Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-07
REORGAN|zED COAL
INDUSTRY NEEDED
New System Held Imperative.
No Matter Which Side
Wins Strike.

The coal strike in Great Rtli.bh
whether won by the owners 90 To-
the miners. will bring no solution OF
the problems facinR the B'.ijsn coal
industry. SlI,h - the '"A''uSton
rea ched by the institute 81 Economies
mere as stated by Harold q. MoultCn,
director.
Two members % the STAFF Dr.
Helen Everett and lsador l.uhin. have
recently returned from tnglan
where they have been studying The
problems of the industry for he
institute Their conclusion IS that,
Irrespective OF the outcome OF the
struggle. the British coal industry
must face thorough oNerha ming
nd, during the period of reorganiza
ZION. the British miner must accept d
CUt in wages.
IN acceptance of the mine owners
tAlIus-a reduction OF II per cent in
wages and a return TO an Gig hour
dav-would in itself bring 10 per
mauent relief 10 the industry IT
these terms are finally forced upon
the miners. another crisis may he
expected within a short tirae. ON
the other hand should the miners
win. mining costs would remain at
their present levels. and the industry
basis. While pressing for funda
mental reorga niZs hon OF the industry.
they refuse to give up either a PENN
or wages or moment Of time.
Coal Sale Limited
The crux Of the problem ut the mo
ment is that Great Britain cannot sell
sufficient coal To keep her mining in
dustrv alive. Though her production
has heap rlf-tailad b,- F., Hing 30 nd
80 the extent OF only - 000. 900 tons
since prewai days her coal exports.
which have always been the mainstaY
Of the Industry. have been cut by
% coo 000 tons This loss Of exports
has brought an important pait of The
industry TO the verge of bankruptcy.
Great Britain has been unable 10
meet the competition of German and
other coal in the markets OF the world,
in spite OF the fact that her mines
have been operat ting al loss for al
most two wears Seventy.three per
cent Of the coal mined in the last
three months OF 1925 was sold at an
actual loss. With decreased world
market for coal the competition be
ween England and other exporting
countries has become extremely Sc
we're. Coal has been accommodating in
every European coal producing coun-
try. waiting market
The owners demand for wage cuts
would result in the reduction OF costs.
Rut il is doubtful whether the reduc-
ion would be sufficient to offset the
subsidy Of about so cents "A ton that
IVES paid by the government 10 the
industry during the past nine months.
Even though some foreign markets
might be regained relief would be
short-lived
Should there be an increase OF an
hour a day. output would be in
creased by about 30000,00O tons a
wear In view OF lhe development n
the use Of oil ana hydro electric
power. the greater efficiency OF me
steam engine. and the increased pro-
duction OF ignite abroad. IL is the
opinion of the recent royal commas
aion on the coal industry that II is
exceedingly difficult 10 suggest where
the market for this extra output is
likely TO be found in the near future.
II hours were increased without IN
crea sed output. 10000 more miners
would be added 10 the already great
army of unemployed
Price Cut Bic Need.
The fundamental need is reduc-
ton in the price OF British coal. on
this all are agreed. The conflict CEN
ters about the question whether re-
lief should be sought through low
cred wages. increased efficiency on
both.
The industry needs iucrea sed Ell
CienCy Great BritpinS mines re
old: many OF tn" better seams have
been worked our: some of he coal
must travel as much as three miles
underground before il reaches the
Surface All of these things have
made mining Increasingly difficult
and expensive They have n""eSsi-
lated more labor in getting the pro-
duction from the face Of The tipple.
They have caused the production Of
the British miner 10 fall from 3l9
tons per man per wear in $50 10 2!7
tons in 1925
If these adverse factors We're over
come the British coal trade would be
considera bly, helped. But overC0m-
ing them means complete reOrean-
liza tion of the industry. 1t means an
amalSamat Of cOllieries ami the
adoption of large scale production 10
degree that has not. in the opinion
Of the recent coal commission,
taken place on any adequate
scale