Soft Coal a-Plenty

Soft Coal aPlenty

Despite the miners' strike since April 1 in central U. S. soft coal fields (TIME, April 11), 272,663,000 tons were mined between Jan. 1 and June 30, stated the Department of Commerce last week. During the same period last year, when there happened to be no strike, 267,506,000 tons were mined. On April 1 there were 80,000,000 tons in storage; last week there were somewhat more than 40,000,000 tons. Non-union mines are reported as working below capacity, yet filling all current orders as they come in. The implication is that the miners' strike has not affected the industry.