The Washington herald., 1922-08-04
DECLARES PRESENT
STATUS OF COAL
STOCK IS MYSTERY
Geological Survey Chief
Bewails Lack of In
formation.
By DIR. GEORGE OTIS SMITH.
Director Of the United states Geo.
logical Survey.

By DIR. GEORGE OTIS SMITH.
Director Of the United states Geo.
logical Survey.
Coal movement is speeding up.
Revised figures for fas, week show
that loadings at the coal mines
were 25o.ooo tons better than the
week before and the present week
promises similar further increase.
Yet the production and consump-
tion Of bituminous coal are far
apart and the sad fact must be
faced that there Is lost produc-
tion of at least 25.00o.o00 tons OF
anthracite that cannot be made up
IL those mines should open tomor-
row.
The actual status of the country's
ccal stocks at the present moment
Is something no one knows. II is
bad enough to face a coal shortage.
but not to know the extent or the
distribution of that shortage is
much worse. Last March two gov
ernment departments, Interior and
Commerce, co-operated in making
an inventory of commercial stocks
of anthracite and bituminous coal.
so that when the coal strike began
the public was fortunately In pos
session of authoritative facts as of
March !, with a reliable estimate
for April /. Since then, while the
Geological Survey has issued Its
weekly statement of coal produc-
ton. there has been little that is
better than bold conjecture regard
Ing current consumption and the
consequent drafts on coal stocks.
Lack of Information.
This lack of essential information
Is wrong. and repeated requests
have been made to Congress for
funds with which to make periodic
Inventories of the country's sup
ply of coal. The high value of
such facts in time of need was an
ticipated. and during the war Pc
riod several studies of stocks were
made by the United States Geo.
logical Survey in cooperation with
the Fuel Administration and since
the war whenever funds could be
found. But a regular service of
this kind is needed, definitely
planned in advance.
On -Apri! the country had ac-
cumulated a record supply of coal
nearly 65.000.000 tons. Since then
the mines nave produced much less
than half the normal output. so that
a continued draft on all stock piles
has been necessary.
Roads Reduce Stocks.
The railroads. as a whole, have
reduced their stocks to less than
one-third the April l figures, while
the electric utilities and gas plants.
which were specially well supplied
then, are known to have made seri-
Gus inroa ds on their fuel reserves.
and. indeed. individual companies
here and there are now facing shut
downs II the priority car service
order does not give prompt relief.
Two years ago. June l. 1920. the
coal stocks were found to be only
90. 100000 tons, and that figure
stands as measure OF the reas
shortage then existing. although
denied by some then
Whether or not that June. 1920.
low record has been reached. In the
absence of an up-to-date inventory,
no one knows. but 1t must be seen
by all. except those who prefer TO
close their eyes. that the countrv's
bins contain no surplus coal, that
every power of Federal and State
government must be used to move
by shortest route every ton of coal
that can be mined to those who need
1t most. and that the public must
do it's share for the next six months
by patriotically supporting what
ever measures its government is
compelled to take.