Evening star., 1922-08-28
BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK. August 2s.-The an
thracite operators Of Pennsylvania
have got to dig coal this fall. They
face that necessity in order to pre-
serve their markets. They realize that
unless they mine sufficient coal to
supply their customers this autumn
and winter their markets will be
snatched from them by the producers
of bituminous coal and fuel oil. once
lost their customers could be regain
ed, If at all. only by tremendous sales
seffort and price sacrifice.
Men in closest touch with the oper-
ators stated today that many of the
latter would not look with strong
antagonism on federal operation OF
anthracite properties under an agree
ment similar to that by which the
government ran the railroads.
Operators Stock Melted.
Both sides to the controversy are
feeling the pinch. as was shown oy
telegraphic dispatches from Scranton
and Wilkes Barre received here today.
The miners are getting hungry. They
have exhausted their credit at the
stores and the banks OF the coal
region now are feeling the withdrawal
of savings, for the workers lived up
to the limit of their credit before
touching their reserves in many
instances.
The operators have sold all the tre-
mendous stocks of anthracite which
were piled up before the strike. One
company alone had thirteen miles OF
loaded coal cars on siding April i.
but it has all been consumed. Chest
nut and egg sizes have disappeared.
With the city built right on top OF the
mines, one Scranton business man
a hot hn 1rov
az odnd the district the only way he
could fill 1t would be to dig the coal
himself
Arranging Furnaces for Oil.
The operators could keep their
mines closed indefinitely were it not
for future market considerations, for
they are in better financial situation
than the miners. But plants all over
the territory they supply are being
or fuel oil. In New York city alone
scores of big heating and power
plants, Office buildings, hotels and
public institutions, including the
Metropolitan Life building, Columbia
University and Mount Sinai Hospital.
are arranging their furnaces to use
oil.
Those in closest touch with the sit
uation assert the majority Of the
miners would be glad to return at the
old wage scale. The operators would
be glad to have them do SO, but as
wages The question of direct ne
gotiations" in settling future wage
agreements is the rock on which the
split came. The miners have signi-
fed their willingness to negotiate a
wage scale under which they would
mine coal under government opera
ton.
The close down of the Ford motor
factories because of fuel shortage.
slated for September Is, while 1t will
directly affect 10000 men. will not
be as severe q check on affiliated IN
dustries as was anticipated. according
to telegraph reports from various
sections received within the last
plying parts and materials to the
Ford plants have been ordered TO
cease shipments temporarily. But as
Mr.. Ford himself said, his company
can sell $500 cars day and has been
able to turn out only $500. That de-
mand is not going to run away ana
the larger part ef the firms supplying
Ford will continue operations at leasf
in part, SO long as their own fuej
supplies permit. turning out prod
ucts. which they are confident Will be
quickly taken off their hands as coal
production increases. However. the
loss of approximately s63o,ooo day
in wages to Ford employees Will be
sufficient blow in itself not only TO
Detroit. but to other sections of the
country.
In the meanwhile, bituminous coal
production for this week promises to
reach nearly 6.25O.000 tons. This is
nearly 100000 tons below normal
for this time of year. but is over
three-quarters of million tons bet
ter than for any week since the strike
started. Car loadings promise to In
crease proportionately.