New Britain herald., 1917-08-24
PRESIDENT FIXES
 COST OF HARD COAL
Dr. Garfield, Administrator to
 Prevent Bleeding Of Public

tive order President wilson late yeS- terday named Dr. Harry A. Garfield, president of Williams College, coal administrator, fixed the prices of an- thracite coal at the mine-ranging from $4 to $5.30 a ton, according to the grade-and named the conditions under which jobbers Would be per mitted to operate.
 The regulation of, the retailer was left is the hands of Dr. Garfield, with authority to use drastic power, and with instructions to exert every ef- fort to bring relief throughout the country. It was generally considered here that the Presidents action would mean a decided drop in anthracite coal prices.
 Dr. Garfield, already at the head of the commission to determine a price for the 1917 wheat crop, ac. cepted the new commission, and i'm. mediately took up his work. He told a reporter that three cardinal prin- ciples would be observed. They are
 1. Fair treatment of operators un- der conditions which would stimulate production.
 2. Fair treatment of the jobbers, with restrictions which would prevent this branch of the trade taking ad- vantage of the retailer.
 3. Fair treatment of the retailer with restrictions. if necessary, which would prevent exorbitant profits
 It can be stated that Dr. Garfield is determined to end, so far as lies with in his power, waste and profteering in coal.
 The prices fixed by the president for coal at the mine are approximate ly those which the operators agreed upon voluntarily in conference with the Federal Trade Commission some months ago. The president. how ever, in naming 20 cents a ton for shipments east of Buffalo and 30 cents a ton west of Buffalo as the fee of the jobber, topped off much of the profits these men had been &C., customed to make in many instances. The soft coal jobbers' fee was limited to l 5 cents ton.
 Only Single Fee Allowed.
 President Wilson also ruled that only a single jobber's fee should be charged, and that if the coal passed through several agencies in shipment from producer to retailer these agencies must be satisfied to appor- tion it among themselves. pr. Gar field said that he was in full accord with this principle enunciated by the President.
 We will try he said. ito obtain coal for the consuming public without undue hardship to any de- partment of the trade, and we believe that much can be accomplished in
  are possible is matter of conjec- tion into operation.
 Tt is possible that a system of licensing will be adopted in order to obtain complete control of the situ- ation in the interests of all. and this may be done largely on the plan worked out for the control of the wheat supply. In this way we could compel the jobbers to accept the rul- ing of the president as to the profits they shall make, as the license could be rescinded if conditions were not met"
 The problem of controlling the re- taller, pr. Garfield admitted, was complicated, because of the many companies and individuals involved. Ne&'A to prevent abuses licensing system will be inaugurated also for that branch of the industry. One theory, however, is that universal price for anthracite to the consumer-with perhaps slight variations because of locality and business conditions-can be established, which retailers will find it inexpedient to violate, regard T l. of Ira
 With the price at the mine and the jobber's free fixed by the president, the price at which retailers obtain coal can be pretty closely ascertained by the public, as the freight rates will be made known. The coal ad- ministrator may indicate at a later date the profit which is believed to be a fair one for the retailer
 May Form Coal Corporation.
 There will however, be no tendency on the part of the coal administration to overlook any of the powers con- ferred in the food control bill if cir cumstances seem to warrant their use In this connection it is entirely possi Die that, within a very short time, steps will be taken to organize a cor poration along the lines of the new $50, 100000 grain corporation. with power to purchase the output of any recalcitrant operator and resell it, or if thought wise. take over the entire put of the coal fields. It is not con- templated at the present time to go to that extreme. but it will be done if there is a halt in the plan for lower prices.
 How the anthracite decree will af- feet the New York retail market is a matter of conjecture. It is held here in some quarters that, striking an av- craze price of s4.5O for coal at the mine 20 cents for the jobber, S16O for freight, and 20 cents for barge transportation, coal should be deliv- cred in New York city for approxi- nately $6.50 a ton from the Pennsyl- vania fields. To this must be added a