Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-30

noiS procedure could not be adopted
in the western Pennsylvania and sd
joining fields until steps were frst
taken to put the industry on an eco.
nomic basis" Is conclusion Is that the
industry viii never recover without
drastic action" The Rochester Times
Union is convinced that 1.-The success
Of the Illinois code seems to be due to
its fairness, and to the fact both opera
80 that their rights can be adequately
defended"
The Connellsville Daily Courier ex-
plains that 1t is proposed to have the
miners represented at the next con-
ference" and AYERS that this arrange
ment should be satisfactory to the mine
workers, but it will doubtless cause
some OF the operators, who do not rec
ognize the union, to refrain from being
in attendance" The Courier is doubt
full as to the results. The Columbus
(Ohio) State Journal offers the pessi-
miSttc comment: ut Is our belief that
the contemplated conference will prove
as futile as its predecessors. In nut
shell, only two things can help the
industry from both miners and opera
tors StandpointS. and they are to raise
the price Of coal and raise the wages
OF the miners. Obviously, neither Is
possible. Soft coal got into its present
predicament because there Is too much
Of 1t available, too many mines and
to much competition. The State of
West Virginia alone is capable of sup
plying the entire Nations coal needs
for many years to come, yet q dozen
other States contribute their annual
output, until so much coal is available
SVN al f1Ak Iapan
ago forced price concessions as COM
petition expanded
"If the initial steps Of the men to
whom President Hoover has committed
the present task reflect their under
standing of its importance, soft Goals
worst crisis win hardly be eaSed by
their handling" says the Newark Eve
ming News, criticiEing the fact that -
call to Q conference without date, co1s
GLIDING with . question whether the
conference Is worth holding, forecasts
o half-hearted attempt to mend the
troubles Of soft coal" The Worcester
Evening Gazette regrets 1.-THE passing
the coal trade, OF men, and Of the ways
Of diplomacy, made him so influential
for good in the days when the anthra-
cite industry was almost as chaotic a.
the bituminous industry Is now" while
the Scranton Times thinks that 'if
Secretaries Lamont and Doak display
the proper vigor and judgment some
thing constructive should come out of
the conference"
The Uniontown Herald declares:
Obviously there develops these two
problems-companion yet highly dis
tinctive; i, elimination Of improbable
mines and pairing of potential produc-
ton to potential demand, q situation
which largely would take care of the
price requirements and consequently
wage scales; 2, the social service prob
lem, which demands that thousands of
miners and their families be placed
into other productive pursuits through
q broad program Of economic and in
dividual rehabilitation.
The Morgantown New Dominion siig-
gestS that the Interstate Commerce
Commissions decision 10 investigate
the prices paid for fuel In connection
with the railroads application for an
increase In freight rates offers an OPP
portunity for publicity in this matter,
and that paper adds: Coal associations
and individual operators will not be
wasting their time II they let COM
mission members know that they win
be glad to give any information that
they can. Whether they obtain any
immediate BENEFITS or not the public
hearing is certain to further create a
public sentiment that will eventually
demand better conditions In the coal
industry" -