The Washington herald., 1921-03-27
Geological Survey Re
ports 26 Hours Idleness
i'm 4S-HOur Week.
TRADE AT LOW EBB
Coal Industry Re-
ported as Having Veritable
Army of Unemployed.

I he United States Geological survey
|bnd +. C. Tryon. coal statistician
bf the survey. have made the fol-
kowing analysis OF the obvious facts
the present coal depression:
During the first week Of March
HE operators at some 2.s00 soft
soaI mines reported to the Geologi-
saI Survey that they worked on the
average only nineteen hours out Of
the possible forty-eight working
bours in the week. They were
EIosed down, so they stated. on ac-
,ount of mo market" or lack Of or
iers. an average Of twenty-six
|bours. They lost a little time on
Recount of labor shortage, and
kmalier amount because Of local
#trikes in Kansas and Missouri.
Here and there a mine lost few
hours working time because cars
we're not placed when ordered. or
because of mechanical breakdowns.
but the loss on account of all these
Rther factors combined was only
wo and a half hours, as against
Inc twenty-six hours-more than
| Ihree days-because of lack of de-
hand
some Work Only One Day.
Making due allowance for what
nay have been happening at other
nines not reporting to the Survey
nd for the fact that no mine can
D practice long maintain output at
Oe per cent capacity. it is still clear
hat the soft-coal industry is at the
|noment very short of business. II
as 100000 tons a week of demon
+trated mine capacity lying idle,
Ind, what Is worse. piling up capi-
| al and maintenance, charges wait
|ng for the consumers in the United
ftates or abroad to place their or
ers. Most serious is the fact that
| he bituminous coal industry has
IRRITABLE army of unemployed The
| j 5000 mine workers are offered
lot over three days work a week.
nd at many mines only two or-even
ne day. Coal miners in the United
states draw a pretty good days
Eage, but they cannot continue in
l,.fniteIy TO make ends meet on one
n two days work a week. Look
|hg att it from another angle, the
repression at the coal mines is cost
hg US as great a loss in potential
Inan-power as il our army on the
kline were 350,0O0 strong instead
II $1,000.
Not FauIt of Carriers.
1t may be charged that even in &,
ines of active demand the rail-
|cads cannot provide cars to keep
I re mines busy continuously. Very
Yell. then. measure the present de-
Iression against what We know the
|ailroads can do. In the first week
March the output was 7.263.o00
ons. The next week it dropped to
.S9I. Zoo. The preliminary figure
|Ior the third week of, March GA
81 In 6.525,oo0. Now four months
go, before the market broke, the
railroads were furnishing cars
nough for an output of over H.
| 30e, 900 tons a week. Indeed. on
wo occasions in the past, when ex-
|raordinary measures were invoked
10 SLlHuldLc Sdpply a. NhC
hines. the railroads provided trans
|bortation sufficient to get out a
otal Of l3.10O,000 tons. Thus the
Sresent rate of output is less Than
alf what the carriers can handle
nders pressure. and a good 6.000,-
loo tons short Of what they were
ding only last December. The best
demonstration that the roads stand
AanA1a pnal ia that
hey have some 100000 o0en cars
king around idle on sidings. az
birding to the American Railway
association. Because these cars
re idle the roads are dischsrging
cen by the thousands. And as in
he case Of the idle mines and ma
hinery. so with the idle cars; not
My are they bringing the roads no
evenue. when revenue Is badly
keeded, but they are steadily eating
b other earnings with capital and
maintenance charges
Consumer Controlling Factor.
All signs. then. point to the con-
umer as the controlling factor in
he present situation. OF course
he coal man has come to expect a
eriod Of dullness in early spring
$ one of the drawbacks of his
easonal business. But this year
he slump is far worse than the
Normal. even considering the mild
kinter. For the consumer 10 hav-
n troubles of his own: the busi-
ess depression has reduced his re-
uirements. In December last the
Seehive coke ovens, for example.
here taking 100000 tons of coal a
eek. Today they are using only
10, 900 tons Somewhat the same
eduction has been going on in
ther domestic industries and at
be same time exports have also
kaIlen sharply. With current con-
umption curtailed in this manner
Is clear that the mere fact that
Production Is down to six and a
alf million tons a week does not
h itself prove that consumers are
Purchasing less than their require
Rents. Indeed, the rate of output
as not yet touched the low point
eached during our latest real busi-
ess depression. IN 1914. That.
bwever. was seven years ago, and
| |ur normal rate of growth has been
kach that 100000 tons in 1921
+ouId be as low as 5000. 900 was in
p14. IL the business depression
roves to be long-sustained. then
be present low rate OF production
'hrrfes no threat of an approach
|hg shortage of coal. II. 'on the
|ther hand. business should sudden
resume at full blast we know
hat the railroads will hardly be in
| position to haul coal enough to
e-buiId stocks. meet current con-
3lmption. and handle other freight
the same time without signs Of
strssA