The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-06-17
COAL: A CASE FOR CONTROL

Two news stories in a recent issue of the Mon
tor carried pointed illustration Of the demora!zed
situation in the coalmining industry Of the United
States.
One mad to do with the growth of "hootleg"
coal industry launched by Individual unemployed
miners which now supplies at cut prices from , TO
10 per cent of the anthracite used in the country.
A somewhat similar development has taken place
in the bituminous fields
The other article related the findings of Gov.
Ruby Laffoon's special commission investigating
labor unrest in Harlan county, Kentucky. Charg-
ing suppression of free speech and assembly, OF
preston of labor, beating Of union sympathIzers,
dynamiting Of homes and reprisals against
churches, the report declared conditions almost
unbelievable in free and democratic nation. "
1t has been well recognized for a number Of
years that in view Of the rise in of petroleum
and Of water power. the cOal-mining industry IS
continually overproduced and overmanned The
pressure of sharp competitive conditions and low
selling prices for coal intensfes in turn the pres
sure of difficult labor conditions.
The Gufey bill pending in Congress proposes to
set up regulatory commission for the sofs Goa
industry, authorize purchase Of $300,000.Oo0
worth of coal lands as a national reserve and pay
this off over period Of years by a tax o. D l-2
cents or less per ton of coal 1t would permit price
control and guarantee rights Of employees to bar
gain collectively.
/ The intended treatment of the problem IS some
what similar to the basic phases of TIE Ad-
ministraton's agricultural program. Each recog-
nizeS that the oEly lon9-range cure for overpIo-
duction is retirement Of marginal lands, putting
them back into the national domain where they
were before overexploitation took place. There
are factors of similarity also, to the ''rationaza-
ton which old coal-producing areas in Europe
found necessary after the war.
Objection is made that price and wage fixing in
one corner of the economic structure tend to
spread and gradually to compel the dictation Of
all prices. Whether this follows depends largely
on the wisdom Of the commission and the indus
try. If the board recognizes it's true function of
helping TO adapt the industry to market conditions
as it finds them and TO the needs of the consumer,
instead Of merely boosting prices, it may accom-
plish much. Public utility prices are regulated and
strong industries have their unofficial price-fxng
which IS less salutary than this might be- Expert
ence abroad shows that cartels of producers have
disruptive as well as cohesive forces within them.
| With NRA broken down and in most cases I'M
lIamented, there yet certain depressed indus
tries which need steadying hand Even moderate
lcrincs Of NRA conceded that there might be some
treason for undertaking to regulate (D national
rather than local industries; (2) industries in de-
pressed or emergency circumstances; (3) natural
resource industries to prevent waste The coal in
duStry qualities each one of these counts as
one IN which to try out effective regulation ON q
practicable scale.-Christian Science Monitor.