Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-24
LEWISSTANDSPAT
ON COAL PRICE
Declines to Discuss Protest
That Increase Is Un-
! fair to Consumer
CALLS SITUATION GOOD
Nearly 5000 Tons Brought
Here by P. r. R. Since
Friday

FRANCIS a. Lewis. chairman OF the
Philadelphia fuel committee, declined to-
day to enter any controversy over the
new price fixed for coal
In reply to n protest Of Harrison S.
Norris that the new price of coal is un-
fair to the people, Mr.. Lewis referred
TO a statement issued on Saturday. when
the reason for sthe increase was given
by the fuel committee Mr. Lewis has
just returned from Washington. where
he made arrangements with the trans
portation committee of the fuel admin
istration to send coal to Philadelphia.
Mr.. Lewis said today that everything
was progressing satisfactorily. His re-
port shows that the Pennsylvania Rail-
road brought nearly 5000 tons of coal
here on Friday.
DECLINES TO DISCUSS PROTEST
Concerning the suggestion of Mr..
Morris that mass-meeting be held and
the people be given opportunity to voice
their protest against the new coal prices.
Mr.. Lewis said:
"As a federal official il Is neither part
of my duty to get into a newspaper con-
troversy with Mr.. Morris or to address
town meetings that anybody may see
At to call The action of the committee
is set forth in the statement published
on Saturday, and there is nothing fur
ther to add.
IT went TO Washington yesterday at
the request of the transportation de-
partment to arrange some matters in
connection with a plan to get 5000 tons
of coal to Philadelphia daily over the
Pennsylvania Railroad. 1t required
, twelve and one-half hours for me to
go to Washington on account of the
congestion of traffic
ASly ad ha Il; -, 80
with Coal Administrator Garfield. Mr..
Lewis said he simply went there to con.
fer with the transportation committee
regarding the shipment of the coal here.
ABBOTT MAY REPRESENT PUBLIC
Edwin NJ. Abbott, an attorney of the
Land Title Building. said today he would
be glad to represent the public If any
concerted action is taken against the
coal boost. He said the latest increased
price was outrageous
1t was announced today that within
few days fourteen demonstration sta
tions would be open in various parts OF
the city where people would be shown
how to economize in the use of coal
Lectures will be delivered each day by
men versed in the subject.
The question of the price is in the
hands of Philadelphia Fuel Admins
traitor Francis A. Lewis and William
Potter, State fuel controller. Both have
expressed their approval of the proposed
increase. The rise may be prohibited
however, by formal complaint to Wash
ington. and it Is through the proposed
mass-meeting that it is hoped to for
mulate organized complaints.
QUESTION UP TO LEWIS
The situation has been placed SQUARED!
up to Mr.. Lewis, Mr.. Morris contended
1t Is up to him, as representative Of
the people, appointed by the Government
to supply the needs of the small a.
well as the large consumer and preven
gougng, to explain the necessity for tn,
increase at the proposed mass-meeting
This is the opinion expressed by Mr.
Norris and number of consumers VIII,
are In favor of the meeting. "Mr
Lewis is a representative of the peopl
and not of the coal men," said Mr.. Nor
ris. THE monopo usually gets wha
it wants, and rarely needs any one L
take care of It. But the public shoul,
know on what basis it is necessary t
allow a margin of $3.50 a ton, thereb,
increasing prices anywhere from TWEEN
ty-five to seventy-five cents. Let MI
Lewis call meeting, and explain tn
situation"
Mr.. Morris said that the increases ar
not consistent. and attacked the freigh
rates. The railroads, he said, shoult
use their canals for transportation pur
poses, and in this way bring hundreds o
tons to the city at greatly reduced rate
IT know of instances in which canal
were filled in at certain points ant
otherwise made unfit for use deliberatel.
in order to prevent the owners fror
being forced to use them In competition
with the railroads"
ENOUGH COAL ARRIVING
Coal is still arriving here in sufficien
quantities to supply nearly every one
On no day since the first of the 500
tons daily promised the city by the Fed
eral fuel administration reached her
have the shipments fallen below tina
figure.
More than 1000 electric lamps glowe
brightly last night, defying the order
of the fuel administration for Eighties
Sunday night. Windows throughout tn
shopping district were brightly illumi
mated, approximately 90 per cent of tn
business houses in the central section O
tho city fiagrantly violating the Govern
ment's command to save fuel. It wa
estimated that 1000 pounds of coal wer
wasted for every hour the lights burned
The Twelfth and Pine streets polio
station is without coal, and drafted me
and the members Of the board sit an
stand around in overcoats. AS one Sc
lected man expressed 1t. the only hea