Evening star., 1942-09-08
Coal Industry Sure
Can Keep Nation S
Bins Full This Winter
Loss Of Monpower
Raises Doubts for
Outlook in 1o43

By Wide World.
The Nations huge. spravling Goa,
industry is confident it can keer
Americas coal bins filled this winter
but it isn't solsure about next year
Current production of some H.
900 900 tons week is adequate, coaI
men say, to meet all anticipated de-
mands this winter Record stoci
piles have been built up and nc
| transportation bottlenecks are fore
seen, If consumers continue to get
in their coal supplies right away.
And yet while the once prostrate
industry enjoys its greatest boom
in two decades, warning signs have
appeared which coal men fear may
portend serious trouble for the 600,-
600 men who work in the mines,
trouble for millions of Americans
who depend on coal for warmth
and trouble for war industries which
rely on a steady supply of coal to
keep operating.
Loss of Manpower Serious.
During the last 10 years there
has been widespread mechanization
of coal mines. With most of the
mines operating near capacity, coal
men are wondering how long the
mining machinery will stand up, and
where they are going to get replace
ments when 1t breaks down. This is
all heavy machinery that requires
steel and other critical war ma
terials.
But the most serious threat to the
industry at present, coal men say, is
continued loss of manpower to rival
industries and to the armed forces.
Estimates OF the number Of men lost
by the mines to these fields range
up to $4,000.
Out of total OF 600 900 miners
employed by the industry, this num-
Der may not appear to be a serious
loss, but industry leaders say those
$4,000 men, for the most part, were
young, vigorous, experienced miners
needed to operate and repair the
mine machinery-they were the
electricians, the machinists. the
power machine operators, the black
smiths.
They can't readily be replaced by
older miners who learned their
trade before the rapid expansion of
mechanization. 1t takes young,
alert and physically fit man to
operate mining equipment, just the
kind of men wanted by the Army
and rival industries.
Miners Are Inducted.
"The Government will soon have
to make up its mind whether 1t
vents these draft-age men in the
mines or the Army" said John
Battle, secretary OF the National
Coal Association, which represents
the bituminous producers of the
country.
1--WE can't maintain production at
high levels If our best men are
drained Off"
Government agencies are aware
Of the situation. A special industry
committee recently conferred with
Mai. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, selec-
tive service director, and with
officials of the Manpower Commis-
sion.
Gen. Hershey has advised State
selective service directors to defer
necessary men" in the mines, but
coal men declare local boards con-
tinue to induct miners. They point
out that in some mining communi-
ties in West Virginia and Ken
lucky every able-bodied man is a
miner. When local boards fill draft
quotas, they take the best men out
OF the mines.
K. G. Adams. editor of the United
Mine Workers Journal, protested
that selective service officials were
not only repeating mistakes of con-
scription in the World War, but are
going beyond them to greater and
more senseless blunders."
Full Effect Next Year.
II the mines are to maintain full
production schedules necessary tx
keep the Nations war industries op.
Grating, he argued, key men mus
be exempt from military service
and left to work in the mines.
Because of the large stock pile!
that have been built up and tht
production schedules maintained
during the summer, coal men sa,
the full effect of this drain on man
power and the possibility of break
downs in mining and transportation