Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 208, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1919 — HEAVY CUT IN COAL YIELD BY CAR SHORTAGE [ARTICLE]

HEAVY CUT IN COAL YIELD BY CAR SHORTAGE

12,000,000 Tons Lost in Ten Weeks by Inadequate Supply of Cars. 600,000 MINERS PLAN TO ASK WAGE INCREASE Operators Tell Senate. That Radical Miners Are Trying to Install Soviet Methods in Mining.

Washington. Aug. 27.—Shortage of ?ars in tiie coal fields_has cut productlon of bituminous coa±_l2.ooo,ooo. tons In ten weeks and 1 firemens tobggfc tbout :t recurrence iff the coal famine >f 1917-18 unless checked without deny, according to testimony given by John Callaiuifi. traffic manager of the National Coal association, before the -enate committee investigating the •oal situation, at its first day’s hearng here.

"During the two weeks ending August 2. and 9,” Mr. Callahan said, “car shortage caused the bituminous coal mines of the country to lose approximately .S.9otHMM) tons of coal, enough to supply the entire state of New Jersey for ten monthsT The lossin ten weeks has been sufficient to supply all New England states fpr eight months.” Mr. Callahan decHtred that if there are not cars at the mines it is impossible to operate the mines to full time capacity. The shortage of cars had come, he said, at the time demand for coal is increasing, and at a time when railroad efficiency should be at a maximum. ; . .—-- "If the bituminous coaLoperators of the country are given sufficient cars to take away the coal they mine," Mr. Callahan said, “and if there are no labor disturbances to prevent the operation of their mines, they can supply sufficient fuel to meet the country’s requirements next fall and winter. If they are not supplied with more cars, there undoubtedly will be a repetition of the coal shortage of 1917-18, at least to some degree.” Shortage of cars is not the only threatening situation in the industry, however, according to Harry N. Taylor of Kansas City, president of the association, who preceded Mr. Callahan on the witness stand. The 600,000 miners employed throughout the nation are about to formulate demands for higher wages, Mr. Taylor declared. The more radical among the number, he said, were endeavoring to apply the methods of the—soviet government of Russia to the bituminous industry. If their counsel should sway the more conservative of their numbers and extremely radical demands should be made, which could not be acceded to, Mr. Taylor said he doubted if the operators “could mine a pound of coal.”

“To save the public from calamity,” Mr. Taylor said, “it will be necessary to overcome three things: First, that we do not have an extraordinarily severe winter; second, that the railroad administration move the coal in regular manner, and third, that by effort of the miners we produce at least 11,000,000 tons of bituminous coal weekly for the remaining nineteen weeksof the year.” This is more than has been produced In any one week during the year thus far v - ' ' All wage agreements between miners and operators, Mr. Taylor said, would expire with the proclamation of peace -by the president. The miners had already decided, Mr. Taylor said he was informed, in one section, to try to obtain a six-hour working day, as against eight hours now; a five-day week, and an increase in pay. They will meet in Cleveland, Ohio, September 9. he said, to decide on what demands to make of the operators, and there will be a Joint conference between operators apd miners at Buffalo September 25.

“If this convention of September 25 fails in agreement,” Mr. Taylor said. “I do not know whether we are going to be able to mine any coal or not. I' very seriously doubt whether we will, with that condition confronting us in the mining world. The situation is very serious. If that goes into effect there is little or no hope of overcoming a very serious shortage' of coal this winter and great suffering in the country.?

Miners were given a substantial increase in wages by the president during the days of the fuel administration. Mr. Taylor said, and it was not uncommon in many fields for the Industrious men, in times of full time operation, to earn ’sls a day or more but they are getting restless, he said. “Already the -more radical eleineut are determined to put into effect the soviet government of mines.” he declared. ~