The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-08-17

The enclosure, outline Tie be-
GINNING Of our campaign against or.
icrtionate eoI priees A c6nimu
aicatiou VIII 30 ent within ieM
dagt toleyery local civic 6pd II Ind
United states Urging the appoint
fient u local committees With
whom We WI cooperate n local
q! psr publicity and getting Ia
t9uch With Washington. a
2 Commenting on this Represent!
alive Echols writes to Secretary
Neutson, the following:
let me.make simple suEges.
ton, yiz., that instead OF SPENDING
the money contributed TO your or.
ganfzation for propaganda Of the
sort contemplated by your letter,
you advise consumers TO buy coal
now rather than walt until there
rs congestion In the transpotta.
ton facilities Of the country that
may result Ia sending the price up.
ward. Coal can be bought at the
mines today at margsin so mar
TOW between the cost OF production
and the selling price that It does
not give the producer anything like
"a fair return upon his investment.
The coal producers Of the conn.
try are able, willing and eager to
produce d sufficient quantity Of
coal to take care Of the demands
at q price that Is not at ali extor.
Tomato, The legitimate coal pro
ducers who stuck TO the business
when there was. no profit as well
as when there was a profit have
always been satisfied with only q
fair margin Of profit, and much OF
the profit they made during the re-
cent high prices has been wiped
out by losses during the present
year. During the period Of high
prices, there were proilteers and
gamblers in the coal business; but
most Of them had no money invest.
led in that business except for q
desk and q typewriter.
1.-THE cost Of transportation now
from the coal fields to some points
OF consumption is three or four
times the cost Of the coal at the
mines. The transportation system
of the country was broken down
by too much government regulation
and control. For twenty years, prior
to government control Of the rail
roads they we're the constant tar
get Of every demagogue in the.
country. Having wrecked the rail
roads and sent the cost OF trans
portation sky.high, the, government
control propogandists have nov
begun an attack upon another
great industry. The railroad con
troll adventure has already cost the
country, Increased freight rates,
passenger rates. and taxation ap
proximately s4,50o,000, 900.
II can conceive Of no other mean
ing to that part OF your letter In
which you suggest getting in touch
with Washington than that you in,
tend to urge the. passage Of coal
regulatory legislation along the
lines OF the Frelinghuyscn and Cal.
der bills. 1t Is generally true that
the people who want to regulate an
industry are the people who know
the least about that particular IN,
dustry. That is evidently true Of
those gentlemen here in Washing,
ton who are continually advocat'
ing regulation of the coal indus
try.
III an emergency arises in the
coal supply during the coming win,
ter or there are any extraordinary
prices charged for coal, II will be
because the consumers do not take
advantage OF the present opportu,
nifty to buy at a low price at the
mines. think 1t not out OF place
to direct your attention TO the fact
that the coal industry for seventy
years prior TO government interior.
ence was run upon a lower margin
OF profit than perhaps any other
industry in the country. It is GER
tainly the desire OF the coal pro.
Queer to produce and sell coal. and
the history OF the business shows
that II let alone he will supply the
demands OF the country at a very
narrow margain Of profit. He. OF
course, has no control over the
transportation rates Of his product
~ happen to know the present
distressing conditions Of the coal
producers in some sections OF the
country, The mines are closed
down or running on part time, have
been for several months, and labor
Is unemployed. fear much Of thiF
is the result Of Just such propogat.
da as appears TO be contemplated
by your organization, the effect OF
which Is to lead the coal consum.
er 10 the conclusion that the gov.
eminent will step in and take care
of him IL the price Of coal should
advance"
Following is the result OF a
F0fndOn ~