The Washington herald., 1922-03-20
COAL
PRICES RECEDE IN
FACE Of STRIKES
Drop Attributed to Poor
Demand and Well Sup
piled Consumers.

- PITTSBURGH, March 1s.-De-
mand for coal In the ConnellsviIie
region. which is strictly non-union,
has fallen OF sharply IN the past
week and prices are q shade softer.
Demand for coal In the Pittsburgh
district, which is union, and ap-
parently the pivotal point in the
United Mine Workers wage con-
troversy, has slsckened somewhat,
and the market has undergone a
definite decline. For several
months. until q week or two ago.
the market for ordinary Pittsburgh
district steam coal. mine-run. was
quoted at s210 to s2.2o, prices
which were claimed to represent
actual cost of production under the
union scale. Two weeks ago 81
was done and even shaded, while
last week there have been sales at
down to SIS and the market aver
age is approximately $3.50.
These lower-priced sales do not
indicate that cost under the exist
ing union scale is lower than was
claimed. the trade having reason
to believe that when sales are
made at under So II is usually q
case of the operator having a spe-
cial arrangement with the men.
The prices indicate that dens nd
for coal is distinctly poor. for
otherwise the few mines that have
costs below the general run would
he able to obtain the full price
based on standard cost.
Consumer. Well Supplied.
In coal trading circles the weaker
market Is assumed 70 prove that
consumers have been foreha uded in
laying in stocks of coal, in January
and February. and are already in
comfortable position in this respect.
The emanations from Washington.
that consumers should stock coal
and not wait until the last week or
two. are regarded as being based
on Imagination or theory.
The Invitation addressed :a>I
Monday by the Pittsburgh Coat
Producers Association to District
No. 5. United Mine Workers. the
local branch OF the national labor
orga nization for the Pittsburgh DIS
trict, inviting the local officials To
a wage-scale conference tomorrow. :.
represents no departure from the
position the Pittsburgh OPERATOR
have maintained since late in De
oember, when they announced thCif
positive withdrawal from the GER
trail competitive field. in existence
for a number of years, and COM
posed of Illinois. Indiana, Ohio and
Western Pennsylvania. All along
the operators have maintained the
position that they were ready to
meet their employees to formulate
a scale for the Pittsburgh district.
and very probably they would have
been willing at times to go fur
ther. and Join with Freeport. But
ler-Mercer and Central Pennsyl-
vania in waEe-scale negotiations.
what the national officisls Of the
United Mine Workers want, how
ever. is a negotiation for the four
States and the determination OF a
scale basis which shall be used to
formulate scales for all other
districts.
From the fact that miners at
some mines n the Pittsburgh dis
trict for which a scale was signed
are now Workings is believed In
the trade-at under-scale rates, 1t
does not follow that these mines
will continue in operation after
April l, and help to break the sus-
pension. The disposition of miners
to go on sympathetic strikes has
often been exemplified. More th-n
that, It is possible that union mir.
ers Of the PittsburgR district. who
months ago went to Connellsvilie
and other non-union fields and have
since been working non-union at
well under sale rates, will cease
work April I.