The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-02
Press ON COAL SITUATION.

PRESS ON COAL SITUATION.
There are always those who will
take advantage of the public extrem-
ity to gain an advantage for them
selves. And finally, there are numer-
GUS strikes in various portion OF Iiu-
nois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania,
with still more violent disorders in por-
lions of kentucky. Virginia and West
Virginia. The strikes are Of the sort
called unauthorized meaning that
they, are without the authority of the
miners union and that they are in
violation OF the contract with the gov
eminent to accept and work under the
schedules prepared by the federal
nediatory agencies and accepted by
both miners and operators" says the
Mobile Register.
The press views the coal situation
with varying emotions in which wrath
appears to predominant. although this
wrath is variously directed at the
miners, the operators. the railroads
and the government. The Louisville
Courier-Journal (Dem.), lays the
blame upon the operators and approx
ingly quotes the New York Worlds
Characterization of them as "brigands"
and the Chicago Tribune's (Rep.) as
sertion that the industry is rotten
and 'sas black as the commodity it,
self" The Louisville paper goes on to
say that .the people are reaching a
point OF despair" knowing that the al
legged car shortage is not preventing
s.the shipment of coal abroad at un-
heard OF prices" While it is true that
the expectation of coal for the first
six months of 1920 was twice as great
as the previous highest export total
for a six-month period, yet the Cour-
ier- journal fails to perceive that this
ten million tons of exports for the
six months is not large in comparison
with the two hundred and forty-five
million tons mined during the same
period and remaining in this country
There is now a ban on export coal.
There is doubtless plenty of profit
eering in coal, but it should not be for
gotten that many dealers have refused
tempting export orders. believing it
their duty to provide for home folks
There are good dealers as well as I'M
scrupulous ones.
The Springfield Republican Und)'
a newspaper which strives to be emf
nently fair in its judgments, while not
defending the miners, has this to say
concerning their side of it: THE min
ers have been exasperated by the lack
OF cars, for the lack of cars has
caused much idleness among them,
and without work more than half the
time a miner can not make more than
half time pay. If the coal operators
meanwhile have been shamelessly pro-
fiteering in their sale of what coal has
been marketed, as is freely charged
and generally believed, the causes of
unrest are multiplied among the work
ers. However. it is a very old and
sound economic principle that half
loaf is better than no bread, and the
miners would do better to work as
much as they can, rather than to lay
off altogether. for it is an economic
and not artificial condition that is
causing the trouble. The Albany Ar
gus tDen.). quotes approvingly the
unique view of Attorney General
Palmer: THE agents af the department
of justice believe the strikes and un-
rest in the coal feds will end If the
operators reduce their prices to
point where the miners are convinced
their wages are commensurate" 1t is
typical of Mr.. Palmer that in his view
the best reason for reducing the price
of coal is not consideration for the
public welfare but merely a matter
of convincing the miners that they are
getting their fair share of the spoils.
As long as such specious and challow
basis of compromise form the founda-
ton of the policy of our department
of justice we may confidently expect
conditions to remain chaotic. The
Washington Post Qnd.). knows that
there is profiteering in coal and hys-
terically calls upon the government to
takes measures to stop it. But then
the department of justice also knows
that there is profiteering in coal and
admits it has proof of the fact, yet
remains inactive. Where would the
Post advise us to turn to get the rem
edy it suggests?
The Indianapolis News Qnd), from
near the center of the strike disturb
ances. says that the strike of the min
ers, in view of the shortage, is little
short of criminal and as far as pro-
fiteering is concerned. mo profiteer
ever traded more shamelessly on the
necessities of the people" than the
miners are doing. In the view of the
News. the complaint of the miners is
not that their wages are inadequate,
but that "the increases granted to the
strikers are not equal to other classes
of workers" On the whole, no matter
if there is profiteering, the editors do
not feel inclined to excuse the miners
on that account. but rather to punish
the profiteers. and the view is quite
generally held that the strikes are
inexcusable.
A SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT.