Evening journal., 1917-08-22
SOFT COAL CUT ST
BY THE PRESIDENT
Wilson's Action is Protested
Already by 400 Mine
Operators
NAVY BENEFITS
MOST BY CUT

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22.-Prest
dent Wilson issued an order last
night fixing the price Of bituminous
coal in all producing districts Of the
country. The order, which applies TO
every mine IN the United States,
virtually cuts the price In half The
country Is divided into twentynine
districts and every producer In every
district must market his coal at the
same price.
Figures show the actual reduction
by the Presidents order to be "A per
per cent. In the specific case Of Vir-
ginia coal, which furnishes the gen
eral ratio of reduction, although the
new price 10 the navy is so per cent.
Of the old. The price Of long ton
Of Virginia coal at the pier has been
$3.50. The new price Is s220 a long
ton plus s1.45 freight or 1885 at
the pier, SO per cent. OF the old price
and reduction Of A per cent
A price Of 81 a ton Is fixed for the
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio
fields, which supply practically all
/ the coal used In the eastern States.
The other prices range from s1.50 10
50 for Alabama fields to SO for Okla
hOma,
These compare with a price OF So
offered by the Pennsylvania opera.
| tors at the coal conference held here
last June and the same figure present
ed by the West Virginia operators.
The prices fixed at the June confer
ence were substantial reductions
from the first prices named by the
coal men, which ranged from 500
for West Virginia coal to s5.e5 for the
Pennsylvania products. The market
price for small consumers has been
In the neighbOrhOOd OF the higher
( figure for several months.
The prices fixed are practically 81
\ ton below the scale drawn up By th'
Peabody committee after h conference
with the 400 coal operators last June
This was the conference at which
Secretary lane praised the coal mel
4 for their patriotic ASTON In cutting
their prices and which Subsequent,
brought Mr.. Lane In sharp c0hflnc
with Secretary Baker, WIN praetiean,
repudiated the action of the conference
The prices now fixed are even below
the price which Secretary Daniei
agreed TO pay for the navy's coal, whicl
was S2,33 at the mine.
Statement by the President.
The Presidents statement saidi
The following scale Of prices is prr
seribed for bituminous coal 40 she min
IN the several coal producing district,
IL ls provisional oaly. 10 is subject I
reconsideration when The whole methD
Of administering The fhel supplies Of tn
country shall have been satisfactory
organized and put into operation. Sui
sequent measures win have as the
object fair and eguitable control I
the distribution Of tho supply and bries
not only at the mines, but aiso in "a
hands Of the middlemen and the II
tailers.
THE PRICES Professionally arrived
are fixed by me under the provisions ,
, the recent act Of Congress regardin
administering the food supply of Il
counN ~, which also conferred upon Il
! executive control Of the fuel suppl
J They are based upon the actual cost
production and are deemed 10 be n,
} only fair and Just, but liberal as VOL
} Under them the industry should nowhel
lack stimulation"
> Last nights action by the pPesidel
? was thought possibly 20 forecast equa
, ~ radical action with regard to ste
, ana other commodities whose cos
; have been investigated by the Tra(
; Commission. Preliminary reports Z
: steel costs wero handed 10 the Pres
I dent yesterday. The new coal prize
+ are based on the commissions ngurl
on costs Of production.
J, Il had been expected that the Pres
: don't would place the power 70 TX co
1 prices In the hands OF one man boa
4 which would act under the authori
+ OF Section % Of the food bin either
take over the entire coal production
r the country for resale or estsbli'
!. rules.
j. Nobody had expected that the Pres
J. dent himself would TX prices, althOus
d the food law gave him this auihOrl
L for its sale, distribution and apportio
n ment. As the prices announced are pr
vislonal only, It is probable that a co
Q administrator win be announce
!. shortly.
o Whether the prices named by q
z President will tend TO bring out q
h largest tonnage which the country
}. capable Of producing is a question
2 which opinion here inclines 20 doul
v Stimulation Of production Is a point
"a which the War Industries Board al
the other agencies have been urgll
n upon the government since the begl
. ming OF the war.
I. Refund by Coal Producers.
4 The Presidents order amounts 90 GU
J. ting the price OF coal IN half, aeoor
n ing 10 estimates at the Navy Depai
4. ment. The navy has been getting VI
n glnia coal at a S2.335 rate by specl
tentative arrangement, which amour