average working year
is under 200 days. In 1917 the miners of New Mexico reached an average
of 321 days, and in the largest field, the Raton field, it was actually
336--probably the record for steady operation.

This short year in coal-mine operation is due in part to seasonal
fluctuation in demand. The mines averaged only 24 hours a week during
the spring months. The weekly report of that date showed that 80 per
cent of the lost time was due to "no market" and only 15 per cent to
"labor shortage," while "car shortage" was a negligible factor. In
contrast with this should be taken the last week before the strike, when
the average hours operated were 39 and "no market" was a negligible item
in lost time, while "car shortage" was by far the largest item. It
follows that the short year is a source of loss to both operator and
mine worker and is a tax on the consumer.[2]

With substantially the same number of mines and miners working this year
as last, the accumulative production for the first 10 months of this
year is 100,000,000 tons less than that mined in the same period last
year. This 25 per cent loss in output means that both plant and labor
have been less productive, and, in terms of capital and labor, coal cost
the Nation more this year than last. For in the long run both capital
and labor require a living wage.

The public must accept responsibility for the coal industry and pay for
carrying it on the year round. Mine operators and mine workers of
whatever mines are necessary to meet the needs of the country must be
paid for a year's work. The shorter the working year the less coal is
mined per man and per dollar invested in plant, and eventually the
higher priced must be the coal. It is obvious that the 264 short tons of
coal mined by the average British miner last year could not be as cheap
per ton as the 942 tons mined by the average American mine worker,
backed up as he was with more efficient plant. (A proud contrast!)

It would clearly appear that the coal business may be stabilized, not
wholly, but in a very large measure, in some of the western fields,[3]
if the public does not regard its supply of coal as it does its supply
of domestic water, which requires only that the faucet shall be opened
to bring forth a gushing supply. Coal does not have pressure behind it
which forces it out of the mine and into the coal yard. It rather must
be drawn out by the suction of demand. And herein the public must play