The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-07-10

wages. And we base our contention
upon a. thorough analysis Of the in
ternal organization and structure of
the industry. Enough money is alb
stracted between the time when the
coal leaves the producing agency ana
the time when It reaches the local
dealer to pay the requested wage in
crease and at the same time to reduce
the price Of. anthracite to the con-
sun1er. This money which is alb
stracted actually goes to the same in
terests that will here tell a pitiful
story OF the small profits which they
are deriving from the anthracite COM
panies. In short, the anthracite COM
panies which they represent will he
found to be nothing more than sep
arate producing departments of
much larger business organization
whose profits it will be we'll to look
into.
Is Relevant Question.
bination in the anthracite industry is
matter relevant and vital to this
present controversy. Thorough inves:-
igation Of this monopoly will reveal
funds which do actually exist but
which are illegitimately withheld from,
the worker in wages and taken from
the consumer in unwarranted prices,
And we urge upon this commission the
importance of tracing these illegiti-
mate profits to the place Of conceal
ment as basis for awarding a just
wage, as we'll as in explaining it 10
the public.
The anthracite. industry has been
organized into a huge com bination, a
monopoly very similar in structure to
an octopus. Its head and body are q
very small group Of banking interests.
It's entwining arms are seven railway
systems which control at their ex-
tremities the anthracite mining opera
tions Of the country.
LAS result of this fact we are
willing to go further than the asse--
t1on that the anthracite companies are
making very meagre> profits. One
might as well speak Of the profits OF
grocer's storehouse from which he
brings the goods which he sells. The
anthracite industry is one great COM
bination composed Of seven great
business organizations No one can
Judge of its profits in terms of de-
partmental bookkeeping
Examine All Books.
"The books Of the entire concern.
OF the industry from mine via railroad
to final disposal by the sales corpora
tion. must be examined before any one
can say Just what are the profits de-
rived from anthracite. Until such an
Investigation is made no one will be
In a position to say just how much
OF the price represents legitimate
cost, just how much leeway there IS
above this which will permit the grant
of just wage rate, - - ..-.-~-
Our contention Is that such an ex.
animation Of the books Of the anthra-
cite coal combination is essential to
the settlement Of this controversy on
the basis of Justice. The main issue
Will be found to be in volved in this
point OF view. And we are willing to
stand or fall on the, basis Of the re-
suits which will follow from such an
investigation Of the actual cost, of
anthracite In terms of fairly deter
mined mine cost plus fairly deter
mined transportation cost plus fairly
determined selling expense: But we
require an investigation which sques
t1ons the validity Of every charge for
much Of tho illegttimate profit of the
industry is is-concealed under illeRiti-
mate charges which enter into the cost
side Of the ledger. -. IS. IS. 4 q
Our Investigation demonstrates.
Costsr.ed ossPsge 1teo.
80