Evening star., 1923-07-09
Report of the Coal Commission.

Recommendation Of the United
States Coal Commission in regard to
anthracite, with the public facing
another coal strike or still further in
creases in prices for fuel, will appeal
to the ultimate consumer as a draught
of cool water to a wanderer in the
desert
The commission, in unmistakable
terms, has declared there should be an
end to coal famines that freeze the
people in the winter and to unlimited
profteering. While its report is in a
measure preliminary, with more spe
ciflc recommendations to follow later,
st makes two suggestions Of great in
terest. One is that the President be
empowered by Congress to declare an
emergency, in case Of a shutdown of
she mines, and to proceed to operate
the mines and distribute and sell coal
10 the consumers. The other is that
the fullest publicity be given to costs
of operation and profits.
In a measure, the commission has
taken middle ground between those
who advocate public ownership and
operation Of the mines through the
.government and those who desire to
continue unrestricted private owner
ship and operation. 1t has opposed
public ownership on the ground that
1t would be costly and uneconomical.
sBut at the same time it has asserted
The public interest which attaches TO
the hard coal industry, with millions
of people depending upon the anthra-
cite mines for fuel. The ultimate con-
| sumer, the innocent byStander" when
st comes TO controversies between the
operator and the miner, is in the opin-
ion of the commission entitled to the
protection Of the government, against
both coal famine and gouging.
The operators and the miners Of
hard coal, now in conference in regard
to wage scales, with the possibility of
"a shutdown of the mines in the event
AN agreement is not reached would do
well to take warning from the report
\of the commission. 1t is true that
Congress does not meet again in spe-
cial session until December. But there
is nothing to prevent the President
calling a special session of the Con-
,sress at any time. The temper OF Con-
gress would scarcely be uncertain
when it comes TO dealing with the
coal situation. New England was
aroused as rarely before in it's history
by the coal strike of last year. Other
sections of the country are little less
snterested. Legislation, perhaps far
more drastic than that suggested by
the Coal Commission, could be expect
ed promptly in the event of a special
session of Congress.
The proposal that the fullest pub
aicity, along standard lines. be given
of the costs and returns of the coal in
dustry is not less interesting than the
emergency recommendation. 1t is de-
signed to put an end to the profiteer-
ing which has gone on during indus
trial peace. The report Of the com
mission points out that the operators
are free to initiate costs as they see fit,
and that an extortionate retailer, by
referring to the purchase of a few
hide behind a smoke screen. Profiteer-
ing does not flourish well in the light
of publicity. Also, if it should continue
despite publicity. there looms always
the threat of public ownership.
With the anthracite mines owned
and operated by small group, and
1he workers unionized to the last de-
gree. the owners and the miners might
well combine to take toll from the
consumers. In fact, it has been hinted
more than once that such course has
been followed. But with the fullest
publicity and heavy penalties for dis
sorting the facts, such happening
would be difficult
The Seport Of the commission re-
weals the fact that the profits Of the
workers and the operators have in
creased enormously within the last
decade. For example, the labor costs
have risen from s1.56 a gross ton in
1918 to S4.12 in the first quarter of
1928 On the other hand, the operators
are receiving nearly three times as
large profits today as they did before
the world war