Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-18
POTTER APPOINTS
POTTSTOWN AIDS
Names Members for Upstate
Committee of Pennsyl-
vania Administration
nENY GoUGING CHARGE
Goal Concern Official Answers
Accusation Made by Francis
A. Lewis

,,n,,.r, Potter, Federal fuel adminstra-
",nsa, anpoiuted the Pottstown commit
@ ~. % assist him in distributing coal in that
s,,or The members of the committee
.rs Newton r. Turner. chairman william
~ r.ol, G. C. Root. Harry Burdan, Joseph
.Shorne n. walton S. Rhoads and W. y.
scheffey.
90, beinE expressly prohibited by the
c.,,.rnnent." Mr. Potter explained, that
: .s,, citizens engaged in the mining, sale or
.."csnortation Of coal shall serve on any
rovernment committee, 7 have. chosen the
e,s,nberg for their general business and ad-
,ninistrative qualifications rather than for
,nv technical coal knowledge"
Denial Of the charge by Francis A. Lewis
,bat the extra carrying charge of to 20
osnts per ton exacted by certain retailers
!. no,bins short of gouge on the public
vas emphatically given this morning by
rronk f. Mathers president of the Atlantic
Fuel Company
The carrying charge is defended by Mr..
lIathers on the ground that it represents
.ctusl outlay by the dealers due to the
increased cost of labor now necessary TO be
employed.
,The cost OF this labor is not only twice
vbat II was two years ago. Mr.. MatherS
stated but it is of the shifting, here-today-
yone.tomorrow type on which no reliance
can he placed Yet we frequently pay these
.oen $3.50 and SO day in the effort TO
LAan them even on days when we have no
rsed Of them. Such a charge must plainly
ne met by the consumer for whom we are
Aolng the work of cellar delivery purely as
accommodation. This is clearly understood
~ Ta sbington as when we took up the
matter Of price there we clearly specified
sidewalk delivery.
Little further progress appears TO have
ham made toward any get-together con-
tsrence between the Retailers Coal Ex-
change and Francis A. Lewis. representing
the Federal coal authorities for Philadel-
mia, Though the advsability Of such
meeting has been expressed by both sides,
both are apparently holding off waiting for
the other
"If Mr.. Lloyd desires such a meeting. he
knows where to find me-" was the express
sion Of Mr.. Lewis
Mr. Lloyd. as president Of the Coal R.p:
tsilers Exchange, is preparing an elaborate
analysis of the coal situation as affecting
the local dealers, with the expectation of
presenting it for the consideration Of the
Federal committee in the future, it is un-
derstood.
I'VE are just as anxious as Mr. Potter
himself can be to cooperate with the plans
Of Washington" was the statement given
by Mr.. Lloyd for the members of the ex-
change
The Philadelphia Fuel Commission will
begin its work next Monday. according to
Chairman F. A. Lewis. Its first duties will
be an investigation into the matter of
weights Of the dealers. In times past there
has been much criticism over instances of
dealers giving short weight despite the fact
that the City Bureau of Weights and Meas
ures worked with the Philadelphia Coal
Exchange in keeping the dealers from cut
ting under 2240 pounds or a "lonRn ton
which is the legal weight I'M this city. Il
has been brought to the attention of ths
Federal authorities that the disposition to
short weighting by INSCRIPTIONS dealers
will be heightened under present conditions
where prices are restricted