.,cr,ou. reason. coal shipments 90 not
zach the poruloIs centres IN quantities
sufficient 70 satisfy a small fractlon o. 'i'e
nslstcnt demand Why
surely the people are entitled to an eN-
planation that Will explain, even thoush
,hcv cannot secure coal for which they are
willing 20 pay the high prices denanoeo'
/, II not within the province ana the
mower ~ Coal Administrator Kemp 70
nuhLc.v ,npart such Al explanation
Doe. ne, or does he not know why TINS
.errsvsting and alarming situation shouiu
r,rv,I IN the face Of coal production
which. As 10 quantity, IS said 20 largely eN-
god the production Of the previous year
nn not right 20 treat the people IN th's
apparently scurvy manner II is pau
enough for our people TO be compeiieo 70
NJ - high as fifteen dollars per ton lor
what llftle coal they can secure, out ioi
c1.al L, n. held at .uch prices and no decent
s,pulie. available, in the face OF proouc-
t,nn larger than the figures Of the previous
v-sr. seems like an outrage. No Wonuef
many of the victims look upon II as oe-
lib.ra,e scheme 10 extort money from the
puhbo nov that we no longer have a
Fed e-Hl fuel administrator armed with
authority 70 control the situation, thanks
% The DIEEhruiineee OF tle IasV SoH
-rttins down appropriations.
Meanwhile, the serious shortage IN coal
connnue. and Wilmington people are
suffering severely But why? And must
they continue 70 writhe under the para
doxical situation throughout the winter
trusting IN the mercy Of Divine ProVl-
dence 20 temper the wind TO the snorn
lsnb" through the visitation OF a season OF
unusual mildness?
Why cannot Wilmington get coaiF Ano
Why should our people be charged more
than they were charged year ago, when
the coal production OF the past year Is IL
s.cess Of that Of the year before? They are
entitled 20 fair answers TO these questions.