The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-02-27
Reed Attacks the Coal
Administration; Fuel
Price Must Be HIGHER

WASHINGTON, Feb, 26.-Rcsponsi-
bil:ty Tor the coel shortage was placed
squarely on the fuel administration By
Senator Reed OF Missouri today in Il
statement of facts" submitted 10 the
senate subcommittee on manufactures
AS basis for Il report Of its recent
investigation "f the fuel situation.
The chaos now existing in The coal bust
ness, the statement says. ':nuSt give
place 10 stability or We will in the near
future be confronted By coal shortage
OF the most disastrous character"
For this reason. Senator Reed said.
Their" should be IN Immediate announce
ment or prices TO replace present coal
contracts. practically all Of which ter
inmate April l.
The statement also advocated the an
nounccmrnt Of a fixed time in which
the business world may safely adjust
itself 10 the new contracts and added:
1t is plain that the prices allowed To
be charged must DO reasonably remu-
nerativc. If this is DENIED the maximum
Of production cannot be expected"
Senator Reed declared the recent, fuel
order closing industries east OF the Mis-
Sisslppi river was issued by the fuel adj
mIntration without warran; or author
l;y OF law in order TO cXtricaIe itself
from its sclf-crcatcd dilemma"
The senator made it plain there was
no excuse for such 4 condition to exist
us the government on August 10 took
over thr control OF coal with authority
10 commander mines and ample powers
In meet any emergency.
The TRANSATLANTIC shipping tie-ur,
as far as was due 10 lack of bunker
coul.' ais" was blamed on the fue. ad-
miniStration by the Missouri senator.
His statement asserted that the entire
business machinery for bunkcring ships,
built UP BY practical experts. not the
crisis or drcamcrs, had been put out of
commission or completely subordinatcI
TO the fuel administration So thai it can
be fairly said that the fuel adrnins,rL-
lion was substitute for the machinery
therefore existing"
To add TO the confusion. the safe.
m"nt said the prices liked by the Lane.
committee were swept aside by the full
administration and this mistake was IT.
nally discovered und admitted by DR.
GARFIELD. Senator Reed also showed how
the multiplicity of priority orders r..
suited in ticing up thousands of freight
cars and increasing embargocs in many
of the great terminal yards of the
country.
81 submit that no great business"
continued the statement, can prosper
unless the conditions unCcT WHICH II Is
be conducted arc reasonably Stabi
What coal producer can be expected 10
spend large sums Of money to increase
the output OF his mine when he is III
formed in advance that the prices he
will in the future be allowed 10 charge
ar. subject TO change At any moment
by inlviduals over whom he has no pos
SIblc control and who may b. informed
or uniformed on coal costs or cond'-
tons.
1T also seems too cloar for dispute
that restrictions upon business ought
to be- reduced Ia a minimum thai cN-
prrimcntaLion and guess work concern
ing IA great fundamental business upon
which all cher business TO large "H- -
tent dcpend$, ought TO cease. Obviously
this great fundamental business ought
no, To hn wrCstrG from experienced
hands and taken over by those who.
however good their Intentions. arc Ut
icr,v iachin;; ~ that knowledge essen
rial "a It's successful conduct.
The statement made by Senator Reed.
who IS chairman "i the manufacturers o.
committee, WAS ;akcn under consIdcr;t-
zion TO-DAY and Il report on the nrdins
of the recent inquiry is expected
Shor'l".
Senator Lodge. whose resolution
rnusrd the coal investigation. has given
unitcr he will discuss the coal situation
IN The senate tomorrow. e.