Evening star., 1923-08-24
No New Peace Plans.

No New Peace Plans.
While the attitude of the govern
ment today is one of preparedness.
and all plans to that end are going
forward rapidly. there has as yet been
no statement OF the governments
further plans to bring about peace in
the anthracite field after a strike has
actually taken place.
The government does not believe
that sympathetic strike Will close
the bitumInous mines If the anthra-
cite mines shut down. Such strike.
it was intimated today, might be con-
sidered a conspiracy in restraint of
trade and might be dealt with under
the terms of the antitrust laws. This
was not given. however, as an express
sion of opinion of the coal commits
sion.
No recommendations to the Presi
dent have been made by the Coal
Commission for action by the Presi-
dent in the event of a strike. Chair
man Hammond said. He added, yet"
Government Ready.
During the last week" Mr.. Ham
mond said, there has been a great
deal of activity on the part of the
government to meet the anthracite
situation. These moves by the gov
ernment have been in line of pre-
paredness to meet all eventualities.
The best way to prevent a strike is
to Illustrate the prospect of serious
effects The commissions attitude
was to bring strongly to the miners
and operators the views of the public
The commission has considered that
it was not to the public interest to.
intervene at Atlantic City (where the
operators and miners met in confer
ence).
THE situation 1t this: tie-up
would involve discomfort to some
consumers of anthracite. but there Is
nothing to justify panic on the par
of the consumers. Those who wouio
This would be true even of those III
the anthracite field. The fellow
workers of the miners will be the
sufferers. and that fact. think,
should have some influence on the
action to be taken by the miners
at Atlantic City.
''The situation with regard 10 pre-,
paredness Of the government anu
country to meet shutdoWn o. .ne
anthracite mines Is this: on August
thracite coal in the bins OF the CON
sumers. Unfortunately this coal IS
not uniformly distributed.
Substitutes Needed.
"Those who lack anthracite would
have to depend on substitute tuels'
coke and bituminous coal. The com
mission is confident there Will De no
trouble in supplying all the DIV
minous coal necessary AS mater
of fact, many of the bitumtnous mines
today are running on part time or
are shut down because of an over
production of coal today. One million
tons of bituminous coal week over
the regular production would take
care of all domestic users OF anthra-
cite this winter. it is estimated.
"The situation Is not staggering TO
the public. We have been . assured by
mines there will be no exorbitant
prices charged, but that the operators
have pledged themselves to set price
level satisfactory to the government
this winter.
Price Not nm Issue.
1.-THE commission did not ask what
would be the price charged another
wear IL bituminous coal should be-
come a permanent substitute for an
thrac cite in part of the market now
belonging to the hard coal operators
That can be regulated by compeu-
"The report of the commission on
anthracite to the President in July
declared that the building up of sub
stitutes for anthracite coal would be
an insurance against the rising prices
of hard coal.
'The use Of substitutes for an
thracite has been carefully studied
by the fuel distributor OF Massa-
chusetts and other officials. There Is
no real serious Inconvenience. though
some discomfort perhaps in the use
of substitutes. But the lower prices
charged for the substitutes may be
a recompense for their use"
Is Optimistic.
Mr. Hammond declared that he
himself felt optimistic that an agree