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REAL ESTATE
AND
(Copyright, 1917, by The Record and Guide Co.)
NEW YORK, MAY 19, 1917
COMMITTEE ON COAL PRODUCTION TO HELP
SOLVE PROBLEM OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
UNDER the act of Congress approved
.August 29, 1916, providing that a
Council of National Defense be estab¬
lished "for the cooperation of the in¬
dustries and resources for the national
security and welfare, to consist of the
Secretarv of War, the Secretary of the
Navy, the Secretary of the Interior, the
Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary
of Comiiierce and the Secretary of La¬
bor," authority is given to the Council
to organize subordinate bodies for its
assistance and cooperation. F. S. Pea¬
body, Chairman of tlie Committee on
Coal Production, made the following
statement:
"Pursuant to this authority the Coun¬
cil of National Defense has appointed
Francis S. Peabody, chairman of and
with authority to appoint a Committee
on Coal Production, representative of
the coal producing districts throughout
the United States. It is the intention
that the members of this committee
shall act as chairmen of sub-commit¬
tees to be appointed by them in their
respective districts.
"The committee convened in Wash¬
ineton on May 9, at which time, in ad¬
dition to the members of the committee,
there were present Secretary of the In¬
terior Franklin K. Lane, W. S. Gifford,
Director of the Council of National De¬
fense and Bernard M. Baruch, Chair¬
man of the Committee on Raw Mate¬
rials, Minerals, and Metals, of the_ Ad¬
visory Board of the Council of National
Defense, from whom an outline of the
proposed scope of the committee's work
was received.
"In approving the appointment of this
committee and laying before it the work
that it was e.xpected to do. Secretary
Lane referred to the cooperative spirit
already shown bv the business men of
the country in this mobilization of the
resources of the United States. 'It
would surprise the nations of Europe to
know how intense is the spirit of loyalty
on the part of our business men and
capitalists. You are at the very root
and foundation of the great industry—
the war industry—that presents itself
on the other side of the water. Now,
there are two ways of dealing with a
Droblem of this kind. One way is by the
hearty cooperation of the men already
engaged in the industry. The other wiy
is by coinpulsion. My experience in the
Interstate Commerce Commission led
me to believe that the larger men in
the railroad industry had quite as much
vision as I had. and if I could show them
the importance of an occasion they
would try to meet it. So, instead of
resorting to compulsion, instead of tak¬
ing over mines and great operating
plants, we are endeavoring to put vou
men at your best. This war is a" chal¬
lenge to us.' ^
"The countrv at the present time in
the matter of its fuel production is con¬
fronted with a great emergency. Not¬
withstanding the increased production
of coal from practically every district,
the increasing requireiuents to meet the
needs of all classes of industry, as well
as for the comfort and welfare of the
people and the transportation of troops,
munitions, food, and other products, to-
.gether with the suDpIying of our allies,
?nd for our national protection—all these
demands are h'able to surpass the capac¬
ity of our mines unless the full coop¬
eration of the mining, transporting, and
distributing agents of this country is
secured. This emergency requires not
only the development of the highest
efficiency, especially on account of a
diminished supply of labor used in the
production of coal, but also in more
comprehensive methods of coopera¬
tion by the coal producers with the
transporting and distributing agencies,
so that not only a full production will
be secured, but also that this produc¬
tion finds its way over our railroads
into those centers where the most urgent
need exists.
If the demand for this product con¬
tinues to increase it mav be necessary
that active stens be taken to so far
as possible confine the distribution and
use of it to those activities which are
more nearly vital to the welfare and
protection of the nation. That this may
not eflfect an unnecessary hardshio unon
thp domestic welfare of our people it is
necessary to promote the closest co-oo-
eration, and because of the duty laid
UDon us to promote this welfare we
urge upon you that you cooperate with
this committee in its efforts to promote
the Ipreest production, the most equita¬
ble distribution, and the highest use
to produce the best economic results.
No doubt an emergency exists, but it
is the beh'ef of this committee that with
vour heartv support and the assistance
of the niiblic in conserving supply, suffi¬
cient fuel can be had to meet public
necessity.
Cooperation Essential.
