Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26
Soft Coal Industry
Is in a Bad Way
By HARDEN COLFAy.

Whatever may come forth from the
senate investigation of conditions In
the soft coal districts where strikes or
iockouts exist, 1t is difficult 10 visualize
legislation which can cure the fun
damental economic illness of the
nuum!nous coal industry without a
form OF governmental paternalism or
private monopoly.
The plain fact Is that there are
TOO many mines and too many miners
under present-day conditions to make
we INDUSTRY. as whole. profitable
either for capital or labor.
from the humanitarian standpoint.
the inquiry by the Senate committee
on interstate commerce, which now
has subcommittee observing condi-
tons in Pennsylvania. and this week
plans hearings In Washington with
probably personal inspection tour OF
ONO and parts OF West Virginia later.
may result In something To alleviate
suffering and halt abuses OF power.
whether the ofrenses be by govern
ment. by capitalists or BY workmen
But. beyond the effect OF education Of
| the general public to conditions, no
results are IN sight to get at the roots
OF the matter.
Every time the Federal Government
has interviewed In labor dispute In
the coal fields Of the country higher
prices for coal have resulted There
have been Investigations before. and
no remedy for conditions which ad-
mittedly cause distress has come
forth, The present study Is heralded
as aimed at the social situation. but
| unless the economic factors are con-
| sidered anything which may be done
Will be OF merely transitory character,
| important temporarily and therefore
worth while but drugging rather than
curing the patient.
The market for soft coal Is sasging.
| 1t IN not only the unionixcd mines
| which are operating part time, but
the non-union fields are working far
below capacity. Soft coal is cheaper
| now than a year ago Consumption
, Is lower and stocks In the bins OF
consumers are large The Bureau OF
| Mines reports IS 500. 900 tons Of
| hituminous coal in the hands Of con-
| sumers January |, reduction of
100000 under the figures disclosed
by the October | survey. but an In
| crease of 500 900 above the figures for
the i,rst OF 1927. Consumption In the
last quarter OF 1927 was iih per cent
btloW lttt corresponding Hcttou OF
| 1925. due mainly to less industrial de-
mand. although milder weather also
caused deliveries Of retail dealers for
household use to decline.
Production Of soft coal from last
| April l. the beginning of tho coal year.
to February II aggregated %i0.aaS. 900
tons, which compares with b08.aSa.oO
In the corresponding period at l9ad-27
and 40d. 61i 900 In l0aS~aB. The output
Of anthracite coal also IL on this year.
due to slack demand. totaling 70.&0i 900
tons from April Ia February II. con
traated with 900 IN the cor
responding period of the preceding coal
year, There Is no labor trouble In the
hard coal fields. II may be noted. this
area being completely mionised,
=
The United Mine Workers ot America
called It's men from the mines In prac~
tically all Fields where II has n footing
last April |. due Ia failure To agree on
II new wage contract with the expiration
OF tho Jacksonville agreement. made
three years before. Previously sotne
operators had locked out the unlon
Contracts have been made by the union