Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-28
CUT IN COAL PRICE
EFFECTIVE JULY |
Definite Prices to Be Fixed
After an Inquiry Into Pro-
duction Costs.
OPERATORS AGREE TO PLAN

An immediate general reduction Of 81
to $1.5o q ton in the price Of coal at the
mine was agreed upon here today by rep
resentatives OF the coal operators.
This reduction is expected to be fol-
lowed by still further decreases in price
after investigation into the costs Of min
ing coal. and 1t is thought probable that
the government will be given a still lower
price than that to the general public.
Hundreds Of millions of dollars will be
saved to the American people through
this decision.
The conference Of 400 operators, rep
resenting all coal-producing states.
took quick action today toward lower
ing coal prices by adopting resolutions
luthorizing their committees TO give
assent to such maximum prices for
coal free on board cars at mines in the
various districts as may be named by
the Secretary Of the Interior. federal
trade commission and the council of
national coal production committee"
To Be Effective July I.
Plans were agreed on for announce
ment later today Of tentative fair and
reasonable prices based on sugges-
tions from the operators. to be effective
July /.
The resolution giving assent" to fix
former Gov. Fort from a special COM
mittee. He said he believed the resolu-
ton was entirely safe for the confer
ence to adopt and that any RESPONSE
bility as to the legality of the fixing Of
tho prices was put on tho government
and not on the operators under the
terms Of the resolution. The resolu-
ton, after pointing out that great ma
ttona1 emergency now exists in the
nations fuel supply and that the coal
crate closely with the government.
reads:
Form Of the Resolution.
Resolved, that It is the sense Of this
meeting that committee Of seven for
each coal producing state and an addi-
by the representatives. of the anthracite
industry, be appointed by the repre-
sentatives of each state now attending
this convention. to confer with the Sec
retary of the Interior. the federal trade
commission and the committee on coal
prod dction of the council of national
defense, to the end that production be
stimulated and plans be perfected to
provide adequate means of distribution,
and. further. that these committees re-
ports forthwith to the Secretary Of the
Interior, the federal trade commission
and the committee on coal production
Of the council Of national defense costs
of and conditions surrounding the pro-
duction and distribution of coal in each
district, and that these committees are
authorized, In their discretion, to give
assent to such maximum prices for coal
t. o. b. cars at mines in the various
retary Of the Interior, the federal trade
commission and the committee on coal
production of the council Of national de-
fense."
Vote for Plan Unanimous.
Tho resolution was unanimously
adopted. It was a revision Of former
resolution recalled because of fear that
question might be raised as to the le-
gality Of the operators agreeing upon
a price. even though st the instance Of
the government, Attorney General
Gregory having sent word that R. Col
ton Lewis special assistant attorney
general. who had been confertng with
the operators, had no right or authority
to outline what the governments pol
icy might be under the antitrust laws
In connection with price fixing.
AS soon as this resolution was agreed to
W asproposed that the government author
ize the government representatives named
In the resolution to issue statement
forthwith fixing etentative price which
in their judgment shall be a fair and rea-
sonable one for the various districts, and
to be effective from July l until the COM
mittee shall fix permanent price.
Secretary Lane sent the conference
letter asking immediate action in reducing
the prices. the tentative prices fixed to
continue until the investigation into costs
and conditions warranted an increase or
reduction in the tentative prices. He sug-
gested that the tentative fixing Of prices
should not affect present contracts or ex-
port trade.
To Fix Tentative Price.
The second resolution, directing the con-
ference committee to proceed Immediately
for ascertainment Of costs, was adopted
practically unanimously. It authorized
the Secretary Of the Interior, the federal
trade commission and the defense council
committee on coal production to forth
with issue statement fixing a tentative
maximum price, which, in their Judgment,
is fair and reasonable as applied to the
several coal districts, at which coal shall
July next and until the accurate costs
have been ascertained and a fair and rea-
sonable price based thereon fixed by said
government agencies"
VI cdlioi VI udtioHdI associations OIL
coal operators, with a central bureau at
Washington for standardizing, statis-
tical and other information relating to
coal production, marketing and other
matters. was agreed to by the confer
ence. It will be made up of the vari-
GUS state and district coal associations
and will serve as an Intermediary for
information between the coal operators
and the government
The conference finally adjourned, and
the various state delegations went into
separate meetings to frame suggestions
as to prices, to be submitted later to
Chairman Peabody.
Coal Man Says Car Shortage
Must Be Corrected or Public
Will Suffer This Winter