"The committee believes that the first
essential toward an increased produc¬
tion of coal is a close cooperation be¬
tween mine employer and mine em¬
ployee, and inasmuch as the United
Mine Workers of America and the mine
operators in several districts have al¬
readv pledged bv joint resolutions to
the Council of National Defense, under
whom this committee works, and have
nominated committees, the services of
which have been offered to the Council
of National Defense to this end. we
now call upon the several committees
to use their best and continued efforts
to increase, in so far as they are able,
the production of coal for the public
necessities by keeping the mines con¬
tinuously at work, avoidino' labor dis¬
putes and unnecessary shutdowns. The
operation of well-established mines
should not be impeded and the sugges¬
tion is made and urged that the practice
of movincr miners from the mines of
well-established producing companies
or communities to other districts be dis¬
couraged, as this practice creates a
state of unrest and tends to decrease the
total output of coal, interferini? with the
stabilitv of the industry which is nec¬
essarv for the highest efficiency. An
effort should be made to instill in the
mind of thp individual miner and opera¬
tor, as well as the organized bodv, the
necessity of individual efforts and con¬
tinuous pprfonuance so far as work is
offered. The miner or the company's
representative who remains at work ren¬
ders as patriotic service as the man at
the front.
"The total production of coal through¬
out the country has been seriously cur¬
tailed bv difficulties in transportation ser¬
vice and unequal distribution of cars, re-
stiltinff in shortage in the number of cars
available for loading, as well as conges¬
tion in the avenv?? le£;ding to the points
of distribution. Operators are urged
that they pledge themselves to load all
cars obtainable in the shortest time after
the saine become available, and that they
further take up and urge their customers
to release these cars at the earliest pos¬
sible date after delivery so as to make
them available for further use without
unnecessary delay, and that all prac¬
tices such as unnecessary holding of
cars for reconsignment or other pur¬
poses be discontinued except when ab¬
solutely necessary for the public wel¬
fare.
"Transportation interests of this coun¬
trv have, at the suggestion of the Coun¬
cil of National Defense, formed a com¬
mittee appointed by the Council, whose
duty it is to co-ordinate and promote
the efficiency of our railroads and by
agreement with the heads of the various
railroad companies of this country the
general policy of their operation has
been delegated into their hands. It is
the purpose of the Committee on Coal
Production to work in the closest har¬
mony with the Committee on Transpor¬
tation and Communication. We urge
distributing interests, especially in the
centers of large population, in so far as
is possible to deliver coal to their cus¬
tomers along normal and ordinary lines
without creating unnecessary panic. We
urge in turn upon all such distributors
that information be sent to this com¬
mittee of conditions in such cities as
may be benefited by a closer co-operation
of all concerned in our effort to supply
all communities with their needs.
"If it is found that in any districts
. surplus coal is obtainable at this time
over and above the actual needs, it
should be divided as equally as possible
and stored in the bins of the ultimate
consumer so that the normal operation
of the industry so far as is possible may
be continuous, which will tend to pre¬
vent the necessary hardships which re¬
sult from an unequal distribution of coal.
".Already the centralization in the op¬
eration of our transportation lines which
has been vested in its committee has
proved of the greatest benefit to the
coal industry, and we believe that a like
centralization secured through this com¬
mittee on coal production in all such
matters as are furthered by the co-ordi¬
nation of all interests will promote a
still higher efficiency and be of greater
benefit to producer as well as consumer.
"Secretary Lane expressed to this
committee the desire of the Govern¬
ment that the business men of the United
States feel that the burden of carrying
on this war rests in no inconsiderable
part upon those who represent the
genius of economic and industrial life.
In meeting the present emergency you
can build for the future betterment of
the industry by stabilizing it along
sound economic lines. Hearty co-op¬
eration between mine-worker and opera¬
tor, and between producer and consu¬
mer expresses the best type of patriot¬
ism. The co-operation of the repre¬
sentatives of the Eastern semi-bitumin¬
ous coal districts in agreeing to furnish
the United States Navy with its next
year's supply on satisfactory terms pre¬
sents an example of the splendid spirit
which we believe will characterize the
coal industry as a whole. This is the
patriotic opportunitv for co-ordinated
effort and co-operative service to the
nation. Therefore, we feel sure^we can
rely upon your hearty support.