The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-05-20
ny WILLIAM KENT.
d'ormcr 4. \. Congressman Prom
California;

one or the most complicated ana
altogether unsatisfactory items u
national expenditure IL the cost 81
coal All the problems that have
arisen have grown out q the fact
that the states ana the federal goy
eminent have parted with the Zee
simple title 10 coal The anthracite,
a comparatively small deposit. largely
located Ia Pennsylvania. has been
steadily advancing IA price. II has
been used 10 justify and make good
tremendous oyercapltaiiSation Of
railroads hauling the fuel It's meth
DDS % mining and handling has kept
IN depressed misery tho people who
have been doing the actual labor.
There has been waste. destruction.
great luxury nj the top. and great
misery a. tho bottom. II has worked
out into great social menace.
Tho speculative value o. the coal
IN tho ground haH continually IN
creased. The waste IN IS U.S. has
been inealculable. Year after year
early prices have been set for large
quantities. and large consumers who.
furthermore. have been able 20 pro-
tect themselves In their weiKhts-
prices that have assured profits 20 a
large unnecessary lot OF middle men
and AZ tho season has advanced.
and necessity for use has come on.
tho price has steadily been advanced.
HAULAGE CONSIDERED
ONLY FOR RAILROADS
Tho same thing Is true OF the
work IN widely scattered soft coal
deposits. made even worse by the
greater ineoherence OF production.
People have opened up coal mines
and estimated tho possibility OF prof.
table sales on low scala wages
Miners and their families have SGT.
tied around the mines. and. as (, but
natural, have endeayored 10 better
their condition 60 az least a livahls
standpoint.
But the whole system OF produc.
ton Il unorEanired and needless OF
economic law. The hauling OF the
coal has been regarded solely from
the standpoint Of profits TO the rail.
roads. and the hauis have had little
reference 10 distances.
I Whenever advernity hits n
mine. the first attempt n 10 lower
labor costs. while tho miners. under.
paid NJ best. Rro continually band.
inE together and working toi higher
wages. This means strikes. frecz.
ling and destruction OF industry.
Mine owners. however fair
and philanihropir they may be.
arr ground In the mil Of com
bination. monopoly. unfair busI.
ness practice, cxirasaEant meth.
DDS Of distribution-alwnys the
labor mt Tho bottom 4. subject 20
uncertainty Of employment. TO
miserable conditions Of living,
and always on the verge Of star.
WALTON. The whole system II
yilcIy bad. and there never has
been and never Will be but one
solution. and that u tho rctsn.
ton or the recovery Of fee aim.
pie title In the states or tire
1 f,t'sat kNthihAithts wan "a pNp
or leasing system. under which
unprofitablc mines win not OPP
crate. men VIII not be cucour.
aged 90 jcopardire their lIvcli.
hood In the experiments Of inIu.
dlcious Owners" and some re
gard be paid both TO transporta-
ton and marketing. In the In.
1 tercsts OF economy.
II was upon this theory that an
experiment was tried In tho Alaska
coal fields. an experiment which @
date has not been operative 20 any
large extent. but the theory was
clearly laid down. and unless We
have a succession of Albert b
Falls. the federal government win
doubtless hold on until the process