Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-24
soft COAL MEN ARE WARNED
OF ILLS CONFRONTING TRADE
Expert on Industry Advises Intensive Study
of Production Problems at
Approaching Conference.
is legal and what is illegal is not very

is legal and what is illegal is not very
clear.
Two factors are at work to overcome
inertia in the industry. First, public
opinion, stirred by the sufferings. by
the hunger strikes, in mining commune
ties, and by the fear that these bank
rupt communities provide focus from
which Bolshevism may spread, will en-
courage Congress to enact some new
cause of the great losses they are suS-
tanning, are forced to think about
methods of reducing losses and stabil-
izing their industry. On one hand
there Is danger of too radical legisla-
ton On the other hand. there Is the
possibility conditions will be allowed
to become worse before any concerted
action is taken.
Which will take the first step to re-
shape the policy of the industry, Gov
eminent authorities or mine owners?
provide a forum for the discussion of
the plans being advanced, and from
these discussions there might proceed
few basic principles on which at least
majority could agree.
Possibly 1t would be better II aSsocia-
tionS were formed in certain districts,
as the problems of one region are often
different from those Of another region.
These regional associations need not be
bounded by state lines, as there are
economic units which overstep govern
mental boundaries. In any case, If
there are going to be changes, reforms,
closer cooperation, new legislative pro-
grams, there should be some agency,
an economic council, some association
or committee or board at work which
would study the many plans and at
tempt to develop a rational system of
dealing with the tremendous problems
of the coal industry.
Coal Men "Individualistic."
There are reasons for believing the
era of absolute individualism In bust
ness Is at an end The coal men have
been the most individualistic of all
American business men. They find it
most difficult to surrender any part of
their independence and to enter into an
agreement or organization that means
yielding, in any degree, the control of
their business.
The Carnegie international coal con-
crosses have not been organized to
study the economics of the industry.
They are conferences of scientists,
made up of delegates of all the coal
producing nations. Their purpose is to
examine and discuss new methods of
utilizing soft coal.
The Carnegie Institute of Technology
organized the first international con-
ference on bitunninous coal in 1926, the
second in 1923, and 1t is now engaged
in perfecting plans for the third world
conference, which will begin Novem-
Der 16.
1t is impossible to consider new pro-
ceSses for using coal without consider
ing their bearing on the industry, so
one of the most tangible results of this
next congress will be to show the trends
in soft coal consumption by the prin-
cipal consumers.
A frank consideration Of some of the
most pressing economic problems will
be permitted, and it is hoped the in
dustry will be benefited. not only by
the scientific contributions of the con-
ference. but also that from the discus
sions there will be some progress toward
the sterilization of the industry.
Copyright, 1881, by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. 1nc)