The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-21
SUPPLY OF COAL
CURBED, IS CLAIM
RUSSELL SAGE FoUNDA.
TON MADE PUBLIC
Claimed No Permanent Wage
Agreement Can Be Reached
Until 0ver-Development of
Mines Is Reduced; This Has
Resulted In Giving Average
214 Days Work Annually To
100000 Men.

New York, April 1.-THE Russell
Sage Foundation, IN a lengthy re-
port on The Coal Miners lnsecur-
ity," made public today, holds that
not satisfactory agreement of a per-
manent nature on wage rates can be
reached between miners and opera
tors in the bituminous coal industry
until steps have been taken to curb
what the report describes as 1.-The
over development Of many more
mines than are required to supply
the country's needs" This over de
velopment, the report declares, has
resulted in giving an average OF on
ly 214 days of employment annually
to the 100000 men employed in the
industry, thus multiplying the advan-
tages Of wage increases.
In giving out the report, the
foundation states that it inveStigat-
ed the coal situation in connection
with it's study of human relations
in industry, and that it has anal
yzed data on irregularity of produc-
ton and employment in bituminous
mining extending over a period OF
thirty two years. These data, the
report adds, include the most re-
cent statistics on annual earnings
and kindred subjects compiled by
the United States Geological Sur
vey, the National Coal association,
the United Mine Workers, the Uni
ted States bureau of labor stats
tics, and variou state bureaus OF
mines. A summary Of the report as
prepared by the Russell Sage Foun-
dalton says:
Averaged Only 214 Days Yearly
THE bituminous coal mines have
been open for work on an average
Of only PA days a year in the thir-
ty-two years from 1890 through
1921. If 304 days be regarded as a
full working year, the lost days of
employment and a mine operation
have averaged ninety in a year. On
ly twice, and this during the war,
did the miner reach the high mark
when he had as few as sixty one
idle days in a year. In eleven of
these thirty two years the loss Of
working time, and consequently of
wages, has averaged one hundred
days or more for the bituminous
miner
"Of these lost days, thirty seven
of the United States Geological Sur
vey, have been due to the over de
velorment of soft coal mines. Mines
now in operation could produce
from 700,000,O00 to 00,000,0 900 tons
a year, according to various esti-
mates of the presidents bituminous
coal commission and statisticians
of the geological survey, while the
country can use approximately $780,
100000 tons.
This excess of capacity ever pro
duction brings more men into the
indus try than are needed and
makes employment intermittent and
uncertain even when business in
general is most prosperous. AS the
demand for soft coal has increased
from a little over 100,0GO,000 tons
to over 100000, 900 tons annually in
the past three decades, the number
of mines and the number of en-
ployes have increased, but the days
of employment in year have
shown no appreciable increase, ex-
cept temporarily during the period
of the war. Increased demand and
higher prices have resulted in open
ing new mines enlarging others,
and employing more miners, rather
than in giving more regular en-
ploymeDt to men in the mines al
READY open.
Seasonal Fluctuations
Seasonal variations in demand,
according to the Geological Survey,
account for Al per cent of the lost
days in bituminous mining. In the
period from 1913 to 1922, the PRO-
duction of coal in the month Of
greatest output exceeded production
in the month of least output by H.
100000 to 100000 tons or more
and was never less than 100000
tons. Seasonal fluctuations in keep
ing more men and more capital in
the industry to be equipped for the
annual peak of demand than would
be needed If work were more even
ly distributed throughout the year.
This excess of numbers employed
tends in turn to make employment
irregular and uncertain. Neverthe-
less, even the elimination of season
al variations would not make en-
ployment regular so long as too
many mine are operated. ITO Offset
periods of idleness and lack OF
earnings, the bituminous miners are
forced to- seek higher rates Of pay.
But these higher rates do not give
tho uninar living wag throughout