Evening star., 1925-07-12
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| pensation to be paid to land and mine
| owners"
In order to bring about the fullest
| publicity, so that the people shall at
all times have full information about
| coal the commission recommended the
| creation of a Governmental author
! ity with power to require financial
| and operating reports, to prescribe
uniform methods of cost accounting
| and to determine the conditions on
| which coal may be shipped in inter
| state commerce"
Coal Public Necessity.
While the Coal Commission eX-
| pressed its opposition to Government
| ownership and operation of the coal
| mines as a solution of the problem.
| it did declare that anthracite Is
affected with a public interest which
| cannot be overlooked. In this con-
| nection the commission said:
Coal is quite as much public
| necessity as gas, street railway
service or any other service or COM
modify that has been brought under
| public regulation. There should be
no secrets from the public in regard
to mining costs, profits, salaries.
| wages or corporate relations. Banks
I and insurance companies are privately
|
perience that they can be managed
! more efficiently and economically on
| the principle of individual RESPONSE
| bility. But, like railroads, they are
required to report to a public althor-
| ity, and they are subject to such
regulation in the public interest as
| experience may show to be necessary
and public opinion may from time to
time approve. The guiding principle
in such enterprise is no longer maxi
mum profit to owners but maximum
service to the public"
| Competition Need Seen.
The Federal Trade Commission, in
| a report just made public has also
| made important recommendations
with regard to anthracite, urging. too,
| the establishment of a Government
agency which shall give the fullest
| publicity to production, costs, sup
plies. etc. The Trade Commission de-
| elared for greater competition in the
| field, holding that the production now
| is limited too greatly, with a result
| that supplies are kept down and
| prices kept up. AS a matter of fact,
anthracite is pretty closely held, with
| eight so-called company coal opera
tions-still affiliated with the rail-
roads, and about 100 more smaller
companies known as the ''inde-
| pendents.'
! The feeling is strong that with the
| fullest kind of publicity in regard to
| the coal industry. the force of public
! opinion would be sufficient to compel
/ the operators and miners to get to-
/ gether on their contracts without
| suspension of mining. An impartial
| Government agency to collect and
make public this information is re.
| garded as essential.
Sentiment Coolidge Weapon.
| The biggest weapon which the
| President has at his command today
| in any efforts he may make to bring
! about an adjustment of the contro-
versy over anthracite is the force of
public sentiment. 1t is a club which,
as President of the United States, he
may WELD with much effect. 1t is
| fully expected here that the President
will inform himself fully in regard to
all the details of the controversy. and
| If it becomes necessary. will act
promptly.
! Some $50 900 workers are employed
| in the anthracite field-a field that is
| contained in a small corner of Penn
| sylvania. But many of the people
| in the East and North have come
| to rely upon anthracite almost en-
| tirely for their fuel. Consequently a
| suspension of operation means a hard
! snip 10 fullllOIlS Vi the peOple llTOuSH
Hack of fuel and also through in
creases in prices of fuel. The price
of anthracite in the last IL years has
J gone up and up and up. In 1913 the
| average retail price of anthracite
stove coal in Washington and Boston
was $3.50 and $S.25 per ton. In 1928
! the corresponding retail prices were
| S15.39 for Washington and SIS for
Boston. The prices today in Wash
ington and Boston are approximately
! the same. In 1913 the average mine
price of stove anthracite was $3.50
! per ton and 10 years later this price
| had advanced to So to 1885 for com
pany" coal and from $3.50 to S11.50
! for independent" coal.
Price Virtually Doubled.
In 10 years the wholesale and retail
price of stove anthracite practically
| doubled, which is in line with the
| general advance in commodities, ex-
| cept that while the peak prices in
many other commodities was reached
during the war period or Immediately
! thereafter the prices of anthracite has
| continued upward. Wages and trans
! portation charges are given as the
principal reasons for the high price
of coal The Coal Commission two
! years ago recommended that the
| Interstate Commerce Commission
make a re-examination of the reason
ableness of anthracite freight charges
The public is interested generally in
! seeing that the mine workers receive
fair compensation for their labor. 1t
| is interested also in seeing that the
! owners and operators obtain a fair
return on their property and invest
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