New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-30
Calls for Federal Investigation
of the Recent Raise by
Anthracite Trust.
ACTS ON TRIBUNE'S EXPOSE
Unanimous Vote for Resolution
Directing Inquiry and Report
as to the Burden Put
on Consumers.
r,om The Tribune Bureau }

Washington. July 29.-By unanimous
vote the House to-day adopted the DIFF
enderfer resolution directing the Secre-
tary Of Commerce and Labor to inves-
tigate the causes Of the recent increase
i'm price OF anthracite coal and TO spc-
city in his report to the House how
much and I'm what particulars the min
ers were benefited by the recent strike
agreement.
The resolution is directed against the
so-called anthracite trust. 1ts intro
duciion by Representative Difenderfer
followed the expose in The Tribune OF
the methods by which the coal trust
exacted from the consumer several
times the amount awarded the miners
under the strife settlement.
As adopted by the House the Difon-
derfer resolution reads:
Resolved, That the Secretary OF Com.
merce and Labor be, and is hereby, d.
rected to obtain and report TO the
House Of Representatives full informa-
ton concerning the differen. elements
Of cost and profit included in the pres
ent high price Of anthracite coal, spec
flying as far as practicable how much
and in what particulars the coal minors
were benefited by the recent strike
agreement, and how much and for what
reason, and by what means, the cost
OF coal to the general consumer was
at the same time increased.
Mr.. Difenderfer estimates that the
anthracite coal companies allowed the
miners approximately s5,000000 by the
wage agreement, and for this conces-
sion the coal trust taxed the consumers
| SIS 100000 or at the ratio of 3 TO I.
The Difenderfer resolution was adopt
ed without material change by the
House. The one amendment accepted
by the committee and Mr.. Difenderfer
was the proviso that the proposed in
vestigation may be made through any
bureau of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor and not necessarily through
the Bureau of Labor.
Covers Transportation.
rs this resolution broad enough to
cover the question of transportation as
it affects the price Of coal?' asked Mr..
Moore. OF Pennsylvania.
1T is," explained Mr. Difenderfer,
who said he had consulted with mem
bers OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and the Commissioner OF Labor
concerning the proposed probe.
"The Interstate Commerce Commls-
sion," said Mr.. Difenderfcr, can deal
with this situation only when the coal
passes from one state to another. In
Pennsylvania we are suffering particu-
larly because Of the increased price Of
coal, because our freight charges are
greater in proportion from the anthra-
cite coal region to Philadelphia, for in
stance, than 10 New York.
"'rhe increased cost TO the consumers
has been placed upon the sizes of coal
used for domestic purposes, and there
is general complaint"
The Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion is now conducting an investigation
OF the connection between the anthra-
cite coal companies and the railroads.
Millions Added to Cost.
In urging the adoption Of the Difen-
derfer resolution the House Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce
said:
Under the strike agreement the miners
get net increase Of wages OF . and "A
fraction per cent. 1t Is reported that the
anthracite operators have added an IN.
crease OF % cents ton TO the price or
coal at retail IF this were distributed
over the entire production II would be
enormously in excess OF the added cost or
production due 10 the recent increase OF
wages II IL were distributed only over
part Of the output IL would be dill
ferent matter
II has been charged in some OF the
responsible daily papers that the amount
added TO the price OF the annual output
Of anthracite coal by the operating COM
panies is many millions In excess OF the
Continued on sixth page, seventh column