The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-08-09
GOVERNOR WILL
I. co THE LIMIT
HARDING GIVES ATTITUDE TO-
WARD ACTION ON COAL PRICES.
TO PRoTECTE CONSUMERS
70 PRoTECTE CONSUMERS
Some Action Must Be Taken Before
Winter to Place the Product With
in Means. Seizure of Mines by
the State is Suggested.

Des Moines, Aug. ST am willing
to go the limit" Gov. w. l.. Harding
declared when asked of his attitude
toward the proposed concerted action
upon the part OF the governors of six
teen middle western states to reduce
coal prices. The governor said that he
would accept the invitation of the Hi
nois state council of defense to attend
the coal conference to be held in Chs
cago, Aug. 16.
II do not know just what means
should be employed in obtaining re-
duced prices" Governor Harding said.
but do know that some action must
be taken before winter to place the
product within the means of the aver
age consumer. The coal problem is a
vital one, the solution of which must
be reached Immediately"
The solution proposed by the Illinois
state council of defense is that of a
seizure of the mines by the state au-
thorities. Such an action has been
held legal by Levy Mayer. chairman
of the law and legislation committee
OF the council.
1.-THE present coal prices are exorbi-
tant and beyond reason" the govern
or asserted. Il believe that the miner
should have fair return for his labor
enabling him to live. that the produc-
er should be allowed to make just
profit and that the distributor should
be allowed reasonable profit. At the
present time somewhere between the
mine and the consumer some person
is making more than a reasonable
profit. 1t is this profit that must be
reduced.
Il think that every producer should
make a reasonable profit on his pro-
duct at all times but there are times
and this is one, when this profit should
be slightly reduced. Just because the
nation is at war, the producer and dis
! tributor should not take advantage OF
the consuming public. In fact the war
situation should have the opposite eff
feet.
| ne SlCdJCol hhlllSlNA III NV - AAA'
ed States today is the small salaried
man who is keeping family with the
price of coal, food and ether necessi-
ties continually soaring. If there is any
means of protecting him they should
be employed.
81 will attend the conference at Chi
cago in person and trust that we will
be able to arrive at a concrete solu-
ton of the coal problem. Just what
this solution will be l cannot say but
| am in favor of the employment of
any Just and legal means of reducing
the coal prices so that our people may
be kept warm during the winter with
out inficting any great financial hard
ship upon them"
In addition to Gov. w. L. Harding,
the governors of the states of Tenes-
see, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio
Kentucky, Nebraska, Missouri Kansas,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Illinois are invited by the Illinois state
council of defense.
The first intimation of the confer
ence was made Monday when Govern
or Harding received telegram ask
ing if he favored the holding of such
conference and if the conference
was held, if he would attend with a
: representative of the Iowa state coun
Gil of defense. Governor Harding tele
graphed reply that he would attend
and believed such a conference to be
vital and necessary.