Evening star., 1925-08-31
S5,Ol0,O(l1 BUYING
POWER IS CUT OFF
Heavy Weekly Loss to Mer-
chants in Strike Area-Train
Crews Lose Incomes.
BY j. {. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
WILKES BARRE, Pa. August 81
Anthracite miners began today to
charge many of their purchases in
stead of paying cash. That indicates
undoubtedly that they are outstanding
their resources, but 1t does not neces-
Sarily imply that the strike will be
long drawn out. Some of the mer.
chants say with considerable bitter
ness that on them up to a certain
point always falls the burden of flnan-
ing a wage dispute in the anthracite
field
4 Work in the mines practically has
ceased today. Most of the activities
consisted of removal of tools by con
tract miners and cleaning up of coal
already broken by the companies Re
tail trade was brisk throughout the
region, especially in sporting goods.
For a time at least the lay-off is re-
Earded in the light of Il vacation by
the men.
Big Cut in Buying Power.
Later the savings accounts in mine
country banks which have grown TO
excellent proportions in the last 2
years VIII commence to show DROP
Some of the foreiGn-born miners al.
ready are planning trips to their
mother countries. They will take their
savings with them. and some of them
Will not return. The buying power of
the district will be cut down approx
lmatelN S5,O0O,00O week when the
mines close down
Within the next few days the haul
ing OF coal by the anthracite carriers
VIII practically cease. Some railroad
shops already have been shut down
and the shopmen laid off, Crews en-
gagged in movement Of coal will suffer
similar fate shortly, since their
trains viii move on to SidincS until
needed later. The pay of these men
VIII cease temporarily. and they stand
10 win no wage increase by their idle
ness.
Spectators Are Active.
Coal supplies on top of the ground
undoubtedly are large. Conservative
estimates indicate that sufficient coal
now Is IN storage to carry consumers
through November, should suspension
last that long. In general. the large
operators have made no move to i'm.
crease the price of coal at the mine.
But dispatches today indicate that
Spectators in various cities have be.
gun TO buy up supplies in the hope of
nelng able to advance prices
The first indication of general ad.
vance came in the announcement
from some large dealers that large
quantities of coal are now in ''demur-
rage. and that if so held for 80 or
90 DAYS an increase of from 60 cents
10 Sl.20 ton would he justified to
meer demurraCe charges.
In the meantime, producers of
bituminuuS coal and other fuels are
preparing to take ADVANTAGE of the
opportunity to snatch at the anthra
cite markets. Mine owners Of central
PennsGlvania are preparing to shoot
Z.Ooo,oeu tons of soft coal q month
into Philadelphia and vicinity.
The suspension of work in the an.
thracite field of itself promises to have
comparatively no immediate effect on
those portions of the country indie
pendent of hard coal. But there is.
always the possibility that the dispute
Will spread. William Green. president
of the American Federation of Labor.
is member Of the United Mine Work
ers. He has heretofore been a leading
figure in the w2ge spuJes between
coal miners and opera ors.
So far he has preserved an absolute
silence as to what part he win take in
the present controversy. This is the
first real Situation which has con-
fronted the labor leader since he sue
ceeded the late Samuel Gompers. and
his knowledge of the coal situation
makes his position of extreme impor-
tance.
More Electricity Made.
The calling out of bituminous miners
would undoubtedly affect the. entire
country but coal men here pointed