The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-11-04

tricity for some years. 1t Is more
economical in that little section of
the country where the hard coal Is
mined. They have become rather
efficient in using it under boilers
in generating plants, too, being able
now to produce a kilowatt hour from
pound and a half of low-grade
anthracite. 1t took twice as much
back in 1919.
Another strange thing is that the
use of anthracite in power produc-
ton IS virtually the only market for
hard coal which has not diminished
IN the last few years. Actually it
has increased slightly. 1t is now
running about two million tons
year.
There are points about this situa-
| ton, which caused this study and
inspire optimism among the hard
| coal miners, which are interesting
In connection with the -fhole power
problem.
AS TO Freight Rates
For example, freight rates. One
OF the reasons why SO many folks
are skeptical about the success of
the big western power projects is
| just that. They figure that the man.
| ufacturer who goes to Bonneville to
get cheap power is going to run
into freight rates. Partly on his
raw material, but mostly on ship
ping his product two thousand odd
miles to where the consumers are.
It's not new story. Back in the
early '20's lots of farmers went
broke on irrigated land in western
| Montana. They raised potatoes and
shipped them to Chicago, consider
ably more than a thousand miles.
Potatoes are heavy-for their value.
Maybe the railroads ought not to
| charge SO much. But it's long
haul. So one hears lot about lin
termountain freight rates"
Now the fact is, as the bureau of
standards will tell you, that there
are more units of heat in a ton of
bituminous coal than in a ton of an
| thracite. And you can buy ton
of bituminous at the mine mouth
| cheaper than you can buy a ton OF
| anthracite.
But it is cheaper to use anthra-
cite to produce power than bitumi-
nous, if the production occurs in
anthracite territory. The answer is
freight rates.
Whereas right in the anthracite
territory there are all the industries
power salesman could ask, and
all the consumers for the products
Of those industries one could desire.
/ A Sore Spot
Apprentice training is one OF the
sore spots in the present business
management problem, but there is
little prospect of any corrective ac-
ton. There is plenty of lip service
for the idea of doing something
Of opening the door to employment
at the more lucrative trades to more
boys and young men-but union op-
position plus lethargy seems too
strong for the irritated employers
who suffer in times OF shortage of
skilled employees. Especially as
the employers have never put up
anything remotely resembling real
fight.
| In most skilled trades it is more
difficult for youngster to get
aboard the bottom rung of ladder
than it is for him to get into a very
exclusive Greek letter fraternity at
college.
Once the youngster has been
tapped for apprentice training, it
is fairly simple. Of course he has
to put in four years training be-
fore he is recognized as a mechan-
ic, palpably absurd in most trades,
and absolutely essential in none. But
by the same token he does not have
to display any special aptitude or
mental ability, or physical dex-
terity to master something in four
years which another boy would be
able to do in from six months to a
year-or he himself for that matter.
This has been the labor union
rule. Recognizing the need for more
skilled mechanics and for more
young men trained so as to take
care of the future, the government
stepped into the picture and set up
the Federal committee for appren-
tice training. This body has SOL
emily stood by the union require
ments-four years. frills, Greek let
ter tapping to get started, and
all.
Makes 1t Worse
But along comes another govern
ment agency and makes the situa-
ton still worse-for the small en-
ployer. This is the government en-
| ployment agency. Here is what has
happened again and again in the
| lact fayxy y,anufhc y,hns, Jaess;to I'll, q