The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-21
Greater Production
 Of Coal Imperative
War Production Chairman Nelson Appeals to Labor and Management of 300 Mines to Increase Supplies

Washington, Aug. 21-Donald M Nelson, Chairman of the War Pro- duction Board today called for z war production drive to increase the output of hard coal to meet tht nations war and heating needs.
 The appeal was directed chiefly to labor and management in 300 mines in Eastern Pennsylvania.
 In asking miners and operators to increase production through la bor-management committees the War Production Board has the CO., operation and encouragement of the United Mine Workers of America Anthracite Industries, Inc, and the Coordinator of Solid Fuels.
 Below Capacity
 In recent years anthracite mines have been producing less than ca pacity. This is partly because of the growing use of fuel oil for heating and the lack of demand for hard coal. Even the first few months after our entry into the war, the anthracite industry did not receive immediate demands for war produc- tion. This is because a large part of the anthracite production is used only for space heating.
 However, as tn, German subma- rines campaign diminished the SUD- ply of oil to the East Coast, the de- mands for anthracite rose. By this time, many of the hard coal miners had gone into E'ar industries, which are especially numerous in Eastern Pennsylvania, and many of them had entered the armed forces. The labor unions in the region have been especially proud of the large per- centage of miners who have volun- teered.
 This loss of manpower has left the industry in critical condition A recent survey for the quarterly period ending March 31, 1942 made by the Office of Solid Fuels Coordi- nation of the Department of the h. terior showed that on that date there was already a shortage of A. 293 miners. This number has con- siderably increased since then.
 Insofar as the anthracite indus try is now mechanized, it would take time to train new workers and new workers are not available Hence the quickest answer to Amer ica's shortage of fuel is an increased production by the men already on the job.
 Army'S Needs
 Hard coal is urgently needed for almost all army cantonments. With an increased number of increases in sizes of Army Camps, a vastly greater amount of anthracite will be needed this winter, especially in the northern forts.
 In addition, hard coal is needed in greater amounts to keep war production factories in the East warm during the winter. When tempo ratures fall below certain points, marked drop in efficiency is noted in these plants. Some which have depended on fuel oil for heat in the past are now being converted to use coal. This situation is most critical in New England, which is farther from sources of fuel oil and where winter temperatures are se- were.
 Equally important in the war ef- fort is the necessity of keeping homes, especially the homes of war workers, comfortably warm. Many of the new houses especially the temporary houses, erected to house war workers depend entirely on coal for heat and many permanent hous- es have been refitted to use coal in- stead of fuel oil for heat.
 The need for larger production of anthracite is shown by the fact that tanker load of fuel oil is the heating equivalent of 15,000 tons of anthracite. That means for every tanker load of oil lost either by Nazi submarines or by diversion to con- voy uses the miners of America must produce 15,OOO tons of coal.
 The War Production Drive will function in the Pennsylvania mines exactly as 1t functions in other war plants. War Production Drives al- ready are in existence in six mines, chiefly in the copper mine district. It is in operation in more than 100 plants.
 Labor Management
 In each mine coming into the drive, labor management commit tee will be set up by the workers and