Evening star., 1925-11-15
COOLIDGE BEHIND
SOFT COAL DRIVE
Believes Strike Can Be Met
by Use of Substitutes
for Anthracite.

President Coolidge confidently be-
thracite coal strike can be met, il
not actually broken, by the America n
peoples more extensive use of sub
stitute fuel.
The Executive has expressed him
self to this effect on numerous occa-
sions while discussing the strike and
the possibility of suffering. because of
a shortage in hard coal. Substitutes,
such as bituminous coal, in the opin-
ion of the President, are the answer
20 the problem.
Because of the Presidents faith in
;his means of meeting the situation
this Winter. he has not permitted
himself to become unduiy alarmed or
panicky. With him II is not just a
matter of hoping and wishing for the
best. He mas been well advised as to
the situation; the amount of hard
coal on hand; the capacity of the bi-
luminous fields and the production of
other substitutes to meet the situa
ton since the cesSa ton of hard coal
production; the facilities for the prop
Ell transportation Of substitutes ani
the proper distribution.
No Suffering Now.
According to MIR. Coolidge's best in
fornla ton, there is no real suffering
now from lack of fuel. He realizes
that the severe Winter weather has
not arrived and that there is only
sufficient anthracite coal on hand to
last until the first of the year. if that
long Therefore the President, ac-
cording to intimates with whom he
has discussed the coal question. be.
lieves that it is simply a question of
L. IL i
tries who have always been welded to
anthracite coal as fuel to forget the
latter and seek relief by burning sub.
Stitutes.
The President is known TO he graft.
fled over the success which thus far
has crowned the efforts of the New
England governors to induce the pub
lie in that section TO turn to soft coal.
Only recently he highly commended
those who have been conducting New
England S campaign for soft coal. He
has been informed during the past
week that in other sections where an.
thracite has been widely used State
and municipal authorities We're con-
templating steps TO assist the public.
Star Campaign Praised.
During conference with the
President several days ago John Hays
Hammond of this city and Boston,
who was chairman of the fact finding
coal commission appointed by Presi-
ident Harding in 1928, 10 study the
bitumfnous coal strike, said that the
example set by New England in meet
ing the strike situation would soon
be followed generally throughout
those other sections where Athra-
cite has been more extensively used.
Mr.. Hammond said lat night. while
discussing the local educational cam
paign, that The Star and the local
coal dealers have undertaken some
thing that is praiSeworthy and ad-
mirable. He said there was not the
slightest doubt but what the local
compaign for the wider use of btu
mlnous coal Will be just as successful
as the one conducted in New Eng
land. He contends it is Just a mat
ter of weaving the public away from
anthracite. not just for the period of
the present strike, but for all time. II
is his opinion that when the house
holder and the public places and
manufacturing plants are properly
educated as TO the correct way to use
bituminous and to get the best results,
they will not go back to their old
love-anthracite.
Why should the public return tc
anthracite?" Mr.. Hammond asked
while discussing the local campaign
! The public will find out before Win
ter has passed that it gets as much
/ If not more, heat from bituminous
coal: that the latter is just as con
venient to handle, and that the ag
! gregate coal bill is smaller thar
heretofore.
End of All Strikes Sought.
Most important, if the public will
resort to this means of fighting the
! coal situation, there will be no emer
! gency, such as a real shortage, anG
there win be the satisfaction OF
knowing that it has dealt a blow that
will possibly mean the end of anthra
cite coal strikes for all time to come
The public must, soner or later
| come to the use of bitumious coal o,
! other fuel substitutes" Mr.. Ham
mond went on to say. "and 1t might
| just as well start now"
Washington coal dealers have lined
| up 100 per cent behind the campaign
| to teach the public how to burn bi
luminous coal without suffering
Continued on Page 6, Column 81