South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-30
To ENFORCE COAL
PRICE REDUCTION
Council of Defense Commit
tee Has Governments
Force Back of II.

WASHINGTON. June 30.-Coal
/ price reductions agreed on Thursday
by the country's bituminous pro-
J -1cers at conference with govern
lent officials will be strictly en-
I forced.
/ With the weight Of the industry's
approval behind the agreement and
| certain OF the fact that the govern
/ ment will take control if it is not
lived up TO, the coal committee Of
/ the council of national defense will
take quick measures TO prevent any
/ Wavering Friday the committee
warned operators at Decatur, Ill,
who raised their prices beyond the
limit set, that the industry would
not stand for their action.
The coal committee has given
each Of its IS members supervision
OF one coal production district and
| every man will be held responsible
/ for prices in his territory. The fed
| eral trade commission will be call
ed on for aid if difficulties arise.
Plan Further Reductions.
The price of anthracite, arranged
some time ago at a conference be-
tween producers ano the trade COM
mission, probably will be further re.
duced 10 consumers, il was said to-
| day. through regulation of jobbers
and retailers profits. The coal COM
mittee. the trade commission and
! Sec'y Lane expect to call anthracite
/ dealers together soon TO work out a
/
| the householder. Under an agree
ment with the trade commission an
/ thraci is selling at the mine now
only so cents higher than last year
/ but jobbers and retailers are adding
/ so much 20 the cost, officials say, the
| price to the consumer is far higher
than it should be.
Bituminous jobbers will not be al
/ lowed TO raise coal prices beyond the
/ mine price, with the addition of the
| freight and their profit of % cents a
ton. If a consumer has difficulty in
| getting coal and finds he can get it
/ only by paying some jobber more
than the 25-cent profit. the coal com
mittee can be appealed to and will
see that he gets coal direct from the
mine at the mine price.
The new prices will not apply in
export trade and will not disturb
existing contracts
To Rearrange Shipments.
One method of equalizing bitumin-
| Gus prices to the consumer will be
sought in a Encouragement Of freight
hauls. Some middle western oper-
| ators are said TO be selling now in
! the east while eastern operators are
! delivering their product in the mid
] die west. The coal committee plans
| an entire Encouragement OF ship
ments to be worked out with the
aid Of the war railroad board.
The coal shortage, members Of the
| coal committee insist, is due entire
| ~ to inadequate car service. Btu
] minous mines produced last year
] SOC. 100000 tons, working 200 days
| during the year. With enough cars
and working 500 days this year, it is
estimated that the production will
be 100000
! The senate interstate commerce
| committee continued its hearings to-
/ day on legislation giving the govern
/ ment power to take over coal mines.
| National prohibition, ]. d. A. Nor
row of the Pittsburgh Coal Pro-
ducers' association, told the COM
mittee. would increase production
\ and go far towards relieving the
! present shortage. Railroad repre-
/ sentatives will be heard by the COM
| mittee SATURDAY..