The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-11
SECTION OF The TRADE UNION EDUCATIONAL LEAGUE

lucky coal here and | am advised that
Kentucky has almost entirely sup
planted Southern Illinois coal in this
market. However, as a matter of in
formation, this situation may be
somewhat affected by the fact that
fuel oil is becoming quite a factor for
domestic use. / trust that the infor-
nation herein outlined, which covers
the situation in general way, is of
value to you,
Yours very truly,
M. ]. Brion, Mgr. Traffic Bureau.
Here is Another Letter from
Decatur, Illinois.
January IL, 1925.
Dear Sir
Referring to your letter of January
~, am informed that the selling
price of Eastern Kentucky coal at
Decatur ranges from $500 to $500
per ton and Illinois coal from S5.25 to
$6.25 per ton.
Yours very truly,
M. ]. Brion, Mgr, Traffic Bureau.
The Riddle
In view of the prices people are
willing or are forced to pay for this
CHEAP KENTUCKY COAL" the
riddle is how much of a wage reduc-
ton must we miners in Illinois take
to force them to buy Illinois coal,
when scab coal is selling from $500
to S375 a ton higher than Illinois
coal. Before answering this problem,
remember that the solid price the
miner receives for ton of coal is
S1.OS and from that amount he must
take out all expenses incurred in the
mining of that coal.
At any rate the price you are re-
ceiving, (this awful war time wage
that the operators keep yelling about
would not cover the difference if you
gave it all back to him and some on
top of that. So much for this Cheap"
Kentucky competition. Now let's an
alize the reasons given by the gov
eminent for SUB-NORMAL DEMAND
FOR ILLINOIS COAL. The report
reads in part thus:
Illinois
January 10, 1925.
Market Conditions-General.
"The weather continues to be and
will probably remain for the next
three months the chief determining
factor of work time in all indepen-
dent mines in Illinois.
Suh-normal demand for steam coal
by industries heretofore served ex-
cIusiveIy by Illinois mines has been
quite notable throughout 1924. This
condition is NOT explained, or at least
totally, by loss Of business to compel
ing districts. To the contrary, close
investigation develops the following
facts:
A. Subnormal industrial activity.
B. Extensive and growing econ
omics in coal use.
G. Some substitution of other
fuels.
d. Very marked increase in the
use, by smaller industrial plants, of
purchased power from public utility
companies, and finally
E. The rapid growth of captive and
industrial output of mines.
The above facts submitted in this
government report cannot be contra
dicted as contributing to the sub
normal demand for coal, each fact
given is a story in itself, but should
be defined briefly in order to show
the effect it is having on the sub
normal coal consumption in Illinois.
Fact (A) Sub-normaI Industrial
Activity:
We see evidence of that in our own
state, even in our immediate vicinity,
factories and mills closed down or
work part time only. Government re-
ports shows that in the steel indus
try the recent summer, that furnaces
in blast totaled only 144, as compared
with 29S the previous year, and that is
one industry that uses considerable
coal. Shoe factories, textile mills,
many closed, some working part time.
This is nation wide, only such crafts
as the building trades and road build
ing have held their own and they
are small users Of coal. No one
doubts the statement of the govern
ment on "Sub-normal industrial ac-
tivity."
Fact (B) Economies in Coal Usage:
Experiments in properly firing boil
ers on locomotives and in the indus
trial has tended to economic in the
use of coal by industries and also in
buildings and apartments more scien-
tifcal arrangement of the heating ap-
paratus so as TO spread more heat
over a larger area with a smaller
amount of coal used. This causes
lesser demand for coal
Fact (c) substltutIons for Coal:
No one will dispute the fact that
electricity and oils are playing a pro-
minent part in displacing coal both
for transportation, manufacturing and
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