The Washington times., 1923-08-24
Unforeseen
IN SOF 7 COAL
MINES
Bituminous Fields to Witness
Struggle in Spring,
Says Hard.

vantage of his loss of strength and
Of his loss of prestige and to try
to topple him off his throne of
power altogether.
I'm order to avoid having. to fight
for his life then, he is fighting q
drastic campaign now. His moves
in the anthracite region are flank
marches to put him in better
position on the great battlefield
of next year"
These who take this view Of the
matter cite further the following
facts:
The present head of the national
organization Of the bituminous
operators is q non-union operator.
The committee which he first ap-
pointed for conducting relations
with the United States Coal Com
mission was an Overwhelmingly
non-union committee. Attacks upon
the United Mine Workers before
the Coal Commission by bitunlin
Gus operators have been prolonged
and highly belligerent. The tension
In the bituminous field between the
union and large numbers OF en-
ployers is severe. It awaits only a
good chance to be turned from be-
ing a tension to being an outright
break.
Sympathetic Strike Unlikely.
The whole recent development of
the negotiations at Atlantic City be-
tween Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Warmer
must be analyxed, according to
these observers, In the light OF the
immensely larger issues and de-
velopments at stake. in the soft coal
areas from Pennsylvania to the Gulf
Of Mexico and the Pacific ocean:
These observers then differ
among themselves as to whether
or not suspension OF work In the
anthracite region next month VIII
be attended by sympathetic strikes
in the bituminous mines OF Penn
eylvania and adjacent states.
On the best available information
and belief this writer would say
that in that respect the situation is
as follows:
Numerous miners and numerous
local officials of the miners union
will want to strike in order to pre-
vent .bituminous coal from being
used to take the place of anthra-
cite coal and from being used there
fore to take the sting out OF the
anthracite strike. From this senti-
ment certain scattered bitumipous
strikes may happen when and IL the
threatened suspension OF work IN
the anthracite mines takes place.
Permanent Loss Of Markets.
Contrariwise, however, in the
miners union there is a high degree
of firm opinion to the effect that
the thing which will most induce
the anthracite operators to come to
terms with the miners union is pre-
cisely the prospect Of a permanent
, loss of coal business to their btu
minous rivals.
From this standpoint it is highly
advantageous to the union that
the supply Of bituminous coal
should be unchecked in order that
the greatest possible peril to their
business prospects.
Therefore, instead of wanting
sympathetic strikes in bituminious
mines next month, Mr.. Lewis will
be hurt by them and he will have
every reason to try to stop them.
From this standpoint also the
Government of the United States,
| by doing its best to develop the
largest possible supply OF bitumi-
nous as a substitute for. anthracite,
is working on the side of Mr.. Lewis.
From this standpoint, further,
the bituminous operators, by rush.
ing forward to offer a supply Of
| bituminous. are really helping Mr..
| Lewis. That is, they are Fastening
the moment when the anthracite
operators, through fear Of q perma-
nent loss Of business and a perma-
nent impairment Of the value OF
their properties, may succumb TO
making great concessions to Mr..
| Lewis.
Would Help Lewis.
The bituminous operators, by
| furnishing plenty of bituminous to
the public during an anthracite
| suspension, will make that suspen-
sion less burdensOme to the public
but will make it more perilous and
more coercive to the anthracite
operators and owners.
This Is held to explain why Mr..
Lewis does not get alarmed by the
preparations for Substitutes for
anthracite
Copyright, 1928. Washington Press
SerVice.)