New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-14
Hartigan Predicts
So Coal for Winter
No Price-Soaring Expected
in View Of Governments
New Regulatory Powers
By BRIGGS

Government regulation and the
threat Of more drastic control already
have tended to stabilize the New York
coal market. and, in the view of the
operators, the chances Of repetition
this winter of the wild soaring Of
prices are remote.
Only one fact seemed certain TO coal
dealers who were interviewed yester-
day. That was that the governement
would not tolerate eXtortionate coal
prices, at least during the war. What
form government regulation will take,
IN view of the powers conferred on the
President by the food control bill 20
fix prices Of coal and TO take over prop
critics If necessary, no one felt pre-
pared TO say.
Praise for the persuasive regulatory
work of the Federal Trade Commls-
sion was general. Most dealers eX-
pressed the hope that the President
would permit that body to continue to
control the coal situation, instead Of
deiegating the powers TO any new Fed
eral agency.
Joseph Hartigan. former Commits
sioner of Weights and Measures. said
that government regulation must be
watched closely If the consumer is TO
have the benefit of low prices. lie pre-
dicted that if the situation is handled
properly coal will cost New Workers
little more than 81 ton.
Expect Stationary Prices
4 i
tributers of coal that the government
will not permit prices to go very much
ABOVE the present level. However, un-
lesq Washington interferes, most Of
the New York dealers purpose to raise
the price 10 cents a ton on September
/, in accordance with their usual policy
to bring It up TO the winter level.
Some Of the largest New York dis
tributers are contracting for winter
delivery at slightly more than the pres
ent price for anthracite coal.
The supply, which at'present is um-
preceden:ediy large. is rapidly catch
ing up to the demand. More coal, il is
SAID. was taken from the mines in
June and July than ever before in
those months. Only a reported labor
shortage Of from T. to 80 per cent IS
preventing thorough readjustment.
Opposition to rigid price fixing and
government operation of the coal mines
and Of means Of distribution was
widespread among the operators ami
dealers, but many favored the pooling
Of interests The attitude Of the coal
men verified the opinion that the no
tentisl right OF the government TO put
private agencies out of business would
4. -
path
The president of a large operating
company yesterday observed that It
was strange TO see the Federal Trade
Commission advocating pool, the
thing which the government once
broke up.
May Restore Old System
Before the government decided how
the anthracite business should be con
ducted." he said, "the so-cslled indie
pendent operators were content TO sell
their output TO the larger companies
on what was known as the s. per cent
basis-that is, they were paid S. per
cent of the anthracite price at tide
water markets. The larger operators,
IN turn, knew just what each anthra-
otto consuming section needed. The
supply was carefully apportioned and
promptly distributed There was no
complaint regarding prices, and such
a thing az a shortage was unknown.
Such was the system the government
unscrambled. aid now martial wisdom
apparently may restore it,"
In reply to tie charges that dealers
were making Gs high as Sl.25 ton
net profit. officials of local companies
assorted that their profits varied only
from % to 20 cents ton.