AMERICAN COAL OUTPUT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16415, 8 January 1919, Page 9

AMERICAN COAL OUTPUT.

f PRODUCERS' ANXIETY. Bituminous coal producers seem to be more alarmed over the price question than aDy other class of producers who have been stimulated to increased production to meet war necessities, saye an American paper. They fear that they arc confronted by an imminent slump in prices. Thoy have conferred with the Fuel Administrator. and have made definite emorgcncy relief suggestions to him. They have appointed nn Exports Committee to consider the possibilities of foreign outlets. There are optimists among the coal men, but the pessimists seem to be in the majority just now. The way they look at the situation is that the United States is now producing about 120,000,000 tons of soft coal above the normal output. The coal operators have been putting out this immense additional amount of fuel in response to jnaximum prices, which have unquestionably allowed exceedingly liberal profits to the good mines, and eome profits to the poor ones. Thousands of new mines have sprung into existence, the capacity of old ones has been increased, and there will be a strong tendency for the output of coal to continue at not far from the present rato. But the maximum price Ims been maintained, simply because tli.i natural economic pressure would have made the price considerably higher. It is a substantial fop, but there is no bottom below. The pessimists foresee a collapse in demand with the signing of the armistice. an immense surplus of coal on hand and accumulating, and a debacic of prices. They look now with envy at the wheat farmers, who have a guaranteed price for their product— price that must be made good by Government purchase of all wheat that is ordered at the established price. So the coal men, liko all other produces? who have been operating under artificial conditions during the war. are anxious to know what, if any. are the Administration plans for supplementing legislation to cover the twilight period between war and normal peacc conditions.