The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-30
PRESS ON COAL FINDINGS

search and inquiry. 1t has handed to President Coolidge a report of its findings together with series of rec concentrations for pertinent and salu- tary legislation. Because of it's close relationship to the health, comfort and prosperity of the people, the coal in dustry is coming to be regarded as a quasi-public service activity, one which may not be interrupted or deranged without entailing serious hardship and injury to the American people and American business. The coal commits sion has displayed an eminent appli- cation and energy in learning all about the industry and in seeking tc interpret the facts in conformity with justice alike to the miners, the opera tors and the consumers.
 The manner in which the commits sion would seek to direct the federal policy does not call for multiplicity of statutes. Indeed, it is probable that the authority already exists in the act creating the Interstate Commerce Commission, as the Springfield Re- publican states it: "Government reg ulation of coal mining by extending and withholding transportation facili- ties, through a special department of the Interstate Commerce Commission, empowered with judgment over mining conditions, is the principal recommen- dation of the coal commission in it's final report. The plan has the merit of simplicity and of being in line with established government policy. .. The commission also makes an impressive argument for a reversal of the policy of favoring long hauls by freight rate reduction out of proportion to the cost of service. It is, of course, au economic absurdity, to encourage such a condition of things as the transporti,- tion of coal to a distant market through regions supplying the same kind of coal near that market" The Republican might have added that the absurdity of such procedure has be- come proverbial, as in the saying "carry coals to Newcastle"
 Hope for the success of the plan is held by the Washington Star: Gov ernment supervision cannot settle ali the troubles of the coal industry. It has not settled all the troubles of the transportation industry, but 1t has gone far to improve conditions that twenty-five or thirty years ago were becoming intolerable. It is to be expected that government supervision of the coal business, that part of it entering into interstate commerce, will be great step in advance. It will call for full publicity regarding all costs, production, prices and profits"
 Disappointment in the report is thus manifested by the Memphis Conner cial-Appeal: "The chief fault of the commission report, so far as it has been reported in the press, Is it's ir- sufficiency to meet the gravest of the coal problems. There is to be no limit on costs, wages or prices beyond the exposure of facts concerning them gathered by new Investigating body. The country is, for all that the com mission recommends, just about where it was before" It may be, however, that the recommendations of the com mission would have the tendency of so balancing the output with demand and so adjusting transportation prac- tices as to accomplish by means of economic principles that regulation os prices which some have sought through government fixing of prices, practice to be avoided if possible.
 In the view of the Atlanta Journal, the report 'has no fortnight solu- ton for the manysided problem sur veyed, but it presents the largest and best-organized body of data on the subject ever, perhaps, assembled. Moreover, it points the way to reme- dial policies at once democratic and constructive. Whatever the president many recommend or the congress en- act touching the relationship of the coal industry to public welfare is cer- tain to be influenced in large measure by the findings of the commission. The Cleveland Plain Dealer will not allow itself too greatly to anticipate the use that will be made of the find ings: Until more is known of the presidents attitude towards the com missions recommendations, it would be idle to speculate upon the probable action congress will take. With fuel supply assured for the present sea lon the danger is that the report will be submitted by the president and for gotten until another crisis develops.
 Whatever the basic difficulty in the industry may be, contracts will expire from time to time and service will be interrupted if code is not agreed on according to which differ ences can be peaceably adjusted"
 Among the articles that the Detroit Free Press considers fundamental in