The New York herald., 1921-03-28
COAL PHILOSOPHER
PUZZLED BY TRADE
Wonders Why Folk Balk at
Buying Fuel But Never
Halt at Gasolene.

Why is a man proud Of his gasolene
bill and ashamed of his coal bill? Why
is it a mark Of distinction to have a
shiny six purring at the curb and but
a sign of common thrift to have a pile
of next winters coal upon the side
walk7 What is 1t that has brought
the average man to a state OF mind
where he willingly shivers and let's his
guests shiver as long as he has Persian
rugs upon the floor?
These questions and philosophical re-
Elections are made by the edior of
Coal Age, a paper nationally devoted
to coal mining and coal marketing. and
tc them is tagged the further inquiry !:
rs there not something wrong when
coal is looked upon as a necessary ex-
pense and these other things as neces-
sary luxuries? The manufacturers of
asbestos are capitalizing the idea that
coal is just an expense that should be
eliminated as far as possible-some-
thing bought by the ton and dumped
in the back yard"
The journal of the trade states that
the coal industry has been complaining
and explaining because 1t Is on the de-
fensive Public opinion is centred upon
one thing as regards coal, and that is
the profits taken by the men engaged
in the traffic. All the controversies In
Congress have been waged around that
theme and all the efforts of the indus
try have been to explain and justify
their action In taking a profit.
I'VE can disprove Mr.. McAdoo's fairy
tale we can find more honest men In
the industry than Mr.. Calder can find
scamps," thereupon the editor says.
I'VE can show Mr.. Hoover other indus
tries as poorly managed as coal. we
can tell DR.. Garfield that 1t is not fair
to pick on coal alone of all the essen
tial Industries, and we can show public
utilities and the railroads why coal
must cost money, but we have not
changed any ones idea about what is
the trouble with coal.
"Irregularity OF operation and inflated
mine capacity are the chief causes of
trouble to the bituminous coal industry.
Traced to its cause we find that irregu-
lar operation. high and low spots in
production and prices. are responsible for
the existence of too many mines Ir-
regular operation in turn is the result
of irregular demand. In 1914 and in
earlier years the coal operators were
and they turned to Washington and
sought from the Federal Government
some form of relief In the last few
years II has been the consumer who has
suffered. and he in turn has appealed to
Washington.
"The weight OF public opinion was
against any form OF combination in bust
ness or even cooperation under the pro-
tecting wing OF the Federal Trade Com
.M-l.A -.
lie opinion is not so clearly set against
some form of regulation of the coal man
in the supposed interest Of the con-
sumer And yet the remedy. IL remedy
there be, lies with the consumer Of the
coal. not with the coal man or with the
Government. No law that could be put
on the statute books will make one buy
coal, and Some OF the laws that have
been proposed would have the opposite
effect In such a time as this by luling
the consumer into a sense of false Sc
curity.
IF furs can be sold TO the people
in the summer time and ice in the
winter is there not something that
can be done 10 move coal with less
regard TO season? We have heard
much about developing a merchandis-
ing programme for coal but Mr. Cush-
Ing in his Atlantic City address in
December. 1920. told US that in two
years he had only got so far as TO
consider whether or not there should
be a simple, standard figure repre-
senting the jobber's commission and
whether or not that should be flfty
cents No suggestion Of whether the
compensation should not vary with the
service just a question of the profit
a standard wage for every man with
a union card.
The winter campaign Is closed /;
Gen. Frelinghuysen and Gen. Calder
On the one side and Gen. Coalman
on the other. are digging in and
gathering their respective forces for
the spring drive The campaign Of
last winter found the forces OF coal
on the defensive. without unified COM
mand ard sadly in need OF ammuni-
tion. Back OF the other side Is a
strong public opinion that will pro-
duce new leader. or better said, a
follower, for every one that Is lost
or driven out The better strategy
would then appear TO be to consider
the public behind Congress. A change
IN the attitude Of coal toward the pub
lie and In the relation OF the public
10 coal is the surest way 70 per-
mnnent pence