Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-15
Profiteerir,g Is Blamed
For High Coal Prices
L. s. Coal Commission
Says Industry is Over
Developed
TOO MANY MINERS
Complete Investigation
Reveals Many Irregu-
Iarities in Mines

Washington, Jan. 15.-Wide-
spread profiteering, over develop
ment of the mining industry, were
blamed for the prsert nigh prices
Of coal by the United States Coal
Commission today in its first re-
port to Congress on the national
coal problem.
The commission warned that un
/ less the industry reforms itself
/ through the elimination Of freq
uent strikes and surplus miners
federal regulations will be neces-
Sary.
"Whatever the cause or the mer-
! It's of the labor controversy, 1t IS
clear that an indefinite repetition
| of these crises in the production
and distribution OF coal would be
lirtolerable," the report states.
"Industry and the home alike
must be freed from the menace of
constant interruption Of their coal
supply"
The major findings of the COM
missin. investigate the Industry
follow:
The number of miners in the in
duStry has increased during the
Hast few years until it is now &c.,
900 in excess of the demand. The
present number IS sufficient to
mine S00,000,000 tons of coal a
year or about 250.000,000 tons
greater than the largest produc-
ton this country and the foreign
markets have ever been able tC
absorb. Since 1890 the miners
have averaged only 2l3 working
days year out of 4 possible
working year of 3OS days. In 1915
IG15,000 miners were employed in
producing 579,000,u00 tons; ii
1922. 663,000 were employed tc
mine 417,000,000 tons.
2-The car supply of the counl
try has been virtually adequste
during recent months and the raj
roads have been moving a supply
of coal that under normal winter
conditions would far exceed the
demand.
3-"Collective bargain should
rest upon reason rather than force
American law and public opinion
recognize the right to organize
Into unions and the right to worl
without let or hindrance."
! 4-Announcement that investi
gallon would be made of condi
tious. in Logan CcInty w. Va.
and Somerset County, Pa, area;
of recent clashes, where miners
allege they are denied the righ
of peaceful persuasion and free
speech and the operators charge
the Unfted Mine Workers have
resorted 70 violence to organize
the fields.
I 5-'There las been profiteerinl
in the sense that grossly exorbi
tant profits have been taken al
times by many operators, broker.
and retailers. The commission
er, said in q later report it woulC
attempt TO reveal these profit.
and the earnings of the miners.
6-"Combined charges of tn,
railroad. the wholesaler and the
retailer is most localities exceed
the price of coal at the mines. NJ
solution of the coal problem car
be found that does not recognize
the community of interest between
coal and transportation. ."
IA recommendation that ev
cry attempt be made to store a
much coal as possible.
GAS for the public the cost o
maintaining an overdeveloped in
dustry is reflected in the price o,
coal. 1t may well be measured b,
the cost of keeping in the industr!
an excess of perhaps 100000 min
ers and their families and the ex
cess investment in the mines"
Concerning its recent demant
that the miners and operators "ge
: together" and prevent another
strike when their contract expire
on April |, the commission says:
"The commission believes tha
! the public interest in coal raise
fundamental questions of the re
4 Ilations of this industry to the ma
tion and of the degree to whiel
: private right must yield to pub
lie welfare.