Evening star., 1928-03-05


Tomorrow the Senate interstate
commerce committee will begin an
inquiry into the soft coal situation.
Assisted by report from four of its
members who obtained a flrst-hand
knowledge of conditions in Pennsyl-
vania. the committee hopes to find some
OF the underlying causes of what ails
the coal industry. Generally speaking,
these causes are pretty we'll known.
There are too many mines. too many
miners. overproduction and too much
y cut price competition among the opera
tors. The committee. however will delve
into the acute labor situation resulting
from the determination of some opera
tors to break away from the closed shop
principle and will sift charges that the
railroads have joined the operators in
fighting organized mine labor. Sectional
politics. use of injunction by the courts.
railroad rates and other matters relating
to the sick coal industry will come in
for discussion. Some interesting facts
will be divulged.
But the country as whole must be
fairly tired Of talking about what is
the matter with the coal industry. Many
believe the time is rapidly approaching.
Is perhaps already here. when the Fed
eral Government must stir itself to find
q cure. The Presidents Coal Commits
sion spent more than a million dollars
and compiled valuable and exhaustive
statements relating TO the trouble with
the coal industry. But it decided that
the cure must come from within the
industry itself and that the least pres
sure by the Government the better. Less
government in business is a popular
fetish and one which is worthy of
worship. But the coal industry needs
government more than anything else
It seems unable to supply this govern
ment. Government from the outside
may be the only remedy.
Naturalization of the coal mines is
out Of the question. Government con-
troll Of the coal industry is not. We
have Government control of the rail-
roads, Government control of banking
Government control of insurance and
Government control, direct or indirect,
OF business practices through legislation
enforced by the Federal Trade Commis-
sion. How long can the coal industry
expect 10 escape such regulation, espe-
cially when the need is so evident?
Secretary of Labor Davis has favored
the selection Of a czar for the coal
industry. chosen by the industry itself
70 rule il with an iron hand Others
believe that legislation might be enact
ed 70 permit combinations and price
agreements among the operators. Some
favor leaving the problem alone Alto
gether and finding its solution in the
memorable workings Of economic laws.
There has been the suggestion that all
coal operators agree upon a proper
standard Of living for their employees,
thus fixing a basic production cost and
building upon that foundation. But
what good are such suggestions unless
there Is accompanying and definite
action? The coal industry. over a long
period Of years, has been getting sicker.
II seems headed from bad TO worse.
Those Who advocate Government con-
trol would approach 1t through the
general principle Of railroad legislation
and Set Up some agency comparable To
the Interstate Commerce Commission
with lis powers 10 regulate prices. 70
bring about consultations and 10 control
competition. The correc. solution Will
not be found in a day, or In a year but
the interstate commerce committee Of
the Senate has worthwhile goal, and
one Tia. should be more concerned With
finding permanent cure than Of ex-
posing the various rnaiacies with which
tie coal industry Is afflicted.
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Liquor az dealt In by bootleggers has