The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1922-09-29
THE COAL SITUATION

reliably no single action Of d state
executive will have more far-Teaching
cf'rt, than the mandate Of the Cover
nor Of Pennsylvania fixing reason
able maximum price at which coal may
bn sold at the mines IN that state. A.
Pennsylvania II the largest producer
N the east her position will be the
key Ia the situation. A leading new
paper has declared that the Governor
action has saved his constituents from
paying millions Of dolIars, and this
benefit will also be enjoyed by consu.
meis Ia neighboring states who get
their fuel from the same source.
Such action takes nerve, and merits
the warmest commentator. So soon
rs operators and miners alike see that
stiikes are not financially good pro
position they will make more strenu-
on. efforts to settle differences AMIGA
bly,. While We hold no brief for the
miners there is little doubt that
srike looked equally as profitable to
the operators. Once the nations vast
supply Of mined coal wa exhausted il
was apparently an easy matter to fix
prices at point where vast fortunes
could be amassed in a short time. II
this theory be successfully exploded
now, the strike has served a good pur-
pose from the standpoint Of consul
mcrE
The time has come TO call halt,
by one means or another. Of this ex-
plOitation of the nations natural re.
sources. An economic solution will be
most lasting, hence, it is to be hoped
that the present clamping on Of the
lid will be successful. II this does no,
work, however, more drastic steps
should be taken to keep the mines OPP
Grating. II IL intolerable that the gen
eral public should annually suffer men.
tai anguish, heavy financial loss and
not II few actual hardships at the
hands Of so few INSCRIPTIONS citizens.
Situations such as the present hold
no joys for smaller coal dealers who
from now on will be constantly harass-
ed until free run Of coal is obtained.
Instead Of making deliveries over q
long period they will be constantly
pushed to the limit, with a heavy drain
on their capital all at one time. Not
ini;equently they will be almost
sque"zed into making promises they
cannot keep so that the "cussing" met
ell out to them will far outweigh the
tLanks which comes TO their ears. II
is needless to say that in painting this
|pitful picture of the coal dealer we
ARE assuming he will continue to
charge the same fair margin of pro-
H. as in normal times, and not attempt
70 capitalize the plight Of his fellow
men.
With men back in the mines at the
old wage, the price Of coal at the mines
fixed at q point only little above last
yeur, and ten percent reduction Of
fright to the good, we can see little
just ihcatlon for boosting prices above
last years. OF course, the law Of sup
ply and demand will get in its work
and until people overcome their pre-
sent hysteria buyers will pay more
than o legitimate price to meet their
demand. There are times when mon
ey IA no object but this should not APP.
ply 10 the present coal situation in
general.
Indications are that coal will gradu-
ally come into the market at reason.
able price All who are connected with
supplying our fuel are entitled to u
reasonable profit, but for any who at
tempt TO verstep that point the full
power Of public opinion should be
brought into play. The present situ-
alton Ii q most unpleasant one, hence
Il "a Of paramount importance that all
han d. play straight to alleviate hui
man suffering.