The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-07-13
BITUMINOUS COAL PLAYS
CHIEF PART IN INDUSTRY
Few Realize What Depression
Means To This Industry

Few folks realize the roles winch
the productions and distribution OF
bituminous coal play in the national
business picture. Because of the de-
preston in the industry, brought
about in no small measure by the en-
croachment of rival fuels, half mil
lion men, particularly miners and rail-
road workers, and including thousands
who were engaged in furnishing sup
plies, machinery and other material to
the mines and mine workers, have
been showed out of the picture. I'm
less proper price relationships between
coal and rival sources of energy, oil,
gas and hydro-electric are estab-
lished by the National Recovery Ad-
ministration, the purpose of the In
dustrial Recovery Act, namely, to put
men back to work, would unquestiona-
bly be defeated should the bituminous
, industry be included in the proposed
code program.
The industry as a whole, and every
where, is working energetically to de-
velop a plan that will fit in with the
policies of the National Recovery Ad-
ministration and to formulate an
equitable code. A code without that
price relationship would not only be
inequitable but would obviously de-
feat the purposes of the act, as the
per cent of labor employed in the pro-
duction of the competitive sources of
energy is negligible and these sources
of energy, without controlled prices
would run away with the bituminous
market and throw several hundred ad-
ditional thousand men out of work.
J Although no accurate figures are
obtainable, it is conservative esti-
mate that about a half million men,
mine, railroad and other workers, have
been thrown out of their jobs within
the last fifteen years because Of the
encroachment on the bituminous mar
ket of rival fuels. Also, according
to conservative estimates, the average
is four dependents for each worker,
which means that about two and one
half million people have been affect
ed. Should the code program of the
National Recovery Administration be
carried out without due protection
to the present workers, it is conserva-
lively estimated that, within a COM
paratively short period 100000 now
engaged in the mining and distribution
of bituminous coal would be thrown
out of that employment, which would
effect a total of half million or more
people. That is not the purpose of the
National Industrial Recovery Act.
One of the main detectives of the
codes of fair competition provided
for in the National Industrial Re-
covery Act is the increase in pur-
chasing power of the laboring popula-
ton. This is to be brought about, it
is proposed, through a shortening of
hours, which will necessitate the en-
! ployment of additional labor and thru
the establishment of minimum wages,
which will increase the earnings of
labor. The inevitable result of these
changes will be an increase in the
cost of production of commodities to
which the code applies, which, in turn,
will necessitate an increase in selling
prices. In the case of different COM
modities competing in the same mar
ket these changes may seriously alter
the competitive position of the differ
ent commodities, reducing the con-
sumption of those whose costs are
most enranced and increasing the
consumption of rival commodities un-
dergoing less increase in costs.
| This situation is particularly seri-
Gus with reference to bituminous coal
and its rival sources of heat and pow
err, petroleum, natural gas and hydro
electric generation. Since the war
these competitors have been steadily
encroaching upon the market for BIZ