The Pulaskian., 1920-01-09
By BRUCE cLAeETT, Assistant to Director General of Rail-
 roads


 roads.
 I have the thought that the people of the United States would ike to know how their coal supply was ham dled during the six weeks strike of bi- luminous coal miners, which has just come to an end. This was the nrst na- tion-wide coal strike the country ever experienced, and therefore the prob lems. arising were novel. Necessarily, during the continuance of the strike, the exact stacks on hand could not be made public at all times, although as to all vital facts, the public seems to have Aeen kept fully informed day by day. Uncle San set up his own coal pile as soon as the strike began and kept replenishing 1t from the mines whick continued to work, but mean while the pile was being diminished more rapidly than new supplies were roming in, and before long it became question of keeping people warm rather than what industries should be continued. Had the strike continued 4much longer many industries would have had to shut down and people thrown out of work, but on the re stricted basis to which the country finally came and with the part-time production obtained undoubtedly the nation could have carried on" for weeks longer, if not months.
 Strike Anticipated.
 Several weeks before the coal strike began on November 1 its coming was plainly apparent, and therefore the director general of railroads, Walker D. Hines, consulted with all the re- gional directors of railroads and the principal members of his staff. and decided that if the strike came it would be the job of the railroad administra- ton to make the coal produced go as far as possible. After thorough dis cussion the plan was adopted of allow ing all coal mined up to the time of the strike proceed as billed to consignees on the idea that once the strike actn- ally began the railroads could look after their own and the emergency
 
 coal actually on the rails at that time. Through this method foresighted con- sumers were placed in a position to store up. The alternative method would have been for the railroads to have begun to buy coal early in prepa- ration for the strike. thus keeping auch coal out of normal channels.
 Prior to the strike a very careful survey of stocks on hand. both of rail- roads, industries and individuals Gas far as possible) was conducted so that the railroad administration went into the strike with as accurate knowledge ] of the coal situation throughout the country as was obtainable. The ad- zministrations original survey on No vember 1 showed 22,000,000 tons of bi- Luminous coal on wheels and in rail- sroad storage subject to distribution zunder the administration supervision. To this was added the daily produe- stion which totaled 18,S00,000 tons in November, and of the aggregate the stocks still available for the Gountry's protection on December l, 12,300000 tons and on December 8, 11,475,0o0 stons.
 Prior to the strike orders were is lsued by the railroad administration to give preference to coal loading. and this naturally resulted in hardship on some industries. The result was how ever, that in the week ended October 25 total of 13,200,000 tons of coal was produced and moved in the United States, this constituting a record for the country. It took hard work by Everyone concerned to distribute this Enormous amount of coal. Once the strike was on. the production never reached 50 per cent of normal, with the result shown above, viz, that in addition 10 using the production every tlay, the stored coal in possession of fhe railroads was depleted in the six