The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-08-06
Wage Adjustment Seems
ToBe Crying Cues.
tionofDa
lNE Big. G0NTRAGT
$4,000 Ton Deal In Clear.
field Non-Union
Territory

Business conditions are unchang
ID In the Eairmont region proper
today The. pros and cons Of the
wage readjustment argument are
heard in coal circles from all an
giles.
Ths coal operators continue te
insist that there can be absolutely
no change Of getting any business
for some months II any great
amount az that time. The outlook
Is uncertain! There is a belief
among some folks that the business
viii pick up. but conditions are
very slowly on the mend in Bos-
tom. New York, Philadelphia, Bal
tlmore and other industrial centers
So that little has broken recently
TO warrant any such bright pre-
dietion!
Nick Atello, iFairmont, president
of sub district No. 4, U. NJ. W. to-
day said that the miners were en-
deayoting to live up to the Joint
AGREEMENT as well as the opera
tors were. Other than that he
made no further comment.
There Is some propaganda afloat
that this will be d big year for
coal. This may be true, but there
has nothing happened recently to
warrant ny such expression nor
is there anything in sight for the
immediate future. Coal men and
business men generally agree on
the fact that business will be slow
~ on The mend. Some limited coal
business is expecter later but many
Of the operators do not look fol
any rush about 1t during the whole
year! The whole matter is one Of
comic cture and depends solely up
on the return Of normal business
conditions. II business does not
show d general tendency to pick
up during the fall and early win
ter the chances are slim for good
business for the remaining months.
In aome instances stocks have
been accumulated and while this
is perhaps not general 1t Is belleV-
cd that certain plants have quietly
taken advantage Of the time to
buy cheap coal. Il. business mends
slow the present production in tho
country or perhaps a little more
viii take care of the situation.
One thing is certain and every
coal man brings the same message
from the east-that business Is
linnited. consumers are refusing 10
buy, Relieving the price Of coal
vii come down like all other com.
naodities are tended. What tmme-
diate business Is placed is going to
the non;union fields.
The hopes OF getting cheaper
coal might DO cleaned from the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin,
which while. aimed at anthracite
editorially In particular, might al.
80 apply To, soft coal or at least
the idea that price levels are ex-
pected 70 he low THE operators
are assuring the public that 1t can
get an the coal It wants II It will
only order its And then, as IL 1t
we're aware that the people are not
ordering coal because they object
70 the price, It announces that
there can be no reduction in price
until there Is a reduction in was-
es. Perhaps not. But there Is a law
Of supply and demand which works
IN most business relations and It
may be that It will work In the
coal business. II the people will
not buy d commodity at one price,
the producer usually reduces his
price until Il reaches figure
which the purchaser will pay. The
price otscoal must come down some
time. why not now?"
The trend Of the times is to re.
duce everything and the foregoing
applies In every instance In to.
days business. The eastern buyers
hedged on buying soft coal at 50
and less d ton, SO that the coal IN
the Fairmont region Just now can
barely be produced at cost and
sometimes not for that.
Working conditions have not i'm.
proved In this region. Today there
arc 262 mines idle out Of 1894 or
onjg - mines at work. These
conditions are very punk to state
the least On the Monongah divi.