The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1920-09-17

Improving conditions in the coal in
dustry and transportation arc uperHt-
ing TO minimize the danger of any
serious fuel shortage during the com
ing winter. Total production of both
bituminous and anthracite coal this
year exceeds the record for the SINH
lar period of 1919. The future supply
of bituminous depends mainly on
transportation facilities and of an
thracitc upon the return of the strik-
ing miners to work. j. ID. A. Nor
row. vice president Of the National
Coal association, said today that the
production Of twelve million tons Of
soft coal a week had been set rs the
volume to be maintained in order to |
prevent a fuel shortage The produc- |
ton has been averaging about eleven |
million and would have been higher
had the supply of ears been adequate.
There has been a 40 per cent reduc-
ton of anthracite production as n re-
suit of the strike. The present diver.
sion of opcntop ears 10 coal transpor-
tation expires on September 10th, and
the interstate commerce commission
is considering whether the situation
ncccssiiaics an extension Of the or
der, In any event, the commission
may release about twenty-five thou
sand Of the largest opcntop ears from
coal uses, for the steel companies are
clamoring for ears 10 move the vast
congestion of now finished goods nc.
cumulated during the diversion of
such ears TO the mines.
Morrow's Statement
because of difficulties Of some Of
the railroads in getting cars back to-
the home Mines" says Morrow, "tho
carriers we're unable during the first
two weeks after the Northwestern
priority order went into effect on
July 26th TO get the Northwest pro-
gram into effective working opera
ton. During that time the railroads
fell considerably below the quota Of
twenty-four thousand ears n week,
carrying 100000 tons of coal, which,
under the schedule, was 10 be dumped
at lake ports for trans-shipment TO
| Northwestern points. But there has
been a gradual improvement ~ that
the last week IN August the railroads
dumped i,21s,065 tons Of coal or 49,
O65 more than the schedule require
ment. Up to the end of August, how
ever. the railroads were 1927 ears
short of the quota that ought 10 have
I been supplied Ia the mines and
dumped ut the lake ports since the in
ccption OF the Great Lakes order.
This shortage they are now working
l hard Ia overcome, 20 a. 10 give the
I great lakes the tonnage needed at the
/ close of navigation Ia November.
"While much has been said of the
udyisability of putting an embargo
I on overseas export coal, the fact lS
that amy such embargo would bee high
| ly imprarticnhle. II has been demon.
stratcd that, by the use of the facili-
/ ties Toe tidewater trans-shipment Of
coal To New England, the needs "f
New England can be- adequately mrl,
I The performances in New England
since the priority order went into eff
feet has sufficiently demonstrated It,
Coal operators naturally must stand
ready Ia supply the home or domestic
requirements of the United States
ahead of overseas exports, bat assur-
edly they ought not to bee asked Ia
withdraw coal from overseas export
trade merely 10 give IL 10 industries
which will use It 10 manufacture
products for overseas export. Mani
testify that would involve a discrlm-
nation against the right of the coal
operator To engage in export trade,
/ while the privilege was enjoyed by
others, The fact is that the ship
ments of overseas export coal has not
in any way affected the shortage in
the United States. If the New Eng
land district manufacturers had Tried
10 contract for coal early IN the
/ spring they would not have found
themselves with any shortage.
Out OF this emergency public utili-
ties, as well as the great manufactur-
ers of the country, may find reason 10
pause and consider their own obliga-
ton as to the future. The fact must
nave been fOrcibly borne in upon the
public utility consumers that they
have run precariously near a disas-
trous shortage, which they will not
want again TO face, To guard against
future emergency they ought to make
contracts with reliable operators for
shipment of coal, after the existing
national shortage is made up,
Must Arrange Storage,
"They ought TO arrange for storage
of coal in off seasons, when they may
more easily obtain it.. In every way
they ought TO safeguard themselves
with contracts that will give them the
output they want, II may be some
months before the present shortage is
entirely made up, SO that the utuitics
and great manufacturers can begin 10
store coal When the opportunity
comes they ought not TO overlook It.
I IL will la laroral,r an, D., ha ,,,tIffa IN