Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-08-29
PERTAINING TO OUR FUEL

: PERTAINING TO OUR FUEL
Users of anthracite, who pay the
bills. can't expect to understand all
the ms and outs Of the hard coal
strike. But they pay enough, in all
conscience, to excite their curiosity,
though it may be doubted whether
that is as keen nowadays as 1t was
several years ago. Certainly there
is no occasion for them to waste
synpathy on the contestants. The
owners of the anthracite mines have
been getting rich reward for their
leases; the operators are sufficiently
strong to assert their own rights;
the miners have an overfiowing sup
ply Of war funds in their treasury
and mono Of their dependents have
been suffering while they have been
working at good wages. If coal con-
sumers have any curiosity it better
be applied to ways and means Tor
getting along without the use of an
thracite for fuel There is every in
dication that the Government will do
what it may to aid in this; that
competent observers are of the opin-
ion that what with the big surplus
of anthracite already on hand and
the production that may fairly be
expected of the non-union soft coal
mines, the supply and appliances for
heating with oil. fuel famine is not
impending in this country. This, not
withstanding it is suspected that
Lewis, leader of the strikers. is en-
deavoring to promote this apprehen-
sion and sellers of coal by raising
prices are ready to contribute their
aid to panic.
Let's temper our apprehension by
watching the policy of those at the
helm of our governmental affairs.
Here is a statement respecting the
Presidents attitude as revealed by
those supposed to know:
'The Federal Government is not
concerned with an anthracite strike.
The American public is it's concern.
The operators contend they can meet
the demands of their consumers"
And here are some of the supposed
facts that support that attitude:
mo less than IS per cent Of the an
thracite for next winter in the North
west has been delivered to the Lake
ports. 1t is in the barges. Figures
on the New England demand are
equally impressive. Statistics on
Pennsylvania and New York domes-
tic consumers-the last to be served
are not available here. The op-
orators contend they will not want"
One feature of the situation has
been fairly clear from the first; that
is the evident desire of the miners
il not of the operators to involve
the Government in their quarrel.
Whenever they have succeeded in
doing this they have secured conces-
sions. They are very anxious to
compel the use of the check-off sys-
tenn by which the employers collect
union Dues, whether those are to be
used to hight for the Herrinites or to
unionize the non-union mines. 1t is
a fact that the members do not pay
their dues as well unless compelled
to do so under the check-off system.
Furthermore it is evident that con-
ditions have been shaping toward an
ultimate struggle between operators
and miners, that while they may
have hoped to tide over this year by
means of Government interference
they are conscious that an ultimate
struggle impends. Notwithstanding
unionism is firm in the anthracite
industry it is weakening in the soft
coal mines. 1t will be recalled that
some Of the capital Of railroad un-
ionism was invested in the mining
of soft coal. that at last it faced the
alternative of paying nonunion wag-
es or closing the mine and chose the
former alternative. The operators Of
union mines are charged with break
ing the Jacksonville agreement re-
specting wages, on the ground that
it was necessary to do so in order to
continue mining. AS things are only
$50 Of the 400 soft coal mines in Ill
inois find it profitable to work and
10000 miners in that State are idle.
The unionized miners Of soft coal
have made desperate but unsuccess-
ful efforts to whip the non- union
mines into line. This may again be
attempted as the demand for soft
coal increases under the shutdown
in the anthracite region, The wis
dom Of securing our winter fuel well
in advance, unless prices rise to pan
ic pitch, is obvious. Also it would
be well to inform ourselves respect
ing the best methods Of using soft
coal. AS yet we see no good reason
for raising the prices. although that
may be apprehended.
The impression gains ground that
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