Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-04
HOOSIER COAL
CONTROL PLAN
is UNDER FIRE
Alfred NJ. Ogle, National AS
sOciation Official, Speaks
at Terre Haute.

TERRE HAUTE. Dec 4-In state
ment here today. Alfred NJ. Ogle, speak
ing as vice president of the National Coal
Association, Washington. D. c., com
mented upon the impractica bility, as he
characterized it, Of attempts to regulate
the coal industry through the arbitrary
channel Of coal commission, such rs
the one set up by the Indiana Legisla-
turc
Mr. Ogle emphasized the point that the
coal industry itself was entirely capable
Of handling emergencies, and that ample
evidence Of this was afforded in the man
ner In which the bituminous coal opera
tors, acting through the National Coal
Association. have overcome the recent
shortage throughout the country. Due to
the efforts Of this association, Mr.. Ogle
said. a grave soft-coal famine which
threatened the nation early in the sum
mer has been avoided. With bitumi-
nous coal production now running at ap-
prcximately 1900 0cO tons a week, Mr.
Ogle said, the Immediate wants Of the
country have been supplied, while
already, in many parts Of the country
winter stocks have been laid away.
In his statement Mr. Ogre said:
Coal emergencies cannot be cured by
attempts to regulate the industry itself
through the establishment Of coal com
missions and the issuance Of rules in re
gard TO prices, production and distribu-
tion, which cannot help but be more or
less arbitrary. In fact, procedure Of this
Kind invariably aggravates the emer-
gency by adding confusion.
There Is only one sure and certain
cure for coal shortage emergencies and
that is TO increase production. To do
- q fo -. fah hnr
BILE to the minimum and increase the sup
ply OF cars furnished by the railroads
70 the mine. shortage Of coal cars being
the principal factor in limiting produc-
t!ou in the last several years.
Thoroughly alive to the necessity of
increasing coal production, the additional
coal Association, since early In the sum
uer. through its committees I'm Wash
tngton. has worked continuously 10 Sc
cure for the soft coal Industry a larger
supply Of cars The association was sue
cesSful last June IN securing order No
: from the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion, giving priority to coal mines in
the distribution Of open-tOp cars, but
this order remained ineffective for q
period OF almost thirty days, until the
appointment by the railroads of what is
known rs the railroad executive COM
Inittce, with Daniel Willard ms chairman
with which a special committee OF the
National Coal Association established a
cooperative working arrangement.
These two agencies, acting as advisors
of the Interstate Commerce Commission
procured the issuance Of further priority
orders by the commission. through the
operation OF which the soft coal output
was increased and fuel emergencies ms
they developed In various parts of the
country generally overcome. The first
localities to receive attention were New
England and the Northwest. rs these 10
calities must accumulate. in the summer
and early fall months, sufficient coal TO
provide for the principal part of their
winter requirements
With substantial increase in the sup
ply Of cars 10 the mines. brought about
Ivy the cooperative efforts of the Ma
tional Coal Association. the Railroad EX-
ecutive Committee and Interstate Com
some several weeks ago. was increa sed
beyond 1000, 900 tons n week. The sup
ply for New England and the Northwest
has now been assured, while wants OF
Indiana as well as other parts of the
Continued on PaEe Nine)