Evening star., 1923-08-22
People Will Not Suffer for
Coal, Is Impression at
White House, as Officials
Confer With President.
TWO FORCES OPERATE
TO PREVENT WALK0UT
Prospective Loss of Markets and
Wages Expected to Bring Further
Steps Toward Peace by Both
Sides-U. S. Ready to Provide
Substitutes if Need Arises.

President Coolidge today went
ahead with preparations to prevent
the people from suffering from a lack
OF fuel in the event of a strike In
the anthracite mines. He summoned
70 the White House early today
Francis r. wadleigh, federal fuel
director. and Acting Chairman Aitch-
tson of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. and. it Is understood,
went over with them the plans for
distribution of fuel.
THE people will not be permitted
70 suffer from lack Of fuel is the
word that came from the White
House, and the President is reported
as determined to use every agency
of the government to make good this
promise.
still Hope for Peace.
Meanwhile. In government circles
all hope of an agreement between
the miners and operators which will
permit the continued operation of the
anthracite mines has not been aban-
doned.
Two forces are acting to bring
about such an agreement They are:
First, the fact that IL a shut down
comes the government is prepared
to rush substitutes, low volatile
bituminous coal, coke, fuel oil, etc.
to the people who would otherwise
use anthracite. This means the loss
of a considerable part of the market
for anthracite at least for this
winter-a severe blow to both oper-
Second. the fact the United States
Coal Commission Is prepared to sub
NIT to the President. and the Presi-
dent In turn to the people. report
fixing the blame for the shutdown
OF the anthracite rftnes.
Believe President Ready.
The report OF the Coal Commission,
n 10 understood. will deal with the
situation without gloves, II 1t must
be made. The report Is not ex-
pected to be made, however. for
short time, the belief existing that
something will yet be done by the
two parties looking to an adjustment
of their differences.
After the Coal Commission has SUBJ
mitted this report, provided II finds II
necessary to do so, the next move will
come from the President. so far as the
government is concerned. The COM
mission Will have done all 1t can un-
der the authority given 1T by law. In
the event of such a contingency, the
President Is expected to act promptly.
No official statement has been made
up to this time. however, as TO what
President Coolidge will do. That he
has given the matter thought and al
ready laid plans Is the belief express--
ed by persons who are familiar with
tie Presidents methods OF doing busi-
ness.
The opinion was expressed that
there Is sufficient supply of fuel now
aA Wnh NJ dtgfr God
together with the proposed increase
in the supply of bltuminous and other
substitutes for anthracite, to take care
of all the needs of the people.
Pay Scale Held Unfair.
Should there be a shutdown of the
anthracite mines. 1t was pointed out.
the miners would stand to lose their
wages, for weeks. perhaps for months.
The operators would stand to lose their
production returns during the period
of the shutdown. And both would
have to face the possibility of a loss
OF part of their present market, at
least.
A feeling prevails in informed quar-
ters that there should be a scientific
adjustment of the wage scales In the
anthracite, field, with equal pay for
equal work. and with some increases
for the men. 1t IS felt also that the
mine operators could AFFORD some in
crease to the men without increasing
This does not mean that the operators
could afford the whole increase asked
by the miners, however, for THE cost
of production of anthracite centers
very largely in the wages paid the
miners.
At present, 1t Is said, there are
men working in the anthracite mines,
doing similar kinds of work. whose
pay varies by as much as Is per
cent.
Plans Ready for Substitutes.
While the plans for providing the
people with substitutes for anthra-
cite have been perfected In large
part. the details have not been made
public. 1t was reported that a state
ment might be issued at the White
House today dealing with this
matter.
A survey made by one Of the gov,
ernment agencies recently indicates
that there are sufficient anthracite
stocks In storage to supply normal
IL a shutdown of the mines comes
September 1. The deficit required
for the winter. 1t is said, can readily,
be supplied from the bituminous
mines. 80
The report on accumulated stocks
placed the total at between 23,000,00O
and 25.000.000 tons, against a normal
weekly consumption OF 100000 tons.
The restriction of consumption which
naturally would follow a suspension
of production would reduce the week
ly requirements automatically, gov
ernment observers said. to point
where the reserve would be sufficient
10 supply domestic needs for at least
sixteen weeks. This reduction was
expected to be increased by the num-
Der of Industrial plants and indi-
vidual anthracite users who are
equipped to use soft coal or fuel oil
as an immediate substitute.
Could Move Soft Coal.
II was estimated that the increased
burden on bftuminous production
would be less than 10 per cent of
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