New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-29
Chairman Reed Telegraphs
Food Administrator in
New York
Asked to Appear
On Wednesday Next
Decision Ends Attempts Of
Controller to Gain
Hearing

WASHINGTON. Dec. eS.--Food Ad-
ministrator Hoover, now in New York.
was requested by telegraph tonight to
appear next Wednesday before the Sen
ate committee investigating the sugar
situation. The telegram was sent by
Chairman Reed after the committee had
considered in executive session whether
subpoena should be issued FOR the
food administration, who had been ad-
visei last Saturday that the committee
expecta| to hear him to-day.
When the Senate committee called
FOR Mr.. Hoover to-day to give his view
of conditions. letter from Chief Coun-
sci Lindley. Of the food administration,
was presented. saying Mr.. Hoover "had
learned through the public press" that
he was TO testify to-day, but had been
called to New York
In view of the repeated attempts of
the food administrator 10 be heard pre-
viously. Senator Nardaman called T. A.
Ellis, of the food administration, TO the
chair and. under questioning, Ellis
testified Chairman Reed had notified
him last Saturday that Mr.. Hoover
would be heard to-day and that he had
given the information to Mr.. Hoover.
Senators at Funeral
Counsel Lindley's letter, however. de-
clareG he had gone 10 the Capitol yes
terdsy to notify the committee Mr..
Hoover would be unable 70 appear to-
day, but found all the Senator'S at the
funeral of Senator Newlands.
Last week, when Mr Hoover made
several futile attempts 10 get a hear,
ing before the committee. II was sara
he was delaying an important business
trim 20 New York. Since then ms
statement on the sugar situation mas
been made public by the White House.
In announcing the Geographic re
quest, Senator Reed referred to criti-
cisms of the conduct OF The hearing
and said that the witnesses examined
had been selected at random from a
list furnished By the food admnistra-
ton. SO far, he said, two witnesses
had been heard favoring the admin
istration and one opposing II.
I'VE intended TO 20 ahead with Mr.
Hoover or Saturday. he added, but
there appeared that day large mum
Der OF Western beet men, here IN
Washington on another matter, VINO
wished TO be heard, so they might re-
turn to their homes. IL was an act OF
common decency 20 hear them imme-
distely."
Take Up Coal Problem
With 10 other sugar witnesses avail
able. the committee again took up the
coal investigation, with W. b. CoIver,
Of the Federal Trade Commission, con-
tinuing as witness. He disagreed
with The statement of Fuel Admins
traitor GARFIELD that there Is q shortage
Of coal saying there is plenty Of 1t
and the trouble il it cannot be trans
ported
L. A. Snead. in charge of distributing
coal for the fuel administration, said
that one-third of the coal difficulty was
due TO boarding or a psychological
shortage" lie said it operated like =
run on bank; that there would 70
enough money if withdrawn gradually.
but shortage if every depositor wart-
ed money on one day.
Evils of Priority
Evils growing out of too many prior
ity orders for the movement Of freight,
Mr.. Snead thought, had been mitLgat-
ed by the present plan Of having the
Priority Board pass on all requests for
priority.
Snead said coal was the last freight
generally moved now by the railroads,
and gave transportation Improvement
as the only solution of the problem.
He said that within 200 miles of sec
tions Of Ohio where people are suffer
ing 500 900 tons have been tied up by
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, the
officials OF which maintain their con-
meeting lines at Cincinnati cannot take
j. over.
Colver argued that it is unnecessary
10 oDen new mines now, as mines and
miners were operating at about 80 per
cent capacity.
There is enough coal in the country
for this winter" he declared.
"Why do we hear so many complaints
OF poor coal?" asked Senator Lodge.
There has been 4 great deal said
about coal this winter, and when folks
begin to think of things they complain
Of them" Colver answered. Possibly
the absence of competition enters into
poorer quality. Il isn't necessary this
winter for the seller 10 use quality as
a selling argument
Colver did not believe the United
States should send coal TO Italy or
France. and said Lord Northcliffe told
him that England has enough coal
above ground to supply all Europe eX-
cept Germany.