The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-01
Federal Trade Commission Is
Investigating Cost of Pro-
ducing Fuel
HANDSOME PROFIT AT
50 A TON, IS BELIEF
lazy Departments Purchases
| Are 20 Per Cent Below That
Figure and Daniels Says 1t
4 VIII Not Pay More

June so,--Three dol
- 4 ton at the mines, the price for
4Aminous coal acclaimed as pa
jy4ottc concession by the coal COM
}f1tt4a Of the council OF national de-
1tHse. q convention Of coal operators
kH1d Secretary Lane. OF the department
ttf ths interior. was denounced today
166itAnt. unjust and oppressive
writing as president Of the council
III national defense to w $ clifford,
kHf4c4or OF that body, MIR, Baker SAYS
-tfsr-eeti+4t+i- s--s.
MHmittee OF the council has any au-
Sbrtty to fix the price Of coal or any
ser commodity.
AZ you are aware ne says, tne
srat trade commission has been d.
ed by the president 10 ascertain
Ms information the costs invoivea
coal production. / am 10 some eS-
mt familiar with the progress made
the commission The information
have from that and other sources.
hink justifiea me In believing that
he price OF Ss suggested or agreed
ID al maximum - an exofhi,aht.
iK5a3t and oppressive price.
II Question OF Legal Powers.
The fact that the conferences weTs
NAndkd by the members 81 the fed
Nav trade commission and by mem
1fs OF the couneii Of national de-
6Ese adds nothing to their legal pow
~ and / am sura ,lat none Of my
tNnf5ases In the council will dissent
\ tna the views ! Rave heresa ex-
5f<sesked. both upon the Limitation
1 The powers Of he council and
coal production committee and
effect Of the acton alleged TIC
- been taken write this for the
ixstormation Of he coal production
lonaynittee and fer the guidance Of
III other suheomrittees Of the coun-
Tho price row denounced by Mr.
maker was technically set by Score
E1lxx 1ana4 sef ga 81 tassa
hsterier. ~Fhe coal men had some 70
IN agreement on this price But
|ahey refused 10 make this agreement
1rMai among themselves through
s4&Ar OF prosecution Attorney-Gen-
1SaI Gregory sent explicit word 30
IN mthaf any price fixing agreement
sN1SNld be Illegal and would he prose
tstttsF-tA this ia tat--e- ssrt..-r-v
NY Lane took the matter IN his own
1knas and announced at the meet
VT ~ the coal men that this was the
E1Etca Al which business would he
1screfary Daniels has already de-
|a14Nced the prices as they affect navy
The navy is now buying coat
'4xks 10 per cent less than this Mr..
46isls says he will pay no more.
ri oays that the coal men will not
9 the price Of their product for
nAvy.
PROFIT At - a Ton,
2s&aXAA bltuminous coal trade has been
UWn as the hardest headed aEgre-
MN In business for many years
ty one raarveied when they agreed
3hA - price last week In the face
II eAo fact that many of them had
SetffnR two and two and one
times that much for their coal.
I ID sN14Y last week, however. 1t was re-
So4 that there would be CON-
able proft at 50 for any opera
The Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
which have In times past sold
little a. 20 cents ton at the
we're admittedly to make
@ yo0n3A proft on the So price
Aore were many of these men in
%xAthertng which vociferously APP
Nde6s the announcement OF Secre-
III Lane that the SO price would be
EmAxtmnm. News has been Alter
0Atk to Washington ever since
tasese men considered they had
IL one over on Lane Not only
tha1 get him to assume the re-
MI 9aNliity for the price fixing which
h 1epArtment of Justice announced
litegAl. but they got him to Ak
e4e6 which will reap them a hand
front to the cost OF the con-
J(& price Is only tentative The
S~ trade commission is investing
MT with view to making
&nent price for coal But in the
l. mf1ne hundreds of operators are
TIT M reap harvest OF from 81 to
" ton on all OF the inferior grades
real There is iitt.a likelihood
~ present circumstances that any