Evening star., 1923-09-16
u. S. COAL COMMISSION
HAS JUSTIFIED CAREER
Completes One of Most Valuable Pieces
of Work Ever Attempted by
Government Agency.

'ccess to bring the operators and
ners into further conference after
le negotiations had ended at Allan
ic City. 1t advised the President in
connection with the plans prepared
to meet a suspension of the anthracite
industry. These plans contemplated
providing the people with bituminous
coal. coke and other substitutes for
anthracite. They constituted threat
to both the operators and miners Of
anthracite. with the danger of lost
markets. both temporary and perma-
nent. There seems little doubt but
that they had a potent influence in
bringing the two parties TO a final
agreement in the conferences with
Gov. Pinchot in Harrisburg.
The data obtained by the Coal Com
mission with regard to costs of pro-
duction, to the wages paid, to the
margins of profit Of producers.
wholesalers and retailers are to be
used in the coming months to pre-
vent proflteering by conscienceless
operators and dealers. Every COM
munity which uses anthracite will
have the information at hand and
thus should be enabled the better to
protect itself against profiteers who
make seek to take advantage of the
wage increase of 10 per cent al
lowed the miners. It has been estimated
that the wage increase will add to the
cost of production of so to rs cents
a ton. 1t is believed that large part
Of this increase could we'll be absorbed
by the producers and the dealers. Ger
tainly there should be no greater in
crease in price per ton to the consumer
than that added by the increased cost
of production
Advocates Wage Revision.
One of the recommendations of the
Coal Commission is for thorough re-
vision of the wages paid the miners. So
that there will be uniformity in the
mines and men will receive like pay
for like work. The present wage scale
Is declared TO be unscientific and a
hodge podge. Just as the need for a
reclassiflcation OF the salaries paid the
employees Of the federal government
finally forced the enactment of the re-
classification law, the need for 4 re-
vision and reclassiflcation in the coal
industry is emphasized by the coal COM
mission.
One OF the criticisms which has
been leveled at the agreement
reached by the miners and opera
tors in Harrisburg is the 10 per cent
horizontal wage increase, very much
as the government employees were
given the $240 bonus as a temporary
measure Of relief. For some, It is
said the 10 per cent increase is too
much, and for others, those requiring
aid the most, the increase Is not
adequate.
The Coal Commission has gone on
record as being strongly opposed to
the naturalization Of the coal mines
1t believes that such a course would
be mistake. and in the end would
be costly - the ra"pl,. II has also
gone on record q; hein- opposed u
compulsory arbitration of questions
that arise hrt"etn the miners and
the operators. Brl it has emphasized
the need OF caElaig1 of publicity
and education with regard to the in
dustry, so that there shall be better
understanding and better relations
between the miners and the opera
tors, and between the public and the
other interested parties. In the opin-
ion Of the commission such under
standing and improved relations are
the essentials.