The producers news., 1922-08-18

ICduS.
Whereas, there exists an acute
scarcity of coal due to labor disputes,
which have suspended the working
of many mines and interrupted the
functions of the railroads, and
"Whereas, this famine In fuel
threatens the health and happiness of
our people and imperils the prosperi-
ty of business,
Therefore, be it resolved, that we,
the governors of Minnesota, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and
Iowa, do hereby assure the President
of the United States that if from the
information at hand he believes it is
| wise to take over coal loading car
riers as defined in Service Order No.
%, or if he believes it is necessary
to take over the\ coal mines in order
that the necessities of the life of the
people during the period of the pres
ent emergency may be provided for,
such action will have the hearty ap-
proval of the executives of these five
states, and we believe of the people
whom we represent"
| The five governors are:
John J. Blaine of Wisconsin
J. A. O. Preus of Minnesota
r. A. Nestos of North Dakota
w. Fl. McMasters of S. Dakota
N A. Kendall of Iowa.
The pressure back of them is un-
doubtedly the plight of manufactur-
ing and business interests desperately
in need of a little prosperity and
faced with a shut down because of
lack of coal. A number of market
| interests are also anxious to get the
farmers grain in quickly because
quick action at harvest time results
in a profitable price decline.
! Of the five governors only one
comes by his present position natur-
ally. Governor Blaine of Wisconsin
was elected with Endorsement Of the
Nonpartisan league and the LaF'ol-
lette forces. The others have been
contending with some heat throughout
their political careers against the
principles they now indorse as neces-
sary for safety.
If the four had been better pro-
phets Washington politicians could
not now use their success at the polls
as a claim that public sentiment did
not support government control of
railroads.
Business appears to be much more
disturbed about the effects of
the coal and rail tieups than is the
general consuming public. Winter is
long way off and it's little early
to worry about what is going into the
stove.
| but business knows that if the tie
ups should end today, it would take
/ he. 10 fn n oil
repairs which have not been made,
work cannot be crowded into a week.
Business knows that the talk about
repairs being kept up to near normal
is mere railroad propaganda. 1t
knows that enough coal for winter
use will not be produced by resum-
ing production at once
| So far the administration working
on "Iess government in business has
produced no appreciabIe results. The
order to the coal operators to resume
work over three weeks ago with prom
ise of military protection, has pro-
duced nothing. The railroad execu-
tives, not the strikers, turned down
his railroad plan. All that has hap
pened evidently is that the govern
ment is pushed nearer and nearer by
circumstances to railroad control.
COAL PEACE IN SIGHT
News from the joint conference Of
coal operators and coal miners at
Cleveland, Ohio, appears to indicate
an early peace settlement. It is sale
that they are likely to agree on g
1ccw scale based on the 1920 sched-
ule of wages and continuation of The
checkoff system Of paying unior
dues.
Not all of the important operator:
are represented but it is expected
that the absent ones will for the
most part agree to what is done
About rs per cent of the country.
soft coal mines are covered by the
conference.
There is much talk of government
prevention of profteering when TIN
mines do open, but this is not taker
very seriously. Under the wage scale
in force up to April /, the mines
were selling coal at the mine for from
S1.75 to 1926 ton. Secretary. Hoov
er made a flourish of stopping prof
teering by getting the operators t,
promise not to charge more thar
$3.50 ton, two months ago. Thes,
fgues refer to Pennsylvania, Ohio
Kentucky and Indiana.
Business expects to pay around s.
ton when the mines reopen al
thought wages will be little lowe
, than they were in March.
5 HITS TARIFF RATES
: The tariff situation is SO bad tina
| number OF the most prominent ad
vocates Of a protective tariff hav
), formed what is known as the Fai
!, Tariff League to fight the pendin,
? BILL. Fl E. Miles,. a wealthy manu-
1 facturer of Wisconsin, Republican
i is chairman.
. "The Senate nowhere shows consid
Grafton for the consumer, except fo
his exploitation" said Mr.. Miles i
e recent statement.
h "Every line in the Senate bill show
j the committee intends to maintai
: manufacturers prices without regar
6 to cost of production.