The New York herald., 1922-08-02
The Presidents Soft Coal Plan,

President HARDISo's conclusion as
to the prime need of the moment in
the soft coal situation is based on
solid fact. 1t is transportation.
The -non-union mine supply OF
bituminous did not make a nose dive
the other day because the mines were
near the limit OF their capacity. Nor
was 1t because the miners in those
fields became either lacking in num-
bers or unwilling to continue their
forced draft production. On the con-
trary. at the very moment of the pro-
duction collapse the mines them
selves were in better shape than ever
to increase their output. There were
plenty of men to go on improving the
record which had been so speeded up
that the non-union mines at that time
were supplying two-thirds of the
country's soft coal needs.
The mines were all right In every
way and the men were all right in
every way. But mines turning out
millions OF tons of coal week must
have the coal moved out Of the way.
They cannot go on operating at that
rate unless the railroads serving
them get the coal at and around the
pit hauled of to make room for more
coal to come out of the ground.
1t was the rail transport machin-
cry at the non-union mines which
broke down and choked off not only
the flow of coal to market but the
flow Of coal from the bottom Of the
mine to the mouth of the pit when
there was no longer any place to
put 1t.
When the soft coal rail service
failed the coal mines for lack Of mo-
tive power and lack Of man power to
handle the coal trains there were
100000 tons of soft coal loaded in
cars at the mine sidings waiting
to be hauled away. There were
100000 tons more ready to go into
cars as soon as the stalled trains
were pulled out and empty trains
backed in to take the waiting coal.
But the transport agencies, through
dearth of adequate provision and
lack of fight it out spirit all along
the line, simply blew up at the very
moment when the mines and the
miners were at their best. This tied
up the mines as badly as a strike
could.
That water is all over the dam and
there is no need to dwell on 1t fur
ther now that the Government has
taken steps to repair the damage
that was done and prevent recur-
renee OF the trouble. The Interstate
Commerce Commission, the railroads
and all others concerned are on the
job of getting the coal transport ma
chinery tuned up and kept up to
the degree of adequacy and efficiency
that will haul the coal away from
the mines as it is hoisted out OF the
mines. This should restore the rate
Of soft coal output that obtained
when the haulage facilities. not the
mining capacity, broke down. 1t
should as well stimulate the mines to
resume the steady progress they were
making toward the goal OF supply
ing three-quarters of the country's
soft coal needs.
Indeed, the coal bureau Of the United
States Chamber of Commerce just
now reports that only 100000 more
miners of equal producing efficiency
with those now mining coal" are
needed in the soft coal fields to sup
ply 100 per cent. Of the country's soft
coal needs.
II, therefore, the soft coal railroads
the other railroads and the United
States Government will see to 1t that
there Is plenty of rolling stock on
hand, plenty OF train crews to handle
it, with clear tracks ahead for the
thousands of trains to get out, and II
Government authority. Federal. State
and local, will maintain law and
order, so that men who want to work
can work without fear OF having their
throats cut. the problem of the sof,
coal shortage is by way of being
solved.