Evening star., 1923-08-15

ference with the President that he
was IN favor of any action. no matter
how drastic, to prevent a shutdown
OF the mines or TO bring about re-
sumption of anthracite mining in
event OF strike. He said that if nee
essary he believed the President
should take over and operate the
mines.
Would Not Call Congress.
The New Hampshire senator. how
ever said he was opposed to a call of
Congress in special session at this
time. AS the President has no author
ity under the law to take over and
operate the coal mines, and such au-
thority can be given only by action of
Congress, 1t seems that If Mr. keyes'
suggestion for drastic action is to be
taken Congress must have finger
in the arrangements.
Senator keyes said he believed that
the United States Coal Commission
would be able to accomplish much
toward bringing about settlement
Of the controversy between the op-
orators and the miners.
Mr. Wadleigh. the federal fuel dis
tributor, is in New York today. 1t is
understood that he is there giving
further consideration and attention
to the plans for supplying the people
with substitutes for anthracite in
case of a shutdown Of the mines
Under the law the office of federal
fuel distributor goes out of existence
September %. Should there be d
strike in the anthracite mines the
administration, in its contact with
the National Coal Association and
its members, after September %.
would either have to establish vol
Gntary federal fuel distribution office,
or some other government agency
would have TO be used as the means
of contact.
Plans for Shipments.
The plan of the National Coal Asso-
ciation calls for the movement week
ly by water and rail Of an additional
100000 to 100000 tons of bitumi-
nous coal into the northeast, where
anthracite is mostly used. 1t is es-
timated that shutdown of the an
thracite mines September ] will leave
the consumers facing g. deficit of
about 100000 tons for the fall and
winter.
The fields nearest. the Atlantic
coast will be first drawn upon for the
bituminous coal to substitute for an
thracite. The central Pennsylvania
mines, the Georges Creek mines In
Maryland. the mines in eastern West
Virginia down into the Pocahontas
and Tug River fields. Will be called
upon first. If a sufficient amount is
not forthcoming to meet the needs.
then coal will be moved from further
west including the Pittsburgh dis
trict, Westmoreland. Fayette. Nor
Rantown, the northern West Virginia
kanawha and Logan fields.
The bituminous fields are equipped
for production of 500,00O000 tons Of
coal a year, and in emergency this
II is said. The annual output and
consumption of anthracite is about
s0.000,0 900 tons. and Il is said that a
very large percentage of this total
for the present season has been mined
and much of II is already in the bins
of the consumers.
John G. Brydon, president of the
National Coal Association, is to be In
charge of the operators end of the
plan to meet the deficit In anthracite,
1t was explained today All Of the
men. under him to assist in the pro-
duction and distribution OF the addi-
tional bituminous coal needed have
been selected.
1t Is expected that there will be
voluntary price-fixing agreement
reached by the bituminous operators
in the event of a strike in the hard
coal fields, and In this way profiteer-
ing kept at a minimum, it was said
One Of the callers at the White
House today was L. E. Sheppard
president Of the Brotherhood of Rail
way Conductors. After his call or
the President, Mr.. Sheppard discuss
ed in general way the probable
case Of a coal strike. He pointed out
that, as in the past, the miners
unions would seek to have the rail.
road workers support them in their
strike. While the railroad men would
sympathize with the miners, he said
he was not prepared to say at this
time what their attitude would be in
the event of q strike.