The Owosso times., 1922-09-08
Distribution of Coal and Curling
of Profiteers Are Press
ing Problems.
MORE VIOLENCE BY SHOpMEN
Senate Adopts Two Important Amend
ments to Bonus BiII-ResuIts of Cal
ifornia Primary Election-ltaly
and Little Entente Near
Clash Over Austria. ;.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

PREDICTIONS that the public would
have to pay for actual and imag-
mary losses due to the coal strike are
already being fulfilled. The operators
and dealers, many of whom must be
classed among the conscienceless prof
iteers, are raising prices of fuel, de-
spite the efforts of public officials, the
threats Of congressional action and the
protests Of the miners that the mine
owners have suffered little, If any, loss
because Of the stoppage Of production.
In some sections Of the country the
fuel shortage already Is becoming
acute; In others there Is plenty Of
coal. The railroads, 1t Is asserted, are
not able to supply enough cars, but
that Is always the case as winter ap-
proaches, which is one Of the results
of the wretched lack Of organization
of the coal industry.
The coal famine is especially threat
eHng In New York and the Atlantic
coast region generally, because the an
thracite strike has not yet been set
tied. But at this writing there Is a
fair chance that the hard coal miners
will soon be back at work. Senators
Pepper and Reed of Pennsylvania drew
up proposals for resumption of work,
and the plan was submitted to the op-
orators and the miners scale commit
tee at separate meetings. 1t was un-
derstood that the proposed agreement
required the return of miners to work
on the basis Of pay rates and working
conditions as they were last April,
while the operators would be required
to withdraw their insistence that ar
bitration be adopted as method of
fixing future wage scales. This, ap-
parently, would be almost as complete
a victory for the miners as was that
won by the bituminous miners, and as
temporary settlement of the troubles
and disputes.
Distribution of the coal is consid-
cred by the administration the great
present problem and President Hard
ing intends that all government agen-
cies shall be utilized to speed up
transportation Of fuel. Secretary
Hoover is studying the capacity of
the railroads to meet the emergency.
Heretofore, he said, the best continu-
Gus coal movement accomplished by
the railroads was on the basis of 49,
100000 tons week. There are at pres
ent, Mr.. Hoover declared, between 20,-
600 and 25,0O0 cars Of coal on the sid
ings throughout the country and one
of the greatest problems Is to get this
coal delivered. There Is, he added,
100000 tons of coal loaded under spe-
cial prioritles for the Northwest, which
has not moved in three weeks.
Federal coal committee officials are
discussing with the interstate COM
merce commission plans for supplying
the Northwest with coal this winter.
If total facilities could be utilized II
would be possible to move 100000
tons a week to the Great Lakes before
the close of navigation, and 1t was
planned to supplement the port dump
ings with all-rail shipments during the
winter to furnish the necessary fuel
for the Northwest.
DASSAGE by the house Of the admin
4 istration's federal fuel distributor
bill was assured, despite considerable
opposition. It's constitutionaIity was
attacked by Sanders of Indiana, Gra-
ham of Pennsylvania, Goodykoontz of
West Virginia and others. while Robin
son Of Kentucky said II the mines were
given cars enough for four weeks, the
price Of coal would tumble. Newton
Of Minnesota said the measure was the
only practical way to prevent extor-
tionate prices, and Mondell Of wyo-
ming declared he would vote for the