The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-16
To REDUCE
COAL PRICES
Conflict of Opinions as to How
to Solve Problem, Faced
Conference Held
Today.
LGOV. HARDING ATTENDS
Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Da-
kotas and Other States
Represented at
Meeting.
pGoV. HARDING ATTENDS

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.]
CHICAGO, Aug, 16.-A conflict of
opinions as to how the coal situation
in individual states should be solved,
faced the conference of the midwest
states councils when they met here
today to consider uniform action in
reducing coal prices.
Chairman William H. Hays. Of the
Indiana state council entered the con.
ference with resolution designed to
oppose any move for collective &C
ton" The resolution-adopted by
the Indiana council-asks that the
president be allowed to use the au-
thority granted him under the food
bill.
Governor Harding headed the Iowa
delegation. Other states represented
were Kentucky, South and North Da-
kota, Missouri, Ohio and Minnesota.
Michigan, Tennessee and West
Virginia were expected to be repre-
scented later today.
VIII Appeal to President.
CHICAGO, Aug. 16.-Governor Ar
thur Capper. Of Kansas, will leave Chi
cago tonight to make personal ap-
peal to President Wilson and the fed
eral trade commission to take over
the coal mines Of the country at once
and establish fair and impartial
prices" He made this statement to
the interstate coal conference here
this afternoon.
IF we fail to obtain government
regulation Of coal mines," Capper con-
tinued, "I, for one, propose to use my
constitutional power to take over and
regulate the coal mines in my state" "
Governor Harding, of Iowa, urged
the conference to draft resolution
memorializing the federal trade COM
mission to establish "fair prices" of
coal at the mines in each state.
"If the federal government does not
act quickly we will be obliged to go to
your states for aid" declared Cover
nor Philip, Of Wisconsin.
Hard coal Shortage.
LANSING. Mich, Aug. 16.-Michi-
gan will soon have relief from the
threatened hard coal shortage, it was
evident today. This was assured fol-
lowing action last night by state coal
authorities to force early shipment of
coal.
Governor Sleeper sent kilograms to
large producers late yesterday telling
them that thus far the state had re-
ceived only six percent of its normal
coal supply and warning, them that if
decisive steps were not taken 1mme-
diately to remedy the situation he
would bring the matter before Presi-
dent Wilson These messages appar-
80 1s,f1 afP hn-
cause the governor received assur-
ances today of hearty cooperation.
Federal Control Urged.
! CHICAGO, Aug. 16.-Federal con-
troll OF the nations coal mines, to be
effected as speedily as possible, was
urged by the majority of the one hun
dred delegates attending the inter
state coal conference here today.
Charges Of alleged coal combines,
excessive profits and unfairness were
intermingled in appeals for exclusive
federal control and federal regula-
tfon with state control Of distribution
prices.
F.. w. McAllister, attorney general
of Missouri, declared the coal situa-
ton in his state Outrageous; thai
Excessive profits in some instances
amount to 100 per cent" He also as
serted that some persons believe A
coal combine existed in Missouri. He
favored state control of mines, de-
claring the federal government has
been dilatory.
Three governors at the conference
favored federal control Governor
Cspper of Kansas, even went this
one better urging federal Seizure"
of the mines The other executives
were Governors Philip, of Wiscon-
sin and Harding Of Iowa. Philip
came to the conference prepared to
fight for federal regulation with state
control of prices. Harding con-
Cured in a measure with Philip.
TT is not a question so much of
who shall control however, Philip
qualified, "as it is that some one
control. What we want is control.
In ninety days Wisconsin will face a
freight traffic congestion and the
situation must be cleared up"
whatever is done, 1t must be