The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-10
THE REPORT ON ANTHRACITE

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 THE REPORT ON ANTHRACITE
 The report of the federal coal com mission outlining a general descrip- ton of the anthracite industry and recommending policy is noteworthy chiefly in that it recommends private ownership and operation subject to such federal supervision as is neces- sary to protect the public interest. While disapproving of standardization, yet the commission perceives that in terruptions in the supply of anthra- cite work a public hardship that can be averted and that calls for special provision. The same reasoning might apply equally to other commodities, with the exception that in the case of most other commodities there has been no such periodic interruption in sup ply. The anthracite industry has brought the investigation and recom- mendation upon itself. If at some fu- ture date some other industry should equally offend in such manner as to deprive the people of vital necessity, then it is probable that federal super vision would be extended to it also. There is no basis for government in reference in business until after busi- ness has 'interfered with the public right. .
 There is always a distinction to be made between those natural resources that are exhaustible and those that nature constantly supplies and re- plenishes. The deposits of anthracite in this country are one-third ex- hausted. Production and consumption are reaching new high peaks contin- ually. It is computable that within a given number of decades this resource will be commercially depleted. Un- doubtedly sudden cessation in the supply would work hardship, but if the consumers are forewarned and given proper advice they will be pre- pared for the ultimate failure of the supply. Of course, the longer this failure can be postponed the better. The coal commission has in view cer- tain measures of economical utilization of anthracite and also seeks to fortify the consumers against the final day of failure of the supply by encourag- ing the growing use of substitutes. As more immediate means of pre- venting public injury due to strikes and other causes the commission would seek such means of mediation as would keep the mines going during periods of controversy, and, should there be walkouts, would empower the president to operate the mines for the government, until such time as the wage or other disputes should be com posed. The commission recommends that the anthracite contracts be writ ten to expire at period of the year remote from the expiration of bitu- minous contracts. The principle of collective bargaining is upheld, but the commission sagely remarks that there must also be collective keeping of bargains, and that to this end there be penalties provided for obtaining redress from either of the contracting parties responsible for infraction of a vital stipulation.
 Just as railroads and other utilities are required to make public their bus mess records when public emergency so requires, in like manner the com mission would have the anthracite in- dustry make periodic reports on costs, profits and other transactions affect ing the public purse. Price-fixing is not immediately in the mind of the commission, but if the statements and records indicate that the public is be- ling gouged, then the government would act in the extremity in such manner as to protect the consumer from profiteering. The commission finds that such profiteering has occurred during periods of shortage, some com panies charging all the traffic will bear. The report on anthracite is es- pecially interesting to the people of the whole nation, because it may be surmised in a general way that it presages the findings with respect to bituminous coal