Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-01
SATURDAY. APRIL !. 1922.
The Underlying Cause

CECRETARY OF LABOR DAVIS. in
- discussing the nationwide coal strike.
has drawn the conclusion that the public
is in 4 position 10 view the struggle with
out fear as to the hardshps that will be
imposed on il during its duration. He says
there Will be no excuse for advance in coal
prices. and If such tendency should mani
fest itself the government is prepared 10
nterpose with ample power to prevent the
rise He cites the figures OF recent gov
survey indicating that on April /
there Will he in stock or storage about
100000 tons of anthracite and by product
coke. and 65.00o.o00 tons OF bituminous
- Coal This means that the railroads, public
"'-NUlites. manufacturing industries, and re-
tell coal dealers will have on hand nearly
.,"jwo months supply OF coal The operators
.,.,S&te that the production from nonunion
mines will meet at least 80 per Of the
-a0rmal needs of the country. SO, while the
operators and the miners are sustaining
- their respective losses. resulting from idle
:. rets on the one hand and suspension OF
,mnthe machinery OF production on the other.
tho public can continue its business usual
-.ss.pending the struggle TO determine the out
= come OF the controversy
-, OF one thing tho public can rest assured.
AS result Of the strike The truth concern
.i"'inG tn" coal industry must now come to
. light The causes out OF which grow the
--s4rreconcilahle attitude OF the miners unions
- stood by the public though clear TO stu
dents who have investigated conditions
n-,wh!ch prevail in the industry The out
l-..staHdng factor that will have to he rccog-
-"@"nszed and grappled With III order TO arrive
at any permanent solution OF the problem
OF recurring strikes is that tho bituminous
coal industry is overdevclopcd Secretary
Davis estimates that acknowledgment at
= :, -fGlly 80 per cent. This has been brought
ec'7nioui largely as result OF high prices dur
ing the war and the abnormal boom of 1920.
Coal production for 1921, on account of the
general depression in tho steel and allied
= Industries. dropped 10 the 1911 basis or
-a. only io7,0o0o0o tons as compared with
er'Sae%. 1000 tons produced in 1890 This
L. explains 10 large extent the present prob.
lem confronting the employers and employees
OF the coal industry
The miners afc getting good pay for the
time they work, but they work less than
I...seyen months under normal conditions
:. -When that average is reduced by % 10 80
Per cent as was lie case in most of Tho
union districts last year. the nav OF tho
miners when distributed over the twolye
.. months period is not excessive Moreover.
30 in these unionized districts tine operators
find themselves Unable TO meet tho com
---Aciluo OF nunuuiou fields where uroduc-
ton is At much lower cost For this oyer
production and enforced idlcness the pub.
lie has TO pay be cost ~ higher priced coal
il represents invested vast.
- lIence, in any settlement that NAV bo
reached this condition must be overcome
The public cannot afford TO pay the cost Of
excessive wages for part OF the year with
enforced idlencss for the other half. nor tha
e%pens" Of shutdown OF costly Iuachiuor,. o.,
production during the same poriod Tho IL,
dustry must be circumscribed in its produc
I'VE capacity TO the oountrys actual de-
mahHs Tor consumption This truth viii be