South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-03

that coal consumers start on their
grand rush for coal. the railroads
viii be unable 10 haul enough coal
TO meet the needs. and that very
minute the famine will show its
head.
sounds Coal Famine" Alarm.
Samuel Dunn. editor or Railway
Age. may be regarded as being about
as well Informed On railroad con
ditions as any man in the country.
and he sees the coal famine not
very far away. He has sounded his
alarm to the country from the View
point OF the railroads In a recent
article Mr.. Dunn said:
IF present tendencies in the pro-
ductiOn and transportation OF coal
are not speed Oily changed the Amer
lean people within a few months
will be confronted with the most
serious danger OF a coal famine ever
known. The situation demands the
immediate attention or coal consum-
ers, dealers and the interstate COM
merce com m issiO
There has been a plethora OF
propa ganda in the past. because the
railroads could not handle enough
coal when the people wanted it.
There IL need 10 make all con
cerned understand now that II the
railroads are not soon given opor-
tunity 10 haul more coal, the situa-
ton developing will be far more
acute than any previously expert
enced. The railroads can transport
all the coal the country needs II
given opportunity 10 handle il in
reasonably uniform volume.
What Country Faces.
Phil II. Penna, secretary-treasur-
er OF the Indiana Coal Operators
association, himself an operator, told
the public a few days ago in an
interview just what it is up against
We had in 1919 he wrote, i'm
media:ely following the termination
Of the war. and the cancellation OF
government contracts, very little de-
mand. No coal was stored. When
body wanted coal at once and the
railroads did not have equipment
enough TO haul It. That was the
cause Of the condition Of 1920 and
just as sure as the sun rises and
sets we are going 10 have the same
condition on the day the revival
Of business sets in in this country
and consumers begin TO look about
for a supply OF fuel.
THE idle freight cars that are
on the sidings now will be entirely
inadequate to take care Of any con-
siderable demand. Those who are
familiar with the coal trade can
plainly see the time approaching
when we still have market condi-
tons similar 10 those OF 1920"
Approximately Is per cent. Of the
total output Of soft coal is used for
domestic purposes, such as heating
Of homes and the like, but il is an
important i percent, for il means
comfort. health and safety in mil
lions Of homes. 1t would be an easy
task for the miners of the country
to produce that Is percent of coal
within a very few weeks if the
people would but place their orders.
Once that requirement were met the
average citizen could face the COM
ing cold season with a greater degree
of security for he would know that
HIS family was protected.
Approximately so percent Of the
total output of soft coal is consumed
by the railroads of the country. This
80 percent added to the ID percent
for domestic consumption accounts
for 45 percent of the total produc-
ton The remaining 80 percent
goes TO industries, public utilities
Shipping and export.
The average annual consumption
of soft coal in the United States in
the last four years was 535, 600, 600
tons. To meet this average annual
demand would require a steady out
put Of a little more than 44,5OO,OOO
tons per month. Yet we see in the
bulletin of the United state geolOgi- 4
cal survey that the production is
now running in the neighborhood .
OF 3O,OOO,OOO tons a month.
Approaching Crisis at a GallOp.
What more is needed to convince +.
the public that we are approaching
a coal famine--and at a gallOp? /
The railroads say so; the coal op-
orators say so. and the miners say /
so. All three are pointing out 10 .
the people the imminence Of the .
danger. All three are telling the .
public how the public may protect .
itself.
The miners want work. They will .
dig the coal if given the oppOrtuni- .
". The coal operators want to keep .
their mines in operation The rail- T.
roads stand ready and anxious TO .
haul the coal from mine to cOnsum- .
er. There will be no reduction in .
the wages Of miners There are no /
indications OF a reduction in railroad T
rates. There is no good reason why .
any railroad, industry, utility or .
private consumer should wait and .
take the chance Of facing a famine. .
II IS too serious a matter TO be .
passed with simply a glance.
SPEND SUNDAY EVENING WITH .