Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-28
The HQskin Letter . ' : Rs:ez
ANOTHER COAL STRIKE POSSIBLE
it can not be blamed on the public OIL
held to be IAN act of Providence"
Public Has Been Negligent

it can not be blamed on the public or
held to be IAN act of Providence"
Public Has Been Negligent
The public can be held responsible
only for permitting it to continue to
exist. The public has been negligent.
Members of the coal commission, alive
to the difficulties of their task of
pointing the way to the sterilization of
| yinced of that fact and they are seek
ing to dispel the apathy. ignorance, or
whatever it is to which this negligence
is due. Hence the warnings that an
other coal strike is possible, if, indeed,
not highly probable.
Investigation to date has disclosed
little beyond the fact that the oper-
ators and miners, especially in the
bituminous branch of the industry, are
virtually as far apart as they were a
| year ago or when the recent strike
was at its height. Each side is just as
insistent on its own demands and just
as unyielding to the demands Of the
other.
In reality the situation is simply
that of an armistice while both sides
prepare for q renewal of open warfare.
AS yet there has been little p~retense
of negotiations looking toward real
and permanent peace.
1t is true, of course, that the OPP
orators and miners are cooperating
now in the production of coal. In fact,
they we're fairly feverish in their eff
forts to get out the largest possible
tonnage every day and every week and
new production records are being
established. They would do even better
l &c ill., o~,,ll 20 Ill A. Al
could use and adequate transportation
| mines to the consumer.
However, the significant thing in
connection with this is that it is simply
putting both sides in better shape for
the next fight. Both miners and oper-
ever before, the former because they
are working full time and overtime at
the highest wage rates they have ever
had, and the latter because they are
selling more coal and getting higher
prices than ever before save in one
brief period. The result will be that
both sides will have full wal chests
by next spring and will be ready to
renew the strike.
And the poor, inert, indifferent pub
lie is filling those war chests-feeding
and Strengthening the beast hat is to
prey upon it!
Coal does not cost a penny a ton
more to produce than it did prior to
the strike last summer, except in the
case of increased rates for overtime,
and this is offset by the decreased over
head per ton due to largely increased
production. The miners are working
at exactly the same scale and under
the same conditions that obtained up
until March 81 last. Transportation
rates have not advanced. Labor costs
for delivering coal have decreased. But
the price to the consumer has increas-
ed and is increasing steadily.
The coal commission is quite aware
of this and has been examining Wash
ington retailers and calling on opera
| tors for information as to why it
should be so. One reason, naturally,
is the increased demand resulting from
shortage brought about by the months
Oh idleness during the strike.
Another reason, and one that should
be instructive to the general public. is
that large are fully aware
of the possibility Of another strike next
spring. and are accommodating reserve
sur,lies of coal. The average con-
sumner is helpless in the face Of such an
emergency.
1t is hoped in Washington that the
public will wake up and see to it that
congress or somebody does something
to make another strike impossible.