Evening star., 1918-02-04

Edward +. C0iiaday, acting Iue1 Su'
ministrator for the District. while de-
clining to discuss In any way the steps
he has taken at the direction OF the
President, admitted today that he IL In
yestigating specinc soss reposss end or o that
the results of these investigations VIII
be submitted to officials OF the National
Fuel Administration.
President Wilson's personal interest
In the matter assures that the full ma
chinery of the government VIII De put
In operation to determine the extent OF
the offending by Washington coal deal.
ers and to punish any found guilty OF
distress of the people to exact aiiicit
profits.
Penalty Law Provides.
The law provides penalty of $4,000 or
two years Imprisonment. or both, Tor any
dealer who overchargeS or refuses TO con-
form to the regulations of the fuel ad-
ministrator. and it is specifically stated
that each Illegal transaction shall consul
tute separate offense- District Attorney
Laskey stands ready promptly to submit
to the grand Jury any evidence resulting
from the investigation now under way.
In addition to fine and imprisonment. an
offending dealer stands chance OF having
his business taken over by the government.
The law gives the President authority to
confiscate the business Of any dealer VINO
fails to conform to the pr1ce-nxing OF
other regulations or who fails to conduct
his business efficiently. or conducts It IN
q manner, in the opinion Of the President,
which is prejudicial to the public welfare.
Consumer Never Knows.
Under the schedule of prices fixed by
the fuel administration it is almost Inn
possible for consumer to know
whether he is being overcharged. The
price. to consumers is based on the
price at the mine. plus freight charges.
plus a fixed profit for wholesalers and
plus a profit of $3.50 ton to the retail
dealer in Washington. Prices at the
mine, however, vary. An independent
mine is allowed to charge on any size
Of anthracite IS cents a ton more than
charge. If the mine sells the coal
through a broker a brokerage OF 20
cents a ton is allowed. This makes
possible a legal difference of as much
the same size and grade of anthracite.
Diversion of coal from one consignee
to another, increasing the freight
charges, also complicates the retail
price. 1t may be necessary, in order to
meet an acute shortage in one part of
the city, to divert coal which came in
on one railroad to dump located on
another road. and this adds to the price
a switching, charge which the con-
sumer must pay.
From Railroad Mines.
The great bulk of hard coal which
comes into Washington. it was said to-
day, comes from the railroad mines
and is sold direct, without the services
of broker. Therefore the great bulk
of hard coal in Washington should be
sold at the minimum price. Maximum
price coal is in very small proportion
to the whole But reports reaching the
District fuel administrator indicate that
a great deal of minimum price coal is
being sold at maximum prices.
But a record is kept Of every car of
coal that reaches the city. the mine it
came from and whether sold through
a broker. With these records available
to them, and with the testimony of
purchasers and evidence in the shape
of receipted bills, the governments ex-
pert accountants and auditors will be
able to get at the bottom of things
and determine which dealers have been
profiteering and which have been play
ing fair with the public in time Of
distress
Judged by the state of mind which
officials admit they are in things will
go mighty hard with any dealer on
whom they get the goods"
Woman's Difficulty in Getting Coal.
Some of the cases which have been
reported to Acting Administrator Col
laday are particularly aggravating
Early Sunday morning a woman got
him oNt of bed to tell of -the trouble
she hod had with a. dealer. The woman
had paid for q quarter Of . ton of coal
last Monday. and the dealer promised
to Aeffver it to her by Wednesday. II
wss not delivered, and Thursday and
-. CT another. Saturday she was an.
S 5sss5s