The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-17
COAL INDUSTRY
AGAIN OCCUPIES
CENTER STAGE
Zero Hour Hangs on Pas
sage by Congress of
Guffey Measure.
By JOHN T. FLYNN
Times special Writer

WASHINGTON, July 17.-Once
again zero hour in the coal fields
draws near. The existing agreement
ended April l. A strike was OIL
dered then for shorter hours, higher
pay. II was postponed to June Is
Then it was postponed to July /
As July approached little atten-
ton seemed to be paid to the immi-
nence of a strike of 100000 men. At
the eleventh hour the strike was pat
off again for another month. 1t
hangs now, in a measure, on the
passage by Congress of the Gufley
bill.
The coal industry is sick. 1t has
been getting sicker for years. In
1913 its output was 478,0O0,000 tons:
in 1888 it was 3S2 100000 tons. In
1913 it worked at 70 per cent ca
pacity and in 1881 at only 50 per
cent of capacity.
Competition Cuts Use
Why is soft coal used so much
less than in 1918? First. because
modern invention has made every
ton of coal one-third more effec-
tive. Second, because oil and water
power have stolen much of its
markets
The producer has seen his mar
ket dWindle and prices decline,
while competition within and with
out the induSry has grown keener.
The coal operator usually is &C
corded the role of villain IN the
piece. But there were mines in
1881 where coal cost 81 SO a .on
to produce while the operator could
sell it for no more than S109 ton.
He has sought to do two things
TO beat down his labor and to COM
bine to fix prices and limit produc-
ton.
On his side the worker has suf-
fered cruelty. He has never known
continuous employment In his best
year. 1918 war prosperity he got
but 249 days work. In 1882 he got
but AS days. The company some
times cheated him on his weight,
forced him to timber mines, cut
slate and do other things called
dead work" without compensation;
to buy at company stores and live
in company houses.
Many Plans Proposed
Many plans have been proposed.
Once a movement got under way for
OF the mines. An
other was for government owner
ship. but private operation. Then
came the NRA which permitted en-
plOyer combination to limit produc-
ton and fix prices. Now comes the
Guffey plan which proposes much
the same thing with an added de-
vice. Miners and operators believe
the way to get prices up and hence
wages higher is to limit production.
Production can not be limited I'M
less some mines are literally eX-
terminated
Productive capacity is 100000
tons a year Little more than half
that is needed. 1t is now proposed
that the government take a great
number of the high-coSt producers
out of the business by buying them
so that combinations to increase
prices and cut production may be
effective
But behind it all. whatever So
luton is reached, lies the necessity
Of finding work for 100000 men in
an industry whose markets are
dwindling The hope lies in getting
higher prices for the coal. But
higher prices for coal mean still
lower consumption and the rise of
GOALS competitors-oil and water
power. The GufTey bill may pass.
1t may afford temporary relief. But
it will be very ephemeral. In the
end the industry again will face the
problem of naturalization.
Copyright 1885. NEA Service Incl