The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-06-29
u. S. REDUCEs1
COAL $3.50 4 TON !
Forces 400 Operators to Agree
to Tentative Price of Fuel
at the Mines.
BIGGER CONCESSION IS DUE
New Schedule VIII Be Effective July
and VIII Save Consumers
Millions of Dollars
This Year.

Washington, June 29.-An imme-
date general reduction Of 81 to $3.50
4 ton in the price of coal at the mine
was agreed upon here by representa-
tives Of the coal operators. The re-
duction relates to bituminous coal.
This reduction is expected to be fol-
lowed by still further decreases In
price after investigation into the costs
of mining coal, and 1T is probable that
the government will be given a still
lower price than that to the general
public. Hundreds of millions Of dol
lars will be saved to the American
people through this decision.
The operators agreed to the im1ne-
date reduction at q meeting here,
after adopting a resolution by which
coal prices would be fixed with the aid
and approval of the secretary of the
interior, the federal trade commission
and the committee on coal production
Of the national defense council.
Lane Thanks Peabody.
About 6OOOOO,OOO tons of coal were
mined in this country last year, and
Secretary Lane, who has earnestly
urged q reduction, believes that the
saving to the American people will be
enormous. After hearing of the opera
tors action Mr. Lane wrote a letter Of
thanks to f. S. Peabody, chairman Of
the coal production committee, who
has been in constant conference with
the operators.
The resolution giving assent" to
fixing the maximum prices was re-
ported by former Governor Fort of
special committee He said he believed
the resolution was entirely safe for
the conference to adopt and that any
responsibility as to the legality of the
fixing Of the prices was put on the
government, and not on the operators,
under the terms of the resolution.
The resolution declared that great
national emergency existed in the ma
tion's fuel supply, and that the coal
operators and miners desire to closely
cooperate with the government.
The resolution was adopted unani
mously.
AS soon as this resolution was
agreed to another one was presented,
under which it was proposed that the
government authorize the government
representatives named in the resolu-
ton to issue q statement forthwith
fixing a tentative price which, In their
Judgment, shall be fair and reason
able one for the various districts, and
to be effective July / until the COM
mittee shall fix a permanent price.
Secretary Lane sent the conference
a letter asking immediate action in
reducing the prices.
Price Plan Agreed Upon.
The second resolution, directing the
conference committee to proceed i'm
mediately to fix q tentative price with
out waiting for ascertainment Of costs,
was adopted practically unanimously.
It authorized the secretary of the in
terror, the federal trade commission
and the defense council committee on
coal production ''to forthwith issue a
statement fixing a tentative maximum
price which, in their Judgment is fair
and reasonable as applied to the sew
era1 coal ulSlflctS ut WHICH coal SHttil
be sold from and after the first day
of July and until the accurate costs
have been ascertained and fair and
reasonable price based thereon fixed
by said government agencies"
The conference then adjourned, and
the state delegations went into sepa-
rate meetings to frame suggestions as
to prices to be submitted to Chair