Show OVER DEVELOPMENT IN COAL INDUSTRY LITY CAUSE Labor Troubles and Transportation tion lion Also Contribute to High Prices and Fuel Shortages According to Report W WASHINGTON Jan 15 By A. A P. P Instability I In ln n the th bituminous coal i Is tho the fundamental mining Industry I cause of or high nigh prices and the fuel tuel shortage which hat haa menaced the theL L I American people In rec recent nt I II I United States coal al commission commission com corn the years mission held today in a preliminary finding Investigation report of ot Its fact tion laid before congress Labor troubles transportation difficulties difficulties dif dif dif- and of at the Industry In mines and manpower to toa toa a 3 point where it is much larger than for tor necessary to supply public demand its product product product-It If operations were continuous con con- were were all three assigned as for the con con- amon among primary causes The exact bearing which these e have upon the existing situation the commission said It Intended to study in its further inquiry Regarding the possibility of or another general jeneral coal strike after aftel April 1 1 the report said the commission has ha i reason reason rea rea- son Mn to believe that an agreement willbe will willbe be reached in the near future that will avert any widespread cessation of ot I mum mine operations in union unton fields fields on April 1 V DATA WILL BE LIE PUBLISHED The commission added that Its work In promoting Industrial peace by as ascertaining hs- hs certa and publishing reliable data on wages earnings employment volume volume volume vol vol- ume profits and costs involved in coal production will proceed with that understanding Reference was made to the th exchange of ot communications between the commission miners miners' union officials and bond representatives of ot operators operators operators oper oper- which has lessened the danger of the strike prospect Six members of at the commission commission- John Hays Hammond chairman Dr George Otis Smith former fonner director of ot othe the he geological survey Clark Howell editor of the Atlanta Constitution former fonner Vice President Marshall Charles P. P N Nelll Neil and Dr Edward T. T signed Devine sI Devine-sI signed ned the report as us rendered rendered ren rca dered while Federal Judge wh se N-d N Judicial al nure has prevented Entel his qualifying formally for tor service a aa as asa a commissioner attached a tt m memo memorandum m approving the views s of ot his colleagues The commission was created bi by congress after the 1922 1022 coal strike to Investigate the entire coal problem ECONOMIC FORCES HAMPERED There have been hen so BO many and arid such complex factors operating In the coal C aI industry to prevent the free play of ot economic forces the report said In concluding that a I. I very detailed and comprehensive Investigation Is re required required required re- re before a valid conclusion can I be bo reached The Inquiry Involves the whole question as to what Is best for forthe forthe forthe the people people free free competition government government govern Jovern ment or private ownership regulation or control in the coal coat industry The problem Is of so great moment with reference not only to the theories of ot government but also alAO to the economic economic economic eco eco- eco eco- life 11 of ot the republic that the view lew of the commission must be left to Its final report There can an be no satisfactory agreement agreement agree agree- ment meat an as to wage rates and no lasting peace between ote operators tors and men unless steadier employment can be provided There can be beno no satisfactory toi- toi tory tOI solution of at our transportation n problem a as long as the railroads are I subjected to s peak loads of ot noal traffic at fit the season when the demands of ot sericulture and Industry ire re re at their height I PRIVATE RIGHTS INVOLVED The commis commission lon believes that the public Interest t in coal raises fundamental funds funda mental questions of at the relation of ot this Industry to the nation and of the thed d degree decree ree to which private m must st yield to public welfare It may be ba that both private property In an ex exhaustible tx cx- resource and labor In a Q public public pub pub- lic lie service e Industry y must submit to toI I certain In modifications of ot their private rights receiving In return certain I guarantees and privileges not accorded accord accord- ed to purely purel business or persons per per- sons song In private employ With Hh anthracite coal coat problems the preliminary report dealt only Search Search would continue it was wa said Mid Into the reasons ns which left len tho the United States though rich urich beyond all other nations In Its wealth of coal rEsources resources re sources sources with a national coal bin too often otten depleted with prices higher than seem warranted by the wealth I of ot coal roal available and with l general public con concern ern and dissatisfaction as asto asto to tn fuel supply PROFITEERING ADMITTED I There has baa been bean be n profiteering In the Industry In the Ule sense llense that grossly exorbitant profits have been taken at times b by man many operators brokers and nd I retailers profit profits that have been disproportionate din die proportionate to the tho co cost oost of ot tho the coal the report said in part parL but this commission com corn I mission has not yet et obtained the figurea figures figures fig fig- ures urea specifically required b by the tho act I In order to settle this qu question Uon A I thorough examination of ot profits Is already under way Runaway markets for tor coal In fri Ini i 1920 and 1912 1922 the commission conI continued continued con con- ton followed owed prolonged cessation of ot I mining operations due to dl disagreement disagreement disagree disagree- acree- acree ment between employ employers and emI em em- but high prices s Also abo ruled from I August 1916 to March 1918 and for that period sonic somo other explanation of the high prices and distress s must be found I The responsibility of settling dis dispute dis- dis put the report POrt remarked as to the I present labor Jabor situation rests primarily manly marily upon the Industry The Th commission com corn mission therefore warned miners and andI operators alike that the country looks I to them to settle their own disputes Contin a en u page pago 8 S. S OVER DEVELOPMENT Continued from page 1 1 and nd to reach an amicable agreement when the present contract expires MUST PROBE DISPUTES In the future it was added the commission would go into causes of ot the he disruption of Industrial relations that hat has so frequently hampered the conduct of the industry and the tho report report re- re port ort set forth claims and counter counter- claims of ot both employers and em- em em- em in reference to controversies In n West Virginia and Pennsylvania Inability y of railroads to transport coal coal produced reduced produced It added was has frequently been een suggested as ns a primary cause or of f scarcity and high prices and further furher further fur- fur ther her Investigation to be made In conjunction con con- junction unction with tho the interstate commerce cOmmerce commerce com cOm- merce commission was waa said to be necessary to allow a conclusion to be formulated on this point as aa well as aa asto asto to o the laBor disruptions Only by Investing money in a transportation system vastly in excess excess ex- ex cess ess of reasonable requirements the report observed on the railroad as aspects aspects aspects as- as may the people of the country expect the railroads to make up withIn with with- In n a few weeks the consequences o of the he Jive five months' months suspension during 1922 1922 of ot ota a a large lare part of coal mining mining MINES OPERATE DAYS In the o of the the indus indus- try ry the commission concluded was to toe be e found the reason for the fact act that bituminous mines mines' operated only days during the whole working year of 1921 when no strikes intervened This condition It was further found had tended to get worse in recent years for In 1890 its figures indicated that hat miners over the country worked days out of the th year The Investigation investigation had early disclosed It was added the existence o of too many mines and too many mIners Seasonal character of part of ot the demand for bituminous coal with consequent consequent consequent con con- sequent inequality of demand through the he the year for services of workers and of transportation equipment the possibility possIbility possibility pos pos- of storage in ameliorating these conditions and the necessity for studying methods of improving distribution die dis- systems were points emphasized emphasized emphasized sized as under study With all all all' of these hese avenues of Inquiry the commissIon commission commission com com- I mission Indicated it would deal more fully in the future |