The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-04-22

Ormer president Dstrlct NO. o.
United Mine Workers, and Now
with Pennsylvania, State Depart
ment of Labor and Industry.
written Expressly for the Interna-
tional News Service
Pittsburgh, Pa, April p - The
mine owner. who has his capital in
vested, and manages the production
and distribution to meet the require
uncertain market, has many prob
lens of which the public and the
miners have but little knowledge.
They have become the targets for
abuse and criticism from all sources.
The consuming public complain
continuously about the cost of coal,
without taking into consideration that
there are many profiteers who have
no capital invested in the production
of coal. The prOfitteer in coal lands
may purchase coal from the holder
at $25 per acre and sell it to the
mine owner at from $1,000 to $4,000
per acre.
The railroad that haul to the dis
trfbuting points, the coal broker who
secures the contracts, and the retail
dealer all exact a substantial profit.
There are numerous other smaller
items that add to the cost, but the
greatest item of expense which the
consumer must pay is the interest on
the enormous capital invested, one
half of which would be sufficient to
insure the nations fuel supply, I'M
der normal conditions
are perishable property, a mine pro-
ducing 1000 tons of coal per day
when working on full schedule will
have an expense on an average of ST.
600 each day it is idle, for overhead
charges and deterioration. 1t is true
that many mine owners, made a large
profit during the recent world war,
but under normal conditions there are
few of them a financial success. Many
large companies went bankrupt, 9TH
ers are struggling along on borrowed
capital from banking interests. The
financial losses during the present de-
preston have been enormous, and
many mine owners are confronted
with sheriff sales.
Not Good Business To Invest
Capital In.
The excessive development, the
ruinous competition, the uncertainty
of business, the lack of any regula-
ton on production or distribution,
makes the coal industry the most I'M
desirable of any business IN which to
invest capital. In the operators eff
forts to keep down costs of production
they are obliged to engage in fire.
quent industrial wars with their min
ers, ard often welcome a suspension
of work in order to raise the market
price.
Unless something is done promptly
to stabilize the mining industry, and
protect the capital at present invested,
many employers are certain to sus-
tain enormous financial losses.
Inc COIlSuIuInS PUBIC mas not given
much concern to the source of our
fuel supply 1t protests vigorously
against the prices it is required to
pay to the retail or wholesale dealers.
Consumers are usually informed that
the reason for this is the excessive
profits of the mine owners, or the
high wages of the miners This has
caused a deep-seated public prejudice
against miner and operator, not much
credence being given to reports that
the mine workers are starving or that
the miner owners are facing bank
ruptcy.
Consumers are shocked occasionally
accompanied by a great loss of life
and the destruction of mining prop
erty.
when Opinion Asserts Itself Loud
Enough
When the industrial relations of the
mine owners and miners are such
that a strike or suspension takes
place, and the public cannot obtain
fuel consumers express their disap-
prOva1 and condemn both mine own
er and miner. and when public opin-
ion asserts itself loud enough a set
Element is effected, with the consun-
er paying the bulk of the expense.
again at freuent intervals ever since
the mining industry has become
factor in our industrial system.
The public's interest has been
grossly neglected, since they have
suffered through lack of fuel at times
eral dollars additional per ton as their
share of the expense for the demon
allied condition of the coal industry
herein referred to.
Unless a drastic change takes place
and our government regulates the