Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-27
Four Hundred Operators, Sum-
moned to Washington, Hear
UItimatum From Govern
ment.
MAGNATES HASTEN TO
MAKE FAIR PROMISES
Fuel Output for June Is Mil
lions of Tons More Than for
Same Month of Previous
Year.,

.tsr aoRslsa JOURNAL sracIAt lsAsEo wisgl
Washington, June 26.-Four hun
dred coal operators, representing the
great fields of both bituminous and
anthracite, pledged themselves here
today to sell their product at a fair
and reasonable price to be fixed. with
the approval of the defense councils
coal committee, by special committees
of seven producers from each coal
mining state.
These special committees also are
authorized to confer with the defense
councils committee ito the end that
production be stimulated and plans
be perfected to provide adequate
means of distribution
The operators action is the result
Of an all-day conference which OPEN
ed with addresses by Secretaries Lane
and Daniels, John II. Fort of the fed
eral trade commission, and Assistant
Attorney General Lewis, all of whom
frankly warned the producers that
unless they established a fair selling
price and proper regulation of the
industry, their output would be taken
over by the government.
Hearing Is Now On.
The meeting was called by the de-
fense councils committee for a dis
cussion of methods of reducing the
price of coal both to the government
and the general public. While II waS
in progress the senate interstate COM
merce committee, beginning an in
quiry into the cost of production of
raw materials, was holding its first
hearing with coal operators and
miners as witnesses
Both at the operators meeting and
before the committee the solution of
the greater production problem was
declared to be more railroad cars. Car
shortage was blamed for restricting
the output of mines everywhere.
Sessions of the operators will be
continued tomorrow. One OF the things
to be considered Ia a motion declar-
ing that 1t is the sense of this meet
ing that they earnestly request every
operator in the United States to join
coal operators association of his
state and in such where there is no
such association, to take immediate
steps to organize one. so that reliable
and accurate information regarding
the coal industry can be furnished the
government whenever called for"
Barons Hold Meetings.
Representatives of each coal pro-
ducng state held meetings tonight to
choose committees in accordance with
the resolutions adopted and will re-
port tomorrow.
James Lewis of Springfield, Ill.
representing the United Mine Work
ers of America, told the senate COM
mittee the miners union did not be-
leve that the time had come for the
government to take control of the
coal industry. He said the miners
believe questions of wages and work
ing conditions can best be worked out
by representatives OF the miners and
operators rather than the government
arbitrarily fixing wages and other
conditions.
tHarry n Taylor OF Kansas City.
representing coal operators in Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas Arkansas and Wyo-
ming. said statistics indicate the pro-
duction for June throughout the coun-
try will be about ten or twelve million
tons more than year ago.
Mr.. Taylor did not think the time
had come for fixing prices. as no un-
willingness has been shown by the
operators to cooperate with the gov
ernment. In discussing the profits
which operators should make on coal
Senator Cummings pointed out that
the government regulates railroad
rates.
Eyes, IL the government had per-
mitted the railroads to make more
money some years ago so they couid
have invested more In equipment.
everybody would have plenty of coal
and the present situation would not
exist" replied Mr.. Taylor.