South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-23
U. S. PROSPERITY IS
FOUNDED IN MINES
IDLE DURING TIE-UP
Rapid Expansion of PrOduc-
Inc Fields Has Increased
Costs for Owners.
BY FRANCIS ITEHAN.
OF PENNSYLVANIA state Department
Of Labor and Industry


known. our great natural resources.
WITH their abundant supply Of fuel
are primarily responsible for the
lofty position our country has att
tanned as the leader Do industry. IL
nance and power our supremacy IN
this direction is generally admitted.
oar rivals and competitors. haudi-
capped by the Jack of an ample coal
supply 10 furnish fuel so essential
for modern Industry have been un-
able 90 keep pace with the rapid in
tIstSjal development OF the United
States
Cur world leadership is derived
from our gigantic industrial system.
al OF which is dependent upo. the
coal industry. our civilization IS so
continued that the life OF the nation.
the prosperity and general welfare
Of its people. depend on those who
furnish our coal supply Coal is next
in Importance only 20 tire products
az our soil
The development OF our immense
coal mining industry has been very
rapid Within approximately 100 years.
Fifty years agO production COM
LlenCed 90 multiply as our pOpula-
ton increased. 20 meet the require
ments OF our modern industrial sys-
Tern and provide additional comfort
for the general public
Many New Uses for Coal.
As productio1 Increased new uses
were found for coal
In recent years the by-produCts ex-
tracted through new processes OF
consumption have given 90 humanity
many valuable chemicals that con-
tributed materially to the substantial
progress Of our civilization. and i'm
pressed every thinking citizen with
the Importance of our coal industry
as the chief asset of our nation. and
Almost as necessary h. the food we
consume 10 sustain life.
Numerous large deposits Of valu-
able fuel which could be Cheaply
named and marketed. have been ex-
hausted. The lack OF intelligent di-
rectiOn and regulation on the part
Of our law-making bodies and gov
eminent officials is responsible for
the enormous waste OF millions of
tons OF this precious fuel which has
been lost beyond recovery. due to
Wasteful methods OF mining
This reckless waste has frequently
hcen brought To- the attention Of the
public by our leading experts fin min
ing, and by officials of our state and
federal department of mines. L ven
cure the statement that the losses in
unmined coal ir the mines at the
present time are much greater than
AZ any time in the past, due TO the
extraordinary, excessive and unneces-
sary development of the mining in
dustry.
A developed mine IS perishable
property, and loss Of coal due to the
falls OF roof and other conditions is
many times greater i'm an idle mine
han in one that is worked steadily
Mines Go Deeper; Cost Goes Up.
The government should take steps
Immediately 20 prevent this loss and
conserve our tuel supply for future
generations. Every year our mining
operations are extended a greater
distance under ground and we must
penetrate the earth 10 greater depths
20 open new coal veins which means
Increasing the hazard and the cost
81 mining
AS the public demand for coal In
creased unrestricted development
took place and additional miners
were employed. until today there are
nearly 500. 900 men. with their wives
and families depending on the Goa
mining industry for q living. Pro
ducing our nations supply Of fuel is
the most hazardous employment in
any OF our large industries. In tn,
darkness of the bowels of the eartr
the tOilers know that every wear. sew.
eral thousand OF them must sacrifice
their lives. am countless thousand,
VIII meet with injuries that Otter
cripple them TO- life
Compelled 10 live i'm an isolated
mining camp. often far removed
from other ir Iustries frequently At
homes Of the poorest construction
with no modern couveuiences. tn,
social environment is not what tn,
average American workman and nj,
f. mily usually enjoy Admitting tina
many large mining companies hav,
erected substantial modern homes
and have arranged for the social en-.
tertainment. education sand recrea
tiou OF their miners. which is com
mendable. they are ara exception Z,
tne.rule. II is but fair TO state tina
The average mining community f.
the most u0d asiUAIe place I'm thu
country To raise a family
Development Increases Hazards.
The hazard .u MINING materially
Increased bv excessive development
and frequent .dicncSS of the mines
The constant employment Of inexper
fenced men 90 am the places of ex
perierced miners. who leave the in
oustry because of dissatisfaction witt
the conditions referred 10. is also
Csuse OF numerous accidents
The outstanding factor is the fail
urc or inability of the mine owner
generally To eVpend the necessar
furGs 20 insure safe working condi
tions in the mines at au times Wit
few exceptions the mine owner
have not done -ae.r part in elminat
ing hazards and. the miners general
~. even in the organized fields. in
Guiding their officials have been ex
trenel-- lax TN cooperating with TN
Federal and S-lte Departments O
Mines. and The coal company official
In the work 90 accident prevention
During the last % years IA
miners have enjoyed handsome wag
increases while hours OF labor hav
beer reduced ana while genera
conditions OF employment have bee
materially Improved. vet the stand
ard OF living has remained about IN
same. This 81 ,ue 90 regularity q
employment thus when work
available theE ore Obliged 20 wOr