The midland journal., 1946-11-08
LOOKING
! AAE4D
BY GEORGE S. BENSON
N PresideKt--Hardike college
SearrE Arkaksas
Government Coal

AAA AIiA6AeAANt ttiG SONClihilCAAb now
owns the coal mines. The mines
were taken over by the government.
There. it is known popularity as
Naturalization" and the coal in
dustry and it's mines are not expect
ed to be returned to the former own
ers at any foreseeable date. For
mer owners were given government
bonds bearing low rate of interest.
Under this plan the smaller stock
holders could cash out their inter-
ests if desired, but it is very difficult
at this time for the larger holders
to exchange their bonds.
English coal mining has faced
many difficulties in the past. The
industry got underway long before
any mining machinery was devel-
oped, and some of the mines have
never adopted modern methods. In
many, the vein depth has such wide
variations that an uneven floor has
been created, making it difficult to
put in modern conveyors. Some
mines are deep, some are shallow.
To modernize and keep them oper-
ating at the same time, would re-
quire sinking many new shafts.
Hindrance Factors
Londoners say these factors kept
private owners from undermining
to greater degree in the past: (D
Labor opposed it, fearing not enough
jobs would be left, (2) Numerous
government regulations retarded
progress and hindered moderniza-
ton, (3) Limited profits and high
taxes made it hard to get reserves
needed to pay for modern equipment,
and (4) Uncertainty with regard to
the issue of government ownership,
about which there had been con-
stant agitation since World War I.
Owners rightly saw no expediency
in making large expenditures when
there was threat of losing control
of the investment, not knowing what
type of remuneration they might ex-
pect.
Although the conditions set forth
to justify the naturalization of Eng
lands mines are non-existent In
Americas coal industry, where
equipment is modern and produc-
ton efficient, these four distractions
to progress have presented them
selves in various shapes to plague
and sometimes to stall our own in
dustries. We must come to realize
that these factors which limit our
progress could in time bring the
same sort of naturalization"
which now retards Britain's indus
trial progress.
No Success Net
Has the new system given Eng
land the coal she wants? The an
swer is: No. Output per man-hour
has not held up-much less inn
proved-under the labor govern
ment and naturalization. All meth
ods of recruiting adequate labor
have failed. The month of May was
one of the best, with nine-tenths of
one ton produced per man per day,
but since May the average has de-
creased. This figure compares poor
ly with an average of more than five
tons produced per man-day in
America.
The Minister Of Fuel, Mr.. Shin
well, has just warned that "there
may be some stoppages in industrial
undertakings this winter" He esti-
mates coal reserves in Britain at
the start Of winter will be 100000
tons below the safety margin. Re-
ferring to naturalization, Mr.. Shin
well said: eff under the new pro-
gram, the industry proves to be a
failure, and doesn't secure the coal
we need, 1t will be a bad outlook
for the whole country" So far the
outlook Is bad. i,