Evening star., 1925-10-11
SOFT COAL SUPPLY AMPLE
TO WARM ENTIRE NATION
Wider Use as Domestic Fuel Urged as
Means of Fastening End of the
Anthracite Strike.

cite held. There are rev, II any, uses
to which anthracite is put where
and handled, cannot be used to
greater advantage. In the first place,
the fuel content of bituminous coal
Is higher than that of anthracite. In
the second place the popular belief
that bituminous coal cannot be burned
without the production of large
volume of smoke is unfounded. Even
though the anthracite strike should
be prolonged indefinitely, no house
hold will need to suffer for lack of
heat. and no industry will need to
close down for lack of power. What
ever hardship is experienced will be
due to the unwillingness Of consumers
to use available fuel"
Freight Rates Lowered.
In this connection it may be point
ed out that the freight rates on
bituminous coal, which represent
large part Of the cost. have been re.
duced by the Interstate Commerce
Commission from the Eastern fields
to New England. thereby making it
possible to ship soft coal by all rail
transportation. These new rates go
into effect October Is. The soft coal
shipped to New England now goes in
large quantities by water. necessitat-
ing loading and unloading several
times, which is hard on the coal, be-
sides being expensive.
backing up the assertion that the
capacity of the bituminous mines Is
greatly in excess Of the annual pro-
ductton, Mr.. Candy said that as long
ago as 1918 an actual production OF
57s,OOO.0OO tons set a record which
has not been surpassed, although a
large number Of mines have been
opened since that year, the big pro-
ductfon then being under the incen-
tive of war. In 1923 the output of
oituminous mines was 564 ,00O,0 900
tons.
AT no time during the year" he
said, was there any feeling Of pres
sure either upon the capacity Of the
mines to produce coal or upon the
a. aoiIty OF the railroads to transport
II. To take care of the coal needs of
the country to the entire elimination
OF anthracite would require an out
put OF only 25,000,000 to 30,OO0,0O0
tons In excess of that Of 1928, for the
1924 demand for bituminous called
for a production of only 483.000,000
tons. How small a burden that in
crease would impose upon the btu
mtnous industry may be judged from
the fact that in 1923. when the pro-
ductfon reached 564 100000 tons, the
bituminous mines. according to the
Geological Survey. averaged only 179
days of actual operation"
The great increase in non-union
mine production of soft coal has come
since the Jacksonville agreement was
made between the operators and the
United Mine Workers. The wages
then were continued on the high level
which had been reached during the
war and postwar period. The belief
was that the result would be to force
the weaker and less efficient mines to
the wall, and thus to curtail the num-
Der of mines. which admittedly Is
too large for the demand. But it
has had different effect. The con-
sumers of coal have sought to buy
1t where they could buy for the least
price, and this has been In the nom
union fields, where wages have
dropped. Consequently. the produc-
ton in those fields has mounted
higher and higher, while in the union
fields it has fallen lower and lower.
Bitumlnous Strike Unlikely.
In the opinion of Mr.. Candy, this
condition may well cause the Mine
Workers to hesitate before putting
| their power to the test by calling out
the union bituminous miners. Many
OF the union miners are today receiv-
ing the first pay checks they have
earned for months, and they might
be reluctant to give up their work
which has come back to them since
the shutdown of the anthracite mines
Furthermore, there is q large, un-
used capacity in the non-union mines
which would be brought into play II
the union mines should shut down.
In view OF these facts, the anthra-
cite miners and operators have q very
considerable incentive to settle their
controversy and open up the mines.
The operators realize that tho con-
sumers of anthracite cannot well
stand additions to the prices they
have been paying; that they Will
seek other kinds of fuel which may
be SO easily obtained, once they are
willing to accustom themselves to
soft coal, coke, etc. The report of the
United States Coal Commission shows
that Of every dollar paid by the con-
sumers Of anthracite. only IL cents Is
profit, of which 8 cents goes to the
retailers and cents to the whole
salers and producers. This, in the
view OF the commissioners, could
scarcely be considered exorbitant or
more than reasonable profits. If the
labor costs are to be increased the
increase probably would have to go
on the price charged the consumers, 1t
Is declared.
1t Is inconceivable that the anthra-
cite mines should be allowed to re-
main closed for an extended period,
with no use being made Of this val.
liable fuel.