Anthrofright

When anthracite coal hit a production peak of 99,611,811 tons in 1917, the industry was Pennsylvania's No. 1 source of income. By 1932 it was her No. 1 headache. Of last year's estimated 48,800,000-ton output, about 8% was cut from abandoned workings and peddled by some 10,000 bootleg miners. Otherwise unemployed, they made an average $19.50 a week, undersold legitimate producers as much as $2 a ton. On the ropes from soft coal, oil and gas competition, high freight rates and depression, producers were in no shape to fight back. State or Federal regulation threatened to stop the fight.

Month ago the threat was stayed. Into effect went the Anthracite Emergency Program of Pennsylvania's red-haired Governor Arthur H. James. Its terms: 1) each producer to be allotted a percentage of total production based on his average output for the last few years; 2) a James-appointed committee of three producers, three miners, three State officials to supervise the plan; 3) a board of 14 producers' representatives to recommend weekly production quotas for the industry; 4) the agreement to be voluntary for all signers.

With 98% of legal production signed up, the first week's quota was set at 960,000 tons. It was slightly underproduced. A break in the cold spell sliced the second week's quota to 480,000 tons. Producers filled their quotas and shut down. Returning cold weather upped last week's quota to 720,000 tons. Again producers toed the mark.

If they continue to observe his voluntary program, Governor James figures producers will gain by: 1) more annual operating days per mine; 2) stabilized employment in working all mines the same number of days; 3) an equal opportunity to regain markets lost to competitive fuels. As for the bootleggers, the Governor hopes they will ultimately be absorbed by stabilized legitimate producers. This pious hope gains strength from the cooperative policy of neighboring States (New York. New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware), which have already narrowed the 'leggers' markets by import (stolen goods) restrictions.

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