Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-27
CITY TO APPEAL
FOR MORE COAL
Garfield Will Be Asked to
Provide for Great In
dustries Here
TRADE BOARD TO ACT
Federal Commission Will Go
Over Dealers Books for Evil
dence of Overcharging

The Federal Government must supply
more coal to Philadelphia. Tine strongest
| possible plea 70 more coal T. regulate the
IRE ent shortage win be made at once by
| Francis \. Lewis. c ty fuel administrator,
, pr Harry \. Garfield, national fuel
administrator. at Washington, where even
| Tow william Potter Is in conference VITA
he Federal Beard.
Shall Philadelphia. munition center OF
he country. he permitted to run 90 per
cent behind in her coal supplies while
northwestern and New England points are
having their needs supplied through Gov
'rnmcnt aid. to help meet much lesser
'hortaRes?" Mr. Lewis asked The recon-
nendation that a sufficient amount Of coal
- meet all existing needs and clear up
the situation with the local dealers will
>e made at once by Mr.. Lewis.
TO 60 OVER u ALERS' BOOKS
In addition. the Federal Trade Commits
'ion will have its expert accountants here
N few day, to 20 over the books Of
very coal deNN r. in Philadelphia. and If any
retailer shows tendency to charge up
the air he breathes along with paper bags
rubber tires and other alleged items Of
handling expense. that fact will soon be
realized
The question Of supply Of coal Is the
hig and all-pressinR one" Mr. Lewis said
this afternoon philadelphia deserves more
coal at the present moment than any point
in the country and is not getting IL. This
question takes priority in my mind over
every other involved In getting square
lea. both for consumer and retailer
That fully 25 per cent less coal than the
normal supply is being shipped into Phla-
d"'nNia today is the contention 60 Mr.
Lewis. despite the fact that figures for 1877
show an increase of slightly above 1000
tons over those quoted for September. 1916.
and operators claim an increase of SO0.O 900
tons for this year over the corresponding
period last year Four million nine hum
dred thousand tons of coal up to October
|, 1917, are the figures quoted by S. u.
Warriner, president of the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation Company. and these are big
figures But they still lack a whole 100 900
from the half-mllion tons that Mr.. Lewis
estimates should be I'm the yards here now
! In order the meet the coming winters de-
mand.
While Mr.. Lewis. from the stage he has
! reached in his investigation. is inclined to
| give the retail dealer a clean bill of health
| the Federal Trade Commission is not going
to take anything for granted. and will un-
| dertake its work in the SHOW me spirit"
TO PROTECT CONSUMER.
Every consumer IN Philadelphia whether
| buying coal in large or small quantities, is
| thus assured of Government protection. for
1 II - tlt lHltUNlOu OF lleSe teueraI Trade
| Commission experts, not only to verify all
! figures quoted by callers, but to see that
| retailers are not including under handling
costs any items warranted to make their
| profits appear less than they actually are.
| Petition to Washington for a standard
| lied rate will undoubtedly be presented by
| Mr.. Lewis, the present situation being ad-
| mittedly unsatisfactory to consumer and
| dealer alike.
! Two things retail dealers are beginning.
| Give us more coal" and Give us a stand
| ardized rate" they urge with one voice.
! The substance of their claims is that many
doing business at an actual loss. being un-
able to keep up with their overhead on in
sufficient supplies Of coal
DEALER REPORTS LOSS
Under the present chaotic system. the
| dealer charging IS may be making no more
| than the dealer charging 81. one important
| dealer reports to the local committee a loss
| Of two and nine-tenths cents per ton. basing
| his figures on amounts sold during the first
| two weeks Of October. The b. O. Chalfaut
! Company quotes Sl42 as its expense per
| ton from September I to October l.
The company declares it has been forced
! to pay no less than S64O for pea coal in
! order to get any supplies whatever Fifty
| cents per ton profit is the amount claimed
| by most dealers just and equitable The
| figures presented make 1t seem probable
that few dealers are enjoying excessive
profits at the present time.
But there may be exceptional cases -
Is the view of one Government expert con-
sidering the dealers claims When asked
what he would call Exceptional he replied
I wouldn't call lt-but the Government
will soon be ready TO do So"