Norwich bulletin., 1922-08-29
.ETTERs 10 THE EDITOR
Wastefui coal Inauat,,-v

Mir Editor: At the present time near. iy everyone is interested in coal. ThA pity is that a greater interest was not shown long ago. Before we were fae- ed by a national shortage in this most important product. The crying need of the hour is facts and then more facts in regard to the production and distri- button of coal. Competent investigators declare that the coal industry is con- ducted in the most wastefui manner. If this is So it is incumbent upon the pco- pie of the United States to wake up and demand to know what is the matter with the coal industry.
 Robert W, Bruere, in his book. The Coming of Coal, says: Twelve million years ago, all the coal we have or shall have had beea packed away beneath the ribs of the earth, in seams varying in height from sixty feet to the thickness of a blade of grass" And how are we using this great gift of nature that car, never be increased but of necessity must continue to decrease? In an address de- livered before the Public Ownership League in Chicago, November 21, 1921, John Brophy, president District No. 2. Central Pennsylvania, says "The annual loss of coal, due to loss in pillars. wheth- CT wilfully or through accident is at ] left at the barriers. Work under ground is badly arranged" If this statement by a coal miner is not sufficient to convince you of the waste in coal, I will call your attention to a statement by Campbell and Parker, in U. s. Geological Survey Bulletin 3e4.
 Tt has also frequently been the case that where portions of the coal bed have been of inferior quality, only the high grade coal has been mined, and the poor CT material left although frequently oi higher grade than other coal mined and used in other portions of the coun- try"
 Again, Enormous quantities of coal have been lost beyond recovery from the mining beds lying below, the caving of which has so broken up the over 1 lying strata as to render 1t impossible tc l recover the coals contained therein" It is time for the American people tt call a halt on this criminal waste ot our national resources. Coal is not min 1 ed for use, 1t is mined with an eye tc profits and the stock market.
 A letter was published recently in you paper quoting the Rev, A $. Eachel ol l the coal situation in west Virginia, Thi I letter was based on minimum of fac l 1 Rachel calls attention to only one sec ton of the coal fields. He seems t, think that everything is rosy becaus few miners are purchasing pianos an victrolas by paygig few dollars dow and small amount each month.
 Again the Rev. Rachel says that tn l nof-union miners are receiyingSthe sam l pay as the union miners. This staternen is true in a very few cases. In the fev non-union mines that do pay the sam 1 wage as the union mines. it is done fo the purpose of keeping their men fror organizing. In 1921, Winthrop D. Ian made an investigation of the conflict i
 West Virginia, for the New York Even 1 ing Post.
 He found in Mingo county that onl two of the thirteen non-union mines pal
 as high wages as the union mines. Tn
 other eleven paid far less.
 The Rev. Rachel says that: "I ow
 not one dollar of coal stock" This ma
 be true. But it should be borne in min
 that practically all of the salaries c
 the ministers is paid by the mine owr
 GEO. E. CAMPBELL.
 Norwich, Conn. Aug 27, 1922.