The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-27
MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER y. 1920.
GETTING THE CONSUMER 70 HELP,

GGNOAL trade publications Of last week which con-
~ tain reports Of the New Engan Coal Confer
ence held in Boston stress suggestions OF more govern
fnent supervision of The coal mining industry which
lgeYc made by the speakers and pay little attention TO
much more important tentative plans tor getting the
coal consumer 10 cIo something toward solving, the
fueling problems Of the nation and the New England
section particularly.
There is nothing 10 be gained by snoring dlsdaln-
fully or becoming angry every time something that re-
iHects sympathy for government control OF coal said
III seScoal trade papers and the various coal men
organizations will cool down little they will realize
That the only possible way in which TO prevent govern
Of coal which is The base Of the nation $
i6du.1Ial Structure. is TO put it efficiency basis
through efforts made inside the industry II because
tue that everything that looks like constructive
thinking along that line ought TO have the sympathetic
study Of the men who engaged in producing and
transporting coal.
The two most important speakers al tins New Eng
land coal meeting were David L. Wing, who was for
6nefIy with the Federal Trade Commission, and DIR.
Harry A. Garfield, Of Williams college who was
8Fsderal Fuel Administrator during the war J. he
bscEhohesof the Wing speech contained IN this
1 Recommendation which followed discussion Of the
ground work that would have TO be done before there
could be- any intelligent interference with the coal IN
4 cu;tyy in the interest Of The public:
.There is one other definite course of
action which have thought could be con
sidered by associated industries. and II
found feasible could be developed along
Tines which would in no way be dependent
on the success failure of any leglsa-
tive program. My idea OF possible
course Of immediate action which might
commend itself to many OF you is the
establishment of system of large scale
cooperative buying, combined with the
--establishment of common storage iaclll-
ties. / bcleye that large industrial con-
sumeps by combining their buying power
lOnE-term contracts Win re-
sponsible producers or dealers in every
HE field from which coal would be drawn at
prices and under conditions which VIII De
% fair both to consumers and operators. l
believe that wherever founi desirable the
local public utilities and municipal instl-
tutons should be allowed to participate
believe that through cooperative action
the minimum storage necessary TO SAFE
guard manufacturers and public utilities
and In fact the whole community from
hardships of coal famine whether que
to transportation difficulties or to labor
M troubles will be much less than II each
should attempt TO provide his own stor-
II. age. The polling OF your coal resources
s5& will prevent many buyers panic from
being startod-with Its boarding of coal
et and It's unnecessarily high prices"
Dr.. Garfield, who is believer in the necessity OF
establishing cost finding bureau or commission to find
ne production costs Of coal and other material
used in the industries also swung around to the view
5eld BY Mr.. Wing with the following remark:
"Heretorore New England has organic
Il ed TO get coal. Hcnceforth she must or
ganlze to also heir those who produce and
distribute It, I do not mean to say that
you hare never followed this policy but
do mean to say that generally speaking
the New England practice has been 10
sSaI order supplies in much the same way mat
RI we order groceries. 1t is necessary not