The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-07-13
COAL STRIKE
WOULD BOOM
n. D. LIGNlTE
State May Be Called Upon
to Furnish Fuel For
Country This Year
PREPARATION is URGED
North Dakota Should Be
Ready to Meet Crisis,
Wilton Manager Says

"uSOll NAdltoSSl Gays
Fargo, N. D.. July 13.-tR-North
Dakota. with a third of the coal de-
posits Of the country, has a chance
to bring millions of dollaus into
the state this fall and winter, in
the advent of a national coal strike,
and should begin now to prepare for
this great emergency that will lend
itself toward diversification in
North Dakota, Major Stanley Wash
burn. war correspondent, soldier.
operator of the largest Ignite coal
mire in the world at Wilton, n. d.,
and president of the North Dakota
Coal Operators association, said
while stopping in Fargo over the
week end. He is on his way to Will
ton to take .over the management of
the mine. His personal attention is
required because Of the death last
spring of w. r. Macomber general
manager of the mine for rs years.
Mr.. Washburn, who has partlcipat-
ed in scores of battles, both as a
soldier and as war correspondent
for Chicago, New York and London
newspapers. and who has done every
thing from working for the Gar of
Russia to performing the duties of
aide de camp for American officials
visiting Europe. is member of the
well-known family in the NArthwest
that developed water powerOt Min
neapolis, founded the Washburn
mills in the Mill City, and builded
the branch of the 500 Line from
Bismarck north.
Talked With President
The authority of his statements is
backed by his recent long stay in
Washington. during which time he
talked with President Coolidge re-
garding development of the North.
west and with coal operators and
others, regarding the coal situation
He outlined the strike situation
as follows:
There are about 100000 anthraci ite
(hard coaD miners in the country
Contracts with these workers expire
August 1 and they. through the
unions, are seeking an increase OF
10 per cent in wages and the check
off. The check-off is the system
paid by "checking off" the amount
VI Vic uucS HUN IucII pay NHCChS
before these are issued by the min
ing companies.
There are about 100000 union
bituminous (soft coaD miners. II
officials of the miners unions declare
strike of anthracite miners be.
cause their demands are not met
the public will simply shift to soft
coal so that the strike would be use
less: consequently nationwide
strike of both bituminous and an
thracite workers would be necessary
to be effective for either class.
Strike Threatens
The country is therefore threaten
ed with situation exactly analogous
to that existing in 1922, Major Wash.
burn said. "Of course, l cannot say
that there will be a strike. But
there was strike in 1922, under
almost identically the same condi-
tions."
The injunction method Of prevent.
ing strikes was deplored by the
North Dakota coal operator president
He said that injunctions were meant
only as a restraint against harmful
acts, until due legal processes could
be taken, or until negotiations car
be furthered to solve some problem
President Coolidge, he continued
is powerless to prevent strike un.
der any existing federal statute. and
except through the moral suasion he
has,s as president of the United
States, he cannot. bring coal opera.
tors or unions to time.
"Therefore, you can readily see
that a strike is impending" he said
1--WE should prepare. We Apericans
are always this way: we wait until
war breaks out to formulate plans
for our guns and warcraft; we are
waiting until strike is called anc
then will cry for help. We should
help ourselves now while we are
able"
Should Store Up Coal
During the 1919 coal strike. North
Dakota's Ignite coal sold for as
high as $6 ton in Minnesota and
South Dakota. Major Washburn said
On about that basis, if North Da'
'kota coal men would start almost
Immediately to store up coal for the
strike demand. there would be about
$4,000, 900 coming into North Dakota
this fall and winter, he estimated.
1--WE can mine two and half mil.
lion tons, and North Dakota should
foresee the future and get this coal
out during the latter part of July
and during August and September
SO that if the strike is declared about
September /, we will be able to sup
ply the immense demand that IL
bound to" come up at that time. II
we do not have the coal on hand il
means overtime work, contests fol
cars to ship the coal in. and other
hold-backs on our ability to meet
any emergency"
Farmers are now enjoying some
thing of lull between their plant
ing and harvesting periods, and
should lay in their supplies of lig:
mite for the winter, as the general
public has been asked to do.
IF we are to advertise North Da.
kota's immense coal deposite and the
reasonable price Of the states prod.
uct, outside of the northwest, We
must be ready to meet q demand fol
the coal. We must mine enough te
take care, Of North Dakota's needs
Continued on page three)